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
Married to an unfaithful bride
Hosea 2:19And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
Hosea's marriage dramatizes God's covenant love for a wayward people — "I will betroth you to me forever." - 2
Your Maker is your husband
Isaiah 54:5For 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.
Isaiah comforts a forsaken people: the LORD himself is their husband and redeemer. - 3
Christ loved the church
Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Paul: husbands love as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her — marriage as a picture of the gospel. - 4
The marriage of the Lamb
Revelation 19:7Let 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.
The wedding feast at the end of history: the bride made ready, clothed in righteousness. - 5
A bride adorned for her husband
Revelation 21:2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The new Jerusalem comes down "as a bride adorned" — the dwelling of God with his people.