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The Bride of Christ

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God's covenant love pictured as marriage — from an unfaithful bride to the wedding of the Lamb.

God describes his bond with his people as a marriage — and the story is stormy. Hosea marries an unfaithful wife to dramatize Israel's betrayal; the prophets grieve and yet promise restoration; "your Maker is your husband." The New Testament lifts the image to its height: Christ loves the church "and gave himself up for her," and history ends with "the marriage of the Lamb," a bride made ready, a city like a bride adorned for her husband.
  1. 1

    Married to an unfaithful bride

    Hosea 2:19

    I will betroth you to me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion.

    Hosea's marriage dramatizes God's covenant love for a wayward people — "I will betroth you to me forever."
  2. 2

    Your Maker is your husband

    Isaiah 54:5

    For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.

    Isaiah comforts a forsaken people: the LORD himself is their husband and redeemer.
  3. 3

    Christ loved the church

    Ephesians 5:25

    Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;

    Paul: husbands love as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her — marriage as a picture of the gospel.
  4. 4

    The marriage of the Lamb

    Revelation 19:7

    Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”

    The wedding feast at the end of history: the bride made ready, clothed in righteousness.
  5. 5

    A bride adorned for her husband

    Revelation 21:2

    I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

    The new Jerusalem comes down "as a bride adorned" — the dwelling of God with his people.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.