We must be most careful not to confound this with Israel’s future destiny, as foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament. No doubt every promise to Israel shall be strictly fulfilled, although they are for the present set aside, as we learn in Romans 11. I name this because of the common mistake of placing the church in the position of Israel.
All the promises to the church are heavenly, while the promises to Israel are earthly. The confounding these two destinies has led to the mistaken expectation that it is the church that is to be the means of the world’s conversion to Christ. The gathering or forming the church is a special work, occupying a special period of time, a parenthesis in Israel’s history. Known unto our God is that moment when the church will be complete. Then will be fulfilled that promise of Christ, “In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:23). This is in blessed keeping with the first type of the church, when paradise was prepared and Adam was there and God brought Eve unto the man. Has not our adorable Lord gone up on high to prepare a place that the desire of His heart may be fulfilled, as He says, “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me” (John 17:2424Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24))? What a destiny — with Him, where He is — the second Adam and the second Eve. We are assured by revelation from our dear Lord that He will come Himself. He will not send His angels for us —this He will do for the elect Jews for the earthly kingdom — but the Lord Himself shall come for us from heaven, whether we are alive and remain to that moment or whether we are asleep. Yes, He who came down to Calvary’s cross will also come in the clouds for us. He died for us; He comes for us. Oh, what love is this! There will be no judgment for our sins; no, He has borne the utmost due to us, and now He is coming without sin unto salvation.
There is one more precious fact: “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:22The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. (John 3:2)). What a destiny — to be like Him, in the full image of the heavenly man in glory — holy, pure and incorruptible! We are now accepted in the Beloved; the whole value of His person and work is reckoned to us — reckoned dead with Him, risen in Him and one with Him. But actually and everlastingly we will be like Him! Do not our souls long for this? And can we not say, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness”? But, oh, most wondrous fact, is not this the language of Christ Himself ? So really we are one with Him that His own resurrection was but the firstfruits. And it will be when His body, the church, is raised from the dust or changed in a moment and the millions of the redeemed meet Him in His own likeness that then shall He see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Sweetly shall we share His joy. From eternity has He looked forward to that moment, now so near, when He shall present the bride to Himself, and when it comes, do we not hear Him up there in the heavens saying, “Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.” “Arise, My love, My fair one and come away.” And again, “Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee” (Song of Sol. 2:10-11,13; 4:710My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; (Song of Solomon 2:10‑11)
13The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Solomon 2:13)
7Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. (Song of Solomon 4:7)). The Holy Spirit must use sweetest poetry to express the heart of Christ.
Such is the joy and love of that Man in the glory. Is it not wondrous that the glorified One should thus be waiting and longing for us? He has not only loved the church and given Himself for it that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, but there is yet the presentation so dear to His own heart, “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” (Eph. 5:2727That 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 5:27)). This is the sure destiny of the church of God, the certain result of His work on the cross. “In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight” (Col. 1:2222In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:22)). “Who shall also confirm you unto the end, . . . blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:8). “To the end He may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess. 3:13). Thus we learn the settled purpose of God to fulfill the desire of Christ. We shall see Him as He is; we shall be like Him. We shall be unblamable in holiness — in spotless purity. Then shall the heart of our eternal lover be satisfied. Oh, think of Him thus! Do not merely read these burning words of Scripture, but in them see your Lord, He who will come quickly to call you away. Ah, this world’s cold, wintry blast will be over and gone! No more groaning over inbred sin, no more conflict, no more sin and failure, no more sorrows — all, all is gone. And if the church is thus the object fitted to be the delight of Christ through eternal days, as Eve was the object of the love of Adam and one with himself, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, ought not then Christ to be the one object of His church now? He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The same love that we shall enjoy in that unsullied and eternal brightness is the love wherewith He loves us now in this world’s night of darkness. Oh, let our hearts rest in His precious love. Oh, the riches of His grace, to give such vile worms a destiny so glorious — the new creation of God, pure and holy, members of His body, of His bone and of His flesh. I gaze on that risen Man in the glory and can say, I shall be like Him. What can I desire more?
Does Scripture unfold anything further as to the church’s destiny, after it is caught up to meet and be with the Lord as described in 1 Thessalonians 4? Where will the church be in that hour of temptation coming on the earth? and in that time of tribulation, such as never was, and never shall be after? and when Christendom or Babylon is destroyed? and during the millennial kingdom of Israel on earth? Through all this, what is the church’s destiny? Is it made known?
