Preparing the Bride of Christ for Her Destiny

It seems no one school of thought can give a satisfying answer for the universe, for creation, for why we're here, for existence. You know, they seem to fall short of being able to provide a source or a cause to help us to understand the reason or the meaning of existence. And science, with all of the things that it does do, because it helps us in a lot of ways, it eases our life, it enhances our life in some ways, it doesn't really have an answer for some of these questions. And really, without the Bible and without the wisdom that God gives to us, we wouldn't have an answer either.

We wouldn't have an idea of why we're here. You know, it seems like every generation of mankind has asked these questions. Who are we? Why are we here? What's our purpose? And as we approach the New Year in God's calendar, as we approach the beginning of the seven fall festivals that we're about to begin, beginning with Passover, of course, and the Days of Eleven Bread, and all the other festivals, all seven, as we go through that, God tells us what His purpose is for you and for me, and what our destiny is through that plan of those Holy Days.

He shows us what He is doing and how He's doing it. You know, at first, when I began to understand some of the principles that we're going to review today, I was surprised. They were so out of the ordinary. They were extraordinary. And yet, in some ways, very simple and yet mind-boggling at the same time. Brother, my main point of the message that I want to share with you today is that the main purpose for the universe, of creation, if you will, is the starting of a family and the preparation of an eternal companion for Jesus Christ, a preparation of a wife for the Lamb.

You know, in a way, that's a startling concept to think about. The main purpose of all creation from eternity is the starting of a family and the preparation of a bride for Jesus Christ, even when it comes to the angelic realm. But they were involved with that part of it, even the creation of the angelic realm. Let's turn over to Revelation 3, verse 21, for our first Scripture, Revelation 3, and verse 21. You know, since the betrothed bride of Christ is to share the throne of the universe with her bridegroom, Jesus Christ, she needs to be trained, she needs to be taught, she needs to be educated, and she needs to be made ready for a very important role, a very important responsibility.

Let's read Revelation 3, verse 21. It says, To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne. Oh, we know that Jesus Christ in the throne that he sits on is going to be over a kingdom, and Christ says, He that overcomes will sit with me on my throne as I also overcame. So there was some overcoming that he had to do, and sat down with my Father on his throne.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. God says, if you're listening, I want you to hear this, that he that overcomes. Overcomes what? Well, thanks to the plan of God and the Holy Days, we begin to realize that Passover, which is just upon us here, and the Days of 11 bread talk about that, of how God did his part to help us to remove sin, and we have a part to play as well in putting sin out of our lives as we begin to get ready.

You know, it says the crown is only for those that overcome, and the church later to become the bride has to get ready, must prepare, must learn a lot of things in the experience that we have, learn spiritual warfare, learning how to resist sin, and learning how to overcome sin, and learning how to resist evil forces and overcome them as well, in order to sit with her bridegroom on the throne after the marriage supper of the Lamb. For those who are overcoming and sit with Jesus Christ on his throne, what does that mean? We know the overcoming is an important part to play, isn't it? God has put us in a situation where we have to overcome.

We're surrounded by a culture that's presently ruled by Satan the Devil. But part of the meaning also is that a redeemed humanity, redeemed human beings such as you and I, that we, if we are following God, if we're imitating Christ, if we're learning the love that he has and imitating that love, that we've been placed in a totally unique position when it comes to the chain of command in the universe, even over angels.

That's not to demean the angels or cast a shadow on their importance and on their radiance and on their glory, because they are really beautiful, aren't they? They're beautiful beyond words and they're powerful. And we know that at times when angelic realm have manifested themselves to human beings, a lot of times the person sensed that something was happening here, that there was a supernatural presence, a power that's there.

And angelic realm, they have that ability. And often, the person that was on site at the time would be afraid. And the first thing the angel would say is, don't be afraid. I've got something to tell you from God. And you're probably not going to be able to listen very carefully if you're afraid. So it's okay, don't be afraid. So they have an incredible amount of power and they're majestic and they're supernaturally intelligent and they're important to God.

In fact, God has chosen to surround His throne by the angelic realm. And yet, as respected as they are, even the highest ranking angel that hovers over God's throne is outranked. Wonder of wonders by the most insignificant human being that has had the precious blood of Jesus Christ cover their sins and they've made themselves ready and they become part of the betrothed bride and they are born into the kingdom of God.

Let's turn over to Hebrews 1 and verse 5. Hebrews 1 and verse 5. Although this may be hard for you and I to understand why did God design it this way, where man will, in a sense, even be greater than angels and have an opportunity to sit on the throne with Jesus Christ as a bride of the bridegroom. Why did God design it this way? There are several scriptures that point this out. Let's take a moment to review some of them here. In Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 5 is the first one. It says in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 5, For which of the angels did he ever say, You are my son, today I have begotten you?

