The Bible uses much imagery and symbolism concerning God's relationship with His people. We may think of Christ as a great King ruling over a great kingdom and we are part of that kingdom. That is true, however the Bible reveals that Christ is also a Husband, and the Church is a bride, or wife. Christ is a King mostly to the nations He will rule with an iron rod (Rev 2:27). To the Church however, Christ is a Husband.
The Church as the Wife or Bride of Christ
From Old testament times, God likened his relationship to His people as like a marriage relationship (Isaiah 54:6, Jer 3:20). The significance of a wife is that the wife is a weaker vessel, reliant upon her husband (God). The significance of a wife, is also that she is one flesh , bone of bones and flesh of flesh, with her husband, and this has great significance which we shall see concerning abiding in Christ and the new creation.
In Eph 5:28-32 - the apostle Paul had the revelation that the relationship between Christ and the church is like a marriage relationship akin to Gen 2:24.
The Bible says that the Lamb's bride/wife is the Church (Rev 19:7-9) and the Lamb's bride/wife, is the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:9).
Putting Rev 19:7 and 21:9 together, we can see that the New Jerusalem is not necessarily a physical building or great Cathedral in the sky, but the people, the dwelling place of regenerated mankind, the new creation, with God. In short, the old creation lead to the Old Jerusalem, however the new creation leads to the New Jerusalem, and here we can see a link between abiding in Christ, the new creation and the New Jerusalem.
The Bible reveals that the destiny of all Christians is to participate in the great wedding feast, or marriage supper of the lamb, the last Passover. All Christians as the Church, except the foolish ones (foolish virgins) who miss out on the wedding feast, is the bride or wife of Christ.The wedding celebrations and feasting will take place at Christ's return - see Rev 19:9, Matt 8:11, Luke 12:36, Luke 14:15, Luke 22:16, Luke 13:28-29, Matt 22 , Matt 25:10. The Bride of Christ and Wife of Christ means essentially the same thing. The Bride is the status of the church during the millennial reign of Christ, since a bridal time is the time of much enjoyment and celebration. The wife however, is the ongoing relationship between Christ and the Church for all eternity (Rev 20:2-7).
The Symbol of Marriage and the New Creation
The Biblical concept of marriage is more than merely two people living under the same roof, changing ones last name and having a piece of paper to prove it.
Although the world treats marriage in this light, the Bible reveals it is the union of flesh (Mark 10:8).
Adam's wife, the woman (later to be known as Eve, after she fell), was created by taking a rib out of Adam's side (Gen 2:22).
In like manner, the Church, the wife of Christ, was created by the blood and water which flowed from the side of Christ (John 19:34).
For this reason, Christ and the Church are considered to be one flesh (Eph 5:29-32).
Here we can see the significance of the new creation. 2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15 says that we are a new creation. The new creation is the union of Christ (God) with man. The difference between the old and new creation, is that the old creation is only created humanity, but the new creation is created humanity with and in God. When we are in Christ, we are a new creation. To be in Christ means to be united with Him, as a branch which abides in a vine, does not have its own life, but receives the life of the whole vine (John 15:4). We are a new creation because we have been born of God (John 1:13, 3:15, 2 Peter 1:4), and partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:14, Heb 6:4, Heb 12:10).
The Old Jerusalem is the totality of the people of the old creation, however the New Jerusalem is comprised of the people of the new creation. With this in mind, we may see that the New Jerusalem is not a place we go to, but rather the New Jerusalem is the totality of the new creation, something we become, as we continue to abide in Christ and partake of the divine nature. The New Jerusalem is likened to a mother (Gal 4:26), as it is a place of nurturing and comfort and is the place which all Christians should look forward to (Heb 11:10, Heb 13:14). For this reason we may say the goal of the Biblical church (to use a terminology to contrast with the church today), did not seek Heaven, but hoped to participate in the wedding feast, marriage supper or last Passover of the Lamb, and the New Jerusalem.
Fallen Christianity, denominational Christianity, seeks physical buildings in the sky, material riches and wealth such as streets of gold, and a place of comfort called heaven where they look forward to seeing their departed loved ones. Much preaching and many songs have made about that. Biblical Christianity however, seeks a heavenly city, but as a mutual abode of God with mankind, a place of safety, nurturing and comfort, as a motherly city signifies, a place of great feasting and enjoyment, a place of intimacy and union between God and His people as a marriage relationship signifies. To the fallen Christianity, gold is a material wealth of the Earth, with which the New Jerusalem is supposedly made, but to the biblical Christian however, and the lover of Christ, gold signifies the great worth and preciousness of Christ Himself.
