(Rev. 19:5-9) --- “And a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.’ --- Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. --- Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. --- It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. --- Then he said to me, ‘Write, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb' ‘And he said to me,’ ‘’These are true words of God.”

One of the grandest things that I know anything about, is the fact that Jesus Christ is coming again one day; --- and perhaps soon! --- Perhaps today!! --- And this is one vital subject that I’m persuaded does not receive near enough attention in the Lord’s very own church. --- And I’m just as strongly persuaded that if more brethren were better educated concerning this wondrous event, we would have a lot less petty problems cropping up, --- And a whole lot less Christians leaving the faith!!

If some of us were made more acutely aware of exactly what it is they’re giving up (the faith), they would surely “hang on” just a little more steadfastly! --- Jesus said in His final words in (Rev. 22:20); --- “Yes, I am coming quickly.” --- Thus, the Bible gives us several indications of what the second coming of Jesus Christ will be like, and one of those ways is going to be like the Bridegroom coming for His bride; --- And the Bible calls the coming of Christ for His church; --- “The Marriage Of The Lamb!” --- The Lamb being Jesus Christ, and the church is His bride or wife to be!!

You know, weddings are always exciting; --- Everyone gets so excited at marriage ceremonies, don’t they? --- All sorts of peculiar happenings; --- Like the time when the preacher got so excited at this one wedding, and he got a little confused; --- And after he pronounced the couple husband and wife, he then turned to the groom and said; --- “It is kiss-tumary for the groom to cuss the bride!!” ---Now, that’s not really the way it ought to be. --- But you can get excited at a wedding and weddings are something to get excited about, because marriage is something to be excited about!!

One time this little boy was writing an essay on Benjamin Franklin, --- And he said that Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, --- Later on he moved to Philadelphia, got married and discovered electricity!! --- Oh yes, marriage can be exciting and fun; --- But O how beautiful it is and how blessed it is; --- And I think because of the excitement, beauty, blessedness and joy; --- God has taken this institution of the flesh, that we know of as marriage; ---And He has used that to tell us something about what it’s going to be like when Jesus comes again for His bride, the church!!

But you see, weddings have changed down through the years; --- And we need to understand what weddings were like back in the olden times; --- Back when the Bible was being written. --- And we need to visualize what a Jewish wedding was like and then we might better understand the Marriage Of The Lamb. ---So in the Jewish wedding of old, the courtship would take place in the bride’s home. And the bridegroom would leave his father’s house; --- Now, they lived in what might be called a “patriarchal society” (father rule); --- And so the young man would leave his father’s house, go to the bride’s house and there, he would court her! --- And when they came to that particular place, where they knew they were in love; --- and where they knew they wanted to get married; --- Then he had to purchase her from her father!!

And he would pay a price for her, --- and especially if she was a valuable and beautiful bride, and this was a fine family he was marrying into; --- he would pay a very large price for her!! --- Then after she had been purchased, they both would drink together out of a cup of “wine” (fruit of the vine); --- This would be the cup of betrothal!! --- And it meant that from that time on, even though their marriage had not yet been consummated, and the vows had not yet been completely said; --- They were betrothed to one another!! --- And from that moment on, that bride was to be true to him and no one else!! --- Because she belongs to him; --- he has purchased her!!

Then after they’ve done this, the bridegroom leaves the bride’s house and goes back to his father’s house to prepare their “apartment” and to get things ready; --- Because, you see, the father has an estate with many mansions; --- especially if he’s a very wealthy man!! --- And I’m sure by now most of you are thinking of the words of Jesus as He began to console His apostles with such a precious promise in (Jn. 14:2-3); --- “In My Father's house are many dwelling places ( NKJV = mansions); if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. --- If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” --- And so, here the Bridegroom goes back to His Father’s house; --- But first He promises; --- “I’m going to come back for you!!”

