Jesus Describes His Bride
‘… Christ loved the church and
gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with
water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church,
without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.’ [1]
‘One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full
of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the
bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a
mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was
like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a
great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the
gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three
gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the
west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of
gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a
square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it
to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which
the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as
pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind
of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the
third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian,
the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth
chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The
twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great
street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the
moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its
lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring
their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will
be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or
deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of
life.’ [2]
I know this is a large group of scriptures, so let’s break
it down. The angel told John that he would show him ‘the bride – the wife of
the Lamb.’ Then he went on to describe a great city, the New Jerusalem coming
down out of heaven. It was a walled city twelve gates, formed like a cube.
The
Wall - says that we are Sanctified/Set
apart unto the Lord, our heavenly husband. Built of Jasper - Transparent - all
is visible, nothing is hidden from His view.
12
Foundations
- had
the Names of the Apostles in them. It was they who had been directly taught by
Jesus and then taught the early Christians what they had been taught.
The
City [the
Bride] – was formed of pure gold – it was without any impurities or
imperfections. Transparent - all is visible, nothing is hidden from His view.
All have been refined as with fire, like pure gold in the refiner’s kettles
after the slag has been scraped off of its surface.
The
foundations were decorated with all kinds of precious jewels, just like a
crown. These Precious
stones were a symbol of the Twelve Tribes of Israel [more precisely The Law and
The Prophets]. For these are the way those of ancient times were taught about
Jesus. They were the very same stones that God instructed Moses to put on the
ephod for the high priest to wear before the Lord as a representation of the twelve
tribes of Israel.
These jewels are
also symbolic of the many crowns that are mentioned throughout the Bible that
will be rewarded to us at His final coming. When He rewards all for the things
we have done and the things the things we have not done. These crowns are: The Incorruptible
Crown, the Crown of Rejoicing,
the Crown of Righteousness, the Crown of Life, Crown of Glory and Honor, the
Crowns of Gold, the Beautiful Crown, the Crown of Loving Kindness, the Crown of
His Tender Mercies, the Crown of Knowledge, the Holy Crown, and the Royal
Crown. He rewards us with these crowns because for our faithfulness and for the
acts we do in His name. But we must recall the crown He wore in our place
during His last hours on earth; the crown of disgrace that He bore for us – the
crown of thorns.
So the
foundations of the Heavenly Bride are the teachings of the Apostles, sprinkled
with the teachings of the Law and the Prophets and decorated with the jewels of
the many precious crowns that are waiting for us when we meet Jesus at His
final return. They are yet to come, but here with us in effigy in the symbolism
of our likeness as his bride in His final revelation to the apostle John while
on the Isle of Papmos.
12
Gates –
Had the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on them.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of
a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent
glass. Revelation 19:21
Bought
with a great price, like the Pearl of Great Price that a man gave all that he owned
to possess[3]
- We are this [these] Pearl[s]; one Pearl for all the gates. He paid the
greatest price to obtain it; His death on the cross.
Each
gate in the Old city of Jerusalem had a specific purpose and symbolic meaning,
these meanings were all fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection - he
paid it all and fulfilled it all, once and for ALL!
The
Twelve Gates of the ancient city of Jerusalem were the Sheep Gate, The Fish
Gate, The Old Gate, The Valley Gate, The Dung Gate, The Fountain Gate, The
Water Gate, The Horse Gate/King’s Gate, The East Gate/Beautiful Gate/Golden
Gate, The Ephraim Gate, and The Prison Gate. Here I will share how Jesus
fulfills all of these gates in us.
The
Sheep Gate
– This is the Gate through which the temple sacrifices were brought into the
city. Jesus is the perfect lamb that was slain for the sins of the world. I
like to believe that on the day He was crucified He was led through this gate
on the way to the hill of Golgotha.
‘He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought
as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth.’ Isaiah 53:7
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and
said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is
the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because
he was before me.' John 1:29, 30
The Fish Gate - the fish, and other wares for
sale, were brought into the market place through this gate. This gate is
symbolic of our jobs, careers or occupations and that we should be occupied
with the cares of God’s Kingdom.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw
two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a
net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make
you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him. [4]
Jesus called these fishermen to become ‘fishers of men.’
