On the 29th April this year, just three weeks ago, the marriage took place of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It was an event that was shown on television around the world to about two billion viewers, with many broadcasters, we were told, scheduling royal-themed programmes throughout the day. In the UK, it attracted around 24 million viewers and the day was proclaimed a bank holiday.
It was also one of the biggest ever news days on the internet. In short, this royal wedding was a massive worldwide event. The wedding was organised and presented in a way that caught the imagination of people all over the world. The couple received many good wishes for their future happiness.
As far as I am aware, no Church of God member received an invitation to the wedding, but all Spirit-begotten members of the Family of God will be involved in the biggest wedding of all. It will be their royal wedding when the true Church marries Jesus Christ at His soon-coming return.
We have long understood that the Christian marriage between a man and a woman is a type of Christ marrying His Church. The Church of God is now “betrothed” to Christ (that is, it is “engaged” to Christ in a legally binding arrangement), and the consummation of the marriage and the marriage supper will take place at His return. We read of this in Revelation 19:7-9, where a mighty angel declares to John: “‘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.’”
The–comparatively speaking–insignificant and temporary recent royal wedding may have been eagerly anticipated by so many, but how much more are the members of the Church of God to anticipate their marriage to Christ – which will last for all eternity! That will be the outcome of remaining faithful to God until the end! It will be so much greater and tremendously more important than that which was witnessed just three weeks ago, and it must be something that true Christians must press towards with all of their heart.