Now, here’s where you single girls need to pay attention; --- She never knew WHEN he was coming; --- She was not the one to set the date! --- She was simply to get herself ready and stay ready! And they did this for one reason; --- to inject excitement and expectation in the coming of the groom. And you talk about excitement; --- One evening when the bridegroom and his father decide it’s the perfect time; --- And all the guests are assembled back there at the father’s house; --- then the bridegroom and the friends of the groom start a procession with torches through the woods; --- and there would be a runner who would run ahead just a little ways; --- and he would wait until he got right under the bride’s window and shout;--- “BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMES!!” --- And her heart would go pitter-pat, pitter-pat, pitter-pat!! --- And she would have just enough time to gather up her things; --- then the door would burst open and the groom would come in, sweep her off her feet, and away they would go, back to the father’s house; --- that house of many mansions!! --- And there would be a great wedding supper and celebration and such joy and happiness!! --- And then the groom would take his beautiful bride into the wedding chamber and there, he would express to her his love and tender affections; --- And then, the marriage is consummated!!

Now, that’s basically what a Jewish wedding was like hundreds and hundreds of years ago!! --- Now I would like to parallel this to Christ and His church!! --- And there are three things I would like for us to consider about this Marriage Of The Lamb: 1. Courtship 2. Coming 3. Consummation

1. Courtship:

I’m quiet sure from the forgoing analysis, most can recognize Jesus as the Bridegroom. ---
And He’s the one who came from heaven (His Father’s home), and sought us and bought us to be His holy bride!! --- We love Him because He first loved us!! --- Oh, how wonderful and how marvelous is the love and grace of God!! --- That’s why I love that hymn we often sing; ---
    My Lord has garments so wondrous fine, And myrrh their texture fills;
    It’s fragrance reached to this heart of mine, With joy my being thrills.
    Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe; -- Only His great eternal love,
    Made my Savior go!!

You see, He fell in love with a girl from the other side of the tracks; --- He left those ivory palaces and came down into the “slum” area; --- He came into a land of sin and misery and woe; --- And there the Son of God sought us and bought us for a price! --- He paid a big price; --- Not of silver or gold; --- But the silver of His tears and sweat, --- And the gold of His blood!! --- The apostle Paul speaks of the church of God in (Acts 20:28) as that; --- “Which He purchased with His own blood.”And that’s the reason the Bible says in (1 Cor. 6:19-20); --- “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? --- For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” --- We need to constantly be aware of the fact, --- the Lord bought His bride and we belong to Him and no other!! --- Another wonderful song comes to mind; ---
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; --- She is His new creation by water and the word; --- From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride;
    With His own blood He bought her, --- And for her life He died!! --- And that’s what this Scripture is talking about; --- He bought us! --- He purchased us at such a great price; --- And therefore, we are not our own!!

    You know, sometimes the groom would not go himself, in a Jewish wedding (at least as far as the courtship was concerned); --- Sometimes he would send a representative! --- And I’m persuaded that one of the most marvelous illustrations of how Christ carries on His courtship with His bride, is found back in the Old Testament book of Genesis. --- In (Gen. 24:) is the story of how Isaac got his bride. --- And I think most will agree that Isaac was a “type” of the Savior Jesus Christ! --- And his father, Abraham is a picture, or O.T. illustration of God the Father!! --- And you see, God the Father wants to get a wife for His Son, Jesus.

Do you remember; --- Isaac was the son of promise? (Gen. 21:1) --- Isaac, the only begotten son of Abraham, born of a miraculous birth? (Gen. 21:2) --- That Isaac was the son of sacrifice? (Gen. 22:2) And that Isaac was a son whom Abraham received from the dead (in a figure)? (Gen. 22:12-13) --- And there’s a lot more which we won’t take the time to go into, but this should be sufficient for us to visualize Abraham as God the Father and Isaac as Jesus the Son. --- And the bride of Isaac? --- That would be us! --- But I want us to take stock in how Isaac got his wife; --- It’s very interesting, because we as the Lord’s chosen bride can identify very much with it!!

Notice in (Gen. 24:1f); --- “Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. --- Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, -- “ --- Incidentally, this servants name is Eliezer (Gen. 15:2). The Hebrew translation is “God of help” or God’s helper ; Strong’s Hebrew dictionary ref. 461.

    And notice also, he was a very special servant. --- This servant had the “power of attorney” over all of Abraham’s affairs. --- He represents Abraham in other words. --- Look at it again in (Vs.2); --- This servant had charge over all that Abraham owned! --- That means all the wealth and treasure Abraham had was in this servants hands; --- And what a servant this servant is!! --- Who is he??

