Glorious Bride Part 3
To the Glorious Woman of God, clothed in righteousness like the sun, and shining like stars in the Universe, may you know Him more and more as you are led by the Holy Spirit into fullness and intimacy as His dearly beloved.
In laying a foundation for our series The Glorious Bride, last time I shared how the Bride is only half of the reality of the Glorious Woman. For in truth, she is not only the Bride, but she is also a Fruitful Vine. This dual nature of the Glorious Woman is important for us to understand. We have seen how the one who came from the side of Adam was given two names by him. The first name she was given “Ishshah” was because she had come out of Adam and this name described her relationship to Adam. In the same way the Bride is called by the name of the one from whom she comes. The Bride’s name is taken from the Bridegroom and her Bridal name connects her back into him. Yet this was only half of who she was. Genesis 3:20 describes that “Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living”. Furthermore, we know in Genesis 1:28 the Lord blessed them and said, “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it”. This sets a precedent not only in marriage but how through the marriage relationship, a fruitful vine is created.
Today I will tell you how the story of the Glorious Bride really begins to unfold. It is a story as ancient as time itself and we feature in this book whose pages are still turning as human history moves towards a climactic ending. Yes, the final chapter is still to take place upon the earth, but the script has already been written in Heaven. Let’s look at this story like a play, or a drama on a stage. Which has characters and a developing plot. The play is divided into three acts, and at the end of each act the curtain falls. So today I’ll begin Act 1 of our story. And I’ll call it “The Tale of Three Marriages and the Vine”. Remember that throughout our story will be the Great Wonder in Heaven, the Woman clothed with the sun Rev 12:1. Because this is her story; how she develops and forms upon the earth in the way that she is depicted in Heaven. Until at the end of the story in the last Act, her glory will no longer be hidden but on full display.
The first marriage between Adam and Eve really sets everything in place. Everything can be traced back to them. They are the only ones who knew what it was to be without sin, and to walk with God in the Garden. And as we have already seen, Eve was complete not only because she was Adam’s wife but because she was the mother of all living. Through this first marriage, we see the image of the vine appearing. For they were blessed to be fruitful and to fill the earth. The last thing I want to add relating to the first marriage seen in Adam and Eve, are that we are given two prophecies of what will take place later in the story. The first records how a man will leave His Father’s house to be united to His wife, and the second how the Seed of the Woman will bruise the serpent’s head.
Now, the second marriage develops the story and takes us one step closer to the formation of the Glorious Woman upon the Earth. Through Adam and Eve, the world population was growing, and mankind was expanding across the earth. We know of course about Noah and the flood, but afterwards, after the Tower of Babel the people increased again and were scattered, then nations developed. But Father was looking for a nation of His own, and this would be no ordinary nation or people, but an elect and chosen race through whom 1) His Redemption Plan and 2) His Creation Plan would be outworked. That’s deep, so I’ll phrase this again, Father has two plans: a plan for redemption, and a plan for creation. Redemption only became necessary from Genesis 3, so the redemption plan is temporary and is to restore that which was lost, so that the creation plan initiated in Genesis 1 and 2 can be fulfilled which is eternal. But to form a nation, Father looked for a unique and special couple who would foreshadow things still yet to unfold in Act 2 and Act 3 of our story. There were two people in particular which had the perfect DNA. I refer to the marriage of Abram (meaning “Exalted Father”) and Sarai (meaning “princess”). We could take a whole series to discuss them, but for now I will simply share some key elements of this DNA.
- God Enabled Fertility. Sarai was barren, and she was in the latter years of her life. For the promise of inheritance to Abram to be fulfilled through Sarai would require “God enabled fertility”. We will see this several times in scripture, but more especially, the child promised here is Isaac, who is the only begotten son of Abraham the “Exalted Father”, does that sound familiar? Almost 2000 years later the angel Gabriel visited Mary and said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
- Faith. Abram was pregnant before Sarai! When the Lord showed Abram the stars in the night sky to help Abram understand the promise, the Bible says Abram believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abram conceived in his spirit. He believed what the Lord was telling him. Above reason and possibility, faith took him to the realm of miracles and God ordained destiny.
- The Glory of the Man is the Woman. We see this principle so clearly demonstrated through Abram and Sarai. The promise was not only given to Abram, but it was also given to Sarai, let’s read Gen 15:16 I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Sarai didn’t conceive for many years, and in the meantime, Abram and Sarai tried to obtain the promises of God but neither through “God enabled fertility” or faith, instead through Hagar the servant. After Isaac was born, there were now two sons. The son of the slave woman and the son of the free. Gal 4:23. And the Lord said to Abraham, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Gen 21:12 It is through the Bride that the promise to the Bridegroom is fulfilled.
- Covenant established through circumcision. In Gen 17, we read how the Lord established his covenant with Abraham and Sarah. Promising again the nations and kings that will come through them. But this time for the covenant to be ratified, would require that every male be circumcised. That seems an odd way to establish a covenant doesn’t it. Well, what is circumcision? It is cutting off the male foreskin or put another way the consecration of the reproductive organ! Abram had already slept with Hagar in an attempt to fulfil the covenant given to him, but this was in error, for the covenant of God can never be fulfilled through the flesh alone. The flesh must be crucified, and the place of our own fertility set apart for God alone. So the Lord continued to remind Abraham that it would be through Sarah the blessing of the Covenant would be fulfilled. Similarly, it is through the Bride that the promise to Jesus will be fulfilled.
The roots of the Fruitful Vine are now established in our story. The Vine is still young and barely visible above the soil. It has not been corrupted or polluted, for it has been planted by God, in righteousness through faith, and most importantly through the Bride.
Maranatha
Mike @Call2Come
