TEXT.—“Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.” Rev. xxi, 9.
THESE are the words of the angel to the prophet John. Two distinct things are represented in the Scriptures by the figure of marriage: first, union of believers with their Lord; second, Christ's reception of the throne of his kingdom. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments illustrate the union between believers and their Lord by marriage. From this fact, most Christians have supposed that the church was the bride of Christ. But this view of the subject carries the marriage of the Lamb back as far as the first believer, and makes this marriage continue at least six thousand years. This union existed in the days of Adam, of believing Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. Who believes that the marriage of the Lamb took place in the days of the patriarchs, of the prophets, or of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ? No one.
We freely give all those texts of the Old and New Testaments, which represent the union of believers with their Lord by the figure of marriage to those who hold a different view from ours on this subject. They may have all those texts. We do not question their application to the church. But, admitting this, they have nothing to do in deciding who the bride of Christ is in the marriage of the Lamb, which is a future event. The figure of marriage is used to represent the union between believers and their Lord; but, my friends, this union in the past, and this union in the present, is not the marriage of the Lamb. That event is future. Everywhere in the Scriptures it is placed in close connection with the Judgment of the great day.
“Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you.” Here union between believers and their Lord is represented. But who believes that the marriage of the Lamb took place in the days of the prophet?
SAYS Paul, 2 Cor. xi, 2, “I have espoused you to one Husband.” But did the marriage of the Lamb take place in Corinth?
I would impress upon your minds the distinction between these two events represented in the Scriptures by marriage. One is the union between believers and their Lord, and commenced as soon as faith sprung up in the heart of Adam, and has continued with believers ever since. The other event is Christ's receiving the throne of the kingdom. This is one event to take place at one particular time, and that time is in close connection with his second coming. It is the confounding of these two events together, which has led to the confusion now existing in all the popular churches in reference to this subject.
The time of the marriage of the Lamb is a clear and important point. It is not in the past. It is in the future. But the question arises, What is the bride of Christ in the marriage of the Lamb? I turn to Rev. xxi, from which I have taken my text, and read verses 9 and 10: “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 show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.”
Language can be no plainer. The idea is clearly brought out. Come hither, says the angel to John, and I will show you the bride. He took the prophet to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him—what! the church? No; that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God. “But is not this the church after all? Is not the city a figure of the church?”
My friends, when we leave the literal declaration of God's word, touching this point, and admit a figurative understanding of the text, then we may make26this city anything we please. We can make it mean a church or a happy state of mind.
When in my school-boy days I made my first trip to preach the Second Advent doctrine, I had an appointment in West Fairfield, Me., where was a congregation of Quaker Friends. Several came out to hear me. I spoke upon the subject of the City. At the close of the meeting, a venerable Quaker came to me, and said, “Thee is mistaken about the literal city.” Said he, “I have that city in my heart.”
Yes, when we leave the literal declarations of God's word, so plain and distinct, we may make that city just what we please. The Quaker could have it with all its gates, and walls, and foundations, and glory, in his heart.
John continues to describe the city: “Having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel [and the good old Quaker had it all in his heart]; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates; and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Yet the good old Quaker had it all in his heart.
“And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.” And the venerable Quaker could, without the least difficulty, put it into his vest pocket.
“And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was of pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.” And the good old Quaker had it all in his heart.
“The first foundation was of jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.” I would like to know, if it is possible for a man to have all these things in his heart. Why is the prophet of God so particular to describe the different kinds of stones in the foundations of the holy city?
“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” And the good old Quaker had it all in his heart.
Now, friends, if the Book of God does not mean what it says, pray tell us what it does mean. We admit that there are parables in the Bible; there are symbols; there are figures; but the connection shows the necessity of interpreting them as such. But where is the necessity of calling this glorious city with its foundations, its walls, its gates, its pearls, and its glory, a figure, and thus giving fancy room to make it just what it pleases?
If the Bible does not mean what it says, then we should have another book to tell us what this one means; but this, my friends, is the very book. And we are bound to take it as it says, unless good reasons can be shown from the connection why it should be tropically understood. This city, with all its glory, is the metropolis of the kingdom of God. It is the capital of the fifth kingdom which is soon to be introduced, soon to be given to the saints of the Most High. This city is coming down out of Heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband. It is to settle upon the new earth to be the eternal metropolis of the kingdom of God.
The holy city, the bride, is represented in the Scriptures, in the great family of God, as the mother. Paul, in Gal. iv, 26, says, “But Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all.” Then we are the children. The church is not the bride—is not the wife. The church is the children. Christ is the father of his people. “Unto us,” says the prophet, “a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father.” Now we have the whole family. Christ, the bridegroom, is the father, Jerusalem above, which is free, is the mother of us all, and the church is the children, in this great family of Heaven.
