The Foundation of the Vision

One day, Pat and I received an invitation to attend a prayer meeting at the home of a couple who attended our church. In this meeting, I experienced being a part of the bride of Christ. I will share this experience as well as provide insight into biblical passages that support what I experienced. 

The meeting commenced with a socialization period in which we met several people who also attended our church. Afterward, the meeting leaders had us stand and form a prayer circle, and each member, in turn, had an opportunity to voice a prayer for the intentions of their heart. When the praying began, I started to hear foreign thoughts over and over again in my head. I believed that they were beautiful, and I promptly began memorizing them. Soon, I realized that I was receiving more than just random phrases. I perceived that I was experiencing the thoughts, memories, reflections, and feelings of the Bride of Christ on her wedding day.  

When it became my turn to pray, I spoke what I had recalled of this beautiful experience. The next day I wrote down what I had delivered in the prayer group meeting. Here is what I wrote: 

We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quiet time, a time of preparedness, for there was a great event to which none can compare. There is joy and happiness. There is anticipation, for we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room, just the song of rustling linen._²³ 

The quiet time is good for reflection upon the images of the old world. There were trials, tribulations, and threats of war. In looking back there were wars, earthquakes, storms, floods, disease, famine, pestilence, and sin. The earth was fouled. There was the war with Satan and then the victory of souls. Eventually, confrontation came with the beast and the final victory—the deliverance and unity of the saved. 

We are a new creation! We are the culmination of saved souls.²⁴ We are one, comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew.²⁵ There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is ecstasy in the bride.²⁶ Every soul that exists in the bride shouts with joy, for we all know that we confessed Him. We all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him. We all obeyed His commandments, and we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him.

How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Truly this is our hour. The preparation is complete.²⁷ 

Someone knocks at the door. It is the Father, and He is beaming. He holds out His arm, and we take it and walk arm in arm. We enter the great hall where the floor is as a single dark green emerald.²⁸ In this room, the pews are crystal,²⁹ the walls are gold, and there is no ceiling, just the sky. The seats are filled with winged angels dressed in white. They are all gazing at us while singing the wedding song in seven-part harmony. We look for Him, but the aisle is too long to see the end. We walk, and we walk. We see Him! JOY! JOY! He is very handsome as He smiles a big smile, and we see heaven in His eyes. We keep walking, and then we are there. The Father presents the bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings as we take His hand. The angel, Gabrielle, conducts the ceremony, but we can think of nothing but Him. We say, I do. We hear You may kiss the bride. Anticipation! He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer, and embraces us. 

Cheers and celebrations! We turn to face the assembly and walk down the aisle. The angels are delirious. They sing, they fly, and they cause great explosions in the sky. A new sun rises³⁰ over the altar behind us. A new world awaits.

References

23. Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen, is the righteous acts of the saints.

24. Ephesians 4:15 – 16 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

25. 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

26. Revelation 21:9 – 11 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

27. Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

28. Revelation 4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a Sardis stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

29. Revelation 4:6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.

30. Revelation 22:16 – 17 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Revelation 2:26 – 28 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels; as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

The sun that rose in my story of the bride had to be the Morning Star. The sun rose but then stopped low in the morning sky.

Isaiah 60:19 – 21 The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also, your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST DEFINED

The Bride of Christ is the collective of saved souls, where each one has a role to play in the proper functioning of the whole. In my prayer, I stated the following: 

We are the culmination of saved souls.²⁴ We are one, comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew.²⁵

I believe the following scripture magnifies this concept: 

Ephesians 4:15 – 16 But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

This scripture implies a realization of oneness, where each soul is a viable and active member of the Bride of Christ. Jesus also spoke of this unity in the Gospel of John: 

John 15: 20-23 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 

The Bride of Christ is pure and holy, perfect in every way: 

Ephesians 5:25 – 27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Jesus also spoke to His disciples about the Bride of Christ in this passage:

John 14:2 – 4 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

So, Jesus states that He will come again and receive His disciples to Himself. What could this mean except that the Lamb and His Bride become one? 

Building on the scripture above, Jesus talks about the many mansions in his Father’s house. Could it be that these mansions exist in the spiritual New Jerusalem? The answer follows:   

Revelation 21: 9 – 10 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.

Keep Your Lamps Burning

The Bride of Christ, the great city, the holy Jerusalem, comprised of God’s anointed, has her lamps burning brightly, which means that she is prepared to enlighten the earth. To allow God’s illuminating flame to die results in being refused entry into the wedding feast and exclusion from the Bride of Christ as well.  

Matthew 25:1 – 13 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight, a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! But he answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

In another parable of Jesus, those that follow Him shall walk in His light.  

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life. 

Jesus brought the light that leads us into everlasting life with God. He provided a light that enables us to cast aside our walk in darkness and to live in the provision and bounty of God. In doing so, Jesus passes the light on to us to illuminate the world also. We, therefore, are to become like Him and carry on as He did until His return.

Matthew 5:14 – 16 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The following scripture is a call to be visibly found doing good works. But what are these works? They are the works of Jesus. 

John 14:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

The works of Jesus demonstrate His loving compassion for people because they enhance physical and spiritual well-being. The following scripture communicates the love and actions of Jesus. 

Luke 7:20 – 23 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One or do we look for another?’” And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 

But what are the greater works identified in John 14:12? Could it be because we have so much more to give today than ever before? Are the sciences and technology of the modern world not vastly greater in every way than in the days of Jesus? If this is the case, then we have the opportunity to do even greater deeds than Jesus because we have so much more to give than ever before. Despite all these excellent improvements, the vast majority of people in this world still live in oppression and poverty. Consequently, we have a larger opportunity, as well. We must give to the world of what we have. Including the blessings from the Spirit of God, as well as our goods, know-how, and technology! I will now present a few scriptures that support and clarify these statements. 

1 John 3:16 – 18 By this, we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

We each have a distinct set of Spiritual Gifts. 

1 Cor 12:8-12 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Also, we have a call to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

Luke 10:30-36 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you. So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?

Works like those identified in the above scripture, demonstrate the love of the Christian community, which is taking action to better the lives of the less fortunate by sharing what she has. In doing accordingly, she keeps her lamps burning, and she remains ready for the coming of the Lord. 

The unity of the Bride of Christ is necessary for her perfection. This unity is required for the world to know that Jesus is the Son of God the Father. In support of this statement, I provide the following prayer of Jesus:

John 17:20 – 23 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 

But we are not united today. How many denominations are there? How many sects of Catholics? How many factions are there inside these churches? And what about the Jews? Are they not included as a part of the bride of the Lamb? Please read this:

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

Rev 21:9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Yep, the bride is comprised of the Jews as well. 

Do we believe that Jesus will return for a bride that is less than perfect? If the answer to this question is no, then the bride must be perfect. Therefore, this unity must be achieved before the Lord’s return.

Matthew 24:42 – 51 The bride is united in her devotion, direction, and commitment to doing the work that the Bridegroom left her to do. Watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

The bride is left behind to be the ruler over the Bridegroom’s household until His return. We are to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus to all of humanity. We are to feed them food in the due season which is the spiritual bread that came down from heaven: Jesus, the Bread of Life.

A vision statement presents the big picture of an end state to be achieved. With this in mind, let’s take a look at our vision statement from a spiritual perspective and then present supporting information to help us visualize and understand it. Our spiritual vision statement is: 

The bride is prepared for the marriage feast when Jesus victoriously returns.