They were the first of many that He called to this purpose. Jesus recognized
that they were employed, and offered them new employment for the Kingdom of
God. We as His followers today He has also given the occupation of being
fishers of men. The compulsion of fishing for the souls of men in order to draw
others into His kingdom was and is of greatest importance. For only those who
are a part of the Kingdom of God, are the Bride of Christ.
The
Old Gate
- is said to be representative of the Old Covenant; which is the Covenant god
gave to Abraham. This covenant was renewed generation by generation through Him
speaking to the Old Testament patriarchs. Many feel that the Old Covenant was
the Law that was handed down to Moses. Even so, Jesus fulfilled every aspect of
the law in His life, death, burial and resurrection.
“Do
not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come
to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17, 18
All that was foretold by the Prophets and Patriarchs was
fulfilled while Jesus was here the first time through the things that He said
and did, except for one thing – The Feast Of Trumpets. This feast, last of the
Old Testaments celebrations, may also be called the Marriage Supper of The
Lamb. And it will be fulfilled when Christ returns for His bride. When all is
fulfilled then what Jesus said in the passage above will be accomplished. The
Law and the Prophets will be done, complete. Hallelujah!
The
Valley Gate
– this gate led to the Valley of Hinnom, and the place called Gehenna.
Originally it was a place dedicated to the worship of Molech and the burning
human sacrifices. Later it was a place where the fires never went out from all
of the defiled things, refuse – garbage, which were burnt there. As David
implied in His most known Psalm, Valleys in our life are dark places.
I have thought on these dark places. I take it from the
study of topography. Mountaintops have nice, scenic views. So they are symbolic
of the high times we have in the Spirit. We can look down on the battles just
fought and the victories won and rejoice. But there is little growth going on
there on the peaks.
In
the valleys growth takes place. It is also where the mountain streams flow
through to nourish the growth on their way to the seas. The living waters of
the Holy Spirit strengthen and feed us in our valleys and bring growth in our spirits.
And when we pass the test Jesus leads us to the mountaintops once again.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.[5]
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.[5]
Mountaintop experiences are
wonderful; victory is celebrated there.
But we all need the valleys, for this is where the growing is done.
Accept your valleys, and learn much. Then come to the mountaintops to celebrate
your victories with Jesus and other saints who have also triumphed!
The
Dung Gate
- The way to the trash dump. This is figurative of what our righteousness is in
the eyes of God, before Salvation. And how He imputed the righteousness of
Jesus to us when we answered His call came to Him for salvation. We all have to
pass through the Dung Gate before coming to the Cross. We must realize that we
are sinners and that we need a Savior. We need Jesus to remove the dung and to
clothe us in His righteousness.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6 KJV.
I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my
God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a
bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to
the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have
lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not
having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is
through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Philippians 3:8-9
Jesus
has taken out the trash that once was within the Bride. She has walked through
the Dung Gate and left the refuse far behind!
The Fountain Gate – this gate was near the pool of
Siloam. It was said to be representative of the Holy Spirit. It may have been
built by an artesian well, thus contained ‘living’ water. Jesus spoke of giving
‘living water’ to the Samaritan woman at the well:
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I
am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not
associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you
for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living
water.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.
Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the
well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water
I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a
spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty
and have to keep coming here to draw water.”[6]
When we receive Salvation in Christ Jesus, we are given
His Holy Spirit to live within us. He leads and guides us in our new life. But
there is more of the Spirit of God available to as many as ask for it. Jesus
spoke of it in Luke 24:49, KJV:
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you:
but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on
high.
And the gift was given to men for the first time in Acts
2:1-4: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the
blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where
they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on
each of them. All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as
the Spirit enabled them.
This fullness of the Holy Spirit is still available for
all believers today, seek God with all of your heart, in truth and sincerity,
and He will pour it out on you.
Romans 11:29: … for God’s gifts and his call are
irrevocable.
