When is the Marriage of the Lamb
Determining the timing of the marriage of the Lamb can be complex. The source of my initial confusion stemmed from scriptures referring to our Lord’s coming for the saints, contrasted with other scriptures that mention His coming with the saints.
James Schucker
WHEN IS THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB?
Determining the timing of the marriage of the Lamb can be complex. The source of my initial confusion stemmed from scriptures referring to our Lord’s coming for the saints, contrasted with other scriptures that mention His coming with the saints. Zechariah 14:5, “And you shall flee to the valley of the mountain… and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” 1Thessalonians 3:13, “To the end he may establish your hearts… at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” Jude 14-15, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints…” Then we come to the most explicit, except that in this case it has both the with and the concept of for contained within it. 1Thessalonians 4:14-17, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.” This seems to suggest that the Lord comes With the Saints that have passed beyond the Vail of death, and For the Saints that Remain which have not yet passed away.
Probably the strongest scripture that many used to show a future marriage is: Revelation 21:1-2 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” I don’t believe there is any disagreement that this is yet future and occurs after all the saints have passed beyond the veil of death.
He Comes For the Saints or With the Saints?
As I began looking into this, I realized that we really don’t have much that talks about his coming for the saints. John 14:3 states that he will return for the church but does not explain the difference between for and with “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” The nearest I have been able to come up with is: Matthew 25:10, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” This has the concept of “for the saints” but does not use the ‘with’ terminology. Also: Matthew 25:19-20, “After a long time the lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them…” Luke 17:34, “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left…” but then again these are parables, not direct statements and don’t use the term “for,” yet they do suggest the concept.
Still perplexed, I began to query the brethren as to whether they thought the marriage was past, present, future or somehow all three. Most of those I queried believed it is a future event which will take place after the last member has gone beyond the veil. Then I would ask them their understanding of: Luke 12:36, “And you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding feast; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.” This left most scratching their heads and saying they would get back to me… When they did it seemed, their best comment or solution was: “Here also the Church is not represented as the bride. In this case the “bride” is represented as servants waiting for the return of their Lord from a “special occasion”; But not the bride in a marriage that has already taken place. So that here also it is not the marriage of Christ and his bride being depicted.” I found this answer to be interesting as it seemed to deflect the thought away from its being a “marriage” occasion which is stated specifically “return from the wedding feast”. So, I looked up the verse in other translations and what I found surprised me as I had a lot of respect for the one who suggested the solution. Using biblehub.com I looked at the 29 translations available and every one of those translations said that it was in fact a marriage occasion that he was returning from. Though I would and do agree that the bride is depicted in those that were waiting for their Lord’s return, a possible solution is that, yes, he is returning from a wedding, that is, from the wedding of those who had already gone beyond the veil of death. I would suggest the thought that those who have already died are married first, and we who remain when we die, we also become part of that same wedding. As seems to be suggested in 1Thessalonians 4:15-17. In other words, he comes “with” the saints that had already died, and “for” the saints that still remain. Note that the word “for” is not used, but the thought is most assuredly understood.
The Open Door Closes
In both the parable of the marriage for the king’s son (Matthew 22:1-14) and the parable of the servants waiting for the master’s return (Luke 12:36), the servants invited to the wedding feast are depicted as the "bride" class. The marriage feast itself is shown as occurring throughout the gospel age, with an “open door” for guests to come in and partake of it until the king arrives. (Matthew 22:11 and Matthew 25:10), symbolize the closure of the door at Jesus' return. Both parables illustrate different phases: one addresses the ongoing invitation during the gospel age, while the other focuses on the harvest period after the general call has ended. When the Lord returns and closes the door. Those that remain must answer the knock (by recognizing his return) to prove their “faithfulness”. The “wedding feast” in Luke 12:36 refers to a heavenly celebration, aligning with Jesus’ words in Mark 14:25, and the sequence described in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 regarding his coming with those that had slept waiting for his return. On his return, he then resurrects the sleeping members which he brings “with him”. And he begins knocking at the door for the saints that remain which have yet proven their “faithfulness”.
Then I began to look at patterns in the scriptures regarding the Lord’s return, noting where and when we see the time frame of the Church class, that is, the 144,000 mentioned. First mention is found in Revelation 7:3-4, “Saying…4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” It is interesting to note that what is described occurs between the 6th and 7th seals and the trumpets seem also to correspond. We read in Revelation 10:7, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he has declared to his servants the prophets.” Most of the better translations render Revelation 10:7 (NIV, BSB, BLB, NASB, NKJV, ISV, NET, NHEB, NAS, ASV, ERV, WEB, YLT) “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished/finished…” It seems to suggest that the Church would somehow be complete about the time of but just before the beginning of the sounding of the 7th trumpet.