And again, and again you could say to which of the angels did he ever say this, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. Let's go over to chapter 2 and verse 5. Hebrews chapter 2, just a page over here in my Bible. Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 5. It goes on to say, But he has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to the angels. He hasn't done that. Who has he done it with? Well, let's read on in verse 6.

Now he's quoting David here, isn't he? In fact, he's quoting David in Psalm chapter 8 and verse 5. He's quoting Psalm chapter 8 and verse 5. And that word that's translated angels in the Hebrew in Psalm chapter 8 and verse 5 is Elohim. It's one of the very few times, for some reason, that the translators wrote it that way. You know, it could also be rendered, You have made him a little lower than God. You've made him a little lower than Elohim. It says, And you have crowned him with glory here, And you have set him over the works of your hands. So he set you and I potentially over the works of his hands. Of course, in Jesus Christ as well. Let's jump down to verse 10.

So now he's referring to you and I as children of God, sons, daughters of God, and bringing them to glory. Sonship was never offered to the angels. You know, we already read in chapter 1 verse 5, To which did he ever say, You are my son, and I've begotten you? Or to which of the angels did he say, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son? Sonship was never offered to the angelic realm. Why us? Why us? He says, For it was fitting for him, verse 10, For whom are all things, and by whom are all things, In bringing many sons to glory, and to make the captain of their salvation, referring to Christ the bridegroom, perfect through sufferings. So even Jesus Christ as a bridegroom became more perfect through the things that he went through, to be a perfect groom, to be a perfect husband. Verse 11, For both he who sanctifies, referring to Christ, so we'll read about later in Ephesians 5, and those who are being sanctified, referring to you and to me, it says, are all of one. And he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Sonship, brothers, sisters, same family. He's not ashamed to do that. Drop down to verse 14, As much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, and the angels never did, he himself likewise shared in the same, he came in the flesh and had blood. That through death, which is what we're going to be memorializing here at Passover, he might destroy him who had the power of death, and that is the devil, Satan. You know, kind of a side light, but Satan has the power of death. You know, it may sound good, it may look good, but that's where it leads. Just the opposite of Jesus Christ, who says, I am the way, the truth, and the light, he has the power of life. Satan has the power of death. There is a big difference. Let's go back to verse 11 for a moment here. Hebrews 2, verse 11, it says, Both he who sanctifies, referring to Christ, and those who are being sanctified, you and I, are all of one. There's a oneness that he talks about. Are all of one, for which reason he's not ashamed to call them brethren. It seems like God never talked the angelic realm so much in this way about this oneness. Let's notice that in John 17, verse 21. John 17, verse 21.

We'll pick it up, actually, in verse 20. John 17. Christ, just before his crucifixion, talked about this oneness that was really important. That he and the Father had, and also that this bride to be would have as well. John 17, verse 21. Verse 20, is where we'll pick it up. He says, he's praying to his Father, and he says, I don't pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. That they may all be one. What is it that God is trying to tell us to try to enrapture our mind around this oneness that he talks about? And that he focused on just before his death. He says that they may all be one, and that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one. And then he says this in verse 23. I in them, and you in me, that they may become perfect in one. If God seems to imply that unless we become one, as a body of Jesus Christ, that we're never going to become as perfect as he wants us to be. Unless we start to work together as one. That's how we become perfect in one. That the world also may know that you sent me and have loved them as you loved me. Let's turn over another point here, and kind of covering the point that why is it that God offered this to humanity? And there's a difference between the angels were actually created to serve and help us to reach this point. But the angels were never offered to be heirs or joint heirs with Christ. Let's notice that in Romans chapter 8 and verse number 16. Romans chapter 8 and verse number 16.

It says the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Not only have we been offered sonship, he says we are sons. We are sons. We are children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. I don't like the next part too well. Joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him. In other words, this training ground is not going to necessarily always be an easy training ground. You know, we know of some other scriptures where Jesus Christ said, you know, difficult is the way, narrow is the gate, hard is the way that leads to life, that leads to this kingdom, this family. And so it's not going to be easy. And so if we signed up for easy, that's not the way it's going to be. And so we're all in this together. We have the difficulties. We have the trials. We have the sufferings that sometimes go along with what Jesus Christ himself as the bridegroom had to go through. Apparently the bride isn't going to be any different than the groom in this regard. But notice the point being is that we are children of God and joint heirs and sharing a throne with him. As we read in Revelation, chapter 3 and verse number 21. Mr. Malcolm Murray gave a sermon about that the new covenant is a marriage covenant. Was there anyone here that did not hear that sermon by Mr. Murray? All right. Everyone. That's good. He talks about it as being a marriage covenant, that when Christ was offering that cup that was along the tradition of making a proposal for marriage. That began in a betrothal period. It's a covenant. Marriage is a covenant. Let's turn over to Malachi chapter 2 and verse 14. Malachi chapter 2 and verse 14. We'll see that in a couple of scriptures here. It's an agreement. It's a covenant that each party is willing to do certain things. Malachi, last book of the Old Testament. We'll pick it up in chapter 2 and in verse number 14. Malachi chapter 2 and verse 14.

