Where will the marriage of the Lamb take place?
(Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Revelation 14:6) Blog Apr. 09-15, 2023
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The war that began in heaven came to this earth. The book of Revelation gives the details of this war during the Christian era. It shows how Jesus prepares the church to be his bride and how she is to give his message to those outside of his church. Satan opposes every step, but in the end God will harvest a people who worship him in spirit and in truth.
View https://youtu.be/ROCYGhL5o5A for our study titled “On Mount Zion”
Preparation for Marriage
1. What is the focal point of God’s efforts in the book of Revelation? In Revelation God is preparing a bride for his son. Jesus paid the bride price & now works to prepare his church for the marriage (1 Cor. 6:20; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 5:9; 19:7).
2. What means does the Godhead use to prepare the church for the marriage of the Lamb? The Holy Spirit inspires & enables the bride in godly living, the Father sends forth his Word to cleanse the church, & Jesus ministers his blood & righteousness to purify her prayers & good deeds (Eph. 5:25-27; Tit. 3:5; Rev. 3:22; 6:2; 8:3).
3. Where will the marriage of the Lamb take place? The marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven’s Most Holy Place, for there is the ark of the covenant containing the words of the covenant (Luke 19:15; Rev. 11:19).
4. How is God’s church pictured as she comes to the marriage? The symbol for the living, sealed in Christ church is the number 144,000 for it is the square of twelve, a number representing complete organization (Rev. 14:1-5).
5. How are God’s people described in Revelation 14? God’s people, the 144,000, are described as having a pure faith, as being perfect in God’s sight, & as freely confessing their unworthiness (Rev. 14:1-5).
6. Where in Revelation are we told that the bride became fully ready for the marriage? Revelation 19:7-8 tells us that the bride is ready for the marriage (Rev. 19:7-8).
Three Angels
7. Why are the 144,000 introduced just prior to the three angel’s messages? The 144,000 are introduced just prior to the three angel’s messages for they are God’s people who proclaim these messages to the world (Mark 16:15; Rev. 1:20; 14:1, 6).
8. Where were the three angels first introduced in the book of Revelation? The three angels were first introduced (together with the fourth) under the sixth trumpet in chapter 9, for until the time of the sixth church their messages were restrained by the enemy (Rev. 9:13-15).
9. What factors tell us when the three angel’s messages are proclaimed? Because they were not released until the time of the sixth trumpet, & their messages deal with the image to the beast, which is still future, & they are immediately followed by earth’s harvest, & their messages deal specifically with God’s end-time judgment, they are a last day’s message, God’s final message to humanity (Rev. 9:13-15; 14:6, 9, 15).
10. What important item does the first angel have as he begins his loud proclamation? The first angel has the everlasting gospel to preach to the whole world (Rev. 14:6).
The Gospel
11. What is the gospel? The gospel is the story of Jesus’ incarnation, birth, life, death, resurrection, & ascension (Mark 1:1; Luke 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:1-8).
12. What is the purpose of the gospel? The purpose of the gospel is the salvation of all who trust in it for their acceptance with God (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-2).
13. Is the gospel a doctrine, like justification by faith? No, the gospel is not a doctrine to be believed & taught, rather it is the story of our Substitute to be believed in. Doctrinal correctness saves no one (Matt. 7:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Eph. 1:11-13; Phil. 1:15-16; James 4:17).
14. Why does John call the gospel, “everlasting”? The gospel is everlasting for Jesus is the gospel & he was promised in Eden & he is the only One in whom is salvation throughout the entire span of earth’s history. The gospel also provides everlasting life (Gen. 3:15; John 3:36; 8:58; Acts 4:12; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 13:8; 1 John 5:11).
15. Why must the gospel be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people? Not only did Jesus command us to do this but the preaching of the gospel allows God to judge, for it is a person’s only hope in judgment (Mark 16:15; 1 Pet. 4:5-6).
Judgment
16. Why is the gospel our only hope in judgment? The gospel is the story of a perfect substitutionary life & atoning death that God will accept in our place when we are judged, for not the hearers of the law are justified but rather the doers of it are (Rom. 1:16-17; 2:13; 3:24-26; Tit. 3:5-7).
17. Why is it especially important that the gospel be preached in the last days? In the last days God’s judgment will turn from the cases of the dead to those of the living. Thus, it becomes imperative for the living to accept the gospel if they are to pass the judgment. And in the gospel proclamation comes the final test for humanity (Matt. 24:14; John 5:22-24; 1 Pet. 4:5-6).
18. What did Jesus say would follow the worldwide preaching of the gospel? Jesus said that the end would come as a result of the worldwide preaching of the gospel (Matt. 24:14).
19. Who might suffer loss if the gospel is not preached? Those who die without hearing the gospel & those who neglect proclaiming it, both will suffer loss if the gospel is not preached (Eze. 33:8; Rom. 1:14; 1 Cor. 3:15).