The next place we see the 144,000 mentioned is in Revelation 14:1, “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.” This event appears to take place after the two horned beast marks the people with the infamous 666. And yet at the same time it seems to be the beginning of the harvest which is what most of chapter 14 appears to be talking about during the period described by the angels that follow. Starting in verse 6, we are told “hour of His judgment has come” and “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great” and a 3rd angel states that those who receive the mark of the beast will be tormented by their belief in hell fire and brimstone. Also, chapter 14 as a whole and chapters 15 and 16 together along with chapter 18, seem to parallel each other giving us three views of the harvest, just as we had three views of the gospel age in the churches, seals, and trumpets. Chapter 15, which talks again about those who had gotten the victory over the beast, is followed by the seven angels who pour out the plagues in chapter 16.
When you count the angels in chapter 14, which the Lord prompts you to do by counting the first three for you, you also get seven—that is when you include Jesus as the 4th— that is, 3 angels, Jesus and 3 more angels. This is quite similar to the vision of Ezekiel 9 where you have 6 with slaughter weapons and one (likely Jesus) with a writing instrument marking the saints (Revelation 3:12). Here we see the first three angels fly in heaven then you see Jesus on the cloud indicating he has returned, then the next two angels come out of the temple which tells you that the temple (which is the mystery) has been built.
You also see seven angels in chapters 15 and 16. My personal thought here is that they are all the same angels that sounded the seven trumpets. They are likely the same angels to the 7 Churches… although you later find out that the one that explains these visions is one of the seven angels and is Jesus. As the angel finally identifies himself in Revelation 22:7-13…
A possible solution in this case may be found in Obadiah 1:21 "And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's." I presume this means from the beginning of the harvest forward, even though not all saints were on mount Zion at the time. The few represent the whole. (Just as the two wave loaves on the day of Pentecost, the few at Pentecost represent the whole that would come later.)
At what point is the “Full Number”
What we are finding so far is that somehow the 144,000 seem to be complete at or around the time of the beginning of the second advent of our Lord. There are other scriptures that also appear to support this such as Acts 15:14-16, “Simeon has declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name… 16After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.” The thought seems to be expressed that after the Lord has chosen (past tense) his Church from among the gentiles, that is, the 144,000, that he would then return and begin to work with the Jewish people, to return them to their land. Since we see the Jewish people returning, we can be assured that the Lord has returned and is also raising his Church, that is, the tabernacle of David. This also seems to be the reason why in Revelation 14:14-15 you see Jesus sitting on a cloud indicating his return and then the next two angels come out of the temple which indicates that the temple has been built by this point in time. Matthew 24:30, “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven…” Note the “sign” is Israel’s return. This ties together the thought expressed in Hosea 6:11, “Also, O Judah, he has set a harvest for you, when I return the captivity of my people.” This positively occurred historically in 1878 when Disraeli, the Prime minister of England made it possible for the Jewish people to buy land in Palestine/Israel for the first time since the Jewish diaspora began.
This also seems to be the thought expressed at the sounding of the 7th trumpet: Revelation 11:15 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” This again is stating that “his Christ” is somehow complete upon the sounding of the 7th trumpet. And those that are beyond the veil begin their work of preparing for the world to accept the Church’s rule by beginning to tear down the old-world order. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they rest from their labor, yet their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:13.
Next we turn to Revelation 6:11 (NIV), “Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer time [Greek chronon used by the ASV version] until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.” The full number as is implied in chapters 7:4, 11:1 & 14:3 seems to give the thought of the time of the Lord’s return when he would begin to resurrect them. Most of the brethren place the timing of this event with the end of the 5th seal and the beginning of the 6th seal. that is, in 1517, when Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door at the church in Wittenberg just 360 years before the raising of the majority of the sleeping saints in 1878. Prophetically speaking we consistently think of a “time” as 360 years. But then a little time may indicate that it could be less than 360 years. This may be supported by the timing of Daniel 7:9-26 which seems to suggest that it begins in 1799.
Let no man Take your Crown
As I attempt to put all this together it would appear that somehow the number of the elect would at least have been “chosen” by the time of the Lord’s return. Could it be that is the reason he states to the 6th stage of the church Revelation 3:11, “Behold, I come quickly: hold fast to that which you have, that no man take your crown.” It is as if, by the end of the 6th stage of the Church, all the crowns are apportioned, that is, a crown appears to be apportioned at the beginning of one’s walking with the Lord when they have been “chosen.” to run the race. In the final end they need to be “called, chosen and faithful” Revelation 17:14. Along this line is the scripture in Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God -[let no one take your crown]- whereby you were sealed unto the day of redemption.” Is this not the very thing that is being talked about in Revelation 7 that is, counting those that were sealed? This suggests that the sealing occurs at the point that we are found acceptable to begin to run the race. 2 Corinthians 1:21 “Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, 22placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.”
