And there came unto me one of the seven
angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked
with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Rev
21:9)
A few years
ago, while living in Dublin, I was approached by an Asian couple who tried to “witness”
to me and argued that, when Jesus comes, he will get married based on this text
(it was in St. Stephen’s Green and I was reading Robert Gagnon’s book, The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Text and Hermeneutics [2001]—one of
the pros of having a near-photographic memory at times, I suppose).
When this
text from the book of Revelation speaks of the “bride” of Jesus, however, it refers to the Church, similar
how a singular referent can refer to a corporate entity elsewhere in the book
of Revelation (e.g., the “woman” in Rev 12:1). We see such “Jesus as the
bridegroom; the Church as the bride” concepts elsewhere in the Bible and even
modern revelation:
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of
the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days
will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they
fast. (Matt 9:15; cf. Mark 2:19; Luke 5:34)
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but
the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly
because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. (John
3:29)
For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of
hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the
whole earth shall he be called. (Isa 54:5)
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul
shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of
salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her
jewels. (Isa 61:10)
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so
shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so
shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Isa 62:5)
Wherefore, be faithful, praying always,
having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready
at the coming of the Bridegroom. (D&C 33:17)
The keys of the kingdom of God are committed
unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the
ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands
shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth. Yea, a voice
crying--Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make
ready for the Bridegroom. (D&C 65:2-3)
And angels shall fly through the midst of
heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare
ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold,
and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (D&C 88:92)
That thy church may come forth out of the
wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and
terrible as an army with banners; and be adorned as a bride for that day when
thou shalt unveil the heavens, and cause the mountains to flow down at thy
presence, and the valleys to be exalted, the rough places made smooth, that thy
glory may fill the earth; that when the trump shall sound for the dead, we
shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the
Lord. That our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of
righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and
reap eternal joy for all our sufferings. (D&C 107:73-76)
Yea, let the cry go forth among all people:
Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the
Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day
of the Lord. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour . . .
When the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and
forty-four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads.
Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to
meet him. (D&C 133:10-11, 18-19)