In our text the cry is, “…the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready!” This addresses the heart. It is not an historical event. Nor is it merely a future dispensational event. It is a spiritual experience! The marriage of the Lamb is that revelation of the Christ that causes us to know that we are united to Him; it is the conscious knowledge and the experiential reality. We cannot understand the relationship of the bride with the Lamb Bridegroom until we know UNION. We cannot be in that particular concert with Christ which the name bride or wife expresses until we yield ourselves to be made ONE IN HIM. And that is not something which happens someday when Jesus comes crashing down through the clouds. Oh, no! This is a present reality! When I know that I am united with the Christ I am so identified with His name, His person, His presence, His life, and His interests that they are paramount with me. Few know it! A wife is one who has reached maturity, fully developed in mind and body, her hormones have kicked in, and she has given herself in a mature relationship completely and unreservedly for her lover; one who has lost her own name, residence, and self-identity to take his. She has left all to follow him! The result of such a union is described by the inspired apostle in these words: “…that we should be married to another, even to HIM who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom. 7:4).
It was to the church which is His body that Paul wrote, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning CHRIST AND THE CHURCH” (Eph. 5:31-32). It was also to the saints that Paul addressed these significant words, “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to HIM…” (Rom. 7:4). Again it was to the elect of the Lord that Paul explained, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to ONE HUSBAND, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to CHRIST” (II Cor. 11:2).
In our consideration of the Bridegroom and the bride we need to remember that first of all these precious realities are fulfilled within each of us personally! Christ is not just in some far-off heaven somewhere; for us He is our life, our reality, and our only hope of glory; and that hope of glory is neither Christ in heaven nor Christ coming again — it is CHRIST IN YOU! This is a phrase of inexhaustible wonder — “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME” (Gal. 2:20). “For He abideth with you, and SHALL BE IN YOU” (Jn. 14:17). “He shall be IN you.” In these simple words our Lord announces the wonderful mystery of His indwelling which was to be the fruit and the crown of His redeeming work. It was for this that man had been created! It was for this, God’s incarnation in flesh, that the Spirit had revealed God unto men! It was for this that Jesus had lived and was about to die. Dwelling in them, He would prepare them to receive Himself as their true life and identity — as Bridegroom! We can never understand the deep mystery of the Bridegroom and the bride until we know that Christ is the Bridegroom and that Christ lives in us. All who give godly consideration to these simple truths cannot avoid the conclusion that the BRIDEGROOM IS WITHIN OURSELVES. There is deep within the inner sanctum of each of us a place where the Bridegroom dwells and He comes out of that place and woos us into intimacy of fellowship and vital union with Himself! Isn’t it wonderful!
- Preston Eby
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