When you hear someone say “The Bride of Christ” do you really understand what this means to all of us who are born again? For over 1900 years the Church, has been identified as a bride betrothed to the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Church,” of course, meaning all of us who believe in Jesus, and accept Him as our savior, not people who attend a church out of habit, or family tradition. The bride of Christ is to be the New Testament Church consisting of only those washed in the blood of the Lamb of God.

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5b

“Caught Up”
Before this time when the church will become the Bride of Christ we all must receive our glorified bodies. To do this we must either be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air, for those who are alive when Jesus returns, or be raised from the dead to meet Him as will happen first for the saints who have already passed away when Jesus returns.  

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

When Jesus comes at the rapture only the saved believers will see Him - JESUS! our best friend, our Savior, our Lord, our God, and our great Creator!

We will experience the most unbelievable love we have ever known.  It will be the greatest welcome we have ever had, and our hearts will be full of praise, thanks, adoration and worship.  What joy we will all experience as we are welcomed home at last, delivered from a sin sick world of rebelling humans.

Judgment and Rewards
After this we will go to the judgment seat of Christ. Now remember, our judgment has nothing to do with our salvation. If we are with our Lord at this time we have already received our salvation. But it is to determine if we may receive any rewards. Rewards are given to the saints in accordance with how they lived their lives after they were saved.  Once we receive our just rewards, we will be robed, and therefore prepared for the wedding of God’s only Son.  What a spectacular sight this is going to be.  The purity and the holiness of the presence of the Most Holy will present an atmosphere unlike any we can imagine.  No doubt we will be hearing angelic singing with such clarity and preciseness filling heaven with reverence and sweetness.  The glory and the majesticness at that time is the focus of all the angels, creatures, and the redeemed as we look in awe at this moment of wonder in the presence of God.  

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of  the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 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. Revelation 19:7-8

Never has there ever been an event like this one. The wealth of heaven is available to provide for any need that arises.  The love of the Father for His Son and for those who have been saved will move the heart of the Father to give the best for those He loves.   

As we, clothed in our white robes await the ceremony, we will realize the truth of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans;
 
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

What a time this will be, dear saints of the Lord.  No, there never has been such an event and there never will be another like it.  If anyone misses this grand wedding it will only be because of their own choice, not because of anything else.

Being a part of this heavenly scene is because salvation was given unto us.  We did not earn it, or deserve it, as we are clearly told.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

As the wedding of the bride of Christ draws nigh consider the following thoughts;

Some two thousand years after creation God called Abraham to be the person who would bless the nations. (Genesis Chapter twelve)

God started the process of bringing the Messiah through a nation of people beginning with Abraham some two thousand years before Christ.

Abraham’s son Isaac had a son named Jacob, who had twelve sons.  Judah, was one of these sons. From Judah came King David, whose sons were Solomon and Nathan.  Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus came from the lineage of Nathan, and Joseph the step father of Jesus, came from Solomon. Two thousand years after Abraham, a virgin was chosen to conceive in her womb by the Holy Spirit, the Son of God. Now, nearly two thousand years have passed since the birth of the Christ Child, and we see the unfolding of the Holy Scriptures right before our eyes. Everything happening in our world today is all part of the prescribed events that would occur before the return of the Messiah to set up His earthly Kingdom.

We have experienced nearly six thousand years of human history, and it is all now in the past. It appears that at any time the Messiah, our Savior, may call his chosen people out of this world as He promised to do before the wrath of God comes upon an unrepentant, Christ rejecting, world. Thus concluding six thousand years of human history of injustice, and unrighteousness. All of this had to take place in order to set up the one thousand year righteous reign of Christ that is prophesied in the Holy Scriptures.

So now after some six thousand years we await, and look for our Lord Jesus to return as He said he would so he can take us away to His Paradise.

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.  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.  John 14:2-3

After He takes us to our heavenly home the world will undergo seven years of tribulation where such destruction will take place like there has never been before, Jesus said.  Two thirds of all Jews will lose their lives.  Billions of people from the nations of the world will also be killed by starvation, war, disease, plagues and wild animals.  Why anyone would choose to stay for such a time as this, I do not understand, other than they are blinded by Satan’s power.

In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  2 Corinthians 4:4

The Second Coming of Christ
At the end of the seven years of tribulation, Jesus will return back to the earth;

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.  Revelation1:7

The scriptures say that every eye living at that time will see Jesus as he returns at His second coming.  When the unsaved masses see Him they will wail in terror.  Jesus will not have a smile for them.  He will not show them any mercy, and everyone of them who have failed to trust Him will  be killed.  Not one unsaved person will be allowed to enter his kingdom of one thousand years of peace and prosperity on earth as He rules from Jerusalem.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  Revelation 19:11-16

As the Lord Jesus rids the world of the Christ rejecting, and unrepentant, we His Bride will be observing this scene of chaos and destruction, and will be in full agreement with the righteous action of our Bridegroom.

The Apostle Paul said;

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  1Thessalonians 5:3  

And Jesus said;

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.  Matthew 24:44  

Only those who were saved during the tribulation, who survived it, will be allowed to enter into Christ’s Kingdom.

Never has a bride been so pleased as we will be.  Never has  the future looked as bright as it will to us who witness the  victorious actions of the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.  

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:12-15
 
Not only will the Bride reign with Christ for one thousand years, but we will also have access to the specially prepared celestial city described in Revelation chapter 21.

What an awesome city of splendor made of costly jewels, stones, and gold.  This is our home that the Son of God purchased for us.  He suffered and died, so we could live with Him, because He loved us so much.
 
Oh dear souls let’s love and share the Lord, and help others know of the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we praise you and adore you for loving such people as we are.  We thank you so much for the grace of God.  Bless our readers and their families, we ask in Jesus name.  Amen.   “Loving the Savior” Preacher