Let’s begin by reading Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  In the Lord’s instructions to the husbands, we see he likens the relationship of a husband and wife to that of Himself and His church.  There is an obvious allusion made here to the church being considered as a bride…being pure in dress and conduct.  The Apostle Paul, speaking to the church, says in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”  Again, the words here indicate the church (the body of Christ) as being the bride of Christ. 

We read in Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”  We have here language that depicts a bride and a bridegroom.  As an Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist said in John 3:29, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”  Here, he speaks of a bride, a bridegroom, and a friend of the bridegroom.  We understand that the bride is the church, the bridegroom is Christ, and the friend of the bridegroom are the Old Testament saints, who although greatly loved and favored, are content to be the friend of the bridegroom, or as we might say today…the best man. 

While the saved believers since the day of Pentecost make up the church of God, the body of Christ, and are the bride of Christ, we might think of ourselves as being betrothed or engaged to the Lord.  The marriage has not yet occurred and will not occur until a time during the seven-year Tribulation period.  This marriage event takes place in Heaven.  We read in Revelation 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB IS COME, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”  This language is so similar to what we just read in Isaiah 61:10, showing this is the event when the marriage takes place in Heaven.  The Lamb, of course, is the Lord Jesus.  There are so many references in the Bible to Him as a lamb, we need not spend time looking at that. (Read John 1:29-36).  The bride, as we have seen, is the church, which is composed of every believer on the Lord Jesus Christ from the birth of the church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until the Rapture of the church that we read of in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, etc.  ONLY those saved in this time period are part of the bride of Christ and take part in the marriage of the Lamb.

Now, let’s read Revelation 21:1-2, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  This new heaven, this holy city, this New Jerusalem bears the characteristics of those who abide there…a bride adorned for her husband.  So, who are those who will reside in the New Jerusalem? The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22). Angels are at the gates (verse 12). This chapter gives much descriptive information of the New Jerusalem.  We read in Hebrews 12:22-23, “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”  The “church of the firstborn” refers to the church, the bride of Christ. The “spirits of just men made perfect” refer to Old Testament saints. So, we see those abiding in the New Jerusalem.  It is logical to realize that the Heavenly saints will abide in the New Heaven (New Jerusalem), while the earthly saints will abide on the New Earth.

In the Lord’s “Sermon on the Mount, He gives what is known as the Beatitudes.  In Matthew 5:5 He states, “Blessed are the meek: for THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH.”  Who are these who will inherit the earth and live on the New Earth?  We look to Isaiah 65:9 for more understanding, “And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah AN INHERITOR OF MY MOUNTAINS: and MINE ELECT SHALL INHERIT IT, and my servants shall dwell there.” Now, let’s read Isaiah 66:22, “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.” (Read also Isaiah 65:17-19).  From this, we see that those who are saved and living when the Lord returns to set up His Kingdom on the earth will inherit this New Earth.  (CC)  (653.2)