MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB-PART 1

Lesson #6
(2 Corinthians 11:1-4)

(V1) "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me."
(V2) "For I am jealous over you with godly jealously: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
In order to better understand what Paul is saying we must go back and look at (V1).  Paul is telling the congregation at Corinth to bear with him in a little foolishness.  In V2 he gives three reasons why he is making this request of the troubled church.  Reason number one is that he was jealous of the Christians with godly jealously.  He had engaged them to one husband, that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ.  Paul felt that he was personally responsible for the well being of the Christians at Corinth.  He desired that in a coming day, that is, at the Raputre he would present them to the Lord Jesus unaffected by the false teaching that would dominate in those days.
(V3) "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
(V3)  The second reason for Paul's playing the fool was that he was afraid the saints might be deceived and their minds might be perverted  from their simple devotion to Christ.  He wanted them to be devoted to Jesus Christ alone.  Then too, he wanted them to be unspotted in their devotedness to the Lord.
(V4) "Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."
(V4) The third reason the Apostle was willing to indulge in a limited amount of foolishness was that the Corinthians were showing signs to have a listening ear for false teachings.  When preachers came to the church preaching another Jesus, and testifying that they were controlled by a different spirit than the Holy Spirit, and preaching another gospel, the Corinthians willingly tolerated it by showing an eagerness to be like moths helplessly drawn to the proverbial flame.  This description of the church at Corinth paints a perfect picture of the giant steepled icebergs that exist today.  The difference is that many of their so-called ministers preach Jesus while seeking only silver and gold from poor congregations who can't afford the gas to go for their food stamps.  Many of these preachers have a mansion for each one of their children and drive the most expensive automobiles that are made today. While wearing $5,000 suits and flying first class at the church's expense,  these rip-off artists continue to become richer while deceiving the old, the sick, and the poor through their deceptive television programs and by the mail.  Many of them pay big bucks to hire people to count the social security and welfare checks.  By magnifying themselves before the little people who don't have a pillow on which to lay their heads, they still boast about having five airplanes in the name of the One who rode a compact mule on the way to His most important appointment.

Revelation 19: 6-9
(V6) "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, saying Allelulia: for the Lord Omnipotent reigneth." 
(V6) Now another song breaks out in heaven with the sound and noise of many waters, loud as thunders to the ear.  A great "Alleluia" inflates in celebration of the reign of the Lord God Omnipotent!
(V 7)  "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."
(V8)  "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."
(VV 7,8) The Tribulation is now over and Babylon has been judged.  Now the marriage of the Lamb has come.  The church, the wife of Christ, hath prepared herself for this wonderful and glorious occasion.  She is adorned in fine linen, clean and bright, which some scholars believe this to be a symbolism for the righteous deeds of the saints. 
(V9)  "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.  And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
(V9)  An angel directs the Apostle John to write a blessing for all who are summoned to the marriage supper of the Lamb.  The church is the heavenly Bride; those who are invited guests are the remainder of the redeemed.  The angel strengthens the significance of the blessing by insisting that it epitomizes the true sayings of God."