THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY COME by J. Leland Earls
We read in Zephaniah 1:7 these prophetic words: “Hold your peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, and has bid his guests.” In the scriptures we read that a day is with the Lord as a thousand years (Ps. 90:4, II Pet. 3:8). Therefore that which is spoken of as the “Day of the Lord” in so many prophetic scriptures, must be understood in terms of God’s reckoning of time from His perspective. This means that His “day” is the great 1000-year millennial Sabbath following man’s six days (6,000 years) of labor in the sweat of his brow and in fruitless toil to bring forth a lasting peace and a just and equitable order on the earth. Therefore the Lord has decreed that He will fully take over the affairs of the earth and no longer let man pollute and destroy. A reign in righteousness will begin when His Day is fully inaugurated.
The “Day of the Lord” does not burst on us all of a sudden. It begins or dawns gradually. This can be seen from either of two perspectives. It can be seen in the natural phenomenon of a new day as it is brought about by the turning of the earth and the gradual increase of the light of the sun in a particular spot or area. Long before the sun actually appears over the horizon, there is the dawning of light and its increasing brightness.
The gradual unfolding of the “Day of the Lord” can also be seen from the perspective of the beginning of a new 24 hour day as it was reckoned by the people of Israel in the days of our Lord. Their new day began at sunset and progressed through the four “watches” of the first twelve hours from 6:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. This latter perspective is that which we will present in this writing. Already we are in the initial “watch” of the Day of the Lord, as we shall see later in this prophetic picture. But first, we shall consider some other important factors which are basic to our understanding of this picture.
Now going back to the scripture that introduced this writing. Notice the reference to the presence of the Lord and the sacrifice which he has prepared, to which He has “bid” His guests. Check the marginal reading for the word “bid,” and you will find that the original Hebrew word means to be “sanctified” or “prepared”. It can also be translated to be “set apart.” Now there is a two-fold setting apart; for there is a two-fold sacrifice or feast that is being prepared: the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), and the supper of the great God (Rev. 19:17). The one is to be the result of his grace extended, and the other the result of His wrath poured out. The one is for the redeemed and glorified, and the other is for the refuse of the earth. One is to prepare for the inauguration of a righteous rule and government on the earth; the other is to sweep away man’s refuge of lies. The guests for each are now being set apart.
Turn now to Rev. 22:17 and read this invitation. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Notice that it is the Spirit AND the bride issuing the invitation to come. Now compare this with Rev. 19:9 where we read: “Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” WHO does the calling? Is a bride called or invited to her own wedding? Ridiculous! She does the inviting; and this is what Rev. 22:17 says. Therefore by the time the invitation of Rev. 19:9 is fully issued, the bride will have been united with her Lord in theheavenlies in order that the Spirit and the bride may say come. Now when does this take place?
It has already been shown in a number of prophecies and writings through this ministry that the 144,000 firstfruits are to be united with the Lord with glorified bodies at the beginning of the tribulation as the seventh trumpet begins to sound (Rev. 10:7). This is because they have been prepared ahead of time and are first (firstfruits) to enter into the glories of the heavenly realm. This is in harmony with Rev. 19:7: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hasmade herself ready.” There is a difference between the marriage and the marriage supper. The supper is for the guests who are invited after the bride has been joined with her husband, although this feast is also a part of the marriage festivities. Now since the bride will have made herself ready first, she is to be joined to her husband at the beginning of the tribulation as the seventh trumpet sounds its initial blast. Then she will be able to help prepare those who are to be the guests at the marriage supper which takes place when the great host of saints are taken at the close of the tribulation. This she will be able to do because each of the 144,000 firstfruits Bride company will have the power to appear to the saints on the earth during the time of tribulation. These spirit-fortified saints will then be issuing the call to many during the tribulation to “take of the water of life freely.” Therefore it is during the 3-1/2 years of tribulation that the Bride is busily engaged in issuing the invitation to “come,” for she desires that her marriage supper be a bounteous occasion with many guests in attendance.
Since the Bride is made ready first, symbolized by her being the firstfruits to the Lamb (Rev. 14:4), she is also pictured in Revelation, Chapter 12, as being “born” out of the earthly church organism first, and being “caught up” to the throne (Rev. 12:1–2, 5). The “woman clothed with the sun” of Rev. 12:1-2 is not a picture of the heavenly bride of Christ, but a picture of the present churchorganism on earth travailing to bring forth mature sons. The first of these mature sons to be glorified and “caught- up” will be that “body” or company which is to make up the heavenly bride of our Lord. The fact that the “woman” brings forth a “manchild” portrays the truth that those who are brought forth and caught up to the throne of God have come into that spiritual maturity of which the “manchild” is a type. What? Do you think that the very choicest of roles in the heavenly realm, that of the Lord’s own “Bride” is to be made up of any but matured sons? These matured sons (including both males and females) who make up the Bride company shall watch over and prepare those on earth during the tribulation who are going to be received into the heavenlies and make up that vast host who are the guests at the marriage supper.
