The Bride Wears Flax
(Rev 19:8) And to her was granted that she (the wife of the Lamb, verse 7) should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. KJVUnless you live near flax country, you may not have a clear picture as to the labor-intensive procedure necessary to produce white linen from the raw flax plant. Why is this study necessary, you may ask? If you plan on being included in the corporate body of believers known as the Bride of Messiah, you will want to have a working knowledge of how she goes about weaving her fine linen garment. Just what is the righteousness of this group of saints?
This study will look at the raw flax plant and how it becomes “fine white linen”. We shall, in addition, look at how this procedure parallels the life of the ones granted to wear the white linen as stated in our subject text from the book of Revelation chapter 19. In fact it is in this chapter where we find the word, ’alleluia’ or the Hebrew counterpart, Halleluyah, used four times and all of them are in connection to the Wife of the Lamb! Others wear white linen, as we shall see, but only she is granted to wear this form of white linen.
The Flax Plant
Linen is known the world over; it comes from the flax plant. The flax plant is a 2-3 feet tall reed-like stalk taking 100 days from planting to harvest usually around July/Aug. It's one day blossom of pure blue may be the only true blue flower. One of my friends grew up on a farm where flax was grown. She told me the day the flax bloomed you could see that gorgeous blue for acres and acres. The sight, she said was breath-taking as the breeze caused the stalks to sway as though they danced to music only they could hear.
Flax has a history of 5,000 yrs. The wealthy and royalty wore fine linen, naturally bleached by the sun. Because of these groups, white linen became a sign of wealth. The everyday man wore linen, yet of a more coarse yarn of natural color sometimes called sackcloth. Second only to ramie, linen is the strongest fiber with a 20% greater strength when wet. A regularly used bed sheet can survive for a century or more. Every part of the flax plant is used; the seeds for nutritious omega oils (flax seeds) and fiber, linseed oil for furniture and paint, rope, string, and candle wicks.
Flax needs a deep, rich soil and, like tobacco, quickly depletes the nutrients from the land where it is planted. If seeds are planted close together, there are little or no weeds!!!
Linen fabrics come from flax plants; they have a high natural luster and their natural color ranges between shades of ivory, tan, or grey. Pure white linen is created by heavy bleaching which is not good for the fibers. Linen typically has a thick and thin character with a crisp and textured feel to it, but can range from stiff and rough to soft and smooth. When adequately prepared, linen has the ability to absorb and lose water rapidly. It can gain up to 20% moisture without feeling damp.
Steps in Harvesting Flax
The process of converting the raw material of the flax plant to the beautiful soft, strong and luminous fabric is a time-consuming and labor intensive process, as follows;
1. retting is the first stage after harvest when the stalks (which are hallow when dry) are (uprooted) pulled out of the ground (labor intensive procedure) rather than cut. Retting or turning exposes the stalks to the elements of rain, wind, and heat to break down the pectin which acts as a glue to bind the fibers together. At this stage the seeds are removed. The ideal way to ret flax is to expose it to constantly running water, such as a stream (LIVING WATER). The amount of time this step requires depends on the quality of the flax, the temperature and numerous other variables. Usually this is done in the open field or in rivers or streams.
2. Next, a series of steps frees the flax fiber from the boon (unwanted plant material).
3. stripping is the first step to free the fibers from the straw. The short fibers are used for courser yarn and the long fibers for the finest linen yarn.
4. When the straw comes away easily from the few bent fibers, it is time to ‘grass’ the flax. The bundles are untied and laid in a field for a few days until they are dried on one side, then turned so the other side can be dried. When the crop is thoroughly moisture free, it is stacked indoors to age for a few more weeks.
5. The brake, a large wooden machine, is used to break down the trash material and loosen it further from the end product.
6. Then the flax is scutched (beaten against a board with a blunt wooden knife).
7. The final process is hackling, or combing in which the fiber is drawn through a series of metal combs to remove the last of the boon and shorter fibers. The end result is a “strick“, a half-pound bundle of long, light grey fibers which resemble human hair. Over 85% of the plant has been removed before the strick is produced. Some of the shorter fibers removed during hackling can be used as “tow” for sacking or inferior cloth.
After the fibers have been separated and processed, they are typically spun into yarns and woven or knitted into linen textiles. These textiles can then be bleached, dyed, printed on, or finished with a number of treatments or coatings.
