The Marriage of the Lamb
If there is one star-studded event of all the ages that transcends all others, it must be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The very heart of the Father in creating Adam and Eve and commanding them to multiply was out of a family passion. He had a family of angels that filled His eternal city with praise, but He also wanted a human family that His Son may be the Bridegroom. Nothing in His eternity is a surprise to Him. We were chosen from the foundation of the world to bring great joy to His fatherly heart.
It is fitting that the Bible ends in His New Jerusalem, a special city for a special people. It is the conclusion of His revelations and shows the eternal joys as the Father enjoys His family, both angelic and glorified flesh. This world is nothing but a sideshow, while the kingdom of God is in preparation to be revealed. The fallen prince, Satan, has had his time of rebellion, while the world makes their choice of whom to serve. Wickedness grows for its final harvest of sorrows, while righteousness climbs the stairs of grace to its triumph. The hour of finality is so close that the sense of majesty is in the air.
The Psalmist David surely walked with God and was given a peep into the Royal Wedding. First, he spoke of this coming King/Messiah and declared Him with a glorious sense of His lofty statue. Read this description of the Bridegroom spoken hundreds of years before the virgin conceived in her womb this King. “My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.” (Psalm 45:1-6).
Such words are too high for me. They leave me with a glow into the marvel of our Father’s gift. He was very God. Already a King, grace poured from His lips. He was majestic in humility, mighty in battle, and truth was the essence of His person. He was from a throne and destined to return but with everlasting victory in His right hand. He is presently patient, but soon to ride the white horse of fiery judgment. His scepter will leave no room for exceptions. His victory is soon to be total because the price of this redemption is totally paid. He has uttered, “It is finished.” (John 19:30).
Anointed to be King and Bridegroom
By the spirit of prophecy, the Psalmist saw this future Wedding Supper and described the details. Every word of Scripture must be rightly divided if we are to receive the pure message. First, David spoke of the King Himself concerning His position after His cross was experienced. He wrote, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.” (Psalm 45:7-8).
This is the triumphant Savior, having endured the cross and now exalted above all created beings. He is the God/Man, both God and man and will forever be identified with His Bride. His identity is so intimate that He said, “… I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” (Hebrews 2:12-13).
He is one of us forever to reign in glorified flesh. The Son of God has become the Son of Man forever without ceasing to be Eternal God and seated at the Father’s right hand. The person of our Savior is presently and forever unfathomable. His glory will eliminate the need of the sun in the New Heavens and the New Earth.
When He comes to begin the “Times of the End,” His coming is described as “Out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad.” This statement does not speak of His birth, but of His second coming. He is presently, as I write, the joy of the City of God. The Heavenly City, where He is seated at the Father’s right hand, is full of joy because of Him. He is His Father’s greatest delight and those words, “whereby they have made thee glad,” speak of both His joy and the joy of those that worship and exalt Him. If He is the source of such joy now, can you imagine His joy, both to Himself and His Father, when He takes His office as the Bridegroom with His Bride?
Even His person is attired in the priceless ointments of the City of God. His robe is divinity, but His Sonship is like the most extravagant of human value. Myrrh, aloes, and cassia speak of His priceless person unstained by His walk among the lost souls of this sin-riddled planet.
He is preparing a “glorious church” to “present to Himself.” His Bride will be “dressed in the gold of Ophir,” a beautiful Queen that He can lavish with love for eternity. The Ephesians church heard this clear call to be His chosen. “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 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.” (Ephesians 5:24-27).