Who is the Bride of Christ?

[Ac28]

Hi Brother Ac28, I don’t know if you’ve read any of my explanation of the Old Testament’s elect comparison with those becoming the new man in Christ. I use the example of John the Baptist in Mat 11:11. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:

Now I ask that if Jesus said he was the greatest, wouldn’t you think if those of Israel were a part of the bride of Christ, he would certainly be included?

But no, John the Baptist says of himself in that his joy is being the friend of the bridegroom. Joh 3:29 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.


Now the following scripture occurs just prior to the middle of the week of tribulation. Please keep in mind that the things is being shown is future to the Day of the Lord, and he is seeing and reporting of things to be hereafter from that period of time. Rev 4:1.

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion (Where is this?), and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Until coming to earth later, it remains in heaven today.)

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Just when does the New Jerusalem come down from heave that contains not only the bride, but all of God’s own? Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, and as you said, it is after there is a new heaven and earth we read of in Rev 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. This is even at the end of the millennium.

Thanks for your input in Jesus’ name.

Nothing you said even begins to disprove anything I said. It's like everything you said is based on assumptions and mainstream denominational traditions based on very iffy passages. If you can't see the massive difference between the New Jerusalem, which certainly isn't heaven, at all, and the Heavenly Places of Ephesians, which is the very highest heaven, I have this bridge for sale.

You can't prove anything about the post-Acts books from anything in the Acts books or any other book in the Bible - the only thing that carries over is Christ and your salvation. Why, because everything in Acts was based on the OT - even the mystery of Rom 16:25, was based on the prophetic scriptures - vs 25. On the other hand, EVERYTHING in the post-Acts scriptures was a mystery hid in God from ages and generations - Col 1:26 - until revealed by Paul, starting with Ephesians. No one in history knew anything, ever, about Eph, Col, etc. before Paul revealed it. It's ALL spanking brand new stuff, compared with the rest of the Bible. THEREFORE, EVERYTHING in Paul's post-Acts epistles stands alone - those books are an island unto themselves. If you want to debate about anything in Paul's after-Acts epistles, you can only use scripture FROM Paul's after-Acts epistles. It's like, except for Christ and our salvation, NOTHING in those all-Israel 59 books has ANY influence on anything in those last 7 books written by Paul. Your quotes from John, Revelation, and Hebrews are 100% meaningless in this discussion.

Every word in the Bible is truth and every word is important for our learning. However, when it comes to what is directly for you and I and what our future is, you won't find even a hint of it in ANY of those other 59 books. Those 59 books (starting in Gen 12) are all one COMPLETE unit, all about Israel, and everything in them is contained in scripture somewhere.

Look what Paul said, as late as Acts 26, about 62AD, 32 years after Christ's ascension.
Ac 26:22
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

Everything Paul taught the Gentiles during Acts had its roots in the OT.

In other words, everything is those 59 books was in prophecy, but Nothing in Eph, Phil, Col, 1&2Tim, Titus, or Philemon was in prophecy because it was ALL hid in God until after Acts ended. So, these 2 parts don't intersect or mesh at all. Therefore, it's impossible to use scripture from any of the 59 books to debate against anything in Paul's last 7 books, and visa versa.

You Have 2 choices. Take your pick.

(1) You can believe what Paul says about your future, but only in his post-Acts epistles, and go to Heaven, or
(2) You can believe what Paul says about your future, in his Acts books, probably go through the White Throne Judgement and probably end up on earth.

Nothing, with no exceptions, was new during Acts.
Everything, with no exceptions, was new after Acts.

The word, "Abraham" appears 19 times in Paul's 6 Acts books - 9 times in Romans
The phrase, "it is written" appears 32 times in Paul's 6 Acts books - 16 times in Romans.

Neither "Abraham" nor "it is written" appears even one time in Paul's 7 post-Acts books.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Here is something I’m not acquainted with, and that is that there is a doctrine equating the tares with believers of the church. To me there is no part of the tares that ever were of the Church.

This is not a teaching my brother, a doctrine this is a fact, the tares are not only in the professing Church but they are the majority.

I would suggest a thorough study of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, but let us take a look at the first 3 verses.