1. spinning is done with the dry short fibers or wet long fibers to assure a smoother shiny appearance. The long, wet, fine, fibers must be spun in a humid environment.
2. weaving
3. bleaching and/or dyeing
Paper made of linen can be very strong and crisp, which is why the United States and many other countries print their currency on paper made from 25% linen and 75% cotton.
When the tomb of the Pharaoh of the Exodus, Rameses II, who died 1258 B.C, - 3,000 years ago - was discovered in 1881, the linen wrappings were in a state of perfect preservation.
http://www.answers.com/topic/linen?cat=technology
Bleaching the finished Fabric
The ancients would wash the linen and spread it out on the ground in the sun to dry. (This was later called “lawn” (1300’s in Scotland). But how did the ancients bleach the linen naturally to make it white?
Jer 2:22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
“#1287 soap: Grains grown in fields were used for meal to make flour as well as feed for livestock. The stalks of the grains were burned to make potash for making soap. What is cleaned with soap becomes white or bright. “AHLB
Our ancestors were smart! They did not have to use Clorox to bleach the beautiful fabric white! They used natural bleaches.
Scripture list for “LINEN”
Following is a list of scriptures where we find the word linen = 8336 = bleached stuff, that is white linen or marble: -X blue, fine {twined} linen, marble, silk.
1. Joseph was dressed in fine linen when he was given Pharaoh's ring and decked with a gold chain around his neck. Gen 41:42
2. Exodus 27, 28 the tabernacle, the priests, and the high priest were all arrayed in fine linen
3. Spinning was a common daily activity of the women of the middle east.
4. 2Sam 6:14 David, as king of Israel, danced before Yahweh with only his linen ephod
5. 1King 10:28 Solomon had fine linen imported from Egypt Exodus 38:16 all the hangings of the tabernacle court were of fine linen.
6. Starting in Lev, we have a different number for linen, #906 = “bad“, flaxen thread or yarn; a linen garment.
7. Lev 13:47 this is a garment having the plague of leprosy, #6593 - as in the sense of comminuting; linen(that is, the thread, as carded): - flax, linen.
8. 1Sam 2:18 little Samuel wore a linen ephod as he ministered before Yahweh.
9. 2Chron 2:14 descendants of Dan living in Tyre, were skilled to work in many different materials, such as gold, silver, brass, purple, blue and in linen.
10. 2Chron 5:12 the singers were also arrayed in white linen; #948 from an unused root, meaning to bleach, that is intransitively to be white; probably cotton of some sort: fine white linen.
11. Esth 1:6 the hangings in the courts of King Art, were corded with fine linen.
12. Esth 8:15 when exalted by King Art, Mordacai was dressed in royal apparel of blue and white (linen), garments of dignity, gold, a garment of fine linen, purple ...
13. Prov 7:16 has a different number for linen, #330 = to bind; properly twisted yarn, that is tapestry: fine linen.
14. Prov 31:24, #5466 the virtuous woman makes fine linen!
15. Is 3:23 has a different number for linen, #5466 = a sheet of linen,
16. Jer 13:1 was told by Yahweh to get a linen girdle and hide it in the rocks by the Euphrates; it became ruined, just as the house of Judah, and house of Israel.(soiled garments represent the sin of the Bride, Wife of Yahweh)
17. Eze 9:2 And look, six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-axe in his hand. And one man in their midst was clothed with linen and had a writer’s ink-horn at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
18. Ez 10:2 the man clothed with linen ... the wheels within the wheels , etc
19. Ez 16:10 the wife of Yahweh is clothed with fine linen and silk.(4897)
20. Ez 44:17, 18 the priests who minister in the (future) temple will be clothed in fine linen on their bodies and on their heads
21. Dan 10:5 a certain man clothed in linen and girded about (belted) with fine gold
22. Dan 12:6 this same man, clothed in linen was upon the waters
Now we come to NT references “LINEN”
1. Matt 27:59 Joseph wrapped Yahshua's body in clean (pure) linen
2. Luk 16:19 the rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, while Lazarus was in poverty, both dead. Even the righteous dead will wear linen!
3. After Yahshua raised from the dead he left the linen burial clothes behind.
We do not see linen again until Rev 15:6, the 7 angels dressed in pure
and white linen, and girded with golden girdles (belts).
1. Rev 18:12 merchants bring gold, etc along with fine linen
2. Rev 18:16 that great city of Babylon WAS clothed in linen, purple, precious stones, gold and PEARLS. Note the same materials as the New Jerusalem is clothed!