So just believe and receive. Walk through the Fountain
Gate to receive the living waters of His Holy Spirit. May they always bubble
forth from within you.
The Water Gate - The Gibeonites [water bearers due
to their deceit to Joshua and all of Israel][7]
brought in the water to be used in the city through this gate.
This gate was said to be symbolic of the word of God; of
which Paul said in Ephesians 5:25-27; Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing
her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself
as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy
and blameless.
We
know the word of God as the Bible. When this verse was spoken the written word
of God was just the Old Testament. But Jesus also spoke God’s word while He
walked among us. He allowed us to see how to live rightly by His very
life. His apostles carried Jesus’ words
in their hearts and minds, and spoke them again and again through out their
ministry. They also carried His example of holy living within them, and did
their best to live likewise.
When
we study the Bible, it washes our hearts and minds, renewing them and purifying
us continually. As long as we follow after God and live according to the
example given in His word. This is exactly what Paul was saying to the
Ephesians in the passage above. This is what walking through the Water Gate is
all about.
The
Horse Gate
- This was the King's Gate, the gate through which His horsemen rode
when going to or from battle. In the Old Testament the Israelites were always
fighting the enemies that lived around them – the Philistines, Amorites,
Ammonites, etc. As Christians we also battle continually. But Paul tells us
that ours is not a physical battle like Israel of old fought; no it is a
spiritual battle:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.[8]
When
we have committed ourselves to Jesus, He becomes our King, and the Battle
belongs to the Him. He gave us armor for protection and weapons to defend
ourselves with:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
power. Put on the
full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes …
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you
may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then,
with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of
righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of
peace. In addition
to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God. And pray in
the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this
in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.[9]
And we never fight alone; we fight in the power and
strength of the Lord God Almighty!
All those gathered here will know that it is not by
sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will
give all of you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17:47
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a
white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges
and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.
He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in
a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven
were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and
clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the
nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress
of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.[10]
Praise
be to Jesus – He fights beside us, in us and through us!
The
East Gate
- Also call the Beautiful or Golden Gate. This is the gate where, it is
believed, the Messiah will enter the Jerusalem when he returns. It is
the gate of our heart that He enters when we make Him King and Lord of our
life. It is also symbolic of the gate into our heavenly home.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be
earnest, and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to
sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his
throne.[11]
As
Christians, as Christ’s Bride, we have been seated with Him in heavenly
places since the beginning of our relationship with Him. For we have allowed
Him entrance into the throne room of our very heart. The heavenly throne is
symbolic. It represents the place where Jesus dwells continually; and that
place is in our inner most being. I know that I have said this before, but it
bears repeating here. The place that Jesus went to prepare for us[12]
is not some mystical mansion high in the skies and called heaven; no it is the
rooms of our heart and mind. This is the place He most wants to dwell in, so
this is place He has gone to prepare. To sweep out the cobwebs of our past
lives and make it totally new. David
wanted Jesus to be able to dwell within him when he wrote Psalm 51, for he
said:
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me,
and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create
in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your
presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant
me a willing spirit, to sustain me.[13]
When David prayed these things the Holy Spirit didn’t
live within men, He came and went as men’s hearts were prepared or not. David
had felt the presence of the Holy Spirit many times, but here the Spirit was
gone. David had sinned and the Spirit had left him. David had a heart that
truly wanted to serve God, so he repented and asked the Lord to let His Spirit
return to lead and guide him once more.
Behold the King has entered the East Gate of ALL who have
asked Him to rule and reign within them! And yet we still await His ultimate
return to earth to carry His Bride away. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come.
The
Miphkad Gate - This is the gate of Inspection and is said to be symbolic of
the Great White Throne Judgment. All
men, saints and sinners alike, will be judged of God at Christ’s return.
‘But now he [Christ][14]
has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the
sacrifice of himself.