VERSES 24 and 25 “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

“But while men slept” That is after the apostles fell asleep, after they had died and had left the scene. In the night, of the dark ages, a general spirit of slumber regarding the truth prevailed among the Lord's people. Even till now the same thing is true. "Therefore, let us not sleep as do others." (1 Thess 5:6)

The Church was kept free from tares before the apostles fell asleep by God arranging that truth be put forth for acceptance or rejection by the Jews in its most unfavorable light, so that only Israelites indeed would be inclined to become followers of Jesus. During the Apostles' days such special gifts as "discernment of spirits" enabled them to prevent tares from getting in among the wheat, hypocrites from getting into the Church. Paul warned the Church of what would take place after he died "After my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts 20:29, 30)

“His enemy came” The great adversary, Satan, using human instrumentalities, “and sowed tares” Sham wheat, imitation wheat, professors who draw nigh with their lips while their hearts are far from the Lord. Hypocrites, Nominal Christians (i.e. in name only), resembling or counterfeiting the true, Deceived individuals, misnaming themselves Christians, because they have been erroneously taught that a mere confession of faith makes one a Christian.

These have ever since run the various church organizations, and the Lord has permitted it to be so and is allowing the truly consecrated ones to be developed under these difficult conditions. Nevertheless there are still many fine and noble individuals among them some more so than many of the Lord’s consecrated people (still under development), however they have neither part nor lot with the wheat because they are not of the same nature, they were not begotten by the truth, but begotten by error.

“Among the wheat and went his way” The Adversary sowed tares among the true saints, the children of the Kingdom, for the very purpose of choking it; "We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with wicked spirits in high positions." (Eph 6:12).”

VERSE 26 “But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop…

“…Then the tares also appeared.” Nominal Christians, much more numerous than the wheat, the children of the devil, imitation Christians, some of them very respectable, moral, and actually very good people, however not begotten of the Spirit or of the truth, most begotten by excitement, of fear of hell, or of hopes of worldly advantage, of pride, or of social and financial ambition.”

Herein lies an important point which is generally overlooked by the majority of believers, most are of the opinion that the battle or conflict is between believers and non-believers, not so, it’s between the true children of God (the “wheat”) and the children of the Adversary (the “tares”). Even then the general consensus is that the truth nevertheless should prevail, but this too is not so.

Think about it for a moment, if the tares are in the majority (as weeds always multiply faster than wheat), and as such control all the various denominations, sects, seminaries and etc. whose teachings or doctrines would then prevail or dominate throughout Christendom, the teachings of the wheat, the true church or the teachings of the tares, the false church?

Despite what most naive Christians believe most of what is taught for doctrine coming from pulpit of the various churches these days comes by way of the tares. Venture into any Christian bookstore today and it’s a sure bet that most if not everything offered there was written by a nominal Christian, a tare. The problem is that the tares don’t actually know they are tares. The true standard of what it takes to be a Christian, a follower of Christ has been so lowered that now anyone can claim to be a Christian, a mere profession of faith is all that is required.

Thus the “tares” have grown and grown and grown and have overtaken the field, all but chocking off all the influence of the wheat. They are completely oblivious of their true condition as is attested to by our Lord in Rev 3:17 where he states that they know not “that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Nevertheless they continue to assert that ‘we are rich (in spiritual food), have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’

They honestly believe what they teach is the truth (the Adversary having successfully turned light for darkness and darkness for light); after all aren’t the doctrines they hold held by the majority of professed believers, the (orthodox) view? The majority couldn’t possibly be wrong now could they?

The tares truly believe that they are the true church and that anyone who questions their teachings is obviously a dissenter preaching false doctrines. Tares don’t judge themselves in contrast with the true children of God, to do so would expose their hypocrisy, but rather they chose to contrast themselves with the worldly, with non-believers. The world for the most part (more or less) in a much more degraded condition tends to elevate their position amongst men.

 

[larry2]

the tares are not only in the professing Church but they are the majority.

Amen, and you sure have this right. I'll just paste an excerpt of the study of the parable of the Wheat & the Tares written by Mary Bodie I think pretty much says that.

"The King commands that, for the present time, the tares and the wheat be allowed to grow together. This refers to the outward, visible religious system called Christendom. It has no bearing whatever upon the true church of Christ which is His body. We must go to the epistles of Paul for church truth, where we find that a most real separation from unbelievers, even tho’ they be professed Christians, is positively enjoined. But we are admonished to use no weapons for deliverance from such save the sword and the spirit, which is the word of God.

This parable signifies the fact that the condition of the Kingdom will continue on, even past what we know as the church age. For this mixed condition of religious affairs will still be in evidence after the church, the body of Christ, has been taken to glory. The separation of the true from the false will only come when Christ appears. The Kingdom, as herein manifested.