Well this servant (the help of God), represents the Holy Spirit!! --- And what was the purpose of this special servant?? --- What did Abraham say? --- (Vs. 2-4) continues; --- “Please place your hand under my thigh, --- and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, --- but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Now here is this servant sent by the father to get a bride for his son; --- And beloved, that’s why the Holy Spirit was sent into this world after Jesus ascended back to His Father’s heavenly home; --- To get a bride for the Son, Jesus Christ!! --- For sake of time and space, I suggest you read all the rest of (Gen. 24:), and you’ll see what I’m talking about. --- But you talk about a super salesman; --- Do you know what Eliezer did? --- He went into a far country, and there he found a beautiful young girl, a pure virgin; --- And he talked that young girl into leaving her father, mother and brother, her household and land; --- everything and go with this stranger to marry a man she had never ever even seen before!! --- Can you imagine that?? --- Here she is, going out the door saying, --- “Good bye mom and dad; --- Good bye brother!” --- Dad says, --- “Where are you going?” --- She replies, --- “I’m off to marry a man!” --- Dad asks, --- “What is he like?” --- She answers, --- “Well, all I know is what this man tells me, and that’s all I know!”

You see beloved, that’s exactly the way we (the church) have fallen in love with the Lord, Jesus Christ! --- The apostle Peter explains it this way in (1Pet. 1:8) --- “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” --- Which begs the question; --- Why should I love Him and believe in Him, whom I have never seen? --- Because the Holy Spirit has told me all about Him, through the revealed word of God!! --- And it’s almost as if Eliezer was trying to keep Rebekah from being discouraged and afraid; --- On at least two occasions, he dug into his master’s treasures and bestowed articles of gold, silver and fine garments upon this young maiden who was leaving all to go with him to marry Isaac, saying, --- “Here, this is for you, --- This is just a token of Isaac’s love, and my master’s great wealth!!”

And friends, in much the same way that’s what the Holy Spirit of God has done for you and I!! ---
Sometimes we get a little bit discouraged, don’t we? --- Sometimes the devil tempts us; --- And Satan would have us to believe that there is no God! --- And that Jesus is not real!! --- And this vile enemy of God prompts some to wonder; --- “Are we fools?” --- “Is all this Christianity stuff just the power of auto suggestion?? --- And about that time, we dig down into the treasures of the word of God which the dear Holy Spirit has opened up for us, and we can almost hear Him say, --- “This is from Jesus, He just wanted you to have it; --- cheer up!!”

And dear friend, by the time Eliezer got through doing a selling job on Rebekah, about Isaac; --- And when she got there and saw Isaac, she didn’t have to have anybody tell her, “That’s him!” --- Eliezer confirmed it, but she obviously knew Isaac the first minute she laid eyes on him!!

And likewise, the Holy Spirit has told us about our Lord/High Priest/Savior/King and husband in such a fine descriptive fashion; ---That when we do see Him face to face when He comes again; --- We won’t need anybody to tell us, --- “That’s Him!” --- Because the blessed Holy Spirit has done His work well; --- He has given us the Father’s message of the Son’s love!! --- He has wooed us and courted us on Christ’ behalf!! --- Thank God for the courtship, and thank God for His Son, Jesus who left those ivory palaces above and came with His rich, royal blood and purchased the church!!

But, you see, the Lord, the Bridegroom has gone away; --- And he said in (Jn. 14:) beginning in (Vs.1) to His bride; --- “My darling bride, don’t worry!” --- Well, He said it this way; --- “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. --- In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. --- If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” --- That is, we will live happily ever after!!

And so you see, He’s gone away right now; --- And consider this; --- During His absence, the Groom has something to do and the bride is to do something!! --- What was the Groom to do? --- He was to prepare a place! --- What was the bride to do? --- She was to prepare her person! --- So by this we can see; --- Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people!! --- Jesus promised; --- “I go to prepare a place for you.!!” --- Incidentally; --- He made heaven and earth in just six days; --- He’s been preparing this wonderful place for two thousand years!! --- What kind of place do you think it will be like??

