Simple Faith

Bill Henry: Professing your faith in Jesus is only the beginning of your life as a Christian. But remember something, guys and gals: it's not just a profession of faith because even the demons believe. Remember this: it's a profession of faith that leads to our being born again of the Spirit of God into a place where we know Jesus. "Get away from me, you worker of iniquity, I never knew you." Do you know God?

Guest (Male): This is Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Thanks for joining us today as we continue Pastor Bill's verse-by-verse series through Revelation. It should be remembered that this is the only book in the Bible that comes with a guarantee of blessing to anyone who reads it.

Today, we're going to continue in chapter 19 and the return of Jesus to the earth. Pastor Bill has a couple of simple questions for each of us: Do you know why Jesus will one day soon return to the earth? And more importantly, are you ready for that return? Let's join Pastor Bill now for a message titled "The Bride of Christ."

Bill Henry: Look in verse seven. It says, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." We're going to talk more about that next week. What does that mean? How can we be making ourselves ready? "And to her, it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright."

As the Galilean bride would go to make her dress, she's looking for fine linen and bright. The fine linen here, it says, is the righteous acts of the saints. Again, we're going to talk about this more next week, if we're all here, Lord willing. So again, the bride would gather her bridesmaids together, and they'd start shopping around. Remember, there was no bridal boutique to go to, no bridal shops.

They would make their own dress. And so they would go around and they'd try to find material from different merchants maybe coming through town. They might try to look in their town or village and go to neighboring ones until they could find enough, and it might take months and months. So that's what they're doing.

As she's doing that, she's also being careful to keep herself pure. She is now nobody else's; she is her husband's, and her husband is hers. So again, it's interesting even as it was getting closer to probably the rough time that he would come, she is to keep ready.

Now, at that time when she knew roughly when her betrothed was going to be done with the room or getting close to getting done and the preparations were finished, she still didn't know when, but it was getting close. She had this now obligation to keep herself continually ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

That means she would keep her hair nice all the time. She'd always just be looking very ready to go. If it was in the night, some say she would sleep in her wedding dress; others say she'd have it right next to her like a fireman, just jumping out of bed and jumping into it, ready to go. Her lamp was always trimmed at night. So she was always keeping ready for her betrothed to come. And again, look again in Revelation 19 at that verse seven: "And His wife has made herself ready."

Now, they've also found in recent discoveries—and this is very interesting, ready for this?—that in Galilee, their custom was that neither the groom nor the bride would know the day or the time that they would get married. Today, what do they do? They send out a "save the date" like six months or a year before, then you send out the invitation. So you know the day, you know the hour, you know the minute, everything starting. But not then. They would know a general time. The only one who knew, guess who? The father of the groom.

So the son would finish the room and all his preparations for the feast that was to come for the celebration. They knew it was getting close. They didn't want to let the food go bad. So they knew it could be any time, and now he's just waiting for his father to say, "Go get your bride." But wait he would because it would have to be the father.

Apparently, from what they learned, most of the time it would happen at night. The fathers liked waking their sons up in the middle of the night. "Go get your bride! Go get her!" I don't know about you, but I'd be begging my dad for my wife. I'd be like, "I want to leave, I want to be married, Dad, I'm ready, let's go. Here's fifty bucks, Pops, come on, let's go."

The father would wait until they thought the day and the hour were correct, but again, not even the son would know the time or the hour. Does that sound familiar to anyone? What did Jesus say in Matthew 25:13? "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." Do you see the picture? Mark 13:32: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Do you see the beautiful picture? So the bride at the same time knows probably roughly when the betrothed had finished the building in the room. Maybe he'd even told her, "It's done, just so you know, it's done, I'm ready to come get you, I'm just waiting for my dad." We don't know, but I could see that happening. She never knew exactly when he would be coming for her.

And think about that: that's kind of what Jesus did with us as church. "Hey, this is when you're going to know that it's almost time, and I can't wait. I'm going to show you in the Bible, I'm going to tell you all these signs to be looking for. And when you see those signs, just know that that time's getting close. I don't know the exact time or day, but my father does."

But I know at this time I'll be ready; I will have prepared. And that's when we go and we read about when we see things happening today. Israel becoming a nation again, May 14th, 1948, with the fulfillment of so many different prophecies and still being fulfilled today before our eyes.

So many other signs that we see: the lawlessness increasing around the globe. We see so many people's thoughts on wickedness continually, just like it was in the days of Noah. We see the great falling away of the church happening before our eyes. And the weird part to me is it's not just one part of the church; it's universal.

I used to think it would be everybody but Calvary Chapels, but no, even some of the Calvary Chapels are going off. It's crazy. They're going off into doctrines and demons. All this falling away, doctrines of demons, and those who will tickle their ears as the Bible says. We see these things. Honestly, we'd have to be blind as a bat not to see them happening around us.

