As we saw in our study of
Esther, the Bride must prepare herself,
must make herself ready. In this writing we will look at
certain features of what Scripture says about the Preparation
of the Bride, namely who prepares the Bride, and when and
where does this preparation take place. We have all heard
various teachings and opinions of her preparation, but we must
adhere to the clear teaching of Scripture alone.
As we go into this study, there may be many who have
un-answered questions. For example, we might ask, "Do we
become prepared in the "twinkling of an eye" when we go to be
with the King?" Some may insist, "Isn't it enough to be Born
Again?" A few may ask, "Is there some particular preparation
that Born-Again Believers must do, over some period of time
while living in this life on earth?" We then realise that the
Scriptures reveal the answers! Our Father has given us very
many witnesses of Scripture, from which we may draw our
conclusions. So let's look at the Scriptures.
Who Prepares the Bride?
First, let us see who does the preparing. Notice the following
passages:
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. (Revelation 19:7)
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. (Revelation 19:8)
In the above passages, in verse 7, we see the Betrothed wife -
the Bride -
has made herself ready. She is the one who
made the preparation.
In verse 8, we see her 'array' (her clothing and covering)
was
granted, or given to her, by the Holy Spirit.
So the preparation of the Bride involves the Bride's action,
as well as the action of the Holy Spirit. Both are necessary.
This two-fold process is confirmed in Esther:
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained
kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things
for purification, with such things as belonged
to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be
given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her
and her maids unto the best place of the house of the
women. (Esther 2:9)
Here we see that Hegai, the eunuch, as well as the seven
maidens given to her, all picture the Holy Spirit, given to
the Bride to provide help, and to provide everything that is
needed to the Bride for her purification — her preparation. In
Esther 2:9, notice the two-fold process that made up her
preparation: (1) "he speedily gave her;" and (2) "with such
things as belonged to her."
The preparation of the Bride of Messiah is a co-operation
between the Holy Spirit, and the Bride.
When and Where is the Bride Prepared?
Next we will address the question, "When does this preparation
take place —
after going in to the presence of the
King —
or before?" Is the Bride prepared
in heaven
— or
on earth? Again we will look at a few passages in
Esther:
Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to
king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months,
according to the manner of the women, (for so were the
days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six
months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet
odours, and with other things for the purifying of the
women;) Then thus came every maiden unto the
king... (Esther 2:12b-13a)
Notice also that Esther's preparation was over a twelve-month
period of time, which was six months of one preparation, and
six months of another. And it was all to be done
before going into the presence
of the King.
Let's look further. Let's look at the following Bride
preparation passages:
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto
ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to
meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five
were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took
no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered
and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the
bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their
lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of
your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there
be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them
that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;
and they that were ready went in with
him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins,
saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor
the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
(Matthew 25:1-13)
In the above parable five Virgins were called wise, and 5
called foolish. There are two groups — a wise group and a
foolish group. What were the two groups based on?
We see in verse 10, "They that were ready" went in with him to
the marriage. In verse 11 we see the "Other Virgins" who came
afterwards, but could not enter in.
These Ten Virgins were divided into two groups, based on
"Being Ready." The Wise Virgins were "Ready" before anyone
went in with the Bridegroom to the marriage. We are led also
to conclude that the "Foolish" Virgins were NOT YET READY when
the Bridegroom came.
This division confirms what we have seen thus far — that
being
ready, being prepared, must occur BEFORE the arrival of the
Bridegroom.
We may now conclude that
the preparation of the Bride is
NOT done in heaven, but only on earth, before going in with
the Bridegroom.