Unfolding Drama of Redemption

Old Testament Reading – Jeremiah 17:5-10 – New Testament Reading – Ephesians 5:22-23

God’s Unfolding Drama of Redemption
“The Day After the Rapture”
Revelation 19:1-10

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

God revealed His divine plan for our redemption through the human relationship of marriage.

• He began His plan with the wedding of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and He will end His plan with the wedding of Christ and His Church in the Father’s House in heaven.
• God used the covenant of marriage to illustrate His “Old Covenant” relationship with the nation of Israel as His chosen people. God is using the covenant of marriage to illustrate His “New Covenant” with the Church, the Bride of Christ.
• While the wrath of God is poured out on all who rejected Christ, and the world is being ruled by the Antichrist, Christians will be standing before the Judgement Seat of Christ, and then be united with Christ forever in the Marriage of the Lamb.
• Finally, the Bride will return to this earth with Christ, celebrate our union with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb with other invited guests, and then rule and reign with Christ on this earth for 1,000 years, and in heaven forever, world without end.

1. The Judgment Seat of Christ –

• Romans 14:10-12 – “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God: Each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
• This event has nothing to do with our eternal salvation. That was settled by our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, for on that day, our sins were forgiven, and we were assured of heaven.
• When we stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ, our souls will be laid bare before the Lord, and all those sins that we did not confess and repent of, or achieve victory over, will be exposed and dealt with straight away.
• That may be a time of great shame for many Christians as the Lord evaluates how we used the time of our lives on earth, and not only what we did or did not do, but the motive of our hearts in doing it or not doing it. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
• James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love Him.”
• The New Testament describes five different crowns or heavenly rewards Christians may receive.
• The Victor’s crown – 1 Cor. 9:25-27 – given to those who discipline themselves to focus only on things with the highest eternal value.
• The Crown of Rejoicing – 1 Thess. 2:19 – given to those who bring others to Christ; this is the soul-winners crown.
• The Crown of Righteousness – 2 Timothy 4:8 – given to those who long for heaven, and to see the face of Jesus.
• The Crown of Life – Revelation 2:10 – given to those who maintain their love for Christ even while being persecuted.
• The Crown of Glory – 1 Peter 5:4 – given to those faithful shepherds, pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, and workers who answered the call to be spiritual leaders.
• Just as the 24-elders bowed before the Lord, and worshipped Him, casting their crowns before Him, so will we, for we will recognize it was not our work for Christ that accomplished anything of eternal value, but rather His work through us.

2. The Marriage of the Lamb –

• Revelation 19:7-8 – “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, His wife has made herself ready, and to her it has been granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
• Revelation 19:9 – “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”
• The Marriage of the Lamb and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb are two different events that will occur at two different times, at two different places, and involve two different groups of people.
• The Marriage of the Lamb will occur in heaven, after the Judgment Seat of Christ, but before the Lord’s return.
• The ceremony will follow the four stages of a Jewish wedding:
  • The betrothal – God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. John 15:16
  • The acceptance – when we received Jesus Christ as our Savior, we became “betrothed” to Him. Our ring was the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and our covenant of marriage was written in His Word. John 14:15-17
    • During this time, we are to keep ourselves pure through the daily washing of the Word. We are to display our total submission to Christ by being veiled to the world, and the world veiled to us, and we are to be dressed, ready, and waiting for His call to “come forth!”
  • The Building of the Wedding Chamber – Jesus has been building our wedding chamber for 2,000 years. John 14:2-3
  • The wedding –
    • Each time “take communion,” we are renewing our covenant with the Lord to be His bride.
    • On that day, the Lord Jesus will remove the veil that has covered our spiritual sight, and for the first time, we will see everything through the eyes of Christ.
    • Just as we reserved ourselves as unto the Lord during our days on earth, so we will fully release ourselves unto Him on that day.
    • Jesus will spread His white robe of righteousness across our shoulders, which means we will be under His love and His care for eternity.
    • From that point on, Christ belongs to us, and we belong to Him, forever!

3. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb – Revelation 19:9-16 –

• Verse 9 – “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”
• Verse 11 – “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
• Verse 14 – “And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”
• Verse 16 – “And on His robe and on His thigh is a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

With the Marriage of the Lamb ceremony over, the next event will be the Marriage Feast – the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

• However, before that glorious event, Christ will return to earth WITH HIS BRIDE to end the Battle of Armageddon and establish His Kingdom upon the earth.
• The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will start the clock on the 1,000-year reign of Christ and His Church on earth.
• Revelation 19:9 – refers to those from all the ages who will be resurrected at that time – from Adam to John the Baptist – as well as the tribulation saints who either died, and will be resurrected, or were able to survive the years of tribulation and to see the physical return of Christ.
• These are the “invited guests” who will attend the Marriage Feast.
• Matthew 8:11 – “Many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” Luke 13:28-29, 22:16-18, 22:29-30
• According to Exodus 6:6-7, four cups of wine were used in the Passover meal, each one symbolizing a different facet of their forefather’s deliverance from Egypt.
  • First cup – “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
  • Second cup – “I will rescue you from their bondage.”
  • Third cup – “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.”
  • Fourth cup – I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.”
• When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He used the third cup, saying, “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine (the fourth cup) until the kingdom of God comes.”
• That event will take place at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.