The children in this family are to be born, or brought forth, at the resurrection of the just, when a nation is to be born at once—brought forth by that power that called Jesus from the tomb—brought forth at the resurrection—brought into new life. How natural the supposition that the marriage of the Lamb, the union between Christ and the throne of his kingdom, would take place first, before he descends to raise the dead—before the birth of the children takes place.
The popular view upon this subject makes the children the bride. This makes terrible confusion. It makes the church the bride, and it makes the church the children. It has the father married to the children!
Again, the church, in this great wedding, is not the bride, but the guests. “Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
The place of the marriage is also an important point to consider. Where is the marriage of the Lamb to take place? If the church is to be the bride, the marriage of the Lamb must take place after his second advent, when he comes to raise the dead, and to receive them to himself, to take them up into the air, and bear them up to the golden city. If the church be the bride, then the marriage takes place here. But if the holy city be the bride, according to the plain declaration of the prophet, then the marriage of the Lamb may take place before Christ comes—before the birth of the children at the resurrection.
We have already said that the marriage of the Lamb was an event to take place in connection with the second advent. It is Christ's reception of the throne of David. In Daniel we read, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Chap. vii, 13, 14. Adventists have generally supposed that this text speaks of Christ's descent to the earth to raise the dead. But this movement on the part of Christ in the clouds of heaven, is to the Ancient of Days. Is the Ancient of Days here? Is the throne of the great God situated on this earth? If so, let the view that Adventists have generally taken, stand. It is correct. But the Ancient of Days, as represented by the prophets, is in the true sanctuary above, looking down and beholding the earth; then this movement on the part of the Son of Man, is a movement that takes place in Heaven prior to his second coming to earth. And what is this movement on the part of the Son of Man with the clouds of heaven (evidently clouds of angels), what is it for? It is to receive a kingdom, and dominion, and power, and glory. The Ancient of Days is in Heaven. The Son of Man surrounded by angels, borne in heavenly chariots of angels, approaches the Father to receive a kingdom, dominion, power, and glory. He receives it at his Father's hands, the long-promised throne of David, as the throne of his kingdom. The inauguration of the King of kings and Lord of lords takes place in the other world. Heaven acknowledges him as King. The saints on earth acknowledge him as their King. He then breaks through the ethereal distance and bursts upon our sight at his second advent, with the name written on his vesture and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” He now has the kingdom. He is married to the throne and metropolis of his kingdom. The wedding is over.
In harmony with this are the words of my Lord, “Let your loins be girt about with truth, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding.” How very plain. Borne by chariots of angels to the Father, the Son receives the kingdom. He is acknowledged King. He returns, and upon his vesture and thigh is the name of his royalty. Heaven and earth acknowledge him King. And where are the guests? Where are the waiting ones? They are here in this mortal state, and Christ is saying to them, “Have your loins girt about with truth, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding.” Christ receives the throne of his kingdom in Heaven. When he comes to raise the just, the wedding is over. The place, then, of the marriage is not here, but there. The heavenly Bridegroom, borne to the presence of the great God, is presented with the city. In that city is the throne of the kingdom. He receives it. It is his. The name of his royalty is written upon his vesture and his thigh. All is ready. And now the King of kings, with all the holy angels, descends in flaming fire. The trump sounds. The dead are raised. The children are brought forth from their graves, and are borne by angels from every part of the earth, and are received and embraced by their Father and Redeemer. The train is led off by the King of kings to the heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all. The great family of Heaven is brought together. The children are all brought home at last, and sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
But, my friends, if this marriage takes place here, at the resurrection of the just, if the marriage represents the union between Christ and the church, and is consummated at the moment of the resurrection, or as they ascend to the New Jerusalem, then let me ask you, What will you do with the man in the marriage of the king's son (all designed to represent the same thing), that was found without the wedding garment? At a certain stage in the wedding, the king is represented as coming in to see the guests, and there finds a man that has not on a wedding garment. He says to him, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away and cast him into outer darkness.
This man evidently once had the wedding garment on. This case represents hopeless apostates, and teaches that one may have a name with the people of God who are waiting the return of their Lord from the wedding, and yet be destitute of the necessary preparation. It was designed to represent the fact that some may lose the wedding garment. When our Lord was borne to the Father to receive the kingdom, power, and glory, they may have had that preparation, that consecration and acceptance with God; but while some are waiting like men that wait for their Lord to return from the wedding, these become impatient, or go to sleep and lose their faith and consecration. They lose the wedding garment. Let us beware.
