Eternal Matters – Revelation 19:7-8 | Steve's Bible Meditations

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:7-8, ESV).

To prepare for a modern wedding, the bride-to-be starts weeks or maybe even months in advance to select a wedding dress, shoes, jewelry and other attire to wear at the wedding ceremony. Before the ceremony the bride-to-be will go to the beauty salon to have her hair done and have a facial and manicure so she can look especially beautiful for the groom at the wedding ceremony.

In the book of Revelation, God’s people, the Church, are the Bride of Christ. At the Second Coming of Christ, a feast will be held to celebrate the union of Christ with His Church. This “marriage supper of the Lamb” was anticipated in the predictions of a messianic banquet in Isaiah 25:6–8, Matthew 22:1–14; 25:10; and 26:29.

Prior to this wedding ceremony in heaven, the Bride of Christ is granted the opportunity to make preparations for the wedding by clothing herself with fine linen in much the same way that a modern bride prepares for her wedding.

Your salvation is a wedding gift from God to prepare for the day when Christ and his Church are united for eternity. We live godly lives and do good works–righteous deeds–because we want to present Him with a beautiful life when we meet Jesus face to face.

Christ has redeemed you and is giving you a unique opportunity to prepare for eternity with Him through the life you live in the present. So, make your life matter for eternity!

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27, ESV)