Topic: Chosen Bride. Category: Love of God>
Bible Scriptures: Genesis 24:12-14, Genesis 24:57-58, Matthew 1:1-2, Revelation 19:6-9.
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1000’s of years ago there was a miracle baby. A child born of a promise from God, who from an early age saw that God provided the sacrifice and that God wanted humanity to live.
The father of the miracle child was given seven promises from God, one being that through his own seed, the child of the promise would come. Through his descendants God Himself shall come to be the ultimate fulfilment of all the promises given.
So the father of the child of the promise, took great care in seeking God’s will and choice of a wife for his son. The father of the child of the promise is Abraham. The child of the promise is Isaac.
chosen to believe
Abraham believed God. He told his servant that, ‘the Eternal One, the God of heaven, the God who led me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth long ago, the God who spoke to me and swore to me, “I am going to give this land to your future generations”—that God will send His messenger to guide and help you find a wife for my son from the place of my forefathers.’
So Abraham sent his faithful servant out of the country from which God had given him to a place of his forefathers, in search for a bride for his son.
After a long day’s journey in the hot sun the servant and his camels arrived at a well, in the country of Abraham’s forefathers.
The servant knew how important his mission was to Abraham his master. He also knew how important God’s direction was in this matter, as Abraham trusted God. The servant sought God’s direction and will in this matter.
chosen to find
He said a prayer, Genesis 24:12-14 ‘Eternal One, God of my master Abraham, please make me successful today and show Your loyal love to my master Abraham. You see that I am standing here by the spring as the young women of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the girl to whom I say, “Please dip your jar in the water that I may drink,” and who will reply, “Drink, and I will draw water for your camels”—let her be the one You have chosen to be a wife for Your servant Isaac. When You do this, I will know of Your loyal love for my master.’ [VOICE]
Through Abraham’s journey with God the servant knew that God is watching and that God has gone before him.
The servant has an important part in God’s plan, entrusted to seek God, find His direction and follow it. God is so loving that He reaches down to the point of need. While the servant was praying immediately it happened.
The woman chosen by God came outside the city to the same well. It was at the exact same time when the servant was praying. The woman’s name is Rebekah.
The servant believed God chose Rebekah. God confirmed with the servant that Rebekah was the chosen one. Therefore he gave an invitation to Rebekah to be the bride of Isaac. He waited for her answer. It was a decision full of destiny and eternal consequences. She would have to leave her family and everything that means so much to her.
destiny determined by choice
Even tho God chose Rebekah, she had a free choice. To say yes to the invitation to be the bride of Isaac and have her whole life changed forever or say no.
Would she say yes and leave her home, her family and all that meant so much to her? Or would say no which will mean the invitation will have no part or effect in her life?
Destiny is determined by who we choose to identify ourselves with and become one with.
Let us read Rebekah’s response in Genesis 24:57-58 ‘So they (her family) said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?”And she said, “I will go.”
Rebekah said yes and began the life journey of her God chosen destiny. She had a special part in God’s eternal plan, the wife of Isaac and through their union and descendants God Himself will come.
Matthew 1:1-2 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers…
Verse 16-17 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
heaven on earth
Jesus the Son of God, the divine light, the very essence of God, the Lord of eternity and destiny, the prince of peace, the King of glory, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, gave up His heavenly riches and became a servant to humanity. He descended from heaven and became flesh and blood, walked the earth as a man and on the cross took upon His body all evil and all the offences of humanity. Jesus rose from the dead in a resurrected glorified body, ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of the Father, still interceding.
God the Father has and is preparing a bride for His Son. A bride clothed in beauty and justice, and filled with all the goodness of God. One who rests in the hope and belief of the faithfulness and goodness of the deliverer, the King.
everyone is chosen
God so loves He has chosen everyone to receive His undeserved blessing, deliverance from evil and gift of eternal life. His heart is that no one should perish. Yet sadly many choose not to activate the invitation, not to receive deliverance, not to receive the deliverer, the King.
Everyone is chosen to choose.
The bride of the King, are all those who choose to believe and receive Jesus as the Son of God, their deliverer, Lord and King. Upon receiving Jesus one begins the life journey of their God chosen destiny, the bride of the King, a child of God sealed with His Spirit, to the glory of the Father.
the chosen bride
The bride are all those from the Old Testament who believed God and gave their allegiance to Him.
Turn with me to Isaiah 61:8-11 “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.”
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness (justice and rightness), As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
God has clothed the bride with garments of salvation and covered her with the robe of righteousness.
Those who believed in the promise of God even tho the King had not yet come, becomes one with the believing church. The bride is all who believe and receive Jesus as their King and saviour. The two become one.
chosen identity
The Apostle Paul received a great revelation of God and His perfect plan of underserved favour, deliverance from evil and gift of eternal life. He explains how upon receiving and believing in Jesus, a person’s identity is transferred from the kingdom of darkness, evil and eternal death – into the kingdom of light, goodness and eternal life.
In the theme of surrendering of choosing not to dominate and manipulate others, Paul uses the relationship of a perfect husband and a perfect wife to reveal what Jesus is doing in the church. If only we surrender to God and submit to His rule and reign.
one with jesus
Ephesians 5:25-32 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her (the church) with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her (the church) to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
oneness with God
God has made the bride holy, washed clean and without blemish. Clothed with garments of salvation. Covered with robe of righteousness. Made holy and glorious. Washed clean without blemish. So the bride and the bridegroom become one.
One Bride. One bridegroom. One King. One Spirit. One God.
Revelation 19:6-9 ‘And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
making herself ready
The bride makes herself ready by:
- Actively revealing her righteousness is a gift from the bridegroom.
- Surrendered to the Father’s will, allowing His Spirit to transform her.
- Living in the promise of the bridegrooms return.
- Each day knowing and growing in the revelation of His unconditional love.
- Standing in her bridegroom’s love, truth and power.
- Tearing down strongholds, sent to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
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Sermon categories: son of man> love of God> hope and healing> know God> truth> power> end times> experience God> life> success in life> kingdom>
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