The Son of Man will send His angels and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things which offend and them which do iniquity: He will clean up the world Himself and get it ready for His coming. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father;” at the end of the millennium.

 

[Harvest 1874]

We asked: Are you saying you believe the faithful are the twenty-four elders?

Yes! Who do you think they are?

Who do we think the twenty-four elders are? Well for starters we don’t believe they are actual individuals at all.

We’ll get to that in a short, but first a little clarification so as to avoid confusion, when we read in Rev 4:1, “After these things” we are not to imagine this next chapter to be a picture of events which followed what we had just been shown in regards to the Gospel age and the seven stages of the Church. John was shown one vision of the age and now “after [seeing] these things”, the first view, he is now shown a totally new vision, a second look at the same age, but from another perspective, from the throne of God.

Chapter 4 stresses the dominance of the Father in the plan -- something which the introduction to the churches (Chapter 1) did not do. Chapter 4, in essence, shows us conditions at the opening of the age in terms of Him Who had pre-planned the age. It (and part of Chapter 5) gives us a list of the forces which serve God AND which will be active entities in the unfolding of the age (viz. God, the 24 Elders, the 7 Spirits, the Sea of Glass, the 4 Living Ones, and, finally, the Sealed Scroll -- the outline for the age.)

Now as to whom the twenty-four elders represent:

As is the case with most of the book of Revelation, this is a symbolic presentation. The twenty-four elders are PERSONIFICATIONS of the testimonies of the twenty-four prophets who foretold things pertaining to our Lord and of the Kingdom of God.

“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats (thrones): and upon the seats (thrones) I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” (Rev 4:2-4)

Here, in this picture representing the beginning of the Gospel Age, we see that God’s throne (His established authority of Judgment) is surrounded by satellite thrones -- extensions of His Judgment authority. These represent the Hebrew Scriptures -- the only written authoritative judgment tool available to men before the completion of the Greek or New Testament Scriptures. That the church has its footing on these satellite thrones seems clearly pictured in Rev 12:1

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and THE MOON UNDER HER FEET, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”

In the scriptures the “SUN” pictures the Gospel message, i.e. the New Testament, and the “MOON” which is only a reflection of the “SUNS” light, pictures the Old Testament.

Their being “clothed in white raiment” is an assurance of their purity or truthfulness. As to their heads being covered by Golden Crowns, the head represents the ideas, philosophies, thinking, methods; etc. of the Author. The symbolism here is that the Divine (Golden) authority (Crowns) attests to their testimonies (Heads).

A good study of the symbols of Revelation and there meaning is invaluable to the student of the Lord. I have a glossary covering most of these symbols if you should like to view them, although I think it might be better to either post them on a new thread or on my blog on this forum as I don't think this is the appropriate place.

 

[Harvest 1874]

Amen, and you sure have this right. I'll just paste an excerpt of the study of the parable of the Wheat & the Tares written by Mary Bodie I think pretty much says that.

"The King commands that, for the present time, the tares and the wheat be allowed to grow together. This refers to the outward, visible religious system called Christendom. It has no bearing whatever upon the true church of Christ which is His body. We must go to the epistles of Paul for church truth, where we find that a most real separation from unbelievers, even tho’ they be professed Christians, is positively enjoined. But we are admonished to use no weapons for deliverance from such save the sword and the spirit, which is the word of God.

This parable signifies the fact that the condition of the Kingdom will continue on, even past what we know as the church age. For this mixed condition of religious affairs will still be in evidence after the church, the body of Christ, has been taken to glory. The separation of the true from the false will only come when Christ appears. The Kingdom, as herein manifested.

The Son of Man will send His angels and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things which offend and them which do iniquity: He will clean up the world Himself and get it ready for His coming. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father;” at the end of the millennium.

We have posted a study on the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares on our blog on this site, which please see, it may reveal further light upon the subject.

 

[Philip James]

Will you be a chosen part of the Church that is to be that select rank of believers?

Do you as some do, think that the entire Church comprises the bride? Why please?

I'll just leave this following scripture to start discussion.
Rev 19:7 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.

The bride of Christ was/is Israel. The marriage covenant was entered into at the last supper.
Happily for us gentiles, we have been grafted in to Israel so that we too may be united with our God! Alleluia!

The wedding feast continues NOW and will be celebrated eternally!

You too! Are welcome to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb!

Peace!

 

[larry2]

The bride of Christ was/is Israel. The marriage covenant was entered into at the last supper.

