Old Testament passages in Jeremiah speak of God's marriage to Israel. This is NOT merely an allegory, or story, it is actual, it is real. God is MAKING himself a HER in the entity known as ISRAEL. He tells us he is married to her. See Godisastraightmale.com.
The same is true of Jesus Christ and his bride, the Church. I cover
this later. Jeremiah: 2:1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou
wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. God continues in Jeremiah
3: 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will
not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord,
and I will not keep anger for ever. 13 Only acknowledge
thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord
thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. 14 Turn,
O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am
married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. God's attachment
and commitment to ISRAEL is enduring, PERMANENT. This is why God regards human marriage,
likewise, permanent (in this life). (Until death "do us part" as say the old marriage
vows.) Yes, of course, things don't always "work out." There
is forgiveness available with God, on the basis of the atoning blood of The Lord Jesus Christ. God visited
chastening on Israel, yes, but abandonment, NO. We must note, also, the Apostle Paul's
words, in Romans 9 regarding TRUE Israel: Romans 9: 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel,
which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the
seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh,
these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Jesus said in John 8: John 8:43-45 King
James Version (KJV) -- speaking to religious leaders 43 Why
do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye
are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and
abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it. He was speaking to members of physical Israel, NOT true,
spiritual, Israel, as Paul noted in the Romans passage above.
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Romans 11 tells us of the eventual complete salvation of authentic Israel. Notice it is an unbreakable covenant on God's part. 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest
ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be
come in. 26 And
so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness
from Jacob: 27 For
this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching
the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have
now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even
so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might
have mercy upon all. 33 O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out! 34 For who
hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are
all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
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The Lord Jesus Christ takes a bride, which is called the Church, and is comprised of all true
believers in him, collectively. Like God the Father, and his wife Israel, this is actually reality,
it is not an allegory. See a great article by Charles Monk - BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMES! Monk skillfully shows that Jesus Christ is the ULTIMATE JEWISH BRIDEGROOM! He is carefully following the protocols of the Jewish Bridegroom. He has selected
a bride, and paid her purchase price. This is a done deal. Now he is at his fathers house
in heaven preparing a place for us, following the Jewish bridegroom custom. When he is done, and
when the time is right, he will return for his Bride, to take her to the Father's house in heaven for the Marriage Supper,
and consummation. This is commonly called the Rapture, and is a terrific argument favoring the
pre-tribulation translation of the Church, the Bride, to be with Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John
14: 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. In 1Thessalonians 4 we have one of the famous rapture
passages:
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1Thessalonians 4: 14 For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Christianity IS marriage to Jesus Christ, and it is permanent. Hebrews 13: 4 Marriage
is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper,
and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. The other well known Rapture
passage is in 1 Corinthians 15: 50 Now
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. 53 For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed
up in victory. 55 O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your
labour is not in vain in the Lord. Old Testament passage in the book of Malachi: Malachi 2: 15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might
seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his
youth. 16 For
the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth
putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every
one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and
he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
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