February 23, 2005
7. A CONSUMMATED MARRIAGE. A true marriage. The marriage of which every other marriage was but a minor example, however good and proper. It must be noted here, that this is not the moment of the wedding. The NIV translates Rev. 19:7 as a past event. “For the marriage of the Lamb HAS come.” Of this, W. E. Vine says, “The aorist or point tense indicating an accomplished fact, the Bride is called His Wife.” Aorist- Is a Greek tense simply expressing past action. The importance of what the Lord has in store for His church cannot be over emphasized. The event, the climax of the ages is quickly approaching. The very thought of such a stupendous change, as is necessary, taking place in today’s church only points out the seeming impossibility of such a glorious occurrence taking place. Hidden within all that chaff that is a part of the church today, is that most precious wheat and at the proper time the Lord will separate it unto Himself. The precious mystery of the relationship between the Lord Jesus and His Bride will be revealed in its fullness. While Paul calls it a hidden thing, a secret, a mystery it is proclaimed repeatedly by the written Word. It is seen in prophecy and shadow, by example and fact. Jesus will have a Bride. Eph. 5:32 Two shall become one. A perfect union of two individuals whose temperament, likes and dislikes, desires and actions are identical. All that the Lord Jesus is, will be the nature and likeness of the Bride. She must become like Him in order to become His wife. The King of kings will not marry a commoner. He will marry a nation who will have been made by Him to be Kings and Priest unto the Lord.
A MOMENT OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE IN HEAVEN. A time of complete silence in the kingdom of the Lord. No voices raised in worship or praise. No songs sung nor music of any kind. Total quietness for the space of one-half hour. Rev. 8:1 This has to be the time of a great happening for such a condition to prevail. Its very silence would define it to be an extremely solemn and awesome interval. To comprehend the importance of this silence we are left the responsibility of comparing and searching through the scriptures for an answer. Total, complete silence is indicative of the presence of the Lord. Particularly so when He is in His holy temple. Hab. 2:20 Our thoughts immediately question, what is His temple? It is Paul who answers for us by stating that, the body of the redeemed is to be the temple of God. Also that the Lord, by His Spirit will inhabit that cleansed and sanctified building of the Lord. The temple is holy and you are that temple. 2 Cor. 3:16-17 Once again, he covers the subject of identifying the temple of the Lord. He states that it is a group of sanctified people who are bound together by the Lord. A building “fitly framed together” that has grown into that holy temple of the Lord. Eph. 2:21 A gathering of the redeemed and Spirit filled whom He will grace with the completeness of His presence and glory. Their destiny is to be the place of the habitation of the eternal, ever living Lord. What a glorious holy, high calling. Eph. 2:22