The unscriptural doctrine of the "rapture" suggests that the believers will be caught up to an Anglican-type wedding ceremony in the air or in Heaven. The all-important forming, reconciling, and uniting stages, the actual marriage, are ignored in favor of a one-time profession of faith. "If I accept Christ as my Savior, I will be included in the wedding ceremony that will take place in Heaven."

We are being taught that the "rapture" will bring us to the wedding ceremony of the Lamb. This analogy has proceeded from fleshly thinking. Such a ceremony would be superfluous. The marriage supper of the Lamb, which will take place at the return of Christ to the earth, will be the manifestation of the enlargement of the Lamb that was accomplished previously. The Bride makes herself ready in advance. All of the saved creation is invited to this most glorious of events, according to our understanding.

It is the previous operations that are critical. The necessity for the prior forming, reconciling, and uniting operations are not given nearly enough stress in our day.

God has determined it is not good that the Lamb should be alone.

It is not possible for us to comprehend the reasoning of the Lord God of Heaven. We could think of many reasons why it would be good for the all-sufficient, sovereign Lord Jesus Christ to remain as He Is—the only begotten Son of God, the Word of God, the revelation of the invisible God.

We can see why it would be desirable for the Lord Jesus to retain His individuality—especially when we review our own shortcomings.

God is God, and love is love. If God has placed in the heart of Christ a love for us which is sufficiently intense to cause Christ to forgo His individuality (never His identity!) in favor of being one with us, our proper response is to rejoice. It may be a long time before we are able to grasp the magnitude of the love of the Lamb for His Wife.

The fact is, the love of Christ for His Bride is the principal motivation behind all God is performing in the heavens and on the earth. All else is second in importance. Christ's love for His Bride is the wisdom and power that governs the universe.

The Lamb of God has never been married before.

Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper.

The Formation Stage

The Lord Jesus Christ created every angel and every human being. He Is the Word of God.

Why then, would the Father invite Christ to pray that the nations would be given to him as His inheritance, in view of the fact that Christ Himself had created them?

Ask of me [the Father invited Creator Jesus], and I shall give thee the heathen [nations] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalms 2:8)

Why should Christ be required to petition the Father for what He Himself had created?

It is because the peoples of the earth cannot be "possessed" by the mere fact of creation. Their hearts must be won. Winning the heart of an individual is not always an easy task. People are exceedingly complex, wonderful creatures.

To be continued.