Prior to the sounding of the seventh angel, Revelation 10:7 declares: < 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. >
The Mystery of GOD being finished is tied to the Body of MESSIAH, < being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ > as noted in Colossians 2:2b [NKJV].
The Bride will come forth from a portion of the Body of MESSIAH that understands that it can be knit together in love. This comes about in an actualization of the love of MASHIAH YESHUA for His Body.
What is this love of JESUS CHRIST for His Body, and how do we understand its realization and actualization?
This love is of His flesh! Ephesians 5:29-30 [NKJV] reads: < 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. >
The Marriage Union of the LAMB and His Bride takes place when the two are prophetically positioned to become “one flesh” [see Eph 5:30-32, NKJV].
This ‘prophetic position’ is being referred to in Revelation 10:7b as: “then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.”
In the attaining of this ‘prophetic position’ we become ‘stewards of the Mysteries of GOD’ [see 1 Cor 4:1c] – authenticated Ministers (Servants) of CHRIST.
We are authenticated in the glory of YHWH’s grace.
As Ephesians 1:6 [NASB] declares: < 6 to the praise of the glory of His [the FATHER’s] grace, which He [the FATHER] freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [JESUS our Husband]. >
Obviously this one flesh tie can’t be of our flesh! It must be of YESHUA’s flesh. In this reality of a heart of His flesh, YESHUA is addressed as ‘David’ – the ‘Well Beloved’, Our Husband!
There are three prophetic realities opened to us in ‘David’: (i) the Root of David [Rev 22:16]; (ii) the Offspring of David [Rev 22:16]; and (iii) the Key of David [Rev 3:7]. We will address these prophetic realities later on in this series.
All of our hearts must be a construct of YESHUA’s own flesh [see 2 Cor 3:3, NKJV] for us to qualify as His Bride.
This is why in the parable of the 10 virgins, the Bridegroom tells the five virgins who were left behind [in Matt 25:12b, NASB] : < ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you’ >.
They were not of His flesh. The LAMB wasn’t their Lamp [see Rev 21:23c]; and, they had run out of the oil of His fragrance at the appointed time [see 2 Cor 2:14-16; Ex 27:20-21; 30:34-38].
It is of great prophetic significance that in 2 Corinthians 2:16c, the HOLY SPIRIT, speaking through Paul about the fragrance of JESUS CHRIST, poses a prophetic question: < And who is adequate for these things? >
So, who can qualify to be a Bride?
Because so many in the Body of MASHIAH are governed under the Law, so many in the Body of MASHIAH actually think that they cannot qualify [see Prov 23:7]. So the subject of being a Bride is rarely addressed from our pulpits.
And, when it is addressed, it is seen from the perspective of the Law that so many feel they will not make the grade! [After all how can I be a virgin Bride?]
The prophetic answer to the question of our being adequate for the formation of the Bride flows out of Ephesians 5:25-27 [NASB] : < 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her [see 2 Cor 5:21], 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. >
The formation of hearts of flesh, unfold from a supernatural process of washing in renewal and regeneration. Renewal and regeneration are processes that are inherent to the process of the washing “of water with the Word”.
The washing “of water with the Word” is the Ministry of the HOLY SPIRIT. Titus 3:5 [NASB] explains: < 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He [the FATHER] poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. >
It is in grace that this process of washing is opened to us.
Pointedly, John 1:16 [NKJV] tells that < 16 … of His fullness we have all received [2 Cor 3:3, NKJV], and grace for grace [NASB: grace upon grace]. >
1 John 3:3 [NASB] unveils the prophetic consequence of our willingness to set our hope on JESUS the MESSIAH with these words: < 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him [on JESUS CHRIST] purifies himself, just as He [JESUS CHRIST] is pure. >
Faith is the substance [Gk: hupostasis] of hope [Heb 11:1, NKJV].
If our hope is on YESHUA MASHIAH [persistently and continuously] then the substance of our hope will be of YESHUA. And, this is the essential meaning and reality of grace, opened to us by the SPIRIT, in CHRIST JESUS (Rom 8:2).
And, because of substance received through hope; hope in YESHUA purifies us as YESHUA is pure!
When we set our hope on YESHUA; by grace, the HOLY SPIRIT works the substance of YESHUA into us, making us spotless and blameless – progressively. Doing in us what the Law can never even begin to do.
[This is how a virgin Bride comes into being – progressively.]
Our purity is of the substance of YESHUA – perfected and completed into us.
The substance of YESHUA forms a heart of flesh within us [see 2 Cor 3:3, NKJV] – grace upon grace.
The subsequent verses to 2 Corinthians 3:3, in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 [NASB], declare: < 4 such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants [or, ministers – see 1 Cor 4:1 where we are called stewards of the Mysteries of GOD in a position that comes into being in hearts of YESHUA’s flesh] of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? >
We have now answered the prophetic question posed earlier: < And who is adequate for these things? >
Our adequacy to manifest the fragrance of JESUS CHRIST from hearts of flesh, and become a Bride for the LAMB, is 100% from GOD! See Ex 32:16 and 2 Cor 3:3, NKJV.
We receive by faith!
Faith forms in substance and YESHUA is the Author and Perfecter of our faith [Heb 12:2a].
The formation of our hearts in the flesh of the LAMB fulfills the Davidic Covenant that has the prophetic intent of unveiling: < a man after My own heart, who will do all My will > [Acts 13:22c].
This is the prophetic reason for the Bride of the LAMB: to be an actual people after GOD’s own heart, who will do all of His will!
This is why Revelation 21:11 [NKJV] describes the Bride as: < 11 having the glory of God. Her light [NASB: ‘Her Brilliance’] was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. >
2 Corinthians 4:6-7, [NKJV] proclaims the reality of this Light of Life [see John 8:12] being manifested in us,in the following terms: < 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us >.
Now we can better understand the Mystery of GOD finished in Revelation 10:7; what Colossians 2:1-3 [NKJV] opens to us in the Body MESSIAH; a Body, willing to pursue the reality of being knit together in love, through a heart of YESHUA’s flesh, to realize the essential prophetic ingredient to the Mystery of GOD – YESHUA’s flesh – being perfected and finished in a Bride:< 2 that their [our] hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom [that defines every application of the Word of GOD that YHWH Fulfills prophetically – see Jer 1:11-12] and knowledge [that opens in revelatory insights manifested in a prophetic people sealed to be a Bride for the LAMB]. >
As John 1:16-17 [NASB] declares: < 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. > Amen!
We are writing these articles so that you will be convinced that by a faith authored and finished by JESUS CHRIST, you can and will be a Bride.
We will not become a Bride by practice of the Law; we will only be a Bride if we put on CHRIST and actualize the fulfillment of the Law in and through His substance and witness. HE is the Bread of Life. HE is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We will not become a Bride by practice of the Law; but by grace, manifested and developed in the substance of the fullness of JESUS CHRIST predestined over our lives, grace upon grace – by the ministry of the HOLY SPIRIT [see John 16:14, 13-15]!
As Romans 3:19-28, [NKJV] reads: < 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. >
GBU!
Written By: James Niles
The Tabernacle School of Ministry