Hi and thanks Brother Phillip James. Can you explain a bit more how you see that occurring at the last supper?

When you say the bride is Israel; are you saying that the wedding occurs at the end of the millennium? My question to that would be why are they not kept from the temptation to come upon all the world promised the church in Philadelphia? Even those to come out of the tribulation as the great multitude in Rev 7:14 are not all Israel;
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Blessings in Christ Jesus.

 

[Helen]

This is not a teaching my brother, a doctrine this is a fact, the tares are not only in the professing Church but they are the majority.

I would suggest a thorough study of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, but let us take a look at the first 3 verses.

VERSES 24 and 25 “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

“But while men slept” That is after the apostles fell asleep, after they had died and had left the scene. In the night, of the dark ages, a general spirit of slumber regarding the truth prevailed among the Lord's people. Even till now the same thing is true. "Therefore, let us not sleep as do others." (1 Thess 5:6)

The Church was kept free from tares before the apostles fell asleep by God arranging that truth be put forth for acceptance or rejection by the Jews in its most unfavorable light, so that only Israelites indeed would be inclined to become followers of Jesus. During the Apostles' days such special gifts as "discernment of spirits" enabled them to prevent tares from getting in among the wheat, hypocrites from getting into the Church. Paul warned the Church of what would take place after he died "After my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts 20:29, 30)

“His enemy came” The great adversary, Satan, using human instrumentalities, “and sowed tares” Sham wheat, imitation wheat, professors who draw nigh with their lips while their hearts are far from the Lord. Hypocrites, Nominal Christians (i.e. in name only), resembling or counterfeiting the true, Deceived individuals, misnaming themselves Christians, because they have been erroneously taught that a mere confession of faith makes one a Christian.

These have ever since run the various church organizations, and the Lord has permitted it to be so and is allowing the truly consecrated ones to be developed under these difficult conditions. Nevertheless there are still many fine and noble individuals among them some more so than many of the Lord’s consecrated people (still under development), however they have neither part nor lot with the wheat because they are not of the same nature, they were not begotten by the truth, but begotten by error.

“Among the wheat and went his way” The Adversary sowed tares among the true saints, the children of the Kingdom, for the very purpose of choking it; "We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with wicked spirits in high positions." (Eph 6:12).”

VERSE 26 “But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop…

“…Then the tares also appeared.” Nominal Christians, much more numerous than the wheat, the children of the devil, imitation Christians, some of them very respectable, moral, and actually very good people, however not begotten of the Spirit or of the truth, most begotten by excitement, of fear of hell, or of hopes of worldly advantage, of pride, or of social and financial ambition.”

Herein lies an important point which is generally overlooked by the majority of believers, most are of the opinion that the battle or conflict is between believers and non-believers, not so, it’s between the true children of God (the “wheat”) and the children of the Adversary (the “tares”). Even then the general consensus is that the truth nevertheless should prevail, but this too is not so.

Think about it for a moment, if the tares are in the majority (as weeds always multiply faster than wheat), and as such control all the various denominations, sects, seminaries and etc. whose teachings or doctrines would then prevail or dominate throughout Christendom, the teachings of the wheat, the true church or the teachings of the tares, the false church?

Despite what most naive Christians believe most of what is taught for doctrine coming from pulpit of the various churches these days comes by way of the tares. Venture into any Christian bookstore today and it’s a sure bet that most if not everything offered there was written by a nominal Christian, a tare. The problem is that the tares don’t actually know they are tares. The true standard of what it takes to be a Christian, a follower of Christ has been so lowered that now anyone can claim to be a Christian, a mere profession of faith is all that is required.

Thus the “tares” have grown and grown and grown and have overtaken the field, all but chocking off all the influence of the wheat. They are completely oblivious of their true condition as is attested to by our Lord in Rev 3:17 where he states that they know not “that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Nevertheless they continue to assert that ‘we are rich (in spiritual food), have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’

They honestly believe what they teach is the truth (the Adversary having successfully turned light for darkness and darkness for light); after all aren’t the doctrines they hold held by the majority of professed believers, the (orthodoxy) view? The majority couldn’t possibly be wrong now could they?

The tares truly believe that they are the true church and that anyone who questions their teachings is obviously a dissenter preaching false doctrines. Tares don’t judge themselves in contrast with the true children of God, to do so would expose their hypocrisy, but rather they chose to contrast themselves with the worldly, with non-believers. The world for the most part (more or less) in a much more degraded condition tends to elevate their position amongst men.