Now, during this whole time, she is preparing her trousseau! --- Oh, she don’t simply go down to the department store and purchase a wedding dress, Oh, no!! --- She has been saving her ornaments, jewelry, embroidery, pearls; --- and she’s making a glorious garment! --- And she can only make it out of materials that He had already given her. (Rev. 19:8); --- “It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

Now, there may be some reading this who are not yet Christians, or not yet members of the Lord’s body; --- You dear friend cannot do righteous acts until you are righteous (saint/Christian); --- And you cannot be a Christian until you have clothed yourself with Christ; --- And in order to put on Christ, you must put off the old man of sin first, through belief in Christ and repentance; --- And as the apostle Paul says in (Gal. 3:26-27); --- “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

So she’s over here preparing her person! --- And He’s up there preparing a place!! --- Both waiting with great anticipation for the next step following the Courtship!! That next step being; ---

2. The Coming:

You see, she doesn’t know exactly when the Groom is coming; --- Nor do you and I know when the Lord is coming!! --- Most denominationalists take (Mt. 24: Mk. 13:) and other like Scriptures where it talks about signs and wonders in the heavens to mean the second coming of Jesus in the final judgment; --- They begin to point to China, Russia, Iran, Iraq, UFO’s and every flicker, or so called “sign” they see, and say; --- “See there, the signs are evident, Jesus is surely coming soon!!” --- But we need to know and understand that the bride of Christ never knows when His coming will be! --- He’s coming!! --- He most assuredly is coming!! --- Bur friends, if you’re looking for a “sign” of His coming, --- You’re looking for something that has never been promised!!

But do you know what it is we are waiting for?? --- The SHOUT!! --- We’re not to be watching for signs; --- We’re to be listening for a SHOUT and the TRUMPET OF GOD!! --- Paul, giving great comforting words to the church of the Thessalonians had this to say in (1 Thess. 4:16-17) --- “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. --- Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

We sometimes sing that old song; --- “It won’t be very long”; --- It may be sooner than you think; ---
It could be before you finish reading this article, when you hear that shout; --- “'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!!” (Mt. 25:6) --- And you talk about someone’s heart going pitter-pat; --- That’s when your heart will go pitter-pat as well as mine!! --- Can you just imagine how she must have felt when she heard that cry; --- “'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!!” ??

All right now, let’s move on and talk about not only the courtship and the coming, but also; ---

3. The Consummation:

Because as you will see, the best is yet to come!! --- Better than courtship and better than the coming is the holy consummation of this marriage!! --- Which brings into focus the great difference between how God and Satan operate! --- Do you know what the devil does? --- The devil gives the best first and the worst last!! --- “Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.” (Prov. 20:17) --- And the next time you get a little urge to take something that belongs to another, may we be reminded of Satan’s trickery, as Solomon warns; ---
“Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.--- But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.” --- That’s how Satan works says the wise man in (Prov. 9:17-18) .

And do you know what the Lord does? --- He saves the best till last! --- Remember what they said about Jesus Christ at the wedding feast in Cana? (Jn. 2:1-11) --Remember Jesus, as He turned that 120-180 gallons worth of water into the finest wine, --- And the head waiter took a sip and proclaimed; --- “Say, I’ve never known anyone to do this before!” --- He said, “Generally, at a party they bring out the best refreshments first, and then that which is worst, --- But you have saved the best wine until last!!” --- And that’s the way Jesus always does things.

Don’t you realize that as a Christian, your life should be getting better and better and sweeter?? ---
Not worse!! --- You and I ought to say (and mean it), that I’m more excited and happier to be a child of God today, than ever before! --- Can you say that? --- And can you but imagine what the marriage supper of the Lamb is going to be like?? --- Nothing like the wedding feast in Cana, except that Jesus will be there, in all His radiant glory!! --- And how wonderful it’s going to be at the consummation of the marriage!! --- You see, we are only betrothed (or engaged)to Him right now; --- The wedding itself comes later. And spite of what anyone might say, marriage is a most wonderful relationship one might hope for.

I’m sure some of you have heard of a preacher of long ago by the name of Peter Marshal, and he had this to say about an earthly wedding; --- While I may not agree with what Mr. Marshal teaches concerning Bible salvation, --- I do concur that what he says about marriage, pretty well hit’s the mark, and I thought it proves worthy to this topic:

“Dearly beloved, the marriage relation, when rightly understood and properly appreciated; --- is one of the most delightful, as well as the most sacred of human relations!! --- It is the clasping of hands, the blending of lives and the union of heart, that two may walk together up the hill of life; --- to meet the dawn; --- together bearing life’s burdens, discharging it’s duties, sharing it’s joys and sorrows!!

