The Second Coming of Christ

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THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB

Verse 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.” There are two thing which the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments illustrate by marriage: First, the union of God’s people in all past ages, as well as at the present time, with their Lord; second, Christ’s reception of the throne of David, which is the New Jerusalem. But union of believers with their Lord has existed since the days of Adam, and cannot be regarded as the marriage of the Lamb. It is supposed that Isaiah (54:5) speaks of the church when he says, “Thy Maker is thine husband;” but Paul, in Galatians 4, applies this prophecy to the New Jerusalem. Says John, speaking of Christ, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.” John 3:29. That Christ is here represented in his relation to his followers by a bridegroom, and his followers by a bride, is true; but that he and they are here called the bridegroom and bride, is not true. No one believes that the event called the marriage of the Lamb took place eighteen hundred years since. SCOC 73.3

Paul, in writing to the church, 2 Corinthians 11:2, says, “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ.” But does this prove that the marriage of the Lamb took place in Corinth? or, did Paul only wish to represent by marriage, the union which he had effected, through the gospel, between Christ and the church at Corinth? He also says, Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.” But please turn and read from verse 22, and it will be seen that Paul’s subject is the relation and duty of man and wife to each other. This is illustrated and enforced by the relation of Christ and the church. Those who suppose that Paul is here defining who the Lamb’s wife is, are greatly mistaken. That is not his subject. He commences. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” Verse 22. “Husbands, love your wives.” Verse 25. SCOC 74.1

The marriage of the Lamb does not cover the entire period of probation, in which believers are united to their Lord, from Adam to the close of probation. It is one event, to take place at one point of time, and that is just prior to the resurrection of the just. Then what is the bride in the marriage of the Lamb? Said the angel to John, “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Revelation 21:9. Did the angel show John the church? “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.” Verse 10. SCOC 75.1

The New Jerusalem is also represented as the mother. “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:26. Christ is represented (Isaiah 9:6) as the “everlasting Father” of his people; the New Jerusalem, the mother, and the subjects of the first resurrection, the children. And, beyond all doubt, the resurrection of the just is represented by birth. How appropriate, then, is the view that the marriage of the Lamb takes place in Heaven before the Lord comes, and before the children of the great family of Heaven are brought forth at the resurrection of the just. SCOC 75.2

Let those who are disposed to cling to the old view that the church is the bride, and that the marriage is after Christ comes, and the saints are caught up to Heaven, answer the following questions: SCOC 75.3

1. Who are illustrated by the man found at the marriage, Matthew 22, not having on the wedding garment? Will any be caught up by mistake, to be bound hand and foot, and cast down to the earth again? SCOC 76.1

2. If the church is the bride, who are they that are called to the marriage as guests? SCOC 76.2

3. Jerusalem above is the mother of the children of promise; but if the church is the Lamb’s wife, who are the children? SCOC 76.3

The marriage of the Lamb is Christ’s reception of the throne of David, or his own throne, which is the New Jerusalem above. That city is finally to come down upon the new earth, to be the capital of the everlasting kingdom. The event illustrated by the coming of the bridegroom in the parable, is thus described by the prophet: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and the brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.” Daniel 7:13, 14. This language describes a grand transaction in Heaven between the Father and the Son. The Son, at his second advent to this world, does not approach the Father. So far from this, the apostle represents the Father as remaining in Heaven, and sending his Son. “And he [the Father] shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” Acts 3:20. SCOC 76.4

The words of the Psalmist are to the point: “Ask of me [says the Father to the Son], and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psalm 2:8, 9. Before the Son makes his second advent to this world, he receives from the Father “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom.” SCOC 76.5

After the coronation of the King of kings, or the marriage of the Lamb, the opening heavens will reveal him coming in grandeur and in glory, leading on the armies of Heaven to the last great conflict with the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth. See Revelation 19. “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.” “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.” His mission then will be to “judge and make war.” He will then destroy his enemies, and redeem his people. The marriage is over, and his people are still waiting his return. The true position of the waiting ones is thus described: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning: and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding.” Luke 12:35, 36. SCOC 77.1

In the parable, while the foolish virgins were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came; those that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Our position is, that before the second advent, events take place on earth and in Heaven, connected with the experience and history of those who are called out to wait for the Lord, which may be, and will be, likened, or compared, to the several events of an eastern marriage named by our Lord. The bridegroom, in the parable, represents Christ. The coming of the bridegroom, and the marriage, in the parable, represent events that take place in Heaven in connection with the reception of the throne of the immortal kingdom by the rightful heir, Jesus Christ. The marriage of the Lamb takes place before the second advent, so that at Christ’s second appearing he returns from the wedding. These facts will appear evident from a close examination of Psalm 2:8, 9; Daniel 7:13, 14; Matthew 12:36. SCOC 77.2

The shutting of the door, in this parable, does not represent the closing of human probation, sometimes called the shutting of the door of mercy. That last decisive event is at the close of Christ’s ministration in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, and is spoken of by our Lord thus: “When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.” Luke 13:25. That is when Jesus rises from his mediatorial work, lays off his priestly garments, and puts on his royal robes. Then will the King of kings proclaim in Heaven, to be repeated by the church on earth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him the righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me.” Revelation 22:11, 12. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of Thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was.” Daniel 12:1. SCOC 78.1

But the shut door of the parable illustrates the closing of Christ’s work in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, at the end of the 2300 prophetic days of Daniel 8:14, when the heavenly Bridegroom entered upon that last work of atonement which is to terminate with his union with the throne of the immortal kingdom.” SCOC 79.1

At that time Christ closed one distinct ministration, or shut the door of the holy place, and opened another distinct ministration, or opened the door of the most holy place, as he, the great high priest, entered it to cleanse the sanctuary. SCOC 79.2

This open, and this shut, door, are thus spoken of in the address to the Philadelphia church: “These things saith He that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Revelation 3:7, 8. The term, “key of David,” in this text, has direct reference to Christ’s reception of the throne of David, which is his rightful throne, the throne of the immortal kingdom. And the entire address to the Philadelphia (brotherly love) church applies to that glorious period in the history of Adventists, when, by the power of the midnight cry in the autumn of 1844, every heart beat in union, and every voice was raised in the joyful proclamation, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” Was the door of mercy then shut? No! The truth is so far from this that the Coming One declares to his dear, waiting people, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door.” 1 SCOC 79.3

This door our great High Priest opened when he entered upon the work of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary from the sins of all his people. Before the ark of the ten commandments and the mercy-seat, he stands, ready to offer his blood in behalf of all who will, by faith, enter with him. SCOC 80.1

Verses 11-13: “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.” The wise virgins represent those who occupied a correct position in 1844, and those who still receive it and adhere to it. These were in a state of acceptance with Christ, and could be represented as going in with him to the marriage. And do not the foolish virgins, who came afterward represent those who in 1854 occupied an erroneous position in regard to the prophetic periods? SCOC 80.2

The light upon the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary had been given. The open door of the most holy place, revealing the ark of the ten commandments, had been set before all Adventists. But many closed their eyes, and rebelled against the law of God in that ark. The rejection of so clear light left them exposed to the terrible delusion of a false time movement in 1854. And the folly of these timeists is manifested in that they have departed from the true position on time, have rejected the open door, and are in rebellion against the law of God. SCOC 80.3