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we come next to the future of the Bride-"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." The time for this has not yet come. The first great object for which our Lord loved the Church and gave Himself for it, has been effected in each believer-sanctified and cleansed, born of God and made meet for Him and His Son. This we may connect with the espousal of the chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). It would also answer to the first gift of the servant of Abraham to Rebekah (Gen. 24:22), "A golden earring and two bracelets of gold." The former was probably a face-ring, the adornment suggested by Abimelech when he gave Rebekah a dowry, and rebuked her disloyalty to her husband-"Behold, he is to thee a covering to the eyes, unto all that are with thee and to all other" (Gen. 20:16). Both were suggestions of espousal:the first anticipative; and the second belated, we might say.
The Church is thus an espoused virgin, endowed with the pledge of eternal union with her Lord, whom having not seen she loves. By this act, the gift of the Holy Ghost, she is the Lord's for time as well as eternity. We will look later at what this means for the present time, and go on to speak a little of the future.
"The Holy Ghost is leading
Home to the Lamb His bride."
It was God who presented Eve, the first bride, to her wondering husband. Here, in glory, the Lord presents the Church to Himself. Thus His Godhead-glory shines out in the act. We need say but little as to the time of this presentation. It is at, or immediately after, the rapture of the Church and the succeeding parts of that blessed event. The dead in Christ raised in their glorified bodies, the living changed in a moment into the same blessed likeness-and all, not one left behind,-not even you and me, beloved, feeble, failing child of God-"caught up together"-instant and happy recognition of each other -"to meet the Lord in the air," as Isaac met his bride in the field.
"Who is this that comes to meet me
On the desert way,
Like the Morning Star foretelling
God's unclouded day?
He it is who came to win me
On the cross of shame;
In the glory well I know Him
Evermore the same.
He and I together entering
Those bright courts above,
He and I together sharing
All the Father's love.
He and I in that bright glory,
One deep joy shall share;
Mine, to be forever with Him,
His, that I am there."
"And I heard as it were the 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 honor to Him:for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready" (Rev. 19:6, 7).
Here is the culmination of all His desires for His own- "the Church glorious," vδoξov; the emphasis is upon the predicate, which might be rendered "engloried," "en-swathed in glory." "The King's daughter is all glorious within" (Ps.45:13).
"Without spot"-how could there be a spot on one cleansed by divine power, made so by His precious blood, and the new birth. "Thou art all fair, my love," He can then say of her, without even the presence of the flesh. Oh, what a day will that be! At last to answer perfectly to His grace and love, to His purpose for us. "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
"Or wrinkle," the mark of care and of age. Here wrinkles are honorable if the life has been well spent. But at best they speak of failing strength, of the fading of the flower of spring. In that bright scene, when the Bride will be presented to her Lord and Spouse, all marks of the weary way will have been removed. Youth is the time of marriage, and He the heavenly Bridegroom, will "have the dew of His youth;" and she, the Bride of His heart, will gaze into His face with pure unsullied brow, without a sign of age. And after the thousand years of glory (Rev. 21:l, etc.), she will still be the Bride in all the freshness and beauty which He has wrought for and in her.
How great is His love for His Church! No words can describe it. He Himself is the measure of that love. "He that loveth His wife, loveth Himself." Blessed Saviour and Lord! We bow at Thy feet even now; what will it be to behold Thee as Thou art!
Let these holy truths, these blessed hopes, speak to the heart of the Bride even now. Let the Spirit's voice be heard, and let it mingle with ours-"The Spirit and the Bride say, Come." We have no reproaches to heap upon our fellow-saints, no accusations, but we would fain let the unutterable love of our Lord penetrate our inmost souls, and bow us, in melting contrition, to deeper devotion than we have ever known; in the desire that we, the Church, may answer to His own affection, may instinctively separate ourselves from "the obscene tumult" all about us, and learn in the joy of His love to be "subject to Him in all things." Will anything less answer? What is His due? Let the Holy Spirit bring the answer from each willing heart.
S. R.