MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB: PART 3

BRIDEGROOM OF THE MARRIAGE-THE SON!
John 3: 27-30
Lesson #8

(V27) "John answered and said, 'A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.' "
(V27) At this time Jesus and His disciples had come into the land of Judea where He witnessed to Jerusalem, the rest of this verse is John describing the Lord proclaiming the good news of salvation.

(V28) "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him' "
(V28) John calls his disciples' attention to the fact that time after time he had told them that he was not the Christ, but was merely the voice of one crying in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight.  (see Isaiah 40:3; Luke 3: 4)

(V29) "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."
(V29) The bridegroom was the Lord Jesus Christ.  The friend of the bridegroom was John the Baptist ("the best man").  The bride does not belong to the friend of the bridegroom (John the Baptist), but rather to the groom Himself (the Lord Jesus).  Because of that it was appropriate that the people follow Him rather than John.  Generally speaking here, the bride means all who would become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(V30) "He must increase, but I must decrease."
(V30) Israel was spoken of as the wife of Jehovah in the Old Testament.  Later on in the New Testament every one that is a member of Christ's church is described under the figure of a bride.  So here in this verse John the Baptist declares that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.

Dear Reader, Are YOU ready for the Wedding of all Weddings??