Reflection: Have you ever been overwhelmed with joy? Many people reflect on their wedding day as their most joyous moment (despite whatever follows, good or bad). That same idea is expressed here in Isaiah. The Judean community sees themselves as a bride that is dressed in beautiful wedding splendour. Their garments are salvation and righteousness. The image of a bride and bridegroom is well attested in the New Testament. We see this particularly in the book of Revelation. In chapter 19 the bride is prepared in garments of linen, representing righteousness. (verse 8). The bridegroom
is Christ. This concept from Isaiah is used in the New Testament to point to the eschatological future when God’s reign will become present. In the meantime, we await this hope – not necessarily understanding how it works – but trusting in Christ, our bridegroom.
Questions: How do you resonate with this concept of being bride of Christ?
Prayer: Lord, we look to you in hope that we will see your salvation outworked both now and in the future. Help us to be worthy of being called the bride of Christ.
We have been reading the Bible with Jacqueline Grey. Tomorrow we begin a new series, Divine
Judgement, with author Roy Williams.