But, friends, if the wedding does not take place until the second coming of Jesus Christ, until the saints meet in the city above, what will you do with this man that was found without the wedding garment? Had there been a mistake made? As the resurrection took place, and the living were changed and caught up, was one taken up unready? And as they reached the holy city, was he then discovered to be without the wedding garment? Was he taken up through mistake? And was he cast out to the earth again? No! This can never be. The examination of the guests is in probationary time, before Christ comes. This is certain. Do you think a mistake will be made and some one be taken into the company of the redeemed and changed to immortality without the wedding garment? That will not do. This coming in to examine the guests must be in probationary time, just before the coming of Christ. I wish you to be established upon this point. It must be so, for no one could get into the immortal state unprepared unless a mistake had been made in the resurrection.
Now place the marriage of the Lamb just prior to his second advent, and all is harmonious. The time from the termination of the prophetic periods until Christ's work is done in the heavenly sanctuary, is the waiting, watching time. This is the time of the marriage. It is a time when many will backslide, and lose the wedding garment. God save us! During this time there are to be presented truths, burning truths, from Heaven. And I marvel not that their light begins to shine upon us already. There are truths which are to try us and test us. And as we are examined by them, it will be discovered, I fear, that some of us have not the wedding garment on.
The prophet foresaw our time, some of its duties, and the testing, searching work before us, and has written, “Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name; and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.” Mal. iii, 16–18.
At that time the blazing light of truth will search our darkness, and expose our nakedness. Some will be found without the wedding garment. God pity and save us.
Again, if the marriage of the Lamb takes place at the resurrection of the just, what will you do with the parable of the ten virgins? When did they take their lamps, and go forth to meet the Bridegroom, if it was not in the great Advent movement of 1843? When did the Bridegroom tarry if it was not in the disappointment in reference to the Lord's coming in that year? When was the midnight cry, if not in the autumn of 1844? Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. When was this, if not in 1844? When does the Bridegroom come to the marriage? “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.” When does he come to the marriage, and where does he come? The heavenly Bridegroom at the close of the work in the heavenly sanctuary, passes into the most holy place, where he stands to-day beside the ark of God which contains the ten commandments. No marvel that we are keeping the Sabbath! And when his work of blotting out sins shall be accomplished, then he is to receive the capital and the throne of his kingdom. But if this wedding takes place here, the coming of the Bridegroom is his coming to this earth, and, of course, his marriage is his union with the resurrected saints. With this view of the subject, I inquire, When and where do the foolish virgins come and knock? With my view of the subject, I find no difficulty. The foolish virgins in the parable came and knocked, or made an effort for admittance. Does the marriage take place after the resurrection of the dead? Then, of course, you must have the wicked coming somewhere, and knocking for admittance. But, hold! The wicked, that is, all that are left by the plagues, are destroyed by the brightness and glory of Christ at his coming. He comes; he destroys the wicked; he raises the dead; and do you say that the marriage of the Lamb takes place at that time? I answer, There are then no foolish virgins to come and knock. Every one of them is destroyed.
But admitting that they are not, where will you have them come? Why, of course, come where the Bridegroom and bride are. But where are they? Jesus27has descended in flaming fire, and in a moment the righteous living are changed, and caught up. Then where will you have the foolish go to knock? Will they ascend to mid heaven, or to the city of God, to knock? Impossible! With my view of the subject, the marriage of the Lamb takes place prior to the second advent. The cry awakes all the virgins. They go forth. Some have oil; some have not. Those who have oil, are admitted into union and communion with their Lord. In this way they go in to the marriage. Time rolls on. Truth is administered to the church; but some fail to receive it. These are represented by the foolish virgins, who when they are aroused, are seized with anguish and distress. They fly to the Bible, perhaps, and search for light. In darkness and anguish they go to the church. Open to us. Here comes that poor apostate, that backslidden one. He has lost his wedding garment, but he is crowding with the guests into the marriage room. But burning truth searches him out. His wedding garment is lost. He is unprepared. He is bound hand and foot, and cast out. God pity the backslider! But I must close my remarks lest, with my hoarse speaking, I weary you and myself also. Thank God that I can speak at all!
There is a practical bearing which this subject has upon us. It is a solemn hour in which we live. It is the waiting time. It is the watching time; and, of course, the sleepy and dangerous time. But here is our true position and our only safe one: Have your loins girt about with truth, the blessed girdle of God's truth, and have your lamps burning, and yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding. When he receives the city, the metropolis of his kingdom, and the throne of David that has long been promised him, angels will join in the coronation of the King of kings and Lord of lords, and with the name written on his vesture and on his thigh, surrounded with angels, enshrouded in his own and his Father's glory, with his kingly crown, with the trumpet and sword, he will come in flaming glory for the waiting ones. Be ready; be ready. Amen.