THE BRIDEGROOM IS STRICKEN BY THE BEAUTY OF THE BRIDE. See her as He sees her. She is beautiful, <beauty> from a root word meaning to be bright. Of one thing we may be certain and that is that she will be a being of light. All the light giving bodies are used in a description of her.Rev. 12:1 Zion, the true Sion of God, the New Jerusalem is the city of the light of the Lord. She is perfect in beauty because the light of the Lord is shining out from within her. Ps. 50:2 It is the city of the endless day. The Lamb is to be the everlasting light of that city. This is the everlasting city that will glow with the light that is greater than that of the noon day sun. Rev. 21:25 Amazingly, Satan was ascribed this beauty in his creation. Perfect in Beauty. Eze. 28:12 A being of beauty, wisdom and brightness who will ultimately be destroyed by the Lord. Eze. 28:17 Satan was the closest to the throne of God of any of created beings. Wisdom, light and beauty were given to him until he began to think of himself as God. He tried to assert his will above the will of the Lord. Isa. 14:13-14 Of this we should be aware, he is still beautiful and attractive. All of his works of evil have an appeal to the carnal, fleshly nature of man. The enticements of Satan can only produce harm and destruction.
THE CALL OF THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT. It is a call for separation. The call of the Lord has been consistent, from the Old Testament to the New for a people who live according to the plan and purpose of the Lord. This requires a total commitment to the Lord. While we live in the world we are not of the world. 2 Cor. 6:17 We have the privilege of <perfecting holiness> by a disconnecting ourselves from all contamination of the flesh and the spirit. 2 Cor. 7:1 It is important that we recognize that there are those things that are called <filthiness of the spirit>. They need to be identified and shunned. Any and all imitations must be dealt with. The call of the Lord is to a life of holiness. There can be no great move of God until there has been a revival of purity and righteousness. The Lord will not call us to tasks that are impossible. The urgings of His Spirit will always be in the direction of His holiness. 1 Thes. 4:7 There is no question as to the desire of the Lord pertaining to holiness. It is a necessity for every member of the body of Christ. It is a command to His people. 1 Pet. 1:16 Our approach to the Lord in prayer, worship and praise must be with hands that are pure and clean. Hands and hearts that are contaminated become a hindrance in seeking the Lord. 1 Tim. 2:8 The Lord is seeking those that will come before Him <in the beauty of holiness>. Could there be a more precious place or attitude of heart than that of the beauty of holiness? This is perfect absolute worship unto the Lord. Ps. 96:9 Worship in the beauty of holiness brought victory to Judah. The choir preceded the army with songs of praise. The result was that the enemy was defeated by an act of the Lord and Judah was victorious. There is an important lesson here that we must learn. 2 Chr. 20:21
ELEGANT, BECAUSE SHE IS SPOTLESS. There is no greater love story found in the Word than that of Christ and His Church or Bride. This story is found in type and symbol throughout the scriptures. Here it is a desire because of her beauty. Though she will be beautiful there are other things that attract Him to this Bride. One is, her spotless purity. There is no possibility of finding a flaw or a fault in her. Song 4:7 The Lord Jesus has had a goal from eternity. The consummation of the work of redemption is a perfect church. He declares His actions to be the manifestation of His love, for He loved her. He made the supreme sacrifice of becoming the guilty one by bearing the sin of the world in His own body on the tree. He gave, surrendered Himself for the Bride. Eph. 5:25 His great motive is to sanctify, to make her to be holy, even as He is holiness personified. The process of holiness is by the washing of the Word. The Bride will be thoroughly living in accordance to the precepts of the Word. Jesus is the word made flesh and the power of the word will make flesh (the Bride) like unto Himself. Eph. 5:26 Only Christ could prepare a Bride for Himself. He knows what He wants in a Bride and is working on her even now. She will be a radiant, glorious Bride. One like unto none other. The fullness of the Glory of the Lord will be resident in her. She will be without spot, no inkling of sin to be found in her. No stain, no blemish nothing of the old life to mar her beauty. No wrinkle, no marks of age or the past. No need of any beauty aids. Perfect in all her ways and appearance. Perfect holiness and completely blameless. Eph. 5:27