It's talking about the treachery here of infidelity, in a sense, in the context here. But we'll pick it up in verse 14 of Malachi chapter 2. And yet you say for what reason? Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, whom you have dealt with treacherously. Yet she is your companion. And that's what a bride is. That's what a spouse is, is your companion. And notice a companion and your wife by covenant. So we're talking about a marriage covenant. And so God is displeased because of the fact that there were a lot of relationships that they were having problems with. He said, you are dealing treacherously with the wife of your youth, who is your companion for life, for life, until death that you part, at least in human terms. And it's by covenant. Let's turn over to Ephesians chapter 5 in counseling with people about various things. So the two most important covenants that we can enter into are the marriage covenant with Jesus Christ or the covenant that you're going to make with your spouse. Two most important commitments and the covenants that you will ever make. Ephesians chapter 5 in a sense talks about some of this. And we quote a lot of this in the marriage ceremony about each party's responsibilities to the other. So we'll pick up some of it here, but what's interesting is there's a correlation here, and Paul's going to tell us later, I'm talking about a husband and wife, but what I'm really talking about is Christ and the church. But they have a parallel, and we can learn from both situations. Let's pick it up in verse 23 of Ephesians chapter 5. It says, for the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and he is Savior of the body. Dropping down to verse 25, husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her. Mr. Murray talked about the price that was paid for a betrothed bride. It was an expensive one. Of course, Christ paid his life so that we can have eternal life. He goes on in verse 26 that he might sanctify, so he is the sanctifier, which means set apart for holy use. He is the sanctifier, and cleanses her with the washing of the water by the Word. Wow! Washing of the water by the Word. That's what cleanses us. Jesus Christ uses the Word to wash us, to cleanse us, that we actually look into the Word to see the perfect mirror of God's ways, His laws, His commandments, and we can see then where we fall short. We can see the Mars that we still have. We can see the character issues that still need to be changed, part of the meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread. And God says that Jesus Christ, He sanctifies and cleanses her and washes her with the Word of God. The Word of God.

Verse 27, and that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and blameless, without blemish. Verse 32, this is a great mystery, but he says I'm really talking about a different marriage. I'm talking about husbands and wives here, too. But you know this is a great mystery, but I'm speaking concerning Christ and the church. Let's go back up to verse number 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. What does that mean? We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. Well, you know, that sounds very much like a different scripture. Let's turn back to Genesis 2 and verse 23. Genesis 2 and verse 23. This is really a parallel, very much, of what happened with the first Adam and what was said here in Genesis 2 and verse 23. Adam says very much the same thing about his companion to come, Eve. Verse 23 of Genesis 2. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. You know, this woman, in a sense, was created by God, but she came out through the man, the first Adam. And now it says back in Ephesians chapter 5 that we're bone of Christ's bone and flesh of his flesh and that his wife will come through him. Very much like the first Adam, in a sense, there's a parallel. There's a physical application and a spiritual application here. Let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 15.

It starts to talk about this oneness. If I would have kept reading in Genesis, it would have said, Therefore a man shall leave his family, and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. I should have read that back in Genesis, but you've already turned over to 1 Corinthians, but it starts to talk about the covenant and what would happen, and that two would become one. In this case, one flesh. Let's take a look at what Paul goes on to say here in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 15, talking about this oneness here, but he takes it further. He takes it even further. He writes there, he says, Don't you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Absolutely not. Certainly not, he says. Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For the two, he says, shall become one flesh. I want to focus on verse 17.

Brethren, we're not talking about two now becoming one in flesh. We're talking about two becoming one in spirit. That's a whole different situation, isn't it, brethren? This oneness that God talks about and the relationship here between a bride, a betrothed bride, becoming at one with her bridegroom to start a new family, husband and wife. He was joined to the Lord as one spirit.

Marriage is a covenant, as we've seen here and talked about a little bit, and it's of a critical importance to understand the seriousness of the commitment between two parties, between a partner in this union, a full partner union, and hence the term covenant. And there are numerous covenants that are mentioned in Scripture. Marriage covenant is one of them.

Brethren, in so many ways, it's rather simple of why God created things the way that he did. It was actually to start a family, to prepare a bride. And God is intending to raise humanity up to a level that he could not raise them any further in his family.

You know, in spite of our weaknesses, in spite of our failures, and surprise, sometimes we surprise ourselves with the foolish things that we do, in spite of all of our weaknesses, the church is still the greatest force in fighting against Satan's total rule in human affairs. It still is the light of the world, the betrothed bride. God allows us, as the betrothed bride, to engage in spiritual warfare. He does. Why does he do that? He does it to bring us to full maturity. We have things to learn that we could learn no other way. Things to learn in order to reach full maturity, in order to be a full partner and a co-ruler with Christ, with the Son. To resist evil, to resist sin, to develop a divine nature, to learn, to love, as Christ loves and the Father loves, to develop, to grow, and to make ourselves ready. Revelation 19, verse 7. Revelation 19, verse 7. Let's take a look there.

