END OF TIME PROPHECIES 209

Praise for the God of unity                   Revelation 19v6-7.

"And I heard as it were a voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.  Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

John now hears a melody of harmonious voices.   The repetition of the word "as" suggests that he is in a trance, but the details are real.   What he hears are the voices of a great throng similar to many waters and mighty thunderings united in praise to God.   Anyone who has heard the roar of a football crowd of about 100,000 people will understand a tiny fraction of what is here.   The heavenly chorus has become a choir of immense proportions with the theme on their lips the prospect of the marriage of the Lamb and his bride.   This represents the greatest union that has ever taken place and gives evidence of the sovereign power of God who has brought sinners, destined for eternal loss, into close union with the Lamb of God.   The occasion is the greatest reason for rejoicing ever, that human beings can be brought into closest union with one who is not only God, but who is also man, and who has demonstrated His love to bring them there.   People talk of the wedding of the year, here is the wedding of all time.   The betrothed wife of the Lamb separated by many years is about to enter into eternal union with the Lamb of God who died for her.   This is the greatest love story ever told and it is the culmination of the real story of the bible which is basically a love story from beginning to end.  

• Genesis 1v26-27     The love story of Adam & Eve, together destined for world dominion, but fulfilled only in Christ and His church.
• Genesis 24               The love story of Isaac & Rebecca, when the servant of Abraham went to a far country to find a bride for Isaac.
• Genesis 29               The love story of Jacob & Rachel, possibly the greatest love story in the bible apart from Christ and the church.   Jacob served no less than fourteen years of hard work to win Rachel as his bride.
• Ruth                          The love story of Boaz & Ruth; the elevation of a Gentile woman, debarred from Israel by historical enmity, becomes the wife of the great man.
• Song of Solomon      The love story of king Solomon & the queen of Sheba; although Solomon portrays this as love between a Shulamite woman and a shepherd boy, in fact he is probably speaking of the Ethiopian queen who came from afar to witness his glory. 
• Jeremiah 31 & book of Hosea with Malachi chapter 1   the love of Jehovah for the nation of Israel; an everlasting love; an undying love; a love even in the context of unfaithfulness.  
• Ephesians 5          The love of Christ for the church; which is said to be the pattern for all marriages  "Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.......that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Here in revelation chapter 19 we have the consummation of the bible story.   The Lamb of Calvary now exalted in heaven.   The church is called his wife, taking forward the imagery of the state of betrothal in Jewish culture, that such betrothal was binding unless there was just cause during the betrothal period for them to be separated.   The day of the marriage is come! The eternal blissful union is about to be sealed!   Praise for the God of unity!  God and man forever together in heavenly bliss!

Amazon bookshelf    George Neilly