Golf - Birdies and Brides of Christ
Then one of the seven angels …said Come with me!
I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. Revelation 21:9
Birdie
Rearrange letters
Briide
The two i’s (Roman numeral for ONE) or identities come together
The two i’s become one, and we have
Bride!
Now it is very important to highlight that a game of golf should not be a basis for Biblical doctrine, or even a revelation. Nevertheless, that are at times unusual events that happen in our lives, some of which may be God’s way of illustrating His ways, His purposes on Earth. On the 3rd of January 2008 I had a game of golf that was truly remarkable, and I kept the card as a memory - it has taken me years to realise what I believe is the true significance of this event in my life. There has been some recent discussion of who is the bride of Christ, and I hope that my thoughts may help.
Quick facts about golf
For those not familiar with golf, most golf courses have 18 holes split into two sets of 9 holes, reminiscent of the 9 gifts and 9 fruit of the Holy Spirit (and golf teaches you patience, gentleness and self-control!). The first 9 is going out, returning to the clubhouse after the 9th hole; while the second 9 is coming in, returning to the clubhouse after the 18th hole. A birdie is one under par for each hole (eagle 2 under, albatross 3 under) - bogies are scores above par for each hole.
An Amazing (for me!) game of golf!
I am a social golfer and most of my scores are bogies, with occasional pars during 18 holes. So what happened on 3rd January 2008, and what could this mean for those of us watching for the Rapture? I played 12 holes of golf that day and I scored four birdies: three on the way out (birdie scores of 2, 3 and 4), and one birdie 3 on the way in. Normally I might be lucky to get one birdie every two to three years, so these four birdies in just 12 holes has a mathematical probability of exceptionally close to zero!
Are there three brides of Christ? Rebekah (Rebecca in NT), Leah and Rachel?
Rebecca - Genesis 24 is a beautiful love story - Abraham’s servant (a type of the Holy Spirit) going to Abraham’s own country to find a bride/wife for his son Isaac, Rebecca following the servant and falling in love with the man she sees walking across the field (Jesus - the field is the world). This is the work of the Holy Spirit today - finding and preparing a purified bride for Jesus Christ - this points to the Rapture of the Remnant Church, those who are watching and ready for His Return. I previously put together some thoughts on the swapped brides - reversal of the order of the two brides (Leah representative of the broader body of Christ, and Rachel a type of the first fruits of Israel) - see link below
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2012/denish39.htm
The church is spoken of as both the body and bride of Christ, raising questions of how this fits. These are my thoughts. Rebecca is a type of the first bride (the first fruits of the Church - the dead in Christ and the remnant of living and watching believers), and one that may be taken/raptured at anytime! Once raptured, Rebecca becomes one with the Lord, the bridegroom. Then the second bride - the broader body of Christ is purified and prepared through the Holy Spirit, and after a short space of time this second (Leah bride) is raptured and becomes one with Christ Jesus the Lord and his first bride Rebecca (Rebecca - those who have been previously joined together as the wife - one flesh, one body). The third bride (the one most loved by Jacob/Israel) is then prepared and raptured, with the two witnesses and the 144 000 witnesses from the 12 tribes of Israel - midway through the final seven years of Jacob’s trouble).
As members of the church, the body and bride of Christ, we should always remember that in His love He will take us home, deferring for a time His purposes and love for His own people (Israel) until the glorious church in all its splendour is displayed to principalities and powers, and is brought into its heavenly home.
Does the Bible support this view? Are there more than one Bride(s) of Christ?
There is considerable discussion and controversy about the question of who is the Bride of Christ - in particular, the Church or Israel? This question is best answered in Revelation 21 - the key verses from this chapter are below:
2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a mighty voice…See! The abode of God is with men.
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came and spoke to me. He said, Come with me! I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God,.
The two most important verses are 12 and 14. In verse 12 we read that there were 12 gates in the New Jerusalem, the bride, the Lamb’s wife - the names of the 12 sons of Israel were written on these gates, the entry points to the New Jerusalem! So we see that the nation of Israel, reaching back in time and looking ahead to this glorious moment, is an integral part of the bride of Christ! At some point in destiny, in His Eternal purposes the heavenly bride is joined with/married to the remnant of Israel that is purified and finally recognises its Saviour, Jesus Christ the Lord. In Romans 11:26 we read: And so all Israel will be saved. As it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob.
12 It had a massive and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and [on the gates] the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written.
But verse 14 throws a different light on the Bride of Christ. The foundation stones, underpinning the walls, had written on them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb! This speaks to us of the foundation of the Church, and especially its Jewish foundation. While Jesus Christ came to minister to all Israel, His chosen disciples were (evidently) all (or almost so) from Judea (Jewish). This remains the primary focus until after the Church is raptured and, through the 144 000 witnesses the ministry of Christ and restoration is broadened to cover all the tribes of Israel. This 14th verse of Revelation 21 clearly shows that the Church is also part of the body of Christ.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation [stones], and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 21 - Who is the Bride of Christ?
So, what is the best answer from Revelation 21 to the question of who is the body of Christ? We would perhaps today call it a hybrid of Israel and the Church: the Rebecca and Leah (raptured) brides as two parts of the Holy Spirit’s work in preparing (sequentially) two purified brides for the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Then joining as one the first fruits of Israel (144000 witnesses from the tribes of Israel) with the resurrected Church. Then at the end of the seven years of Jacob’s trouble there will be a most poignant moment, when the Rebecca/Leah/Rachel bride will be joined as one with the remnant of Israel which has been purged and purified through suffering, but at last recognising Jesus as the Suffering Servant and the Messiah.
A wonderful Truth - we are individually part of the bride of Christ!
The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (true Christians) say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty and drink the water of Life without cost - Revelation 22:17
This has been a long letter, but I would like to finish by emphasising a very important truth - that we are all invited to become part of the bride of Christ through faith in Him. In His love He both draws us to Himself, and then protects and prepares as for an Eternity with Him. He is coming very soon for us! Maranatha! Denis
A golfing postscript: the Callaway (Call Away) Club
I could not resist a final golf analogy. I recently bought two pre-loved Callaway golf clubs, and I also have Callaway golf balls. As I pondered on this name, I thought that it fits so well - we are waiting for our call away home! Perhaps even better is my Callaway golf umbrella - this speaks of His protecting us in and from all that is happening in the world as we await His Return!