AS THE VOICE OF MIGHTY THUNDERINGS

Heaven is ablaze with joy. The marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife has made herself ready.

The marriage is set against the background of the certain judgement of the whore, with all her corrupting influences, and the avenging of the blood of His saints. The number of saints slaughtered by the whore cannot be counted on earth but there are millions upon millions, all of whom are known to God. In His sight, their death was precious.

Again, heaven rejoices against the background of the assured reign of the Lord God omnipotent. All things are beneath His control and His purpose in relation to the earth is being evidently established. The very worst that man will do shall only lead to the establishment in the earth of the righteous kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder that it is so great that it sounds like ‘the voice of mighty thunderings’.

Most of all, however, heaven honours the Lamb. It is the time of His marriage and there is great rejoicing. His wife is the church, saints of this present era, marked at its beginning by Pentecost and at its end by the rapture. Other saints are in heaven at this time and they are called to the marriage supper but they do not bear the same relationship to the Lamb as does the church.

When Christ went to the cross He gave Himself for the church, the object of His eternal love. That which He had in view was this marriage day when He would present her to Himself, a glorious church. The fact of the church was a secret hidden in the heart of divine Persons. Neither angels nor men knew that He gave Himself to secure His church. Men have engaged in costly and mighty exploits to gain their wives but none has ever paid such a price as this: Christ ‘loved the church, and gave himself for it’, Eph. 5. 25. Furthermore, He has sanctified and cleansed her with the washing of water by the word and He has nourished and cherished her. Now, in a scene like no other that heaven has ever known she stands at His side. The object of His love, the subject of His care, she is now the sharer of His glory.