Revelation 19:7

7. The marriage of the Lamb By the association of contrast the thought turns from the harlot to the pure and holy wife. Nevertheless, the immediacy of the time-words here is no proof that the marriage of Revelation 21:9 (and so the second advent) is literally close at hand.

Even in our Lord’s day on earth (Matthew 21:1-10) that marriage was “ready,” and the invitations were sent forth. That is, men are now invited to the New Jerusalem, irrespective of time. And so the justification of the believer is a marriage supper, Revelation 2:20. And so, in different stages, both the sanctification of the Church and her glorification is a divine marriage.

Mr. Glasgow, however, calls attention to the fact that the marriage and the marriage supper are two entirely different things. He avers that in every instance in the New Testament the word γαμος , wedding, refers, not to the marriage ceremony but to the feast, which was often some days after. The marriage at Cana was the marriage feast, not the actual wedding. Jesus, by his incarnation, became the bridegroom, (since John was the friend of the bridegroom,) as appears by John 3:29. So that while the marriage is on earth, the feast is in heaven. And so here the word is not bride, but wife; and in Revelation 21:9, the word “bride” is explained by “wife,” as if the marriage had passed, and the feast was to come.

Is come The union of the pure Church with Christ is frequently imaged as a marriage. Thus, to the Jewish Church Jehovah says: “I am married unto you.” Jeremiah 3:14. And in Isaiah 50:1, there is divorce in consequence of unfaithfulness. Yet the completion of the marriage of the Lamb, in its fullest sense, is after the great white throne of Revelation 20:11. For the actual final wife is the New Jerusalem, as shown by Revelation 21:9. And at Revelation 21:2, this New Jerusalem comes “down out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” And that is very decisive proof that, as the bride is the pure Church, so the harlot is an impure Church.