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For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Glorious Bride  Part 6. To the glorious Woman of God who are called by His name and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, may your light shine continuously like stars as you sojourn in this world, knowing with confidence, the power of God will transform you completely to be conformed into His image.

In our study of the Glorious Bride, we arrived at the question: how is it possible for God and Man to become one as in a marriage relationship? What is it that must take place to turn tragedy into joy, and sorrow into dancing? The reason we asked this question, was because we saw how tragic the first marriage between God the Father and His people Israel became. The betrothal took place on Mt Sinai, and Israel entered into a marriage covenant with the Lord, but in the ancient Jewish Wedding tradition there are two parts to the marriage, the first is betrothal, after which the man and woman are known as husband and wife, but the groom still has the responsibility to provide for the wife, which included the marriage home. Once the home was ready, the second part of the marriage took place under a canopy, or “chuppah”. This home was Jerusalem, the city of God, chosen as His eternal dwelling place upon the earth. But Jerusalem is more than a city; she has a dual nature. For Jerusalem is also the personification of the Bride. It was in Jerusalem that the Kingdom prospered, and the Vine grew. But after Solomon’s reign, the Kingdom was split in two, a Northern Kingdom Israel (led by Ephraim) and a Southern Kingdom Judah. I won’t revise further, as all the words for the day on the Glorious Bride, together with audio podcasts are available on the website, instead, I want to take some time over the next few days, to explore what Jesus accomplished in His First Coming that made wedding preparations for His Second Coming. I will begin by quoting from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” I Cor 15:39-40

Paul explains how there are different kinds of flesh, and different kinds of glory. As an example, birds have one kind of flesh and fish another. But then he also describes how celestial bodies or that which is heavenly has a different form and glory from that which is terrestrial or of the earth. Now when we talk of marriage, we are in particular, referring to the God enabled process whereby “the two shall become one flesh” Gen 2:24. And for two to become one, they must be of the same form or kind as each other. That’s why when after Adam had finished naming all the animals, there was still no helper found that was “comparable” to him, because out of all the different life forms that he named, there was no one else who was the same as he was. Gen 2:20. It is not possible for two different kinds of life or forms or schemes to be able to come together to such as a degree as they can be united as one. Indeed, out of all the animals, there was no one else who was exactly like Adam. The one which Adam would unite with as his wife, had no physical form yet, she was not yet visible. Yes, she had been created, for God made man male and female he created them both, Gen 1:27 but there was a time when Eve was without form. For Eve to become Adam’s wife she needed to be brought forth from out of Adam and given the same form as he had. That’s why the Lord put Adam in a deep sleep then opened his side. From there He took one of Adam’s ribs with which He created Adam’s bride. When Adam awoke he said, “this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called ‘Woman’ because she was taken out of man” Gen 2:23

The point I am making is that for two to “become one flesh” require that they be transformed so that they are not just like each other but they are of the same form or scheme as each other. This is significant. It’s not enough for one life to be like another. Let me explain further. In Gen 1:27 God said “let us make man in our image”. The word image is “tselem” meaning “the illusion of, like a phantom, something that resembles.” Man resembled God, he looked like God, but though he was made in the image of God, we are not told that he was in the same form as God. The Bible says “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Gen 2:7. God created man from the natural, the terrestrial, from dust, and then breathed into man His Spirit. Let’s look some more at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1 Cor 15:44-49

There is much that could be learnt from Paul’s writing, but in essence we have identified that there is a difference between the earthly and the heavenly form of man. The first and second Adam are not the same form. How then can they be compatible? How can God and man become one as in a marriage relationship? This question has always been at the heart and key issue of the Eternal Purpose of God. Is it possible for both the spiritual form and the natural form to co-exist? Is it possible for God and Man to co-exist together so that the two become one flesh”? Surely this would require a new species, a new God Man hybrid of which both forms come together in harmony. Has there ever been anyone who matches that description?

Well, two thousand years ago, the Angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary to tell her that she had found favor with God and that she would conceive a Son whose name shall be Jesus. He would be called the Son of God. When asked how this could be possible since she had never been with a man, Gabriel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

Do you see the profound implications of what took place? It was necessary for Father and Israel to be married in order for Jesus to be born legitimately. The vessel chosen was the Virgin Mary who had found favor with God, and she would conceive of the Holy Spirit. A miraculous conception and virgin birth in which is found union between the nature and form of God and the nature and form of Man. This is Jesus Son of God and Son of Man in what is called Hypostatic Union.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isa 9:6,7

Until next time

Maranatha

Mike @Call2Come