In this
writing we will look at what Scripture says about the Preparation of
the Bride. We have all heard various teachings and opinions of her
preparation, but we must adhere to the clear teaching of Scripture
alone.
As
we go into this study, there may be many
who have un-answered questions. For example, we might ask, "Do we
become prepared in the
"twinkling of an eye" when we go to be with the King?" Some may insist,
"Isn't it enough
to be Born Again?" A few may ask, "Is there some particular preparation
that Born-Again Believers must do, over some period of time while
living in this life on
earth?" We then realise that the Scriptures reveal the answers! Our
Father has given us very many witnesses of Scripture, from
which we may
draw our conclusions. So let's look at the Scriptures.
Who Prepares the
Bride? First, let us see who does the preparing.
Notice the following passages:
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.
(Revelation 19:7)
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 19:8) In
the above passages, in verse 7, we see the Betrothed wife - the Bride -
has made herself ready. She is the one who
made the preparation.
In verse 8, we see her 'array'
(her clothing and covering) was granted, or given to her,
by the Holy Spirit.
So the preparation of the Bride
involves the Bride's action, as well as the action of the Holy
Spirit. Both are necessary. This two-fold process
is confirmed in Esther:
And
the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he
speedily gave her her things for purification, with
such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were
meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and
her maids unto the best place of the house of the
women. (Esther 2:9) Here
we see that Hegai, the eunuch, as well as the seven maidens given to
her, all picture the Holy Spirit, given to the Bride to provide help,
and to provide everything that is needed to the Bride for her
purification — her preparation. In Esther 2:9, notice the
two-fold process that made up her preparation: (1) "he
speedily gave her;" and (2) "with such things as belonged to
her."
The preparation of the Bride of Messiah is a
co-operation between the Holy Spirit, and the Bride.
When
and Where is the Bride Prepared?Next we will
address the question, "When does this preparation take place — after
going in to the presence of the King — or before?" Is the
Bride prepared in heaven — or on earth? Again we will look at
a few passages in Esther:
Now
when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that
she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for
so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six
months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with
other things for the purifying of the women;) Then
thus came every maiden unto the king... (Esther
2:12b-13a) Notice also that Esther's
preparation was over a twelve-month period of time, which was six
months of one preparation, and six months of another. And it
was all to be done before going into the presence
of the King.
Let's look further. Let's
look at the following Bride preparation passages:
1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps, and went forth to meet the
bridegroom. 2 And five
of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their
lamps, and took no oil with them: 4
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps. 5 While the
bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go
ye out to meet him. 7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their
lamps. 8 And the
foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone
out. 9 But the wise
answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but
go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves. 10 And
while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they
that were ready went in with him to the
marriage: and the door was shut. 11
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord,
Lord, open to us. 12
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you
not. 13 Watch
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of
man cometh.
(Matthew 25:1-13) In
the above parable five Virgins were called wise, and 5 called foolish.
There are two groups — a wise group and a foolish group. What
were the two groups based on?
We see in
verse 10, "They that were ready" went in with him to the
marriage. In verse 11 we see the "Other Virgins" who came
afterwards, but could not enter in.
These
Ten Virgins were divided into two groups, based on "Being
Ready." The Wise Virgins were "Ready" before anyone
went in with the Bridegroom to the marriage. We are led also
to conclude that the "Foolish" Virgins were NOT YET READY when the
Bridegroom came.
This division confirms
what we have seen thus far — that being ready, being prepared, must
occur BEFORE the arrival of the Bridegroom. We may now conclude that
the preparation of the Bride is NOT done in heaven, but only on earth,
before going in with the Bridegroom.
Continue to How Does the Bride Prepare?
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.
(Revelation 19:7)
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