Arlene, excellent article on the Bride.  I particularly like this statement...


"The Church and the body of Christ are one and the same (Eph. 1:22-23), but no Scripture equates either one of these groups of Christians with the bride of Christ. Tradition is responsible for this doctrinal error, and tradition is a worthy opponent for anyone attempting to replace it with Scriptural truth."      Such a shame but oh so true.


Look at the type and shadow in Adam and Eve.  Out of Adam's body came Eve and in kind does Christ's bride come out of His body.  The Bride company is a small group indeed and it is these who are called the firstfruits from all the nations (ethnic groups) in Rev. 14.  These are the 100 fold found in the parable of the sower, the elect, the chosen.  They are the ones who have embraced the purifying, purging and refining necessary to be wed to the Perfect Lamb of God.  


Jehovah tasked Adam to take dominion over all the earth but Adam failed. Christ will have a bride totally and completely faithful to Him alone and through that Bride He will successfully and finally take dominion over this earth and creation.  



Do you want something to really bend your mind?  


Rev 14:3) And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.  NASU


This scripture and the theme of Christ's statements in the gospels have convinced me that the true focus of His coming was to call and purchase His Bride.  And I think that the number 144,000 is probably a literal number.  Once Christ is joined with His bride they will do the work of redeeming the balance of mankind.  What about those of the past you say?  The Revelation says at one point time stands still.  What happens then is beyond my present comprehension but possibly time travel for the Bride.  What if all that we are experiencing today never really happened?  Can Christ and His bride go back to the beginning and make all things new so that all the pain and suffering caused by the enemy never happens?   Just some thoughts!!


RJ2