It talks about that towards the end of the age. That there's going to be a marriage. Revelation 19, verse 7. It says, Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come. And notice, and his wife has made herself ready. Not getting ready, but has made herself ready in order for the marriage to take place. She has made herself ready.

1 Peter 1, verse 2. I'd like you to turn there with me.

It talks a little bit more about the reason for creation, why everything was designed the way it was. 1 Peter 1, verse 12. These are things that even the angels desired to look into. They didn't necessarily have a total understanding of what God was doing. And as things were being revealed through the prophets, through God's Spirit inspiring the prophets and also the writers of the New Testament, they were listening. 1 Peter 1, verse 12. Talking about the prophets. 2 Peter 1, verse 13. 3 Ministering the things which have now been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Spirit sent from heaven, things which the angels desired to look into.

4 Verse 13. Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind and be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is going to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You know, it's going to be difficult. It's going to be hard. There are going to be sufferings. There's going to be trials. But put your hope in the grace that's going to be revealed at the revelation of Christ. That's where our hope is. It's not here. It's not now. No matter how good it may seem right now, it is at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Verse 14. As obedient children. So he calls us sons again. We're his sons. And obedient sons, you know. Not just sons, but obedient sons. Not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance. But as he who called you as holy, you also be holy. Jesus Christ is a holy God. And he says that the bride is preparing herself, and she is to be holy just as he is holy. Wow, that's a pretty tall order, isn't it? For you and for me. But that is the tall order that God is in the process of creating an eternal companion for his son. Who will share joint heirs on the throne to be holy, as he is holy.

Notice verse 15. But as he has called you as holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct. Not just some of it. We can't just take 90% of this word that washes us, but God wants us to work on the 10% that remains, doesn't he? All of us, as individuals, that make up the betrothed bride. Verse 16, because it's written, be holy, for I am holy. And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, then we should conduct ourselves through the time of our stay here in fear. You know, we really don't have much time here, do we? We really don't. But the time that we're here, we're sober. We're thinking about this. We're realizing the important responsibility that we're going to have to help Jesus Christ rule. And there's things we need to learn in order to help him to be a co-heir, to be a co-ruler. Verse 18, knowing that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, as precious as those things are, we weren't redeemed with those things from our aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers. There's things we've learned from generation to generation from our families. You know, some of our conduct that we received from the tradition of our fathers. Verse 19, but we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb, without blemish and without spot. He indeed was ordained before the foundation of the world. This was planned for a long time since the creation of the world, that he might be made manifest or made known to be seen, to be clear in these last times. For you and for me. Let's notice 1 John 3, verse 2. 1 John 3, verse 2.

God tells us over and over, sonship is being offered to you and to me, and that we are right now his sons. 1 John 3, verse 2. He said, Beloved, now are we the children of God, sonship now. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, and that's our hope at the revelation of Christ when he returns, that when he is revealed, we shall be like him. Wow! We're going to be like him. A companion that has been prepared for him.

We shall be like him and we shall see him as he is. Brethren, that's our hope at the revelation of Christ. Verse 3, and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. And that's part of the meaning of the Days of 11 bread, isn't it? Purifying ourselves and making ourselves ready to be part of the bride. Brethren, the ultimate purpose of the universe and of creation was for God to start a family. A very simple concept, but not very well understood. To start a family and to prepare a companion, to prepare a bride for Jesus Christ. In order to do that, God has been in control of human events right from the beginning. He's been in control of human events. He's controlled events through history. There are historians that are experts in history that they really don't have an idea at all about what you and I understand. They don't. But you know there was a time when we didn't either. We didn't know. And that's where they're at at this time. They may be able to organize facts. They may be able to take data. They may be able to understand who the great rulers are at the time.

But they don't actually know why. What's the purpose of history?

Some historians actually admit that they don't know the purpose of history.

G. N. Clark, giving his inaugural address, he's a historian that's written many, many books on history. If you were to Google G. N. Clark, you would find a whole bunch of historical books that he's written. But some historians actually admit that they don't see any purpose at all in the creation in history. He said this. This was given as an inaugural address at Cambridge University. And he said this, and I quote, There is no secret and no plan in history to be discovered. There is no history and there's no plan in history to be discovered. There's a French novelist. Hope I can get his name right. André Montré. He stated the following, and I quote, The universe is indifferent. Who created it? Why are we here on this puny, mud, heap, spinning, and infinite space? I have not the slightest idea, and I'm quite convinced that no one has.

