Facts:
-““The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” (Matthew 22:2)
-“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be
married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” (Romans 7:4)
-God
(the Father) was already married to
Israel before the
Church was born (
Isa 54:5)
-John the Baptist
(the last prophet of Israel-Matt 11:13) admitted that he was
not of the bride of Christ
(the Son) (
John 1:29)
-Paul betrothed and presented the
Church as a pure virgin to Christ (
2 Cor 11:2)
-Paul was speaking in reference to Christ and the
Church in his marriage discourse (
Eph 5:32)
-(in that marriage discourse) Christ sanctifies His
Church so that He may present her to Himself, spotless and unwrinkled (
Eph 5:26)
-At Christ's wedding, the bride will clothe herself with the garments that were given to her
(Rev 19:7-8)
“Christ nourishes and cherishes the church because we are members of His body. 'For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'. This mystery is great; and I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:29–32)
Conclusions:
-Israel is the
wife of God (the Father)
-The
Church is
(soon to be) the
wife of Christ (the Son)
-Israel is
(1)
invited to the wedding (
Matt 22:3; Rev 19:9)
(2) the
friends and attendants of the Bridegroom (
John 1:29; Matt 9:15)