783. The church is the Lord's, and the spiritual marriage between good and truth is the reason the Lord is called the bridegroom and husband, and the church the bride and wife. This is well known to Christians from the Word, especially the following passages: John said of the Lord:
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the bridegroom's friend is he who stands and listens to him, and rejoices in the bridegroom's voice. John 3:29.
Jesus said, So long as the bridegroom is with them, the sons of the wedding cannot fast. Matt. 9:15; Mark 2:19, 20; Luke 5:34, 35.
I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev. 21:2.
The angel said to John, Come and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb; and from a mountain he showed him the holy city of Jerusalem. Rev. 21:9, 10.
The time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and His wife has made ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev. 19:7, 9.
I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright star of the morning. The spirit and the bride say, Come. Let him who is thirsty come, and let whoever will take the water of life without payment. Rev. 22:16, 17.
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