DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDE
She is described in symbolic terms as a "jeweled" city, New Jerusalem, betrothed to
Christ Jesus, with all manner of beauty. She is the Bride of Christ, A SIGHT TO BEHOLD!
The New
Living Translation describes her beauty in Revelations 21:9-26, 'Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing
the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come with me! I will show you the BRIDE, the wife of the LAMB."
'So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven
from God. It was filled with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious gem, crystal clear like jasper. Its walls were
broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the
gates. There were three gates on each side--east, north, south, and west. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones:
And on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.'
'The angel who talked to me held in his
hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. When he measured it, he found it was a square, as
wide as it was long. In fact, it was in the form of a cube, for its length and width and height; were each 1,400 miles. Then
he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (the angel used a standard human measure).'
'The wall
was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid
with twelve gems: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth
carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth
amethyst.'
'The twelve gates were made of pearls--each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold,
as clear as glass.'
'No temple could be seen in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations
of the earth will walk in its light, and the rulers of the world will come and bring their glory to it. Its gates never close
at the end of day because there is no night.'
'And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city.
Nothing EVIL will be allowed to enter--no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty--but only those whose names are
written in the Lamb's Book of Life.'
THE SECOND DEATH
Ezekiel 28:11-19 relates the
fall of the Devil from the Throne of God. He lost his beauty, jewels, wealth and his position in Heaven at the Throne
of God after SIN was found in him. The Devil knows the scriptures. He knows that the saints are the BRIDE of Christ and will
sit in the Throne of God with Jesus. He has read how God will bestow great wealth in gold, jewels and indescribable beauty
on the Bride. How can we ever again doubt that the Devil is our GREAT ENEMY; or question why he hates the child of God? Now
we can understand the reason he keeps trying to torment our every step in order to hinder us from receiving the wonderful
things God has prepared for us in His kingdom; and now we can "see" why the saints, throughout the ages, have suffered
great persecution with such venom and cruelty at his hands.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:41, about an "everlasting
fire" prepared for the Devil and his angels; however, in Revelations 21:8, John tells us there will also be "others"
there who do the "work" of the Devil: 'The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which
is the SECOND DEATH.'
The New Living Translation in this verse includes those who reject Christ will also be there,
'But cowards who turn away from Me, and unbelievers and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice
witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars--their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the SECOND
DEATH.'
In the final days after the Rapture, there will be a resurrection of the wicked and the dead, who were
not at the marriage supper of the Lamb. They will appear at the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT to give an account of all the
deeds and actions done in their SOUL and BODY while on Earth, which will be declared evil because of THE FALL of ADAM. The
defendant will have to give an answer to God for the rejection of God's REDEMPTION PLAN that was provided in the PERFECT SACRIFICE
of His Son, Jesus Christ; so that no one has an excuse as to why they are there. God will prepare the wicked SOULS for torment
with some sort of body that will have eyes for crying; teeth for gnashing; a tongue craving water and a body feeling pain
(Lu.16:24). They will be given a body/spirit suitable for Hell. Jesus says in Luke 13:28, "There shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
Our discussion MUST tell you of the things that will happen to the wicked, but our focus
is directed to CHRIST and God's Perfect Plan so that you might BELIEVE and TRUST in Him.
John 5:24-29 in the New
Living Translation Jesus said, 'I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life.
They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the
time is coming, in fact it is here, when the dead will hear my voice---the voice of the Son of God; and those who listen will
live. The Father has life in Himself, and He has granted His Son to have life in Himself. And He has given him authority to
judge all mankind because He is the Son of Man. Don't be surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their
graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to eternal life, and
those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment.'
CHAPTER 4-2 Who is "Whosoever Will"