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"And he carried me away in the spirit to a
"So he carried me away in the spirit into the
great and high mountain, and showed me that
wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a
great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out
scarlet coloured beast, full of the names of
of heaven from God, having the glory of God:
blasphemy . . . . . And the woman was arrayed
and her light was like unto a stone most
in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with
precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as
gold and precious stones and pearls . . . . . And
crystal . . . . . and names written thereon,
upon her forehead was a name written,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the
Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of
children of Israel . . . . . and the foundations of
harlots and abominations of the earth"
the wall of the city were garnished with all
(Rev. 17: 3-5).
manner of precious stones . . . . . every several
gate was of one pearl: and the street of the
city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass" (Rev. 21: 10-21).
"And the woman which thou sawest is that
"And I John saw the holy city, new
great city, which reigneth over the kings of the
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
earth" (Rev. 17: 18).
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband" (Rev. 21: 2).
The reader will note the many ways in which these two companies are brought into
contrast by the record of these chapters in Revelation. Leaving that subject to the
reader's own research, we proceed to note one or two distinctive items in the descriptions
of the bride, or those associated with her, to which reference will again be made after
setting out the argument for the peculiar constitution of that company called "The Bride".
(1)
The Bride, is the Lamb's wife (Rev. 21: 9).
(2)
Every several gate was of one pearl (Rev. 21: 21).
(3)
He that overcometh shall inherit these things (Rev. 21: 7 margin).
(4)
They which are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 21: 27).
While "the bride" is most intimately associated with Israel, (Rev. 21: 12), for the
following scriptural reasons it must not be confused with Israel as a nation.
Those purposes of God which by way of distinction we refer to as "kingdom"
purposes, relate not only to the earth, but also to a heavenly sphere. This is made clear by
considering the teaching of Scripture concerning Abraham.
Gen. 12:-15: reveals that to Abraham and to his seed was granted, unconditionally,
the earthly sphere of blessing. To Abraham, however, was opened up the further
possibility of rising higher and of becoming a partaker of the heavenly calling. This is
shown in Heb. 3: 1; 11: 8-10, 13-16; 12: 22. During the early days of the N.T. Gentile
believers were associated with Israel's hope under the New Covenant (II Cor. 3:;
Rom. 15: 12, 13).
As Gal. 4: 26 shows, however, they were not partakers of the
earthly, but of the heavenly, sphere of the kingdom.
Israel, as a nation, became "the wife", when they entered into covenant relationship
at Sinai.
"The covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to
bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an
husband unto them, saith the Lord" (Jer. 31: 32).