I know unbelievers who have come to me and said, "Dude, what's going on in the world? This is crazy. We've never seen stuff like this." I mean, even an ex-president almost getting assassinated is kind of like, most of the world, "Eh, what's the big deal?" It's just crazy. So I think the Lord, I think Jesus, gave us all part of the reason He gave us all these things is because we are the bride, He is the groom. He cannot wait to come and take you home. That's what the Rapture is about.

So let's keep going, because this is awesome. So the culture of the Galileans was that the bride and groom would be surprised and only the father knew. I think that would be kind of fun in a way. And so in the middle of the night, because that's the normal time, even the Galilean bride is to remain ready.

It's interesting that in Matthew chapter 25, Jesus talks about the ten bridesmaids. Remember how five were ready? They had their lamps trimmed, they had extra oil. And there was five that weren't ready. Notice because the bridegroom would come at night. Jesus also spoke earlier in Matthew 24 that He's going to come as a thief in the night.

So a lot of your Bible scholars think that Jesus might come again during literally the night. But not the night here, it'll be the night in Israel, because that's the focus; we're not the focus. And so, by the way, that'll probably mean daytime here, so we'll have clear sailing up to heaven. Let's go!

So as we see this, I just think it's an interesting thing. Because you'll remember as Jesus talked about those ten bridesmaids, remember that five of them ran out of oil. Now, we don't know exactly what this is representing, but remember that oil represents usually the Holy Spirit in the scriptures. So this could basically represent the fact that those five sputtered out in their faith.

In other words, they became tired of watching and waiting for Jesus to return. And so basically as Jesus said, would He even find faith upon the earth in those days? There are many today within the church who are getting tired of watching and waiting. It seems, as we saw those numbers earlier, most of the church is in this camp.

And I would even say that they've basically given up on the return of Jesus Christ. So these five bridesmaids who ran out of oil, I believe, can represent those tares that are within the wheat, those goats that are within the sheep within the church. These are those who profess to believe in Jesus.

But remember something, guys and gals: it's not just a profession of faith because even the demons believe. Remember this: it's a profession of faith that leads to our being born again of the Spirit of God into a place where we know Jesus. "Get away from me, you worker of iniquity, I never knew you." Do you know God today? It's so important because many just make a profession.

We think because I come to church, well, I'm saved. We think because I said a prayer at a Bible camp back when I was eight, I'm saved, or all these other things. Now, those things can be wonderful and they can lead to your salvation, don't get me wrong. But are you persevering in the faith? There are many in the parable of the sower and the seeds; they spring up and they receive the word with joy. Others, "Oh man, I can't wait," and yet they fade away.

Now, a lot of people will say, "Well, if that happened, it has to happen right away." No, this could happen after years and years of saying you're a Christian. You fade away because you were never truly born again of the Spirit of God. You see, the ones who do have been born again, these are those who truly believe in the death of Jesus for their sins, those who believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, those that believe Jesus is returning for His church, those who believe in Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of our lives, and those who have been born again of the Spirit of God.

You've been changed. You have a new life in Christ. And it's exemplified by the way you live. You're not going to be perfect, but you're going to be becoming more and more perfect as we're conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. All right, back to the picture.

Now when the father would finally say to the son, "Go get your bride," the custom there was again that the groom would grab a horn and go outside. It was a shofar horn, and he would blow the horn. And again, usually this would be at night. So it was usually in the middle of the night and the bride would hear that horn. "Oh, that's him! He's coming!"

So again, just as Jesus said, many people in their faith are asleep. Man, this will be so profound when it happens literally and Jesus takes up. So anyways, the horn would wake the bride up. It would wake the family up, it would wake the bridesmaids up, alert the guests who have already been invited. Even the guests knew: if you hear that horn in the middle of the night, you come running, you be ready even in the middle of the night.

So only those who were prepared could quickly rise and join the procession that was now going down the street as the groom went to get her bride. And as the groom gets to the house of the bride, she comes out and greets him. I just imagine the sight because she will never be separated from him again. And when Jesus comes for us, we'll never be separated from Him again.

And what's a beautiful thing here, too—and maybe you've heard of a litter. They show them in a lot of old movies. It's basically a chair that's on a couple of wood poles and you put somebody on it, you lift them up, put the pole on your shoulders. It was usually a place of honor. Well, this was their tradition. They would just get a cheap chair and put the bride up on it and they'd lift her up. And that's how they would bring her back to the groom's house.

Well, you know what they call this? Flying the bride. Flying the bride to the groom's house. Again, what a beautiful picture of first Thessalonians 4:17: "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

Remember Jesus said that I'm coming to take you where I am, that you may be where I am. And it says here, "Thus we shall always be with the Lord." I just love this. Now one commentator pointed this as we're looking at this whole picture how beautiful it is: notice that it is all of grace. Every step from the beginning to the end, it is all about the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our bridegroom.

So they pick up the bride. Now they're celebrating their way through the streets at night, making all kinds of noise, joyful noise. And they go back to the father's house where the wedding feast would begin. Bringing us back to our scripture today. Finally, Bill, took you a long time to get there. Look, this is a beautiful thing because this to me represents us going back to our Father's house, going to heaven with Jesus.