Brethren, ancient thinkers, ancient philosophers, they've been puzzled over our existence. You know, the ancient Greeks, you know what they thought of history as a circular cycle. So it's like a big circle. That things just kept repeating themselves over and over again, and that the mystery of our existence could never really be understood. It's just the same things keep happening over and over again, and really going nowhere. They don't know what existence is about. I didn't used to know. You didn't used to know. To them, the world and its history is just one senseless thing after another, one crisis after another. What about modern thinkers today? Modern philosophy hasn't really changed very much. As opposed to ancient thinkers and ancient philosophy, modern philosophers, people that are alive today and recently, I'm going to quote here in just a moment, but the modern thinkers and philosophers, most of them feel the universe has absolutely no purpose, no meaning, that it's meaningless. This is what a Frenchman Jean-Paul Sartre, who is a philosopher, he basically talked about this in a way that has come to be popular called the philosopher of meaninglessness. He taught this, that each person exists in a watertight container as a detached individual in an aimless universe. Not much hope is there for anything, is there really? He said, since we don't know who we are, or where we come from, or where we're going, really the only thing that really matters is the present moment. And that's become pretty much of a thought in a lot of the culture that we live in today, is to live for the moment, to live for the present, and now a generation. You know, it's kind of been captured by a couple of things, the motto being, on with the dance, let joy be unconfined. If this is all that matters right now, it just may as well have a good time. Remember the song a few years ago? How did it go? Let's just keep on dancing. Let's bring out the booze. Some of you old-timers may remember this song, and let's have a ball. Okay, Lloyd's nodding his head. Okay, you've heard that one before. If this is all there is, then let's just keep on dancing. Let's bring out the booze and have a ball. Let's turn to 1 Corinthians 15, verse 32. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 32. The Apostle Paul described an attitude of those who had no hope for the future. Because really, that's where it leads. There's no understanding of our past. There's confusion regarding our past, and there's no hope for the future. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 32. Paul kind of addresses this, if there's no hope for the future, just let's eat, drink. For tomorrow we die. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 32.

Paul says, why do I go through what I'm going through, verse 32? If in the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead don't rise, let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Paul says, if there is nothing else, then we may as well all do that. He's basically saying the same thing that the philosophers are saying, but he doesn't say that because he goes on in the next verse, he says, verse 33, don't be deceived. Because that's not the way it works. Don't be deceived. Evil communication corrupts good habits. Awake. Wake up, he's telling us. In verse 34, awake to righteousness and don't sin. There's something else out there. There's something that's huge. There's a calling that's bigger than we know. Do we see our calling, brethren? Do we see our calling as the first fruits? Sometimes we can get too familiar with miracles, can't we? And we... I'm going to tie that in to Mr. Fauclaire. But that is a miracle for us to have that understanding. It's as simple and profound as it is. It's truly a miracle for us to have that understanding. The average expert on things historical doesn't know the meaning of history because God hasn't opened up their eyes to it. And it takes him to open our eyes, God himself, a direct intervention in a person's life to see what we see. And yet God has revealed it all along through the Scriptures of what he's doing, the purpose of history. Yet for most people today, writers of history in our day, the center of history is probably the most powerful nation at the time. With the greatest military might, the greatest power, with the greatest influence, the greatest wealth, and to most people the stuff of history is the great stories of the pharaohs of Egypt or Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon or Alexander the Great of Greece, or some modern nation today, whether it be China or Russia or the United States or any nation that wants to put itself on center stage. That these are the people that are the center of the universe, the center of history, that are movers and shakers in history. Who's the true center of history? John 1, verse 1. John 1, verse 1. To find the true center of history, we need to travel past all of these empires, all these powerful leaders, and find our way back to the beginning of time, to our Creator and to the Word, who was with God and was Himself God. John 1, verse 1. In the beginning, where it all started, was God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him. Everything that was made was made through the Word, through Jesus Christ, the One who came in the flesh. Verse 3, all things were made through Him, including you and I, and it will also include our spiritual birth, through Christ. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. Yes, God the Father and the Word, the One who became Jesus Christ, are the true beginning of history, the true center of creation of the universe and all the myriad of galaxies that go along with it.