Marriage is much more than moonligt and roses; --- much more than the singing of love songs, and the whispering of vows of undying affection! --- In our day, it is by many so lightly regarded, and by many, so lightly discarded!

But marriage will always remain in the sight of Almighty God, an “eternal” union, made possible only by the gift of love; --- which God alone can bestow!!”

But, may I remind you dear friends, that this speaks of human marriage. --- You can take these beautiful words and multiply them ten thousand by ten thousand, and then you only have a faint comprehension of what a glorious day it’s going to be when the saints go marching in; --- and there is that Consummation!! --- Can you just try to imagine what it’s going to be like, to look upon the face of Jesus?? --- I mean it, seriously; --- What would it be like just five minutes from now, to look into His radiant face?? --- The one whom having not seen, you love; (1Pet. 1:8) --- And when faith turns to sight, and when hope becomes reality; --- Oh, try to imagine the consummation!!

Remember the words of Paul, to those who’ll be alive when Jesus comes in (1 Cor:15:51-52); ---
“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, --- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” --- Then couple this together with the Scripture we used earlier. (1 Thess. 4:16-17); --- “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. --- Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (Vs. 18) adds; --- “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

You know, by and large, the world don’t think very much of the Lord’s church! --- They laugh at us, they scorn us and ridicule us in every way they can; --- But we need to pity their poor souls, for the Bible says in (Col. 3:4); --- “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” --- And those who remain faithful, will be there in His arms and He will say something like; --- “This is My beloved bride in whom I’m well pleased!” --- Or in His own words in (Mt. 25:34); --- “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” --- Oh, what a grand and glorious day it’s going to be, when the Lord comes for His own!! --- And that’s the reason the Bible says; --- “Hallelujah! (Praise ye Jehovah) For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. --- (And has been reigning for two thousand years) Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:6-7) --- Now it’s time for that most blessed event; --- The Consummation!!

4. Now, maybe we can sort of switch gears and allow me to ask you three vital questions. --- If all of this is true, and God’s word says it is; --- There are three things that ought to be true about each of us!!

First of all, there’s the matter of “PREPARATION”!!
You and I ought to be prepared for that shout!! --- And it’s for certain, you can not be ready if you are not a Christian! --- And if you have not yet obeyed the gospel in repentance and baptism; --- (Mk.16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-6; and Gal. 3:26-27) --- You, my friend, have no Scripturial right to call yourself a Christian!! --- Our Lord Jesus Himself said; --- “If you love Me, You will keep My commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) --- It matters little that the Son of God has purchased with His own blood, the right to marry you; --- There are two parts to a proper wedding!! --- The groom says; “I do” to you; --- But then the bride must respond to the groom, saying, “I do” or “I will!!”

If you are reading this and have not yet become a true Christian; --- Here’s what Jesus Christ, the Son of God (essentially) is saying to you! --- Notice closely!! --- He is saying with love and tenderness in His voice; --- “I Jesus, take thee, lost sinner to be My bride! --- And I do promise and covenant before My God and Father, to be thy loving and faithful Savior and Bridegroom; --- in sickness as in health; --- in poverty as in wealth; --- To love, to protect, to provide for, in joy and in sorrow; --- In times of strength as well as in weakness, through time and eternity!! --- I Jesus profess My abiding love for you; --- I take you; --- And I give Myself to you!!”

And do you know what He’s waiting for you to say? --- Have you ever considered why God may have spared your life up till this point? --- Why He has prolonged His coming?? --- It may well be because He’s waiting for you to respond to His loving call, and say; --- “I, lost sinner , come to Thee with a broken spirit and contrite heart, taking Thee dear Jesus to be my Savior, Lord and Master!!
And by Thy grace and mercy, in obedience to Thy will, do promise and covenant before God and man to be your loving and faithful bride!! --- In sickness as in health; --- in poverty as in wealth; --- in joy and in sorrow; --- for time and eternity, I most humbly give myself to you!!