And then comes what we read here in Revelation 19: the marriage supper of the Lamb. Look at verse nine. It says, "Then he said to me, 'Write: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!"'" Now this is such a beautiful thing. They're going as they go into the house, they all come into the house.

And as they're coming in, they're coming into this marriage supper, this celebration. Now it's going to be a huge feast. Now one quick side note. We are told throughout the Word of God that there will be many who reject God's offer to be the bride. Wide is the road that leads to destruction, Jesus said.

There'll be many, most people who reject Jesus Christ and the cross. Most people who will not want to attend the feast. But it's interesting because in the Galilean culture, when the bride and groom and the celebration came to that house, the father's house, to partake now of the feast, guess what they would do? They would lock the door. They would lock that door and no one was allowed to come in after that door was locked.

And we see this happening in Matthew 25:11-13, when Jesus is talking about the ten virgins and those five that didn't get in, the bridesmaids: "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

Now this also lines up with what we read in Isaiah chapter 26, verses 20 and 21: "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past." Very interesting. This reminds me of the Rapture and also of the tribulation that will be taking place upon the earth. Verse 21: "For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also will disclose her blood, and will no more cover her slain."

Guess how long the wedding feast lasts? Seven days and seven nights. How long is the tribulation that we've been studying about? Seven years. You see, in Daniel, the book of Daniel, we study about the seventy weeks of Daniel that pertain to Israel. And sixty-nine of those weeks have already been fulfilled prophetically. There's still one more week to go.

We're also told that those weeks actually are years, so it's not just seven days; it's seven years. So it's not a coincidence that the wedding feast will be going on here as we're taken up into heaven to be with Jesus. It'll be for seven years. Now again, if it's the Lord's time, that might mean seven days to us while it's seven years on earth. It might just be seven days to us; I don't know for sure.

But that's what's going to happen. While the great tribulation, seven-year tribulation, is happening here, us in the church will be in heaven having the feast, the bridal feast, the wedding feast of the Lamb. It's such a beautiful picture. As the church, the bride of Christ, we will be taken to celebrate Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It's such a beautiful thing.

Now again, I want to ask this question that I asked much earlier as we get ready to close. Here's the question: We always ask when is Jesus coming back? But now do you know why Jesus is coming back? Jesus is coming back for you. He's coming back for you because you're His bride, you're His beloved. And if you've ever loved somebody, man, I would knock down a door, it doesn't matter, nothing could keep me from my beloved.

And Jesus is coming. But I love this, because Jesus is coming back for you, His bride, for me, His bride. Jesus is coming back because He loves you. And He loves you so much that He wants to be with His bride, you, for all eternity.

There's a lie that's been perpetrated into the church, and I still hear it today from many pulpits, and it's this: that all of the world is God's children. All the world are God's children. Do you know that's a lie from the pit of hell? That is not a biblical truth. Here's the truth: the whole world is God's creation, and by the way, God loves His creation. Okay, He loves the people in the world.

But here's the thing: you and I, once we're born again of the Spirit of God, we then become the sons and daughters of God. We then enter into a special relationship. We enter into the church, and we enter in and become His bride.

So what I'm trying to say is God loves you so much more than anybody else in the world because you're His bride. I love my wife, Talia. And I love other people too, but I don't love anybody like I love my wife, and I'm so blessed by her. And that's kind of Jesus; He loves others, but His love for you and for me—and I guess I just want you to cling onto this today. Jesus loves you so much that He's coming back just for you so we don't have to go through the tribulation, that indignation of God.

As we're closing, turn with me to Romans chapter eight, please. I just feel like some people, you need to hear this today. Maybe you've never heard this; maybe you've heard it and kind of forgot. That's who you are. Maybe some of you need to get saved and enter into this relationship. All are welcome. Just repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, be born again of the Spirit of God.

Romans chapter eight, verse 35. We're closing with the big guns. This is very familiar to us all, but remember this: in the days we're living in, remember this, beloved in Christ, you are His betrothed, you are His bride. Romans 8:35: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

Look, don't be fooled. Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ once we are born again of the Spirit of God. Verse 36 says, "As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'" Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Why? Because we've become one with Him; we are His bride.

Guest (Male): This has been Simple Faith from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Today, we brought you a message from Pastor Bill from his new series in the Book of Revelation. If you'd like to hear today's message again or share it with someone, it's available at our website to either watch or listen, and you can actually download an audio mp3. We have a large number of Pastor Bill's messages archived, and you can find them all at simplefaith.org. That's simplefaith.org.

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Here at Simple Faith Calvary Chapel, we have two services every Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45, and a great time of study in God's Word Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM. For more information and directions, go to simplefaith.org, and you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you so much for joining us today. Be sure to join us next time as our series in Revelation continues here on Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry, brought to you by Simple Faith Calvary Chapel.