3. Rev 19:8 Yahweh's Bride was give, granted, to be arrayed in fine linen, clean (pure) and white. White 2986 = radiant; by analogy limpid; figuratively magnificent orsumptuous (in appearance): - bright, clear, gay, goodly, gorgeous, white.
4. Rev 19:14, in addition to the Bride in :8, the armies which were in heaven followed the Lamb upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Scriptures list for “FLAX”
Next we will look at the word, flax = by implication, a wick: - flax, tow.
1. Ex 9:31 the first reference we find flax, we see the barley was tender in the green stage of growth, and the flax was in flower, both were killed. Interesting that the flax only flowers for ONE day! Talk about timing!
2. Josh 2:6 Rahab brought the Israelite spies to her roof (place of prayer) to hide them with the stalks of flax (6593, = a plant whose fibers are separated and spread out, then made into linen and wicks for lamps) which she had laid in order (she had done all the work and was in the preparation stage in making the flax a fine, clean pure linen). In addition, her life was in order, with Yahweh's relationship.
These notes are from a friend I met 2006 at Succoth in LA. The heat
from the sun, along with other elements on the roof of the house (wind, rain, etc) subjected the flax to the necessary natural conditions to bring about breaking down of the fibers (and the sticky pectin within the stalks) to bring the stalks to the stage where the weaver could take the fibers to the next stage for use. We could see this process likened to the spiritual 'refiner's fire'. Without the long tedious process, the fibers would not be pure and 'fine'; instead they would be rough as sackcloth. Out of the humility of the sackcloth, given time and the harsh elements, comes the purity. The separating of the long, fine threads from the short, coarse threads is the separating of the remnant Bride from the remaining fibers … the Bride is set apart! The fine fibers were more costly since there was more labor put into the process. Fine linen was worn by the wealthy and the priesthood. It took skilled weavers to weave fine fabric to make priests garments.
3. Exo 9:31-32 - the flax and the barley was smitten, etc. — The peculiarities that are mentioned in these cereal products arise from the climate and physical constitution of Egypt. In that country flax and barley are almost ripe when wheat and rye (spelt) are green. And hence the flax must have been “bolled” - that is, risen in stalk or podded in February, thus fixing the particular month when the event took place. Barley ripens about a month earlier than wheat. Flax and barley are generally ripe in March, wheat and rye (properly, spelt) in April. (JFB) {editor’s note; these facts taken from the blueletterbible.org are different dates from the dates found in other research for the time of harvest.}
4. Judg 15:14 Samson ... the cords that held him became as easily burned flax.
5. Prov 31:13 the virtuous woman seeks … SEEKS (1875 = search for something, or answers; worship!!) wool and flax and works (6213 = many meanings, some are; prepare a feast, sacrifice, serve, trim, yield, use) willingly (AHLB; desire, pleasure, would, please, willing, favour, wish, delight|) with her hands (3709 = open palm of the hand, fig. the leaves of a palm tree).
6. Is 19:9 those that work in fine (same as 8305 = hetchelling or combing flax, that is concretely 'tow' (by extention, linen cloth) flax ( comminuting {comme- nooting = dictionary - to break or cause to break}; linen that is the tread)...shall be confounded ...
7. 7.(Isa 42:3) “A crushed reed He does not break, and smoking flax (wick) He does not quench. He brings forth right-ruling in accordance with truth. (Mat 12:20) “A crushed reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench, till He brings forth right-ruling forever.1Footnote: 1This is according to the Shem-Tob Hebrew text.
However, this passage is a quote from Isa. 42:1-3 where it reads right-ruling unto truth. (Scriptures)Also see Matt 12:18.
8. Ez 40:3 a line of flax was used as a measuring rod
9. Hos 2:9 "I will take back My wine, My wool, My flax which was given to cover your nakedness!! (note that wine, wool and flax are blessings)
Scriptures for the word “WHITE”
Next we shall look into the word, “white“. Seems needless, but I have discovered often, very often, that seemingly needless word searches come up with some extremely interesting finds! We won’t be disappointed.
1. Lev 13:3, we often think of white meaning pure, when some of the first references for white are in connection with a skin plague.
2. It is interesting to note that Esther is never recorded as having worn white.
3. (Ecc 9:8) Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. This would always be a blessing to be able to wear the white linen of royalty, wealth and priesthood.
