SEEKING JESUS

Jesus and the Bride of Christ

As we have read in our previous posting, our journey leads us toward becoming a part of the New Jerusalem, the Lambs wife. Let us look at a scripture to develop this view in greater detail:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

We are the Bride, the New Jerusalem adorned for her Husband. Jesus is the Tabernacle of God and will dwell with us and He will care for our every need. He will restore everything to the perfect state it was in the beginning.

The Bride

To develop the concept of the Bride a bit further let me present an experience I had at a prayer meeting several years ago. The words that follow are a reflection of my experience being a part of the Bride in the spirit. I include it hear as I believe that it provides insight into the Bride and the marriage feast. Here it is:

We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quite time. A time of preparedness. For there was to be a great event of which none can compare. There was joy and happiness. There was 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[i].

The quiet is good for reflection. The images of the old world. The trials, the tribulations. The threats of war. The wars. The earthquakes, the storms, the floods. The disease, the famine, the pestilence. The sin. The fouling of the earth. The war with Satan and the victory of souls. The confrontation with the beast, the final victory. The deliverance. The unity of the saved.

We are a new creation!  We are the culmination of saved souls[ii]. We are one being comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God. Assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew[iii]. There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is great joy in the Bride[iv]. Every soul of our existence 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, 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.

And the hour is upon us. The preparation is complete[v]. The door knocks. It is the Father. He is beaming. He holds out His arm. We take it and we walk arm and arm. We enter the great hall. The floor is as a single dark green emerald[vi]. The pews are crystal[vii]. The walls are gold. There is no ceiling but the sky. The seats are filled with the angels, all in white, all with wings. They are all singing. It is the wedding song in seven-part harmony. All gaze upon us. We look for Him but the passage is too long to see the end. We walk. We walk.

We see Him!  JOY!!  JOY!!  He is so handsome. He smiles a big smile. In His eyes we see heaven. We keep walking. We are there. The Father gives up the Bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings. We take His hand. The angel Gabrielle conducts the ceremony. We can think of nothing but Him. I do. 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. We walk down the aisle. The angels are drunk. They sing, they fly, they cause great explosions in the sky.

A new larger sun rises[viii] over the altar behind us. The New World awaits.

So, the significance of the Pot of Manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant is that it represents the care, guidance and provision that God provides to His people who seek to enter into covenant with Him. While this support was provided to Israel under the first covenant, it has been perfected in Jesus under the new covenant. Israel’s walk with the Lord toward the Promised Land was prophetic of the superior covenant we would have with Jesus. Under the new covenant we receive blessings and gifts from God both on this earth but also in the spiritual realm. In addition, our spiritual destiny is to be one with Jesus as the new covenant is consummated with us, His Bride after the second coming of Jesus.

[ii] 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.

[iii] 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.

[iv] 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.

[v] 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.

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

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

[viii] 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 was the Morning Star. He rose but then stopped low in the morning sky, apparently positioned in an optimal location to provide light.

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.