Revelation 19
7 Let us be glad and rejoice…for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
According to ancient marriage customs, once a bride and groom were betrothed, the groom would go away to build an extension upon his fathers house, while the bride got ready for his return.
When the father gave his final approval to the extension, the groom would return to receive his bride into the fathers house where the marriage was consummated and celebrated.
Let’s consider what Jesus said to his disciples in John 14
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Now let’s consider these questions:
Who is the Lamb’s wife in Revelation 19?
What does her wedding garment represent?
How did she get ready for the marriage?
- Who is the Lamb’s wife and what does her garment represent?
We’ll begin with Paul’s letter to the Ephesians that was probably written around 60-64AD.
In Ephesians chapter 5 Paul wrote…
Ephesians 5
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Here Paul described the glorious church without spot or wrinkle being presented to Christ for marriage
Church ἐκκλησία ekklēsía called out
Let’s consider Ephesians chapters 2-4 to get more information about this ekklēsía.
Ephesians 2
11 Wherefore remember, that being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel…
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one…
15…to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body…
Here Paul described Israelites and Gentiles being joined together as “one new man”.
Ephesians 4
22…put off concerning the former conversation (manner of life) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The “one new man” was comprised of all those who’d “put off” their “old man” and “put on” the “new man…created in righteousness and true holiness”.
Let’s now consider what Paul wrote to the church at Rome.
Romans 11
1…Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite…
13…I speak to you Gentiles…
17…some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them…
18 Boast not against the branches…
20…because of unbelief they were broken of…
23… if they abide not still in unbelief…God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou …wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Israel were the “natural branches”, whilst Gentiles were the “wild” branches, grafted into the good olive tree.
If we weigh Revelation 19 against Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and Romans we see that “the Lamb’s wife” included both natural Israel and Gentiles.
Paul wanted all Israel to be saved, however most were trying to establish their own righteousness.
Romans 10
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
In Ephesians and Romans we see a contrast between those trying to establish their “own righteousness” and those “created in righteousness” (Ephes. 4:24).
In Ephesians 2:8-10 Paul made the point that salvation was “by grace..through faith…not of ourselves…not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works…”
New Covenant salvation was not wrought through adherence to the Mosaic law, ie. physical circumcision.
It was wrought through grace and faith in Jesus Christ, which you could call “the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11) or “circumcision…of the heart” (Rom. 2:29).
The “fine linen clean and white” worn by the “Lamb’s wife” represents “the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:8), in other words the “new man…created in righteousness” (Ephes. 4:24) or a spiritually circumcised heart.
3. How did the Lamb’s wife get ready? What was the process?
Towards the end of Ephesians 2 we find these verses…
19 Now therefore ye are…of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
Notice that the temple was growing. It was not yet complete.
We see this same concept in Ephesians 4
4 There is one body, and one Spirit…
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (Building up) of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians chapters 2-4 describe a betrothal period in which the “church” was cleansed and sanctified “with the washing of water by the word” via apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, that it might be presented to Christ a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.
Romans 12 is similar to Ephesians 4.
Romans 12
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
If we look specifically at Ephesians 4:13 and Romans 11:21, we find that both include the word “till” or “until” and both include the word “fullness”.
Ephesians 4
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the FULLNESS of Christ:
Romans 11
21…blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the FULLNESS of the Gentiles be come in.
The word till/until suggests a definitive point in which “the fullness of the Gentiles” would “come in” and the “one new man” would measure up to “the fullness of Christ”.
1 Corinthians 12 is similar to both Ephesians 4 and Romans 12.
1 Corinthians 12
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
In the next chapter of Corinthians we find this…
1 Corinthians 13
8 Charity never faileth: but…prophecies…shall fail…tongues…shall cease…knowledge…shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Just like in Ephesians and Romans, 1 Corinthians suggests a definitive point in which the “one new man” would become a “perfect man” and “childish things” would “vanish away”.
When did the Betrothal period end?
According to ancient marriage customs, the groom would go away for about a year but the exact day or hour of his return was not specified. Usually he’d return during the night, with a shout or blast of the shofar.
The parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25 is an example of this custom. The foolish virgins were not ready for their groom so were shut out of the bridal chamber.
Obviously her betrothal period ended when the groom (Jesus Christ) came back to receive her.
The vast majority of Christians are still waiting for Jesus to return. I’ve herd many sermons about getting ready or being ready for that day.
However when did Jesus say he’d come back?
In Matthew 10 Jesus sent his disciples out to preach the gospel and said…
23…when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till
the Son of man be come.
In Matthew 16 Jesus told his disciples…
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
3…what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
He replied…
34…This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
In other words he’d return within a forty year period, one generation.
The betrothal period of the “church” lasted roughly 40 years. That’s how long the “Lamb’s wife" had to get ready.
Thank you for reading this post and considering who the “Lamb’s wife” was, what her garment represented and how she got ready for the wedding.
In my next post we’ll explore the last portion of Revelation 19 with regard to Jesus’s second coming and the marriage supper of the Lamb. God bless.