The Church, which is the Bride of Christ, is the goal of history and having a family. It's the goal of the whole creation, the betrothed Bride of Christ and having a family. Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, existed before history itself, and He's actually got the power to influence history. He's got the ability to do that. Let's notice Hebrews 1 and 3. There's actually a couple of scriptures. We'll cover one now. Hebrews 1 and 3. He put history in motion, He's shaped it, and He has the ability to control it by the word of His power. Hebrews 1 and 3. It says, "...who, being in the brightness of His glory," referring to Jesus Christ being in the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person, "...and upholds all things by the word of His power." He said, "...all power has been given to Me in the heavens and the earth and another place." And it says, "...Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of His power." He has the ability to control events. The nations can only go so far, and that's it. And then, if it's time for them to retract from those boundaries, they move back according to God, according to Jesus Christ. He upholds all things in the universe by the word of His power. So any event in history serves His purpose. He either allows it because it's going to serve His purpose, or He directly intervenes to serve His purpose, whether big or small. But the universe, including this planet, was created for the main purpose of having a suitable home to prepare a bride and to have a family. Human beings were created in the image and the likeness of God to fulfill one goal, be in the family of God. Now, after man's failure, after our first parent's failure in the Garden of Eden, God made a promise right there, right back in Genesis, to redeem him, to buy him back, to make a way for a very valuable son and daughter to be a part of His family, to be a co-heir with His son. He sent Jesus Christ with one intention, to give birth to His church, the called-out ones, the ecclesia, the ones that were to be betrothed, to eventually be the bride, the wife of the Lamb. It turns out that all focus and the goal of creation in history is that. Is it that simple?

If it's true that all of creation was for a family and to prepare a bride for the Lamb, if that's true, then history is simply His story.

God's story. This is His story. He's writing it. He's got the power to do that. He's got the ability to do that.

A bride in a bridegroom and having a family, a marriage.

Love and devotion are at the heart of this creation. Love, devotion, and commitment are at the heart of this creation. We know that God and His Son, Jesus Christ, are devoted to us. That they're committed to us. That they care for us. I'm just going to refer to a couple of scriptures. You can look them up if you like. I'm just going to read a couple of them. John 3, verse 16, pretty familiar one. But it says, God the Father so loved the world. And when He's talking about the world, He's not talking about the world that we're supposed to come out of. He's talking about human beings as a whole. He so loved His creation, His human beings, that can potentially be redeemed that He sent His only Son. That whoever believes in His Son will not die, an eternal death won't perish. But they will have everlasting life. Hebrews 13, verse 5, talking about the devotion and the love and the commitment that the bridegroom has for the bride. He says, I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. That's part of the marriage covenant that we made with each other, those of us that are married, until death. We're going to be true. We'll never leave, we'll never forsake. And Jesus Christ has made that promise, regardless of how difficult it may seem, and whether He feels like He's there or whether He's not. His promise is that He won't leave and He won't forsake. Let's take... I do want to turn to this Scripture, 1 John 4, verse 9. 1 John 4, verse 9.

Talking about God's devotion and His love to the betrothed. 1 John 4, verse 9.

It says, and this is the love of God. And this the love of God was made manifest. What we're about to read is that this is how it's made clear that God loves us. And this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. You know, so many things, it's through Jesus Christ. We can't live any other way unless it's through Jesus Christ. We might live through Him. Same way that Eve came into existence through the first Adam.

We will live because of the second Adam. It goes on to say, And this is love. Not that we loved God, but that He loved us. You know, God looked at you and me despite our flaws, despite our imperfections, and we've got a lot of them. God sees the end from the beginning. He sees the perfected you. He knows the potential that we all have. And that's why the Father called you. That's why He opened your eyes. He called you. The Father, in a sense, chose the bride for Christ.

He knows. And that's why you're here. Because He's called you to be part of the betrothed church, the bride, the Lamb. We spend our time here, though, soberly, though, because it's a testing time, isn't it? It's a testing time right now. We don't have very much of time on the earth as human beings, but it's a testing time. And God says that many are called, but not everyone's going to be chosen.

And Jesus Christ, of course, wants us to be there. The Father wants us to be there. They've done everything that they can for us to be there. But there's a part that we have to play as well. He says this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us. He saw us as stinky, smelly, corrupted, but He saw the potential.

He knew He could clean us up, and we could wear the linen, the linen that He talks about, that we'll read about in the book of Revelation. The white garments, a wedding garment. I was talking with Lloyd, I think, a couple of Savvests ago.

He talked about the linen. He said there is some linen that is so quality, that is so fine, that is so dense. I don't know how many square threads per inch, but it is so thick and it's so quality that dirt can't even cling to it. It just falls off. We'll read about that here in a moment. We're reading here, and this is the love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and He sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, He says, if God so loved us, then we ought to love one another. Those are the two great commandments. When Jesus Christ was asked, what's the great commandment on the law? He said, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind.

And He said, you didn't ask this, but I'm going to add to it, and in the same manner you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And on these two laws hang, not just the one, but on these two hang all the law and the prophets. This becoming perfect in one involves loving each other. Beloved, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another.

Jesus Christ is looking for that bride that has the same heart that He's got, that has the same goals that He's got. He wants a bride that's going to edify, that's going to edify, that's going to love, that's going to encourage, that looks for the best, and not one who's going to talk down, or be a tailbearer, or is going to be a thief, or can't be trusted, or is a cheat. So much there, and Mr. Malcolm Murray, I think, covered that pretty well. And the message that he gave, that it's an engagement period, a betrothal, another name is engagement.