4. (Son 5:10) My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
5. Is 1:18 your sins though are as scarlet, they shall be as white (meaning the color, nothing more) as snow (relates the white to freshly fallen snow), as wool (an unused root, unrelated which means shaggy, or top of the tree). Surely wool is not purely white.
6. Ez 27:18 white = dazzling, wool (to be shaggy).
7. Dan 7;9 Ancient of Days garment was white as snow
8. Dan 11:35 to make white #3825= to make bricks.
9. Dan 12:10, many shall be purified and made white ...
10. Zech 6:3 white horses
11. Matt 17:2 mountain of transfiguration, made Yahshua's garments white as the light (shine, as fire).
12. Matt 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, His raiment white as snow.
13. (Mar 9:3) And His garments became glittering, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth is able to whiten.
14. Mar 16:5 the young man sitting on the right of the sepulcher, clothed in a long white garment.
15. Luk 9:29 his garment glistening white.
16. John 4:35 though there are 4 months til harvest, they are white to harvest. (what crop is white when it is ready to harvest?)
17. Act 1:10 two men in white, as Yahshua ascended into heaven
18. Next are 16 references to white in the book of Rev alone!
19. Rev 1:14 His head and hairs white like wool, as white as snow ...
20. Rev 2:17 if you overcome, Yahshua will give you hidden manna, a white stone with a new name written which no man knows (white stone is the sign of acquittal)
21. Rev 3:4 there are a few in Sardis which have not defiled their garments. They shall walk with Yahshua in white, for they are worthy.
22. Rev 3:5 he that overcomes shall be clothed in white raiment
23. Rev 3:18 buy (to go market, purchase, redeem) of Me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich and white raiment so that you may be clothed and not be shamed of being naked ... {we are to buy white garments from Him?!}
24. Rev 4:4 the 24 elders around the throne were clothed in white, having gold crowns on their heads
25. Rev 6:2 the rider on the white horse
26. Rev 6:11 the martyrs were GIVEN white robes (long gown)...
27. Rev 7:9 a great multitude standing before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches ...
28. Rev 7:13, 14 who are these dressed in white? These dressed in white are the ones which came out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
29. Rev 14:14 One who looked like the Son of Man sat on a white cloud
30. Rev 15:6 the 7 angels were clothed in pure white linen, girded about with gold
31. (Rev 19:8) 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.
32. Rev 19:11 YHVH comes riding on a white horse
33. Rev 19:14 the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon their own white horses also clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
34. Rev 20:11 His great white throne
All I got to say is WOW ... I'm glad I went ahead to look up the 'white' word, even though much of it seems fruitless. It was well worth it. Would you agree?
The Bride of Messiah Wears White Linen.
White wedding gowns were not the custom until Queen Victoria got married in a white dress to Albert in 1840.People were shocked! Until that time, brides married in every color of the rainbow. Each country had it’s own tradition tied to with meaningful colors, which changed with the passing of time. Some common colors were yellow for Morocco and red for India and China. Purple and gold universally meant royalty, as white represented purity. If you’d like more history on the traditional colors of wedding dresses, you may request the author’s study entitled, “Is White the Accepted Color of Wedding Dresses?”
Rev 19:8 And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the set-apart ones. (Scriptures)
Rev 19:8 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. (KJV)
This study on the process of taking the flax from the raw plant stage to the finished strong, brilliant, white, crisp, cool, fabric is mapped out so we can appreciate the labor intensive-work involved. There is a work to our ’”righteousness” as we see mirrored here. But does the Bride of Messiah wear white?
From our scriptures list we discover many different groups of people wear white. The Bride is not a selected group wearing white; or is she? We find that the wealthy and set apart (holy) wear white linen; kings, pharaohs, court dignitaries as well as priests. Even the wealthy dead were buried in white linen. Angels also wear white. Over-comers wear white. The armies are dressed in white linen. Finally we see white linen is given (notice it is given) to the Bride to wear. How will the Bride be set apart from the other groups wearing white?
No other group was given white linen to wear. Do you find it interesting that the scripture plainly tells us what is the white linen garments in which the Bride is dressed? Proverb 31 can be seen as the word-picture of the Bride of Messiah (the detail of that study is for another day!). In Prov 31:13 this ‘picture perfect wife/bride’, seeks flax; in :24 she makes the line linen. Amazing that this “flawless one“, goes out to seek the flax. She had to hunt it down, choosing the best stalks available at the merchants to spin, thus producing the finest finished product possible. We see that since many different groups wear white, we can not conclude beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Bride of Messiah wears only white! What about other colors?
