‘In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race.’ (Psalm 19:6) .
The Psalmist, King David, personifies the sun and the heavenly creation as foretelling a future event, in which the servants of God are cleansed and prepared for a marriage. This marriage is linked with redemption. Psalm 19 marvellously captures the whole process of salvation and the marriage of the Lamb, in a single song. Yet, there is much to be understood about the event, the people involved, and the purpose of this marriage. Can God marry mortals? The Old Testament metaphorizes the relationship between God and the nation of Israel as a marriage. But, can God really have a lasting relationship with flesh? Hardly.
The relationship between Christ and the Church is also labelled in terms of a marriage: ‘“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.’ (Ephesians 5:31,32). Notice it is a mystery. Do you understand all the ramifications of the analogy? Is it clear to you?
Notice the relationship is actually a betrothal. The marriage has not yet taken place: ‘For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.’ The espousal is for the present, the marriage is later.
Let’s look at who the parties are to the marriage, and we can get a better grasp of where we are going with the understanding of this concept. Christ is clearly seen as the groom. But who is the bride? Who are the wedding guests?
The 144,000 And The Marriage of the Lamb
Here is a short Bible Study of Revelation 14: 1-6, to clarify one of the parties to the marriage:
Point Number One : This section of scripture deals with a marriage.
Revelation 14:1-2 ‘Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
Note the term: ‘having His Father’s name’. This is a reference to a marriage. See Isaiah 4:1: ‘And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach.”’ Isaiah prophesies of a time when women will outnumber the men by a ratio of seven to one, because of horrific wars and devastation. Isaiah refers to a time when it is difficult for women to survive economically and socially, as single individuals. Revelation 14:1 also pictures a group of people married to the Lamb.
Point Number Two : This a unique group of people. No one else has the role given to them by God. They are ‘saved’ or redeemed. This is in the Kingdom of God, in the future.
Revelation 14:3 ‘They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.’
Notice the song is new. This is a one-time-only event. In the Old Testament songs were given to teach and prophesy of things to come. This song will identify in an anthem the people and their role. We do the same today with national anthems and school songs. There are only 144,000 in the group to become the Bride of Christ !!! The whole church is not the bride. The church is only espoused. Many are called, few are chosen to be the bride. This does not leave all the rest out of salvation. It only establishes the role of the 144,000 as the Bride of Christ, in the Kingdom of God.
Point Number Three : There is a link to the Book of Ruth in this section of scripture. The 144,000 are also linked to the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost) and are firstfruits in the Kingdom of God.
Revelation 14:4 ‘These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.’
The link to the story of Ruth is in the words ‘who follow the Lamb wherever He goes’. Take a look at Ruth 1:16: ‘”Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people (are) my people, and your God, (is) my God.”’ The young Israelitish widow, knew Her God, and the purpose of marrying within her own national heritage. She was used to typify the Bride of Christ. (Read the article: The Plain Truth About Ruth, to clarify her nationality is Israelite.) This is a story of marriage and enriches the meaning of the Day of Pentecost. Revelation 14:1-5 and the Book of Ruth are dealing with the same prophetic marriage.
Point Number Four : These are the ones prepared and acceptable to God, who are pure in God’s sight.
Revelation 14:5 ‘And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.’
Look at Revelation 21:9-27; Revelation 22:17 and compare with the Revelation 14:1-5. This is the same group of people and we see their role in the Kingdom of God. Notice the mansion and the rooms for the 144,000; the city with twelve gates, with the names of the twelve tribes. If you study into a Jewish wedding you will see the parallel, with the room built by the father of the groom, for the groom and bride to stay in for one week, consummating the marriage. This matches the Feast of Tabernacles of seven days in duration, with spiritual meaning for Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Read Revelation 7:1-8. This shows that the 144,000 can only be Israelites of pure racial strain. This is a matter of race. They also have to be pure in Spirit that is a matter of grace. God does not change. He forbade inter-racial marriage in Old Testament times, and He says the same for us in New Testament times.
The Wedding Guests
‘“Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests . But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment’ (Matthew 22:9-11).
There is another group to be at the wedding of the Lamb. These are guests at the wedding feast. They are the ‘great multitude’ of Revelation 7:9. In the New King James Version, the words ‘After this ’, preface verse 9, indicating correctly that what follows refers to a separate group of people than the 144,000 of verses 1-8 of Revelation 7.
This group includes the servants of God from before the Flood; those righteous men after the Flood to Abraham; and the few Israelites given the Spirit of God before the Day of Pentecost, 31 A.D. The rest of the New Testament Church, including a percentage of them Gentiles, are a part of this great multitude. That shows you what importance God places on the Bride of Christ, when He lumps the patriarchs, the apostles, and all the rest into one large group and separates them from the Bride of Christ !!!
Conclusion :
You have learned that the 144,000 of both Revelation chapters 7 and 14 are the Bride of Christ. They can only be Israelites, of pure racial strain. The rest are the guests at the Marriage of the Lamb. These are all resurrected into the Kingdom of God. They are not flesh! They are Spirit beings.
The Bride of Christ, Part II, will cover what is the purpose and the role of the Bride of Christ. This is found in the Book of Esther, and the Book of Revelation.
Remember, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah are not Israelites. They cannot be in the group of Israelites known as the 144,000. They will be a part of the millennial government of God, as will all the patriarchs and the others. These patriarchs and the Church, will be a part of the ‘line function’(ie. the chain of command): the working government and ecclesiastical functions of the Kingdom of God.
The Bride of Christ has a different duty entirely. It has more of a ‘staff function’ like a personnel department has in a corporation. Remember, there will be Christ, the Bride, and the Children of God, in the millennial Kingdom of God (those Spirit beings born into the Kingdom at the return of Christ). They will rule over and teach mankind the Way of God for 1,000 years.
If you are surprised by what you have learned up to this point, then you will be motivated to read Part II.
Webpage updated: Tuesday, November 12, 2002
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