He talked about that. And that's what we're under, is a betrothal time, an engagement time. God's devoted to us. I'd like you to turn to...but He also, it's not a one-way street. He wants us to be devoted to Him. Let's notice Mark 12, verse 30. Mark 12, verse 30. That's why this commandment is so important. Mark 12, verse 30. God's devoted to us because that's His character. And He expects us to be devoted.

He expects devotion from His betrothed bride. Notice this commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. In other words, with our whole being. To love God. And to be washed, to obey Him and be washed by the Word that He reveals in Scripture. To be washed by that. And you know, God loves us that way. He's devoted to us that way. Let's turn that Scripture around. Let's read it this way. Mark 12, verse 30. That the bridegroom loves the bride with all of His heart and with all of His soul and with all of His mind and with all of His strength.

That's how God loves you and me. With all of His being. He wouldn't ask us to do something that He wouldn't be willing to do Himself. Remember, when the Bible talks about devotion, it's talking about having an attitude of God that makes us want to love, to obey Him and to please Him. With all of our strength and all of our being. Let's turn over to Titus chapter 1 and verse 2. Titus chapter 1 and verse 2. See, I'm running out of time. Or excuse me, let's go to Titus chapter 2 and verse 12. God, the Father and Jesus Christ are devoted to us and we are to be devoted to them.

That's just what members of a God family do. And that we are to be devoted to each other. Devoted to each other. The bride will have made herself ready. Titus chapter 2 and verse 12. It says, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. In other words, we get the sin out. We get the leaven out. That we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world. Ties in with the days of Unleavened Bread, doesn't it? We get the sin out. We bring in righteousness, the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. And we live soberly, righteously and godly now.

In this present world, on Satan's turf, we do it now. Verse 13, looking for that blessed hope. What's that hope we talked about already? Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity. And purifying himself a peculiar people that are zealous of good works.

Notice the language there about the bride, his own special people. Zealous for good works. The bridegroom is looking for a bride that has the same heart, the same goals, the same purposes, the same desire for positive change, to heal, to help, to encourage. And Christ says, I love her because of what she wants to be.

I like what I see.

It says in verse 12 that we are to live soberly. And soberly means to have self-control, to be temperate, to be disciplined, to restrain certain desires, not to be deceived and go along with those lusty desires, but to restrain those desires and those lusts and those appetites and those desires that aren't right, but that they're wrong, according to Scripture. Christ knows. He thinks about the betrothed bride. He knows what state we're in. He knows the world that we live in. He knows it's not easy. The setting of the world that we live in, the culture of our time right now, it's very difficult. He went through it himself. And yet he says, my bride is different. My bride is different. She's holding out for something better. She lives soberly, righteously. She treats others like they should be treated doing right, doing good, giving others their due, helping them. And I think Jesus Christ can relate to that. That's what he's looking for. He can relate to that. He came to this earth. He lived his life. He had struggles. He had sufferings. He did things that were good. And yet not only did he suffer for it, but he died because of it. Christ can relate to what we're going through. He's been there. He was crucified for the way he lived his life in much the same way the bride is going to have to live her life on this earth under the difficulties, but living, striving, growing, changing, falling short now and then, but not quitting. Not quitting the fight. Passover is about part of that. Asking for repentance and forgiveness and learning from it. Being restored, being committed, and learning from it and going forward. Jesus Christ looks down and he knows right now who's making up part of that. And he says, I see her heart. We have the same heart, the same desires. First of all, we're to live godly in this present world on his turf, Satan's turf, and yet to live godly right now.

Can it be this simple that the bride, in a sense, up to the end of the age, is the masterpiece up to that time? Of all time, of history? How can we be sure that's true? How can we be sure that the bride of Christ and having a family is truly the center of creation and the universe and of history? You know, if a person really wants to know the meaning and the purpose of history, all he has to do is look at the end. Look at the final outcome. How can we do this? Well, since the Bible is prophecy-ridden in advance, let's go to the Book of Revelation. Revelation 14. Let's go towards the end of the story. Because I think we'll find out that one thing alone emerges as the final masterpiece of the ages up to that time. It's the bride, a bride that's been prepared for a lamb that has already been prepared. Revelation 14 and 4. Revelation 14 and 4. Towards the end of the story, it says, It says, And it goes on to say, Now, we talked about the first resurrection as blessed and holy is he who has part of the first resurrection. There doesn't seem to be any other promise of any other time in Scripture that there's a better blessing and a better promise in the covenant that has been offered to the betrothed bride, the cup that's been offered to her. The first fruits. We'll cover more about that on the day of Pentecost. Let's notice Revelation 19, verse 7. We've already read this, but I'm going to go on a little further. Revelation 19, verse 7.

You know at a wedding, there's a lot of rejoicing, there's a lot of gladness, there's reason for celebration. It's the end of the age. And it says, let's give him glory because why? For the marriage of the Lamb has come. This has been anticipated for a long time.