Colors, too?
Psa 45:9-17 Daughters of sovereigns are among Your precious ones; At Your right hand stands the sovereigness (queen) in gold from Ophir. Listen, O daughter, and see, And incline your ear, And forget your own people and your father’s house; And let the Sovereign delight in your loveliness; Because He is your Master – bow yourself to Him. And the daughter of Tsor with a gift, The rich among the people seek your favour. The daughter of the Sovereign Is all esteemed within the palace; Her dress isembroidered with gold. She is brought to the Sovereign in embroidered work; Maidens, her companions following her, Are brought to You. They are brought with gladness and rejoicing; They enter the Sovereign’s palace. Instead of Your fathers are Your sons, Whom You appoint princes in all the earth. I cause Your Name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people praise You forever and ever. (Scriptures)
Since the Bride of Messiah is the daughter of the King, she will be wed in the garments of the priests which were embroidered in gold (gem stones set in gold). In fact the garments of the high priests can line up well with the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem, which is the Wife of the Lamb. We could say the Bride of Messiah wears the first layer of priestly garments which is the fine, white linen. On top of that she wears the gem stones of the New Jerusalem. Surely we can not forget she a kingdom of priests! (Ex 19:6).
From Rev 19 we are shown the Bride of Messiah coming down out of heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband. She is arrayed in the 12 gemstones of the high priests Breastplate. Twelve beautiful gems represent the 12 tribes of Israel. From every tribe and nation on the earth, comes the Bride of Messiah! The Bride is Israel!
Rest before Work
Let’s get back to how this “virtuous woman” produces her pure white linen. Once the Flawless One , the Bride of Messiah (without spot or wrinkle) seeks out and purchases the flax, she rests, as the natural elements do their work on her flax. Then she arranges everything in ‘order’. This time is not idly occupied. She rests in the “keeping power” of her Husband who provides everything needed for her refining. This rest is in the ‘KNOWING’ that her husband is the ‘king’. She is confident that nothing will escape his watchful eye. She rests while this process continues.
While she rests during this time, the sun, rain, and wind all hammer away at the stalks of her flax, dissolving the pectin holding the fibers to the stalks. As the water, and sun and wind continue to break up the fibrous waste products, she rests in a place of prayer. Her ‘knower’ becomes more confident in HIS work and HIS timing.
What a lengthy and laborious task; the production of the fine white linen worn by the Bride of Messiah. Each step must be taken, for if one is skipped, the finished product would show an inferior garment. It seems as though each individual, member of the cooperate Bride of Messiah needs to engage in the labor necessary for his or her own garment. It is a painstaking task.
What happens if one does not take the time necessary to separate out the short fibers from the long fibers? The finished fabric will be textured, uneven, and coarse. What happens if one gets in a hurry or is lazy or wants to take short cuts? That person will still be clothed; but the garment will not be “fine, and white linen.”
What happens if one decides to take the shorter coarser fibers to spin and weave into a garment? The short fibers are the fibers which produce sackcloth. One could stop at this point with a finished garment; but who really WANTS to wear sackcloth?! It is rough on the skin, it is not luminous, and it is not ‘fine’. Sackcloth is worn during morning and in other times of grief. When one chooses to wear sackcloth, they are afflicting themselves as in a time of fasting. Short fibers produce rough, inferior fabric.
When the Wife of the Lamb is granted to wear fine white linen, she is wearing the fabric of the priesthood, the wealthy and the royalty. This is a fitting garment since she is the Queen of the King of Kings, and she is part of the priesthood according to Exodus 19:6 and 1Pet 2:5,9. Of course she is granted to wear white; she has labored for it and bought it from the Source of her righteousness, Rev 3:18. Compare Is 55:1; buy without money and without cost. The cost, of course is her everything.
You Are that Flax
Do you feel like you have gone through the process of being converted from the raw flax plant to fine linen? Perhaps you don’t feel like you have reached the final stages yet. Do you feel like you have been uprooted from the place you were growing so strong? Have you been left out in the field to dry out? Have your precious seeds (fruit) been stripped from you? Have you been exposed to the elements of wind, heat, and rain without shelter? Can you relate to being stacked up in bundles in close quarters with others? You had no idea it would be so difficult to be close to other’s in the same ‘boat’. Does it feel like you have been beaten by a wooden stick to remove the last bits of your raw materials? Do you know what it feels like to be scrutched as if beaten with a flat wooded knife? Do you feel like screaming, “I CAN’T TAKE ANY MORE”?