EXCELLENT Word indeed.
.

 

[Philip James]

Hi and thanks Brother Phillip James. Can you explain a bit more how you see that occurring at the last supper?

Sure, let my start by asking:

Would you agree that John the Baptist was the 'best man' or groomsman... And that as a close male relative of Jesus, it was fitting that he should intoduce the groom to HIS betrothed?

 

[larry2]

Would you agree that John the Baptist was the 'best man' or groomsman... And that as a close male relative of Jesus, it was fitting that he should intoduce the groom to HIS betrothed?

That sounds close enough to me.

 

[Philip James]

That sounds close enough to me.

Good, now here is what John says:

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete.

So why is his joy complete? Because the bride, who has prepared herself with the nuptial bath of John's baptism is going to HIM.

He must increase; I must decrease

Now consider Jesus' words Matt 9:15

Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast

We see that the wedding has begun..

More later.. Im off to work

Peace!

 

[Philip James]

So continuing...
The wedding had begun...

Fast forward to Jesus entering Jerusalem.. The crowds hailing HIM as king....

And then Jesus sits down with the twelve for the passover meal

The twelve representong the 12 tribes of Israel..

And when the hour had come...
Which hour?

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.

And He took bread and blessed it, breaking it and giving it to them HE said 'Take this all of you and eat, this is My body'
And 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood'

This is the beginning of the wedding feast, the Groom giving Himself to His bride...

The new covenant entered into the marriage consumated..

For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church


Peace!

 

[larry2]

Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast

Thanks so much for your ideas here Brother Phillip in Jesus’ name. Notice above that I emboldened Wedding Guests concerning those with Jesus.

If the bride is Israel, why will all Israel be saved during the millennium? Rom 11:26 in context of Israel future, “And so all Israel shall be saved.”

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Even the 144,000 aren’t shown to John in heaven in the heavenly Jerusalem (Mount Sion) until Rev 14:1. And then when they arrive, the 24 elders and the four living ones are already present before them according to Rev 14:3. A very important part of this is the fact that the 144,000 are said to be the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb in Rev 14:4. Firstfruits? of what? Israel?

Please notice something about the 144,000 in Rev 14:4; they are virgins. Possibly the five wise ones?

Rev 14:5 . . .without fault before the throne of God. Isn’t the throne of God in heaven?

Blessings.

 

[Philip James]

If the bride is Israel, why will all Israel be saved during the millennium? Rom 11:26 in context of Israel future, “And so all Israel shall be saved.”

Im glad you referenced Romans 11. It helps to clarify who I mean when I say the bride is Israel.

The cultivated olive tree is Israel.
Those Israelites who rejected Christ forsook the covenant and were broken off.
Those Israelites who believed were united (wed) with Christ entering in to the new covenant.
The wild olive branches are the gentiles who are welcomed into that union (grafted in)

And when the full number of gentiles have entered into that union, God will remove the blindness from those who were cut off, and indeed all Israel will be saved..

As for the 'wedding guests', each of us, as individuals, are guests invited to the feast... But when we participate in the celebration of the new covenant, when we receive the Eucharist.. We are united not just with Jesus, but with each other in Him..

Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf

Together we are the Bride, Christs body, He our head and husband

'and what God has joined together no one can separate'

But we are more than guests and Bride, we are also His servant (is it not the duty of the Bride to serve her husband?)

The master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled

And we have done exactly that, and just as you referenced earlier :
and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,

Have been united in the new covenant...

For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

You too! Are welcome to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb of God.

And the Spirit and the Bride say come...

 

[larry2]

When we participate in the celebration of the new covenant, when we receive the Eucharist.. We are united not just with Jesus, but with each other in Him..

Uhoh. I remember the word Eucharist when my wife and I was Catholic.

Masses given in Latin, and all the while I didn’t know I was at a wedding. It took some time to know that I was even born of God.

Let me ask if you think that the 144,000 were caught up unto God at the last supper? In Rev 14:4 they’re said to be the firstfruits (of Israel) unto God, and to the Lamb. Now in the order John is shown them in heavenly Jerusalem, they are the fourth rank of the Church to appear before the throne. Do you really think Jesus would have His bride last even among the overcomers of the Church? What of those five unwise virgins that God wouldn’t allow entrance to the wedding? Mt 25:12? And we’re not even come to the all Israel that will be saved during the millennium.

Thanks again in Jesus’ name.