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The Church as the Wife or Bride of Christ
From Old testament times, God likened his relationship to His people as like a marriage relationship (Isaiah 54:6, Jer 3:20). The significance of a wife is that the wife is a weaker vessel, reliant upon her husband (God). The significance of a wife, is also that she is one flesh , bone of bones and flesh of flesh, with her husband, and this has great significance which we shall see concerning abiding in Christ and the new creation.
In Eph 5:28-32 - the apostle Paul had the revelation that the relationship between Christ and the church is like a marriage relationship akin to Gen 2:24.
The Bible says that the Lamb's bride/wife is the Church (Rev 19:7-9) and the Lamb's bride/wife, is the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:9).
Putting Rev 19:7 and 21:9 together, we can see that the New Jerusalem is not necessarily a physical building or great Cathedral in the sky, but the people, the dwelling place of regenerated mankind, the new creation, with God. In short, the old creation lead to the Old Jerusalem, however the new creation leads to the New Jerusalem, and here we can see a link between abiding in Christ, the new creation and the New Jerusalem.
The Bible reveals that the destiny of all Christians is to participate in the great wedding feast, or marriage supper of the lamb, the last Passover. All Christians as the Church, except the foolish ones (foolish virgins) who miss out on the wedding feast, is the bride or wife of Christ.The wedding celebrations and feasting will take place at Christ's return - see Rev 19:9, Matt 8:11, Luke 12:36, Luke 14:15, Luke 22:16, Luke 13:28-29, Matt 22 , Matt 25:10. The Bride of Christ and Wife of Christ means essentially the same thing. The Bride is the status of the church during the millennial reign of Christ, since a bridal time is the time of much enjoyment and celebration. The wife however, is the ongoing relationship between Christ and the Church for all eternity (Rev 20:2-7).
The Symbol of Marriage and the New Creation
The Biblical concept of marriage is more than merely two people living under the same roof, changing ones last name and having a piece of paper to prove it.
Although the world treats marriage in this light, the Bible reveals it is the union of flesh (Mark 10:8).
Adam's wife, the woman (later to be known as Eve, after she fell), was created by taking a rib out of Adam's side (Gen 2:22).
In like manner, the Church, the wife of Christ, was created by the blood and water which flowed from the side of Christ (John 19:34).
For this reason, Christ and the Church are considered to be one flesh (Eph 5:29-32).
Here we can see the significance of the new creation. 2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15 says that we are a new creation. The new creation is the union of Christ (God) with man. The difference between the old and new creation, is that the old creation is only created humanity, but the new creation is created humanity with and in God. When we are in Christ, we are a new creation. To be in Christ means to be united with Him, as a branch which abides in a vine, does not have its own life, but receives the life of the whole vine (John 15:4). We are a new creation because we have been born of God (John 1:13, 3:15, 2 Peter 1:4), and partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:14, Heb 6:4, Heb 12:10).
The Old Jerusalem is the totality of the people of the old creation, however the New Jerusalem is comprised of the people of the new creation. With this in mind, we may see that the New Jerusalem is not a place we go to, but rather the New Jerusalem is the totality of the new creation, something we become, as we continue to abide in Christ and partake of the divine nature. The New Jerusalem is likened to a mother (Gal 4:26), as it is a place of nurturing and comfort and is the place which all Christians should look forward to (Heb 11:10, Heb 13:14). For this reason we may say the goal of the Biblical church (to use a terminology to contrast with the church today), did not seek Heaven, but hoped to participate in the wedding feast, marriage supper or last Passover of the Lamb, and the New Jerusalem.
Fallen Christianity, denominational Christianity, seeks physical buildings in the sky, material riches and wealth such as streets of gold, and a place of comfort called heaven where they look forward to seeing their departed loved ones. Much preaching and many songs have made about that. Biblical Christianity however, seeks a heavenly city, but as a mutual abode of God with mankind, a place of safety, nurturing and comfort, as a motherly city signifies, a place of great feasting and enjoyment, a place of intimacy and union between God and His people as a marriage relationship signifies. To the fallen Christianity, gold is a material wealth of the Earth, with which the New Jerusalem is supposedly made, but to the biblical Christian however, and the lover of Christ, gold signifies the great worth and preciousness of Christ Himself.
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