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once
to take away the sins of many people …’
Hebrews 9:26b-28a
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are
at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done
while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
As Paul has said, we must inspect ourselves to see if
there be any sin within. For Jesus will inspect us at the final judgment to see
if we pass muster, so to speak. He will separate us according to what we have
done for Him and His Kingdom, as in Matthew:
The
Sheep and the Goats
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will
sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will
separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats. He will put
the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something
to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and
you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was
in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when
did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see
you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or
in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for
me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart
from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and
his angels. For I
was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me
nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not
clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see
you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison,
and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever
you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
Reading
through this passage again, I am reminded of the song Keith Green wrote based
on it. I have to agree with his findings; the only difference between the sheep
and the goats is what they did and did not DO. In fact it is the same as
the difference between the wise and foolish virgins we discussed just a few
pages ago.
Sheep are relatively docile creatures, and Christ likened
the church to them on more than one occasion. Sheep are known for following
their shepherd. Yes you get a rare one occasionally that tries to go astray,
but by and large sheep are followers.
Goats
on the other hand are rather stubborn. They prefer to break free from the
shepherd when he is leading them to a pasture of sweet, green grass, beside the
babbling brook. Their eyes have caught sight of a tin can that they MUST go
check out. They toss it about and play ‘kick the can’ with it for a while.
Finally when they get tired of it, they toss it one last time and catch it in
their mouth to devour it. Later that night when they are trying to sleep that
can they were so fond of earlier in the day has given them indigestion. Go Figure!
People
are just like the sheep and the goats. And Jesus will separate us into our
respective herds at the final judgment and send us where we belong for all
eternity. I am so glad that I have finally decided not to tug against the
shepherd’s crook, and to be happy to just follow after Him forever.
So,
which herd do you think you belong in?
Joshua
said to the Israelites long ago, and Jesus repeats the appeal to us today:
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then
choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your
forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land
you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”[15]
Choose today whom you will truly serve – and prepare for
the final judgment of God where we will all walk through the Miphkad Gate to our final
destination.
The
Ephraim Gate - A Northern Gate looking out over the land of Ephraim [which
means doubly fruitful - Jew & Gentile / Earthly & Heavenly]
I will surely bless you and make your descendants as
numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your
descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring
all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis
22:17-18
We are the children of the promise God made to Abraham.
We are the Israel of God. Paul reminds us of this:[16]
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world. Neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who
follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
As children of the promise to Abraham, we are blessed;
and we are blessed again as children of God and joint heirs with Jesus.
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed
we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16-17
NKJV
It matters not to God whether you are Jewish, or Gentile,
slaves or freemen. He has called each of us to be children of the promise,
children of God Most High. He has called ALL to receive His double portion; His
two fold blessing.
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the
gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of
God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by
faith. Romans 1:15-17
By accepting Him we show His
righteousness to the world. For once we walked in darkness of spirit, but when
Jesus comes within, we walk in the light, for He is that very Light!
And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will
be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in
their riches you will boast.
Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of
disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a
double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. “For I, the LORD, love
justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and
make an everlasting covenant with them. Isaiah 61:6-8
The Bride walks through the Ephraim Gate and receives a
double portion from her Heavenly Bridegroom. Come walk through the gate, be of
her; and be eternally, Doubly Blessed!
The
Prison Gate
- This is where they held prisoners [the jail]. Peter is seen in Acts 12 being
led out of this gate by an angel. Each of us, before we came to Jesus, were in
prison to our various sins and vices. He came to set the captives free. He also
sets actual prisoners free from their jail cells. I know this personally. I was
in a California jail facing a year in prison and a large fine, but Jesus gave
me a second chance [or possibly my 100th]. He saw my heart and
showed it to the judge who in the Mercy of the Lord set me free after serving
only seven days, and without any fine.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the
LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3
and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their
synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he
went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet
Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has
anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to
them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:14-21
Jesus announced in His home church that He was their
Messiah, but they rejected Him. They were in bondage to the traditions and laws
of the Jewish Religion. Jesus was offering them freedom. They didn’t believe or
receive what He had to say. They could not accept that He was opening the doors
to their own personal prisons. They were bound and blind. The final gate the
Bride has walked through is the Prison Gate. She is Free At Last!
