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What Is Christ Doing Now?
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The bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to
meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation
the people of God are said to be guests at the marriage supper. If
guests, they cannot be the bride. Christ will receive from the Ancient
of Days in heaven “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,” the New
Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, “prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.” Having received the kingdom, He will come as
King of kings and Lord of lords for the redemption of His people
who are to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Daniel 7:14
;
Revelation 21:2
.
Waiting for Their Lord
The proclamation “Behold, the bridegroom cometh” led thou-
sands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed
time the Bridegroom came, not to the earth, but to the Ancient of
Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom.
“They that were ready went in with him to the marriage.” They were
not to be present in person, for they are on the earth. The followers
of Christ are to “wait for their Lord, when he will return from the
wedding.”
Luke 12:36
. But they are to understand His work and
follow Him by faith. In this sense they are said to go in to the
marriage.
In the parable, those that had oil in their lamps went in to the
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marriage. Those who, in the night of their bitter trial, had patiently
waited, searching the Bible for clearer light—these saw the truth
concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Saviour’s change of min-
istration. By faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary
above. And all who accept the same truths, following Christ by faith
as He performs the last work of mediation, go in to the marriage.
Closing Work in the Sanctuary
In the parable of
Matthew 22
the judgment takes place before
the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see if
all the guests are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe
of character washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7:14
. All
who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are