The Reception

Picture yourself as a guest at a wedding ceremony. Close your eyes and imagine the scene as the beautiful bride makes her spectacular entrance. Before the witnesses and God, the bride and groom proclaim their vows. Now you and the other guests go to the location for the reception. You are surrounded by friends and family as you wait eagerly for the newlywed couple to arrive. Think of the anticipation of the celebration to come, which will certainly include food and music! 

This eager anticipation mirrors our spiritual reality here and now as we await the return of our anointed Messiah, the Lamb who was slain! Let’s look at the imagery that Scripture uses to describe the church’s union with Christ.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 
        “Hallelujah! 
        For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 
        Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, 
        for the marriage of the Lamb has come, 
        and his Bride has made herself ready; 
        it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— 
        for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:6-9 ESV

Revelation 19:7 says the marriage of the Lamb “has come”, the bride “has made herself ready”, and “it was granted her”. These verbs are in the present perfect tense. The present perfect is used for actions that started in the past and are continuing into the present. This reflects the “already, not yet” tension that is present throughout Scripture. When verse 7 says the marriage “has come”, it means our union with our Groom is already a reality.  Salvation is a present reality and a certain, future hope.  Just like a bride and groom after the wedding ceremony, the church has been united with Christ. 

What does the bridegroom see as he looks at us, his bride? He sees our wedding clothes -- “fine linen, bright and pure.” Where do these clothes come from? Verse 8 says “it was granted her”. This means it was given, delivered, or gifted to the bride. As his bride, we have been given these clothes. We did not do anything to earn or make the clothing. He gave this clothing to us as a free gift through the atoning sacrifice Christ provided through which his righteousness was imputed to us. 

We are already united with Christ with all the spiritual blessings that we have through faith in Him (Ephesians 1:3-10). We are waiting for the reception, the marriage supper of the Lamb and his Church. He has seen us, loved us, and covered us with the fine linen of a bride; we are his bride and the celebration is coming. Soon we will be rejoicing and feasting at the marriage supper of the Lamb!

As our Groom promises: 

          Surely, I am coming soon. Amen. (Revelation 22:12)


SEE ALSO: Behold Him, We Sing

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