THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour 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 the saints. -- And he said unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. Rev.19:7-9.

The "Lamb and Bride" mentioned in the above text is of course Jesus and His church. Just as Isaac went out, in the field at eventide and Rebekah lighted off her camel to meet him (Gen.24:63-64) -- So the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout and the saints (his wife) will be caught up to meet Him in the air. (lst.Thess-4:16-17) This meeting between the church (wife) and the Bridegroom (Jesus) will without doubt be the wedding that is spoken about in the scriptures. Following this spiritual wedding there will be a spiritual feast (marriage supper where the woman (church) will be nourished for a time, (one year) and times, (two years) and half a time (six months) from the face of the serpent. (Rev. 12:14)

The bible has much to say about this spiritual marriage and this spiritual feast. Paul spoke of a godly jealousy he had for the church "for I have espoused (to promise or give in marriage) you to one husband (Jesus) --(2nd Cor.11:2). This is plain to understand that God's true people now will at His coming be His wife! The Bride (church) will not become the wife of a trinity of persons but we will become the wife of one man, one husband, and His name is Jesus.

Jesus spoke of this marriage in several places during His ministry on one occasion He tells us of virgins that took their lamps--and went forth to meet the bridegroom (Jesus) ---- (Mat.25:1-10) Five of these virgins were wise and five were foolish. Oil in their vessels with their lamps was the difference between these two groups of virgins! All of them were clean and holy, else they would not have been called "virgins". The point to notice is the Bridegroom (husband) was coming for His wife! Only the virgins with OIL were acceptable! Most all bible readers will accept the fact that "oil in the vessel "means the Holy Ghost in our lives". David spoke of "thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over"---- (Psm. 23:5) This is sufficient proof that this "oil in the vessel" is God's Spirit in our soul. Notice that Jesus said, "the bridegroom came, and-they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." (ver.10) The verse that says and they that were ready'' calls our mind back to the text above where John said., "his wife hath made herself ready"

Just as sure as you read this lesson today, if you plan to be a member of the body (church) that will make up the Bride of Jesus you must "make yourself ready". Just as a natural bride readies herself for her husband and her wedding day, so must we as God's people make ourself ready for our coming marriage and the feast to follow. Just as the five foolish virgins failed to make the marriage there are thousands of Pentecostal people today that will not be able to "go up" when the Bridegroom come! Paul tells us that this church (bride) must not have spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Eph-5:27) Jesus is not coming after a harlot or a wife that is filled with fornication --- His wife will be a virgin! She must be filled with the Spirit and dressed in the wedding garment; She MUST wear His name!

Jesus spoke in another place of this "wedding and dinner" -- (Mat.22:1-14) He tells us of his servants (ministers) as they go out inviting people to come to the marriage. Many made light of it and made many excuses (Luke 14:16-24) --- Soon the wedding was furnished with guests and when the King came in he found a man which had not on a wedding garment" ---- When the man was ask why he didn't have this particular garment, he was "speechless". He was not permitted, to stay at this feast because he was improperly dressed! This man without the wedding garment represents great numbers who will be denied the right to stay at the wedding supper just as the five foolish virgins were denied to go to the supper because they didn't have oil in their vessels! The five foolish virgins didn't go to the Marriage because they didn't have the Holy Ghost; the man without the "wedding garment" couldn't stay at the supper because he failed to have on the name of Jesus! If you wish to be a member of the church that is called the bride, let me urge you to be "born of water and Spirit" -- (John 3:5) Repent and be baptized in Jesus name and be filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. We, who make the bride will be called the "first fruits" and will be "redeemed from among men" --- (Rev.14:1-5) The raptured church (bride) will be the ones that have "gotten the victory over the beast" --(Rev.15:2) -- We will sing "a new song" -- (Rev-14:3) -- The song of Moses and the Lamb --- (Rev.15:3) --- We will be at this "spiritual honeymoon" while the beast and his followers are being tormented with plagues here on the earth. (Rev.16) --- Get ready and stay ready for this holy occasion!