It is. After the close of its history on earth and the outward testimony of the professing church is set aside, spued out of His mouth, the veil is thrown aside. Heaven is opened to our view. The redeemed are represented by twenty-four elders. God rests — sits on the throne. The saints rest — they sit on thrones, around the throne of God. When seraphim and cherubim, the four living ones, give glory to Him that sits on the throne, the redeemed reply with worship to God, as Creator of all things (Rev. 4).
The Man in the glory has waited until His redeemed ones, gathered up at His coming, are there with Him, and then He will be known to be worthy to take the book of counsels and judgments out of the right hand of God — emblem of divine power. What a sight is that! Look at it: The Man, the Lamb as it had been slain, worthy to go up to God — Himself God — and take from His right hand the book. The glorified Man thus becomes the executor of divine power and judgments. Up to this point He sat on the Father’s throne; now He is seen in the center of the throne — the first preparatory act for subduing all things to Himself. This calls out the new song of the redeemed and the loud saying of the angelic myriads. The redeemed become deeply interested in the future circles of redemption. What a wondrous chapter (Rev. 5), revealing the association of the saints with Christ during the period of woes on this earth, afterwards described. There they remain during the opening of the seals, the blast of the trumpets, the pouring out of the vials of God’s wrath on the earth, the sudden destruction of the Roman Empire, the utter apostasy of Babylon the Great, the full-ripened wickedness of Christendom and its fearful overthrow and destruction. Then the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready (Rev. 19). This glorious event having taken place, the Lord Jesus will come in judgment on the living nations. All that have been beheaded for the Word of God during this time of dreadful infidel wickedness will now be raised from among the dead and form part of the first resurrection, its full complement.
Then the millennium, the one thousand years of blessedness, begins, after which there is the judgment of the dead and then the eternal state.
The church is found in intelligent worship during all these events, from the beginning of the judgments, or before, until the marriage of the Lamb. What a destiny! All is clearly revealed in the Word of God, but all is heavenly and of God; nothing is earthly or of man. This is very marked, even during the millennial reign. I invite close attention to this important fact, very fully explained in Revelation 21:9-22:69And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 6And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. (Revelation 21:9‑22:6).
“Come hither,” says one of the seven angels, “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And what did he show John? “That great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” What a contrast this will be to what now is seen on earth! “Holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven” — what purity! “From God.” Are you a part of this heavenly bride that will be from God and “having the glory of God”? This language could not be applied to angel or archangel, principalities or powers: “Having the glory of God”! Oh, wondrous grace! And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. What a change from this sinful state to unclouded purity, in all its unsullied clearness! The wall, great and high, speaks of the perfect security of the bride during this time of reign and putting all things under His feet.
The gates of the city — place of administration—show the wondrous part that the church will have in the administration of the world to come, and this though in connection with the earthly people of restored Israel. Every precious stone is named to show forth the glory of this building of God. It is a perfect, vast cube —heavenly perfection — and also a perfect square (vs. 16). It is divinely perfect, whether viewed in the heavens or from the earth. The city is pure gold, like unto clear glass, and the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass — inherent, absolute, stainless purity and divine righteousness — constituted the righteousness of God — and nothing without to defile. All transparent purity within and without—thus shall we be the righteousness of God. What a destiny! No temple there. The Lord God and the Lamb shall be there. Still the Lamb —forever the Lamb. All, all we owe to the once-bleeding Lamb. There is no need now of sun or moon or creation-comforts, “for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” What a home above, and all is as certain, nay, more certain, than that the morrow’s sun shall light the eastern hills. Every moment brings us, yea, brings the whole church of God nearer this prepared place, this home above of peace and love.
Students of the Book are aware that the eternal state is described in Revelation 21:1818And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (Revelation 21:18). Is the destiny of the bride revealed there — her destiny in the eternal state?
Oh yes. When the first heaven and the first earth shall pass away and there shall be no more sea, she is described as the same holy city, new Jerusalem, entirely of God, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband — forever the bride of the Lamb. What an eternity awaits us! Evil having been put down, all is in happy subjection to God! There is now no wall and no gates. The administration is over; all is now eternal rest with God. The eternal destiny of the church is to be the tabernacle of God. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men.” Such is a very brief outline of the destiny of the church of God, the bride of the Lamb. May our blessed Lord use these few thoughts to lead His children to search the Scriptures in the presence of God, in wholehearted dependence on the teaching of the Holy Spirit.