The Temple in Heaven was Opened
It seems to me that this may shed light on what Revelation 15:2-8 is talking about… “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb… 5After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was opened,… 8and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended”. I ask then the questions: When is it that the Lord reckons that we have “conquered” or that we are “standing” or that we have “harps” or that we are able to “sing the song” or finally when is, “the temple filled with smoke from the glory of God”? I would submit that it is when we are chosen, that is, “sealed unto the day of redemption,” at the beginning of our walk, when we are chosen! This is why we have the reference, the “temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God.” He is referring to us in our understanding of the time of Solomon when he was “dedicating” the temple (1 Kings 8:10) before it was finally finished. It refers to the time when we have “dedicated” ourselves to walk in his footsteps and he has accepted our dedication.
The idea of “the temple in heaven is opened” concept is stated three times in Revelation as follows:
1. Revelation 11:19 “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightning, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” This occurs at the sounding of the 7th Trumpet.
2. Revelation 15:5 “And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.” This occurs prior to the beginning of the 7 last plagues which again occurs during the sounding of the 7th trumpet.
3. Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” This occurs before the treading of the winepress which also appears to be referred to in the last plague of Revelation 16 and the last message of Revelation 14.
There are two more places that describe “heaven opened” that I believe are significant though not in the book of Revelation.
1. Genesis 7:11 “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. This occurs just before the destruction of the world that was, that is, before the flood which again follows the same concept we are talking about here.
2. Luke 3:21 “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened.” I believe this one is most significant because it is occurring at Jesus’ baptism. Baptism shows consecration, and I believe that is exactly the thought of the temple being dedicated, opened, and being filled with a cloud. In Jesus’ case, “the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove.” See Also: Revelation 15:8, Exodus 40:34-35, 1Kings 8:10-11, 2Chronicles 5:11-14, and especially Ezekiel 10:2-7.
All of this suggests that Jesus returns “with” the saints he has resurrected and “for” the saints that remain to finish their course. Again, suggesting the same thing as implied in 1Thessalonians 4:14-17. The evidence against my original understanding has become overwhelming to me.
About Jewish Wedding Arrangements in Antiquity
The protocols for a Jewish marriage found in the New Testament are very different from the modern conventions of engagement and marriage. An abbreviated description of the Jewish arrangement found during the period of the New Testament is described below. From Paul Lagno.
Engagement/Marriage: The groom’s father pays (endows) the bride's father and sends it by the hand of the groom, and the marriage covenant is formalized. At this point the bride and groom are considered married, even though they are still living separately (2Corinthians 11:2 & 2Corinthians 1:22).
Preparation: The son/groom returns home to prepare a place for the bride (John 14:2). The Bride prepares herself (Psalm 45:14) and is brought to the wedding (Revelation 19:7, 21:2).
Wedding Ceremony and Consummation: The ceremony begins with the feast and honoring the bride, the marriage takes place (Revelation 19:7). Then the marriage is consummated.
Marriage Feast: The marriage feast or reception (Matthew 25:1-13, Revelation 19:9). The feast would commonly last 5-7 days.
When the Lord accepts our “dedication”, in the terms of the Jewish wedding, this is the point at which the marriage or wedding takes place, and we are given tokens of our engagement. We become sealed with the holy spirit. It is then that the bridegroom would go and “prepare a place” for his bride by building a dwelling for the new couple onto his father’s house John 14:3, and plan for a seven-day wedding feast. This seven-day wedding feast is probably referring to the seven messages/plagues that occur at the end of the age, the period of the harvest. Meanwhile, the bride prepares for her relocation to her new home upon the return of her bridegroom and arranges her attire for the occasion Psalm 45:14. It is, of course, required of the bride that she remain faithful while he is away. When he “returns from the wedding feast” Luke 12:36, having built the new dwelling place (our bodies which we will dwell in), “he comes and knocks. For those who remain.” This is what we see taught in the sounding of the 7th messenger to the 7th stage of the church where he states Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” This knocking is affirming that he has returned and is asking her to let him in that those who remain on this side of the vail may also partake of the wedding feast and eventually consummate their marriage when they who remain, go beyond the veil of death. Understanding this, one begins to understand that the next verse Luke 12:37 “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds watching when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait upon them.” What he is doing here is trying to get us to realize that the wedding feast is being extended to those who have not yet made their calling and election sure but are becoming part of the harvested class of Christians. This is also the thought being expressed in Revelation 19:9 “Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
This shows a change in the call that went out during the gospel age. Matthew 22:10 “So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” During the harvest, since the full number has come in, the invitation is narrowed such that at this time it can indeed be said Revelation 19:9 “Then the angel told me to write, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." Those who are evil are no longer being considered to run the race. Today one needs to be ready for that knock. This is illustrated in Song 5:3 where a foolish virgin takes off her robe. And becomes the antitypical person that is cast out of the Marriage supper into outer darkness. Still a friend but not fit to be part of the bride class.
