Bible Study Seattle

Does the church marry Jesus at the beginning or end of the Millennium? On the one hand we have,

“and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4

This suggests the church is married at the beginning of the millennium. However,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2

This suggests marriage at the end of the thousand years. Which is it? Perhaps the marriage has two stages? The book of Ruth has a Gentile bride marrying a Hebrew groom. Yet God says to Israel,

“Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:8. And,

“For your Maker is your husband—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.” Isaiah 54;5

God is saying he was the husband of Israel. Perhaps the church is the first firstborn who goes in to him at the beginning of His reign and bares Him children. And perhaps The Faithful of Israel as represented in Hebrews 11, are a second bride who will go up to heaven at the end of His reign? We don’t know. Revelation lists two groups of 144,000 faithful: chapter 7 lists 12,000 from each Israelite tribe, and chapter 14 lists 144,000 faithful Gentiles from all nations of the earth.