Where comes the Bride?

[dragonfly]

This topic began accidentally in another thread. Here are the relevant posts which sparked it off.


In Groundzero's thread - http://www.christianityboard.com/topic/16553-polygamy/ #28 Pelaides posted:

If you read the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew25:1-13, you will notice there is no mention of a bride,which leads many people to the conclusion that the bridegroom is supposed to marry all 10 of these women.
King solomon had over700 wives and concubines.It seems that polygamy is biblicaly permissable.


I referred to the above here: http://www.christianityboard.com/topic/16586-guidelines-for-revelation/ #19 to veteran.


'I know this is close to your heart, and it's good to know God has put some people on to the case. Although I don't usually attempt to explain the book of the Lord's Revelation to the apostle John, there are many other misunderstandings to deal with.

During research for a reply in The Narrow Way, (Pelaides post which says some people believe when the bridegroom came for the 10 virgins, they were all going to become his wife - and he's serious!) I came across this website, on which it would be interesting to get your thoughts, seeing it uses the Jewish marriage procedure as a template for the end times (as well as explaining very briefly some other symbolism).

http://www.opendoorm...ishwedding.html Especially from step ten, after the tribulation has been mentioned.

(Compare with http://ohr.edu/1087) In the second link there is no end-time reference at all. It's only about the marriage procedure.) '


To which veteran replied in #20 -

'Our Lord's Book of Revelation is relevant to this topic, because some here are against the idea that the Book of Revelation is about events all the way to the end of this present world. I don't think I need ot point out who those are here that have that false belief. So maybe you're not seeing that bigger picture here, yet.
One of their quotes from 'Open Door Ministries':

"We truly believe God is calling the Bride of Christ back to the Jewish roots of
Christianity."

Problem is, Christianity is NOT from any such Jewish roots.

The religion of the Jews is Judaism, a system that only began after Judah's Babylon captivity with the traditions of the Jews from the Babylonian Talmud. That system ADDED to the laws given through Moses which our Lord Jesus and His Apostles rebuked. The orthodox unbelieving Jews aren't even following the original religion handed down through Moses with the Old Covenant. They can't, because God caused the 2nd temple to be destroyed. And under Christ He brought the end for the need of the Levitical priesthood, end of sacrifices, etc.

So the Christian should be well aware of what they're trying to do with attempting to establish the false idea that Christianity originated from "Jewish roots". That's their first step towards a Judaizer attempt to establish authority over Christ's Church, the SAME battle Apostle Paul had to put up with in his day (Galatians 2 about "false brethren unawares brought in").

Nowhere in God's Word are we His Church called His Bride. I'm familiar with the old Israelite wedding tradition, but our Lord Jesus only used us in relation as servants bid to the wedding feast per His parable of the wedding in Matt.22.

The Bride in Scripture is put for the New Jerusalem...

Rev 22:17
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
(KJV)

Rev 21:9-10
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
(KJV)

John 3:29
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
(KJV)


Even John the Baptist showed this difference when he placed himself as "the friend of the bridegroom", our Lord Jesus representing the "bridegroom". The New Jerusalem is the Bride which The Bridegroom has. This is also shown in Isaiah 62 about Jerusalem redeemed. In Ezekiel 16 God married Jerusalem.

However, in 2 Cor.11 Paul pulled from Isaiah 54 about us being a chaste virgin espoused to one Husband (Christ). But a closer study in Isaiah 54 reveals the subject of Jerusalem being spoken about in marriage. Our Lord Jesus referred to us as virgins in His parable of Matt.25, so that's where men's traditions have taken this idea from.

Yet the purpose for the applicatiion of the wedding feast today is a totally different matter, for it is being used to TRY and displace the Scripture ORDER of the end time events. This is why if you'll notice they always try to bring that wedding feast topic in where it has no place in the Scripture.'

 

[Mungo]

The Church is the Bride of Christ, and the Church has Jewish roots. Of course it has.

Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi. All the apostles were Jews. Paul was a Jew. The early converts were Jews.

Paul says:
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, consider that you do not support the root; the root supports you.” (Rom 11:17-18)

Judaizing is returning to Jewish practices and putting ourselves under the Law of Moses (now defunct anyway). It does not mean pretending we are not from Jewish roots and that those roots are not still nourishing us.

Or am I missing the point you were making?

 

[Axehead]

But aren't we a NEW MAN now, in Christ? Neither JEW nor GENTILE. We are a new creature, meaning nothing like us ever existed before Christ and what is that but a man with God dwelling in him by His Spirit. God has now tabernacled with men and no longer is He dwelling in a tabernacle made with hands.

That is why we are a new creation, new man, neither Jew nor Gentile.

God preserved the nation of Israel for through it He brought the Messiah.

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Col_2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Eph_2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph_4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col_3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.