The marriage of the Lamb has finally arrived, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her, it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, that fine linen that we talked about earlier. Clean and bright, because that fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Righteous acts means action, it's a verb, something that you and I did. The way we lived, we followed the Lamb wherever He went. We followed Jesus Christ. And it says in verse 9, and then He said to me, write, Blessed are those, there's that blessing again, over and over again. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He said to me, I want you to write this down. This is a true saying, this is the truth. A marriage supper at the end of the age.

Brethren, the church, the body of Christ, the bride, and bringing many sons to glory is the key to understanding why God started this whole thing. The bride, the church, is washed by the Word, is washed by the precious blood of Christ. And she's found gleaming here in fine linen at the end, here, for a marriage.

And is an incredible result of God's handiwork and the bride's willingness to respond to God. History, then, really is serving God, serving the bridegroom, bringing family into the family of God, preparing a bride. Let's notice Acts 17, verse 26. It shows that God here has been in control all along. The nations of the world are really puppets in His hands to carry out this purpose. Acts 17, verse 26. Acts 17, verse 26.

It says, And He has made, and we know that all things are made through Christ, He's made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times. It's like He even knew before it was the appointed time, the pre-appointed place that they would go. He has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. The nation doesn't go only so far without God allowing it to, and it retracts when He's ready for it to retract, all to serve His purpose. Why? Verse 17.

God's done all this, so they should seek the Lord.

Brother, creation has no other goal. It has no other aim than that, from the beginning of time. Back to John 1, verse 1. You know, in the grass, the meaning of all this, we need to look back at Adam and Eve in the garden, and God saw that it wasn't good for Adam to be alone. The first Adam, it wasn't good for him to be alone. He needed to have a companion. And so, God created a partner that was just right for Him.

And very much in a like way, God saw that Jesus Christ, His Son, would have a companion that was created to be just right for Him. A betrothed bride would eventually become a bride to sit on the throne with Christ and rule over the nations to be a true partner.

It's an amazing thing. It's almost unbelievable to imagine that this could possibly happen. And yet, if His throne, the throne of Jesus Christ, is a reality, then her sharing the throne with Him is no fantasy. That's a reality as well. Brethren, we may not know why it pleases the Father to do it this way. We may not know why it pleases the Father to give the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

And we may not know why Christ chooses to share the throne with us or those who love Him and follow Him. What we do know is that's what He's chosen to do. That's His pleasure. And He's going to bring it about. Further in light of all this, I'll have to wrap things up here. It's clear that everything that comes before the marriage supper, really, of the Lamb is basic. It's very basic, isn't it?

It's very simple. It's very basic, and yet, it is an introduction for something else to come. It's not the end when there's a marriage. When you start a new family, it's the beginning. Let's turn over to Isaiah 9 and verse 6. Isaiah 9 and verse 6. This is a scripture that we've read a lot during the Feast of Tabernacles. And there's a section of scripture that's been puzzling to some in verse 6 over the years.

We'll cover that here. Isaiah 9 and verse 6. It seems in light of this that something's going to happen after the marriage. And it's just an introduction of things to come, and only afterwards will God's eternal program come to light. It makes sense to us. Isaiah 9 and verse 6. Let's take a look at that. It says, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, so we know we're talking about Jesus Christ. And the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful and Counselor and Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I like to focus on the phrase Everlasting Father. That's puzzled a lot of people over the years because they thought, Well, wait a minute. Christ is the Son. That's his title. He's the Son of God. How can he be an Everlasting Father? That's the title for God the Father, isn't it? Everlasting Father? Who are we talking about here? We thought we were talking about Christ. Well, why is one of his names going to be Everlasting Father?

Because Christ, the Lamb, once he marries, he's going to be a father. The Lamb is going to be a father. He will have a wife, and there will be a family. There will be a family. There are many more sons that are yet to be brought into glory. There'll be a family. God will not be ready, though, so to speak, to launch, maybe perhaps among the greatest part of his plan, and the age is to come until the bride is on the throne with Jesus Christ. Brethren, do we see our calling? Sometimes I've got to be reminded of it. Do we see our calling? The heavenly wedding will mark a new beginning in God's eternal plan.

Until that time, God has still got things under control. He's arranging everything for a purpose, and it's to prepare. It's to make ready a bride and to have a family. Brethren, right now we are the patrolled bride of the one who created everything. The betrolled bride of Jesus Christ. It's hard to imagine. We're going to be like him. We're going to see him as he is. But in the time that we have left between now and then, God says we need to prepare ourselves.

We're about ready to start the first of the seven annual festivals of Passover and the days of 11 bread. God has these annual reminders to us that keep and observe these days. Let's use them. Let's use them in the days that we have left in this life and in the days that we have left prior to Passover, that we think about our calling and our destiny and the responsibility that we have to make ourselves ready. Let's use this time to rededicate ourselves, to examine ourselves, and to make ourselves ready.