While John the Baptist was in Herod’s prison he sent his disciples
to Jesus to ask if He were the one, or if they were to keep looking. In reply
Jesus quoted part of this very passage in Isaiah:
When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the
Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we
expect someone else?’”
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil
spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and
report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame
walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and
the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on
account of me.” [17]
Jesus came in days of old to set us free from whatever
prisons that were holding us captive, keeping us from worshiping Him and
enjoying His presence in our lives. But there are many who refuse to unstop
their ears and open their eyes to the truth of His gospel of peace.
Those of the Bride have walked through the 12 gates in
their walk with Him. They are preparing to spend all eternity with Him when He
returns. May ALL be so prepared!
The great street of the city was of pure gold, like
transparent glass. Rev 21:21b
The
street was of pure gold, transparent and clear as glass - the way through the
city was clothed with the righteousness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy of Holies
is now within the heart of every believer. It is no longer hidden behind the
veil of the temple, or the dark recesses of our finite minds. But living and
breathing and in full view of all who would behold it. And it is in the heart
of the Bride, right where it belongs!
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Revelation 21: 22
As
His Bride, we are the true abode of Jesus. He is our Lord God Almighty. With
Him living inside of us, we live and move and have our being truly in Him and
Him alone. He is our Life, our very reason for existence. Therefore, there is
no longer any place for a physical temple for God to dwell in. For He has been
allowed access to the temple He originally created as His dwelling place. The
hearts and lives of the men and women
He created!
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on
it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
Revelation 21:23
This perfect abode of God has no need of any artificial
light. It only has need of that Light which comes directly from Him. The lesser
lights of sun, moon, and stars pale in comparison to that true illumination
which comes for Jesus alone and shines through the lives of His followers. For
they have found True Light and no longer does darkness dwell in them or around
them in any way. They have truly been given to the Light in every aspect of
their being. They have learned the truth of 'dio a luz'[18]
. . . 'given to light!' The Bride has been birthed into everlasting Life and
Light of Jesus, her Beloved.
On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. Revelation 21:25
This
new life in His light CAN'T be shut up behind any gate or wall, it shines forth
and will make itself known wherever it may be - it can't be hidden under a
bushel, or any other barrier. It knows no boundaries. And no darkness or night
can abide anywhere close to it. There is no evil that can take up residence
within His Light, nor can any sickness or sin. They have all been vanished
forever!
And the
nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. Revelation 21:26
In this verse He
fulfills for eternity His promise to Abraham that all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed through his descendant, his seed.
Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of
men; though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man
disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises
made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed,
which is Christ.[19]
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who
does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in
the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27
One
who is a true part of Christ's Bride will have no room within them to allow
anything in that is not of Him. He is Truth; no lie can enter in. He is Light;
no darkness can exist in His presence. He is Holy and Righteous; hatred,
deceit, wickedness or anything evil cannot come near to Him or to those that
are His. Only those found written in the Lamb's book of Life - the True
Believers and Followers - will be a part of His everlasting Kingdom; His Holy
and Perfect Bride!
… And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so
shall thy God rejoice over thee. Isaiah 62:5b
And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:2
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him
that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17
Yes we, His
Bride, are the heavenly New Jerusalem, the Great and Coming City of Peace,
Ruled by the Prince of Peace; Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
and our Heavenly Husband; Amen.
Even so, Lord Jesus, Come!
__________________________________________________________
[1] Ephesians 5:25b-27
[2] Revelation
21:9-27
[3] Matthew
13:45-47
[4] Matthew
4:18-20
[5] Psalms 23:4
[6] John 4:9-15
[7] Joshua 9
[8] Ephesians
6:12
[9] Ephesians
6:10-11 and 13-18
[10] Revelation
19:11-15
[11] Revelation
3:19-21
[12] John 14:1-3
[13] Psalms
51:7-12
[14] Words in
parenthesis added for clarity.
[15] Joshua
24:15
[16] Galatians
6:15-16
[17] Luke
7:20-23
[18] This is a
Spanish term for childbirth. How appropriate for those who are born again.
[19] Galatians 3:13-16
