|
A Royal Wedding...
"Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband"
|
|
Saturday, April 23, 2011
|
www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions
|
During the coming week the news media will give considerable coverage to the Royal wedding that is planed for Friday, April 29th in Westminster Abbey, London. Just over a week ago we visited the scene in London where the event is to take place, if all goes well. So this is Paul Billington bringing you this week's edition of the Bible in the News, and offering some comments on the Royal event from a Bible point of view. As multitudes watch the spectacular proceedings in Westminster Abbey, few will be thinking about the fact that it will be taking place in what is essentially a 'house of the dead.' Some 3,000 people are buried in the Abbey, including many Kings, Queens, former Prime Ministers and notables. Here lies Elizabeth I, James I, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles II as well as others like composer Handel (known for his ' Messiah') and poet Chaucer, novelist Charles Dickens and so on. It really is a House of the Dead!
With all due respect to the royal couple, the fact is that they are to be married among the tombstones - in a veritable graveyard! This is the overwhelming impression made upon our minds after visiting the place some days ago. It is not an impression that harmonizes too well with the glory, pomp and ceremony that most people will admire as the groom and bride enter the building on April 29th.Westminster Abbey is of course a Church of England dominion - and has been since the days of King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. The Church of England is a "daughter" of the Roman 'Mother Church. A plaque on the exterior wall of the Abbey asks God to grant "us sinners eternal life,' But the Bible says that men will be rewarded according to their works (2 Cor. 11:15; Rev. 2:23 etc).
We may take up the words of Proverbs 2:18-19 where it is written:
"For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life."
Westminster Abbey has reminded us of this reality and this truth, but a royal wedding can give us cause to think about another future one - a much more perfect and splendid marriage as described in Revelation 19:6-9. The words are,
"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
It will be noted that this bride "hath made herself ready." And in chapter 21:2 she is said to have been "prepared as a bride for her husband."This bride of the Apocalypse represents a community. A virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10); "a chaste virgin (2 Cor. 11:2); one who has been persecuted (see Rev. 12:15-17) by the powers of sin and evil. In this state of affliction and suffering she has "made herself ready" by developing a beautiful character, such that the king will GREATLY desire thy beauty. The scene is set for us in Psalm 45,
" The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace."
So "to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
Here is a Royal Wedding to which we are all invited: "And the Spirit and the bride say, come" (Rev. 22:17). Let us prepare ourselves then, that we may be clothed in white linen and rejoice with great joy on the day of the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Why be mesmerized by the media over events in the house of the dead? Let us open up our Bible and receive the personal invitation of the Spirit and the bride who are asking us to join them for eternity in Life. The promise is there for us:
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).
Thank you for listening. Bibleinthenews.com
Printed: Saturday, April 23, 2011
Visit www.bibleinthenews.com for a weekly analysis of world politics in the light
of Bible prophecy!