Have you felt there is nothing left of you? Can there be any worth left in you? Have you thought, “what good can I be to the Father now?”
There’s more? It seems as though the process will have no end. If there is anything left, do you feel as though you’ve been drawn through a series of metal combs to remove some of your guts (inner fibers)? Do you feel like there is barely 15% of your inner self left? Do you feel like you don’t even know who you are any more?
The process continues, as you are stored in a humid barn to await your next step. How much longer? “How long must I wait in this wet place?“ If this is not enough ‘stress’, have you been spun-wet until you are dizzy, only to be shuttled on a machine to be tightly compacted laying side by side with other fibers? Do you find it hard to breathe? How can you take any more? Not that blazing heat again!
Yet, this difficult step cannot be skipped for it makes you ‘pure white’. Out into the burning heat of that noon-day scorcher as you lay on the grass to be bleached!
“WILL I EVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING THE FATHER CAN TAKE DELIGHT IN?”
Finished Product
You made it! You made it through the life-long, painful process! There is still enough of your guts left, the real you, to make beautiful crisp, smooth and strong linen garments. You did not perish; you were reduced, but you did not perish. There were times you thought you were not going to make it, but you did!
The righteousness that shines out from you now is that righteousness imputed to you from the One you bought it; your heavenly Bridegroom Yahshua! He radiates from every fiber of your being! He is bright as the noon-day sun! You are His Bride because you look like Him; you are, with Him as ONE!
Brightly Colored Gemstones
Finally, the Bride of Messiah has prepared herself (Rev 19:7) and she is ready to be adorned with the gems of her Bridegroom. The painstaking process of converting the flax into white linen was her submitting to the Bridegroom‘s work. This beautiful ‘under-garment’ is liken to the pure white linen garments worn by the priests as we see first established in the tabernacle order of priest-hood in the desert.
No priest could don the next layer of priestly garments until the white linen was first put on. The Bride of Messiah is the kingdom of priests!
Her labor-intensive white linen becomes the ‘under-garment ‘on which the next layer of garments given to the bride by the bridegroom are to be placed. The wedding customs of the middle east help us to understand the truths presented for us in the Word. In middle east wedding customs it is the bridegroom who gives, as a gift to his bride, gems, jewels and coins to wear on their wedding day. This wealth is to be proudly adorned for all to see on the day they finalize their marriage. These gems, once given to the bride, now belong to her … forever. This lavish display for all the world to see is just a glimpse of the riches of the bridegroom. A mere down payment you might say.
Pictures in the book of Revelation
Let us return to the book of Revelation to see the Bride of Messiah being presented to the universe. Remember in Rev 21:9 - (through to end of chapter) where the angel is excited to show John the Wife of the Lamb? Picture the scene … the Bride has been ‘hidden’ we might say, for all these thousand of years. Finally this angel has been given the honor to present the Bride of Yahshua! He must have been so excited!!! “Do you want to see the Bride of the Lamb?”, he asks John.
We will not dive deep into this chapter for now … that is a study for another day! However, let us pick a few nuggets to chew on. The Wife of the Lamb (notice now she is called by her honored title, the WIFE of the Lamb!) is not revealed until the end of the book; not just the book of Revelation, but the end of the entire book of the WORD of Yahweh!
In Rev 19 we see the ever important white linen garments given to her to wear as her first layer. Then in Rev 21, we see her in all the Bridegroom’s glory! He has lavishly adorned as only His Bride can be in the most glorious of gems! This display is merely the tip of the ice-berg (so to speak) of the wealth of the Bridegroom! He wants to show off His Bride; He has given her brilliant gems to radiate her inner beauty! In addition, He wants to show the universe that His Bride is to be honored because He honors her! Look at how much He adores her?!
The Beginning
Customarily, at the end of a study the author draws a summary, a conclusion, and brings the reader to a climax. Not is this case. You will want to re-read this study often, share it with others and continue to be delighted in the Presence of the King as He baths you again and again in His love for His Bride. This is not the end; it is the BEGINNING!
Shalom, lila October 2007
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