Hosea 2:19-20, 23 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.
20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
23 … I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
Isaiah 62:4-5 No longer will they call you Deserted, or .. Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah (my delight is in her), and your land Beulah (married); for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. (TNIV)
Ephesians 5:25-27, 31-32 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Rev 19:6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
REV 21:2, 9-10 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 9 One of the seven angels …said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
APOSTOLIC WORK OR WORRY?
1. To Promise the Church to One Husband – Jesus Christ
2. To Prepare the Church as a Pure Virgin to Him
3. To Protect the Church with a godly jealousy
THREATS TO THE CHURCH
1. Satanic Lies, v3; 14
2. Super Apostles, v4a; 13-15
3. Senseless Believing, v4b; 18-20
4. Spiritual Adultery. JAM 4:4 You are not faithful to God. Don’t you know that to be a friend of the world is to hate God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Don’t you know what Scripture says? The spirit that God caused to live in us wants us to belong only to God. Don’t you think Scripture has a reason for saying that? -NIrV
LIFE AS BRIDE IN WAITING
1. Avoid spiritual infidelity, v. 4 Also JAM 4:4-5
2. Believe not every spirit, v.3; 1JO 4:1
3. Collaborate with the Holy Spirit, The Friend of the bridegroom, v2; JOH 3:29; REV 22:17
CHALLENGE:
Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
He is called the God of all the earth.