This wedding arrangement is spoken about in Psalm 45:14, “She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.” Note also in the Song of Solomon there is a wedding arrangement that talks about two women that wait for their Lord’s return. One is well developed, and the other is undeveloped. Stated in Songs 8:8-10 “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?... 10I am a wall, and my breasts like towers then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.” Note: The developed woman does not wait for the Lord’s knock but is out actively seeking him at the time of his arrival. As stated in Songs 3:1-2 “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not. 2I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves.” On the other hand, the undeveloped sister: Songs 5:2-6 “I slept, but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking. [he says]" Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night." 3[she replies] “I have taken off my garment; must I put it on again? I have bathed my feet; how could I soil them?... 6I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and was gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he gave no answer…” These are the same ideas and lessons that are taught in the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.
Matthew 25:1-12, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.[1799] 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, [1829] all of them became drowsy and slept. [believing the time was still a ways off] 6But at midnight there was a shout, [1844] [the Miller movement believing the Lord would return in 1844] 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out’. [due to the disappointment of his not returning as expected in 1844] 9But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ [You cannot give the truth to others, they must buy into it] 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came [1874] [actually 30 years later as was also the case at the 1st advent], and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. [Note the position of the door to the 7th stage of the Church and the offer of the meal together] 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'” He does not know them as his bride because they were not ready when the Lord expected them to be. But they will be the “virgins her companions” Psalm 45:14 also spoken of as the Great Company in Revelation 7:9.
It is interesting that there appears to be a slight delay in the “Midnight Cry” announcement. This reminds us of Luke 12:38, “And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” In Jesus times there were four-night watches, so midnight would be at the end of the 2nd watch. Add that to four parts of the day, and the midnight cry is at the end of the sixth period – but as stated there is a question as to whether he comes in the 2nd or 3rd watches. Hence it would seem to us that the solution is that the “Midnight Cry” is made towards the end of the 2nd watch, the Virgins rise, discuss the situation, those who took no oil, go to buy, and while they did, the Lord actually came at the beginning of the 3rd watch that is, 1874 just 30 years after the “Midnight Cry” of 1844...
I believe this “Midnight Cry” may also correspond to Revelation 10:3-4 “And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, ‘Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” Why seal them up? Because the cry was in the 2nd watch as it is stated later in Revelation 10:7, “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be finished [Church complete], just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” This seems to refer to the building of the temple being finished which is why we see Revelation 15:8, “and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God.” It is the dedication of the temple at the end of the 6th stage of the church.
What remains is for the rest of the chosen to complete their course and be faithful until death. This takes place while the work of the seven last plagues accomplishes their task. Hence, Revelation 15:8, “no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.” Although it does seem that it is after the Church is complete (having been chosen in number) that the Lord begins to fight back against the Beast, False Prophet and Dragon, as in Revelation 17:14, “they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him [beyond the veil of death] are called, chosen and faithful." See also: Revelation 19:11. Only after the 7th plague has accomplished its work, that is, the total destruction of this world order, will it come to pass Revelation 21:1-5, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the tabernacle of God is among men. He will dwell with them; they will be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the former things have passed away.’ 5And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also, he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ This shows the Temple finally being open for business after the 7th plague has performed its work.
All of this, I believe, helps us in our understanding of Daniel 7:26-27, “But the judgment shall sit [1799-1878], and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High [1878-2043?], whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
There is one more picture that the Lord draws for us regarding the timing of the marriage, and I believe it is illustrated in the creation of Adam and Eve. During the Gospel Age, and in Revelation, the Lord is dealing with the “New Creation.” With Adam and Eve, the Lord was dealing with the old creation, the creation of the World. Jesus is spoken of as the 2nd Adam (1Corinthians 15:45). Just as Adam had a wife, so also Jesus has a wife. Just as Eve was deceived and Adam was not, so is Jesus Bride the Church deceived while Jesus was not, and he also without sin. Just as Adam’s wife was made from a rib, so also Jesus’ wife is made of blood and water that came from the piercing of Jesus’ side in the vicinity of his rib. Just as Adam and Eve were created and finished – that is, married on the 6th day, so also the Church is finished, that is, married at the end of the 6th stage of the Church. Just as Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden on the 7th Day, so also the Church is Spewed out at the 7th stage of the Church (Revelation 3:16). Just as the separation of the wheat and tares takes place during the 7th stage of the Church, so also the “Sheep and the Goats” (Matthew 25:32) are separated during the 7th day of creation…
My conclusion after all is said and done, is that the Marriage began with the resurrection of the sleeping saints and will continue until the saints are all beyond the veil. This point is best expressed in 1Thessalonians 4:14-17, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain [until we die] unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain [until we die] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.”
The Lord bless you in your consideration of these things. I look forward to your comments.
In Christ Jesus
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