The Destiny of the Bride of Christ - Part 1
The Bride of Christ has a destiny that is nothing less than overwhelmingly awesome! The future that God has prepared for those who qualify to be a part of this chosen group really defies description. If it wasn’t outlined for us in Scripture, it would seem too good to be true.
Revelation of the Bride
The destiny of the Bride is foreshadowed throughout Scripture in many, many prophetic passages, but it is more clearly described in the book of Revelation. As the angel said to John, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Revelation 21:9 AMPC)
We first see the Bride of Christ in all her glorious splendor in Revelation 19:7-8:
“Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.
“She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white—for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).” (AMPC)
It is at this moment in the timeline of Scripture that the Bride is finally revealed and presented to the heavenly Bridegroom. Although she has been living and preparing herself for many years, she is first revealed as the Bride at the close of the Church Age. But as this age closes, a new and greater Kingdom Age will begin with Jesus Christ ruling and reigning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with His holy Bride by His side as His closest companion for all eternity.
Judgment of the False Bride
The holy Bride is only revealed after the false bride is judged and removed from her position as usurper in Revelation chapters 17-19.
“After this I heard what sounded like a mighty shout of a great crowd in heaven, exclaiming, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! Salvation and glory (splendor and majesty) and power (dominion and authority) [belong] to our God!
“Because His judgments (His condemnation and punishment, His sentences of doom) are true and sound and just and upright. He has judged (convicted, pronounced sentence, and doomed) the great and notorious harlot (idolatress) who corrupted and demoralized and poisoned the earth with her lewdness and adultery (idolatry). And He has avenged (visited on her the penalty for) the blood of His servants at her hand.
“And again they shouted, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! The smoke of her [burning] shall continue to ascend forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).”—Revelation 19:1-3 (AMPC)
It is interesting to note that for all of the trouble they cause, the final judgment of the Antichrist and the False Prophet are summarized in only one verse (Revelation 19:20). Even the final destruction of Satan—the greatest deceiver of all time, the Father of Lies—is summarized also in only one verse (Revelation 20:10). But the judgment and final destruction of the false Bride, the usurper and counterfeit of the true Bride of Christ, is described in great detail and takes up all of chapters 17 and 18 and the first part of chapter 19 of the book of Revelation!
It might cause us to wonder which of those characters was actually the most evil in the eyes of God.
Looking back at the confrontations that Jesus had, Satan always seemed to be dealt with summarily without much struggle. Even though we may assume that Satan was the greatest threat to Jesus’ life and ministry, when Jesus needed to deal directly with Satan, the confrontation was quick and decisive and it was over without much struggle.
On the other hand, Jesus never seemed to free Himself from the threat and the damage that was done by the religious spirit of Babylon the Great that dogged Him throughout His ministry. Several Bible passages contain accusations, slanders, and threats of this religious spirit working through the religious leaders of His day. And several more passages contain Jesus’ detailed responses and rebukes to religious leaders who were acting under the influence of this religious spirit.
Eventually, even though Satan caused Jesus’ betrayal through Judas Iscariot, it was the religious spirit of Babylon that actually accomplished His murder.
Immediately after the counterfeit bride is judged and removed, the next thing we see is the emergence of the true Bride to be presented to the Bridegroom in all of the glory and holy splendor that is bestowed upon her by God.
But that is only the beginning. After the unveiling of the Bride of Christ at the wedding of the Lamb, an amazing destiny begins to unfold for her.