What a wonderful wedding!! --- But friends there’s not going to be any wedding until both parties say “I DO!!” --- The Son of God has already come to seek you, to buy you and to rule you!! --- The Holy Spirit speaks from the pages of the Bible today; --- And He’s trying to tell you how wonderful our heavenly “Isaac”, and Lord Jesus Christ is!!

But secondly, there must be a “SEPARATION”!!
You see, if we as Christians are betrothed to Christ Jesus; ---Then we’re not to be like other people!
We can’t go around flirting with this world and it’s temporary pleasures !! --- The word of God says in (Js. 4:4); --- “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” --- Just suppose some young man from a foreign country was to come over here to our part of the world to get one of our beautiful girls to take home to be his bride; --- He meets just the right girl he wants, and he’s so kind and sweet to her; --- They profess their love to one another and get engaged, betrothed to one another. --- Then suppose he says to her, --- “Sweetheart, I’m going back to my homeland and I’m going to fix up a place for us to live; --- I’m going to get everything just perfect; --- And then darling, as soon as I can, I’m coming back to get you, I promise!! --- And then suppose this young man returns home, and at a great, great sacrifice because of the love he has for her, --- he prepares the most magnificently beautiful place for her; --- And then he comes back and is just about to knock on her door and say; --- “Sweetheart, I’m here!!” --- And lo and behold, he looks through the window, and there he sees her sitting on the couch holding hands with another man!! --- Can you imagine that? --- Can you just begin to imagine how he must feel??

Non, hear me when I say this, dear Christian; --- When we sin against Jesus Christ, we not only break His law; --- We most surely dissapoint Him to the point it breaks His heart!! --- He LOVES us!! How can we be a friend to this world who crucified Him?? --- And with those who continue to abuse and reject His pure Name?? --There MUST BE A SEPARATION!! -- God’s Book says in (1 Jn. 2:28)
“Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” --- Can you imagine how ashamed that unfaithful girl would have been? --- Can you imagine how ashamed some of you would be, if Christ were to come today??

If the Lord Jesus were to come this very day, some of you who profess to be God’s children would be so utterly ashamed, in His presence that you would want to crawl under the nearest rock; ---ASHAMED!! --- Ashamed because you’ve got God’s contributions in your pocket! --- Ashamed because you’ve layed out of services when the word of God was brought forth, and you could have been there! --- Because you’ve got malice in your heart toward someone! --- Ashamed because you’ve got sinful habits in your daily living! --- Or could it be that you would be ashamed because you have not put forth any effort to teach one poor lost soul about the love and sacrifice of the Christ whom you claim to love so much!! --- Remember the word of this mournful hymn? --- “Must I go in empty handed?-- Must I meet my Savior so? -- Not one soul with which to greet Him; --- Must I empty handed go??”

There are many members of the Lord’s body who would spend years and years in the church; --- never even making the first serious effort to save one soul!! --- OH, how terribly ashamed these people will surely be, as they stand before the pure and righteous Judge EMPTIED HANDED!!

Dear friends, there must be “PREPARATION”/ “SEPARATION” and then before there is that “CONSUMMATION”; --- There must be ANTICIPATION!! --- That is, you and I need to live our lives each and every day in anxious anticipation of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!! --- Someone said; --- “I ought to live my life as though Jesus died yesterday; --- Rose from the grave this morning; --- And is coming back tonight!!” --- Are YOU living your life that way?? --- ANTICIPATION!! ---
The apostle John wrote in (1 Jn. 3:2-3); --- “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. --- And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”Over and over again, the Bible warns that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; --- I don’t know when He’s coming; --- And you don’t know when He’s coming!! --- Only the Father!!

It may be at morn when the day is awaken, when sunlight, through darkness and shadows is breaking; --- That Jesus will come in the fulness of glory, to receive from the world His own!
Oh, it may be at mid-day, it may be at twilight; --- It may, per chance that the blackness of midnight will burst into life in the blaze of His glory; --- when Jesus receives His own!!
Oh, joy, oh, delight, should we go without dying?? --- No sickness, sadness, dread and no crying; Caught up through the clouds, with our Lord into glory; ---When Jesus receives His own!!

Questions and comments more than welcomed: ewilburn@austin.rr.com
Please don't delete this from your files, as who knows that while you may not at this time be moved by these scriptures but perhaps in time you might want to refer back to this and come to know better the love of the Lord. --- ew