The Bride of Christ is Removed Before God’s Wrath Comes Upon the Entire Earth

As we stand on the precipice of eternity (end of the Church age awaiting the imminent “Harpazo,” or “rapture”), a profound “promise” awaits those who absolutely surrendered their hearts to Jesus Christ as Redeemer, Lord, Master, Savior, King, and Bridegroom.

Isaiah 62:5 "For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you."

This promise is the RAPTURE of the Bride of Christ—an event unparalleled in its significance and staggering in its implications–and it’s ALL BY GRACE!

Revelation 19:7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the GLORY TO HIM, for the MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB HAS COME and HIS BRIDE HAS MADE HERSELF READY.”

THE Rapture is an event that offers not just an escape, but a divine invitation to transcend the boundaries of mortal existence and enter into an eternal communion with Jesus, our Bridegroom, Savior, and King.

Matthew 10:25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, WHO TOOK THEIR LAMPS (filled by GRACE) and went out to meet the bridegroom."

Imagine, if you will, a tradition as old as time itself, one that resonates deeply with the very heart of DIVINE ROMANCE—the ancient Jewish wedding.

Matthew 25:1, 5-6, 10-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom... Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! COME OUT TO MEET HIM (THE Rapture).’ … And while they were going away to make the purchase, the BRIDEGROOM CAME, AND THOSE WHO WERE READY WENT IN WITH HIM TO THE WEDDING FEAST; AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT. Later the other virgins (NO GRACE) also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I DO NOT KNOW YOU.’ Be on the alert then, for YOU DO NOT KNOW THE DAY NOR THE HOUR."

The sacred Jewish wedding ceremony is divided into two critical phases: the ERUSIN (betrothal) and the NISSUIN (marriage), each echoing the actual coming union between Christ and His Bride, the Church. Like a Jewish groom who pays THE PRICE FOR HIS BRIDE, Jesus paid the ultimate price on the cross, betrothing Himself to us with the currency of His own blood.

John 14:2-3 "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. If I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO."

Our Blessed Hope - RAPTURED IN CHRIST

In John 14:2-3, Jesus promised His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them. This echoes the Jewish groom's duty to PREPARE A HOME FOR HIS BRIDE, ensuring everything is perfect for her arrival. Jesus, OUR ETERNAL BRIDEGROOM, extends His promise of GRACE to all who believe IN HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR, preparing for us an eternal dwelling IN CHRIST.

1 Thessalonians 4:Sixteen-Seventeen "FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN WILL BE “CAUGHT UP” TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR, AND SO WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD.."

Our journey continues beyond merely preparation for the arrival of the Bridegroom. The climax of our hope as believers is THE Rapture, akin to the Nissuin, where the groom joyfully takes his bride to their new home. Described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, this event will see CHRIST HIMSELF descending from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.

Joel 2:16 "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber."

The dead in Christ will rise first, and those who are alive and remain WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. What a glorious day that will be!

Ephesians 2:8 "For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD;"

As we anticipate THIS BLESSED HOPE (Harpazo, or “rapture”), let us also BE MINDFUL OF THE TIMES. Following THE Rapture, the world will enter a period known as THE GREAT TRIBULATION, a time of unprecedented hardship and divine judgment. As Revelation 3:10 promises, those who have kept the word of Christ's perseverance WILL BE KEPT FROM THIS HOUR OF TRIAL that is about to come upon the whole world.

Revelation 3:10 "Because you have KEPT THE WORD OF MY PERSEVERANCE, I ALSO WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TESTING, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, TO TEST THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH."

Thus, THE Rapture is not merely an escape from GOD’S JUDGMENT AND WRATH; it is a fulfillment of HIS DIVINE PROMISE, a testament to the unfathomable love of God who has BY GRACE CALLED US TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY IN CHRIST.

John 3:29 "HE WHO HAS THE BRIDE IS THE BRIDEGROOM, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly BECAUSE OF THE BRIDEGROOM’S VOICE. So this joy of mine has been made full."

There is an invitation TO EVERY BELIEVER to be forever with the Lord, an eternal union that begins THE MOMENT WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE AIR TO MEET JESUS. What could be more incredible than this blessed hope?

1 Peter 5:10 "After you have suffered for a little while, THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, who called you to His eternal glory IN CHRIST, WILL HIMSELF PERFECT, CONFIRM, STRENGTHEN, and ESTABLISH YOU."

Let us, therefore, by His Grace live in a manner worthy of this calling, with purity, watchfulness, and readiness for His return, fully embracing the profound relationship between Christ and His Bride, celebrated through the sacred symbols of ancient matrimonial customs.

Revelation 21:9 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

THE Rapture is indeed the most incredible blessing ever known to mankind—ALL BY GRACE—for it ushers us into the union with King Jesus, our Bridegroom forever.

