WE have now arrived at the last of the beautiful objects which will engage our attention, as presented to us in the precious Word of God. Our first paper was the “Beautiful Branch,” and our closing one is the “Beautiful Bride.” Who and what can this be but Christ and His Church — the Bridegroom and the Bride?
There are two things brought before us in the Word of God, namely, the measure of God’s love in Christ to us, and the manner thereof. The measure of it is seen in the Cross. There we behold the love
“— that no tongue can teach,
Love that no thought can reach.
But there is also the manner of it. This is what so struck the heart of the Apostle John, when he cried out, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!” 1 John 3:11Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1). You understand the manner of the love to mean the fashion of the love; the way which it takes; and, what it makes of its object. Now the manner of God’s love is the making us His children. The manner of Christ’s love is the making us His bride. And often and beautifully are the Scriptures occupied with the Bride; in other words, the Church — given by the Father to the Son, and redeemed by the Son to the Father — redeemed by His own blood, and made one with Him. The earthly bride of Jehovah is Israel. The heavenly bride of Christ is His Church.
Not many little children can understand the Song of Solomon, or the Revelation of Jesus given by the Apostle John. In fact not every grownup Christian can do so. They are only spiritually discerned by those who have grown in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and only these can discern them. But though few can dive deeply into them, all who have the Spirit of God can enjoy them. The two disciples going to Emmaus could not intelligently enter into the words of Jesus, but it did not hinder their hearts burning within them, while He talked with them by the way. So we often, dear readers, richly enjoy Scripture which we cannot explain or fully understand. There is milk for babes, and there is meat for those of full age. ‘Tis well that the mind should be informed; but God tells us ‘tis good that the heart be established. We shall know more and understand better by-and-bye.
So that in reading the precious Song, or the wonderful Revelation, it is the heart that is captivated, and the affections that are wooed and won. In both the Bridegroom and the Bride are the central objects. In the Song we read, “Thou art beautiful, O my love” (6: 4.) In the Revelation we also read, “Come hither, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb’s wife,” (21:9), and then she is spoken of as prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Now, why was Eve, the type of the Bride, formed and presented to Adam, the type of the Bridegroom? Was it not to meet the affections of Adam’s heart? To be sure it was. And why was the Church — the Bride — chosen in God, and presented to the Son? Was it to make the Bride happy? Surely not, primarily, but to make the Bridegroom happy. How many think that they are saved to be made happy; forgetting that it is for the joy of the Saviour, the Bridegroom. “He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom,” said John Baptist; not “She that hath the Bridegroom is the Bride.” No, no, all is for Christ; for Him all things are, and were created.
And how He has loved, and still loves His Bride, the Church. “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:2525Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25). But, like the bride of Isaac, who had to traverse the desert before she could see her bridegroom face to face; so the beloved bride of Christ is passing through the world up to the Father’s house, the Bridegroom’s house above. But what is her beauty? Simply this, the comeliness which He puts upon her. All the world was searched for a bride for the Persian Monarch, and only one, Esther, was found; but all heaven and all earth was explored for a bride for the “King’s Son,” and only the Church met the requirements of His heart, and the fond affections and satisfaction of His desire. Hence He can say, “How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!” And she, entering into His love can say, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is towards me;” both exclamations from the beautiful Song.
But why am I thus speaking of the beautiful Bridegroom? Because I want you to know His love. And why am I speaking of the beautiful Bride? Because I want you to be numbered with that Church which is the Bride — the chosen treasure of the Lamb. Love, stronger than death, has been shown by Him; and He wants your heart to love and own it, and to make it yours. Not much longer will He be gathering out His people, His Church, His Bride. She will soon be perfected, soon be complete. To be beautiful for time, by many is much desired. But oh! to be beautiful forever — to be the Beautiful Bride eternally! Well might one exclaim, now in the glory —
“What raised the wondrous thought!
Or who did it suggest?
That we, the Church, to glory brought,
Should with the Son be blest!”
“O God! the thought was Thine!
Thine only could it be,
Fruit of the wisdom, love divine,
Peculiar unto Thee.”
O, listen to the voice of love now calling. Don’t think the reward is too great, or the honor too high. Let Christ have His own way. Let God, as He will, honor His own Son. Come, then, and with us believing, say —
“O God, with great delight,
Thy wondrous thought we see,
Upon His throne, in glory bright
The Bride of Christ shall be.”
A.M.