Revelation 21:2 "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, MADE READY AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND."

The Bride of Christ

Revelation 22:17 "THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, “COME.” And let the one who hears say, “COME.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."

As stated previously, the typical Jewish marriage process during Jesus' time involved two primary stages: Erusin (Betrothal) and Nissuin (Marriage). Here's a detailed look at each stage:

Erusin: The Betrothal

The Erusin phase is similar to what modern society might consider an engagement but with much more legal significance. This period begins with the groom and bride participating in a formal agreement called a "ketubah," where the groom promises to support his bride and details the conditions of the covenant. The groom often pays the bride's family a price, symbolizing his serious commitment. Once this agreement is secured, the couple is legally bound to each other, though they do not yet live together.

2 Timothy 1:10 "but now has been revealed BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"

During the betrothal ceremony, the couple also participates in a ritual immersion, a purification process. The culmination of this stage involves the groom preparing a place for his future bride, often his family home. This preparation phase can last up to a year, during which the groom ensures adequate provisions are in place for their life together.

Nissuin: The Marriage

The Nissuin stage completes the marriage process. It typically occurs about a year after the betrothal and starts with a ceremony that might last seven days, featuring feasting and joyous celebrations. The key event in the Nissuin phase is when the groom, accompanied by his friends, joyfully leads a procession to bring his bride to their new home. This act symbolizes the groom officially taking the bride into his life.

2 Timothy 4:1 "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, AND BY HIS APPEARING AND HIS KINGDOM:"

Upon arrival at the groom's home, the wedding is finalized with the "chuppah" ceremony, where blessings are recited under a canopy representing the couple's new home together. Following this ceremony, the marriage is consummated, and the festivities, which can include meals, music, and dances, continue with friends and family.

Acts 1:3 "To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the KINGDOM OF GOD."

This marriage process is rich in symbolic actions with deep spiritual and religious significance. It reflects themes of covenant, purification, and preparation that are integral to Jewish customs and Jesus' teachings. The process also illustrates a strong sense of community and commitment, involving the couple and their entire families and community circles.

2 Timothy 1:9 "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and GRACE which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,"

The Parallel between the Ancient Jewish Marriage Customs and THE Rapture

The parallel between the ancient Jewish wedding customs and Jesus’ promise to return for His Bride, the Church, is a powerful illustration throughout the New Testament to describe the relationship between CHRIST AND HIS FOLLOWERS, His Bride. This analogy is deeply embedded in the fabric of biblical prophecy and THE BLESSED HOPE of the Gospel.

John 14:2-3 "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; FOR I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF, THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO."

Erusin (Betrothal) and the Church's Current Status

Just as in the ancient Jewish betrothal process, where the groom and bride enter into a binding agreement, the Bride of Christ (the Church) is currently in a period of spiritual betrothal to Christ.

Matthew 25:1, 5-6 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom… Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him."

The process began with Jesus’ first coming, where He established a new covenant through His death and resurrection, effectively paying the "bride price" with His own life to redeem the Gentile Bride. Believers are thus legally and covenantally BOUND TO CHRIST, though the physical union has not yet occurred.

Ephesians 2:1-10 "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by GRACE you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His GRACE in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

Jesus' promise to His disciples in John 14:2-3 mirrors the groom’s assurance during the betrothal: "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Jesus indicates that He is going away to prepare a place for HIS BRIDE, akin to the groom preparing his home for the bride's arrival.

Matthew 9:15 "And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

Nissuin (Marriage) and THE Rapture

The next phase of the Jewish marriage, the Nissuin, parallels THE BLESSED HOPE of THE Rapture, described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. This event is the spiritual fulfillment of the groom coming to take his bride home, marking the physical reunion of Christ with His Church.

Isaiah 62:5 "For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you."

THE Rapture serves as the consummation of the betrothal promises, where believers, both deceased and alive, will be transformed and taken up ("caught up" or "harpazo") to be together with Christ, thus avoiding the impending judgment (God’s wrath) that is to come upon the earth during THE Great Tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

This concludes the first article in a three-part series titled “His Rapture: Christ’s Divine Promise of GRACE to His Bride. To continue, please click on Part 2 below.

THE Rapture: Christ's Divine Promise to His Bride - Part 1

THE Rapture: Christ's Divine Promise to His Bride - Part 2

THE Rapture: Christ's Divine Promise to His Bride - Part 3

If you haven't already done so, please enjoy "Understanding the Fifth Dimension: The Dimension of God's Grace."

For deeper learning, please see the articles published below:

THE Promise of Jesus Christ PART 1

The Grace Space: The Fifth Dimension Part 1
The Grace Space: The Fifth Dimension Part 2
The Grace Space: The Fifth Dimension Part 3
The Grace Space: The Fifth Dimension Part 4
The Grace Space: The Fifth Dimension Part 5

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1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

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