Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The marriage supper of the Lamb
I. The lamb. We know at once who this is; but it is remarkable that, with one exception and that occurring in this evangelist’s own Gospel, this is the only part of the inspired writings in which our Lord is ever called by this name. Now this could not have happened by accident. There is a meaning in it, and it is not difficult perhaps to see what it is--the Lord Jesus would have us look up to Him in heaven as the same Jesus who died for us on the Cross.
II. The marriage supper of the Lamb. Here, you observe, is a complete change of metaphor. Our Lord puts off the character of a Lamb, and takes on Him that of a Bridegroom; or rather He takes this character on Him without putting off the other.
1. A long looked for and much desired hour. The Saviour Himself desires it. It is the hour that will bring Him the consummation of all His wishes, the full reward of all His labour and sufferings. And His Church desires it. Scarcely had He disappeared, when its language was, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.”
2. An hour of great love and affection. No earthly affection is equal to that of a redeemed sinner for his Saviour. There may not at times seem much warmth in it, but when it is real there is as much strength and depth in it perhaps as man’s nature, in its present state and circumstances, is capable of. But still it is an imperfect love, very much broken in upon by the love of other things, and damped by the cares of life, its business and troubles. It is an unseen object too that we love, and we find it difficult to realise anything we have never seen. And even in our best moments, we often feel as though we only half loved our Lord. We long for a better and higher nature, that we may love Him more. At this marriage supper we shall have what we long for. We shall see our Lord, and see Him in a form in which we shall know Him; and shall have souls within us, that will for the first time feel large enough to love Him, and these souls shall be filled to overflowing with admiration of and delight in Him. The love of this hour will be the perfection of love. This marriage feast will be the feast, the triumph of love--the exalted Saviour showing to the whole universe that He loves us to the utmost bound love can go, and we loving Him with a fervour, a gratitude, an adoration a delight, that are new even in heaven.
3. A scene of abounding joy. The affection that reigns in it would of itself make it so. “Let me only be with my Lord,” the Christian says, “and I ask no more. That, without anything else, will make me happy, and happy to the full.” The heavenly Bridegroom provides for His guests all that can gratify and delight them, and all too that can show His love for them and His munificence. The provisions made by Him for our enjoyment, will astonish us. So will it be with us in heaven. We shall find it a feast and a monarch’s feast.
III. Those invited or called to it.
1. They are those who have been invited before to this supper. And here we are all included.
2. They are those only who have before accepted the invitation to it.
3. These guests are yet further distinguished--they are ready and prepared for this supper. A worldly-minded, ungodly man in heaven, would be a miserable man in heaven. A prepared place for a prepared people, a holy place for a holy people--this is the heaven of the Bible.
IV. The happiness of these men. “Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” It is not an invitation to every feast that will make a man happy. Not a snare or a danger can await them there. Not a single being will they see there who can do them harm or whom they would wish away. (C. Bradley, M. A.)
The marriage supper of the Lamb
I. The description of the bridegroom.
1. As the Lamb He is the one everlasting sacrifice for sin: He will not be other than this in His glory.
2. As the Lamb, suffering for sin, He is specially glorious in the eyes of the angels and all other holy intelligences; and so in His joyous day He wears that character.
3. As the Lamb He most fully displayed His love to His Church; and so He appears in this form on the day of His love’s triumph.
4. As the Lamb He is best loved of our souls. Behold, how He loved us even to the death!
II. The meaning of the marriage supper.
1. The completion and perfection of the Church. “His bride hath made herself ready.”
2. The rising of the Church into the nearest and happiest communion with Christ in His glory. “The marriage of the Lamb is come.” The espousals lead up to this.
3. The fulfilment of the long expectations of both.
4. The open publication of the great fact of mutual love and union.
5. The overflowing of mutual delight and joy. “Be glad and rejoice.”
6. The grandest display of magnificent munificence in a banquet.
7. The commencement of an eternally unbroken rest. “He shall rest in His love.” The Church, like Ruth, shall find rest in the house of her Husband.
III. The persons who are called to it.
1. Those who are so called as to accept the invitation.
2. Those who now possess the faith which is the token of admission.
3. Those who love Bridegroom and bride.
4. Those who have on the wedding garment of sanctification.
5. Those who watch with lamps burning.
IV. The blessedness which is ascribed to them.
1. They have a prospect which blesses them even now.
2. They have great honour in being called to such a future.
3. They will be blessed indeed when at that feast, for--Those who are called will be admitted. Those who are admitted will be married. Those who are married to Jesus will be endlessly happy. How many a marriage leads to misery! but it is not so in this case. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
“The marriage supper of the Lamb”
A distinction seems to be drawn between “the marriage,” and “the marriage supper” of the Lamb. “The marriage,” takes place now,--“The marriage supper” is to follow by and by. “The marriage” is that act of union between each soul and Christ, when that soul, drawn by God’s love and made willing by His grace, is linked to, and made one with, the mystical body of Christ. “The marriage supper” will be the public celebration, and the glorious consummation, of that union. Therefore there are differences. “The marriage” here, blessed and beautiful as it is, has its trouble and its separation. The soul has to leave, not without pain, what once was very dear to it. And some fear cannot help to mingle, even where love prevails. But at “the marriage supper” it will be all union, and no parting; and there will be no room for the shadow of a fear there. “The marriage” here is an individual act. One by one, each as God chooses, one here, and another there, a soul gives itself to Christ. “The marriage supper” will be the solemnity of the whole Church’s collective partnership, one and another, with Jesus. “The marriage” here, at least so it seems, sometimes, to the poor Christian’s heart, was capable of being dissolved again. But when “the marriage supper” comes, who will ever think of breaking the tie? In “the marriage” here, real and perfect though it be, there are intervals of distance; seasons, when there is no union between the soul and Him it loves. But in “the marriage supper,” the felt and visible presence of Christ will be for ever and for ever. In “the marriage” here there were many who, though truly and indissolubly joined to Christ, yet often seemed to others, and seemed to themselves, not to be His. But at “the marriage supper” there will be no misunderstandings. Christ will have proclaimed His own; and the whole universe will confess Him, and His saints. (James Vaughan, M. A.)
And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.--
The Scriptures divinely true
I. A right estimate of holy scripture.
1. These words which we find in the Old and New Testaments are true. Free from error, certain, enduring, infallible.
2. These are Divine words. Infallibly inspired, so as to be in very truth “the sayings of God.”
3. These words are thus true and Divine in opposition to words of man. These may or may not be true. Pretended words of God. False prophets and men with addled intellects profess to speak in the name of God; but they lie.
4. These words are all of them truly Divine. Neither too severe to be true, nor too terrible to be uttered by a God of love, as some dare to say. Nor too good to be true, as tremblers fear. Nor too old to be true, as novelty-hunters affirm. Nor too simple to be truly Divine, as the worldly-wise insinuate.
5. These words are a blessing to us for that reason. What else can guide us if we have no sure revelation from God? How can we understand the revelation if it is not all true?
II. The result of forming such an estimate. If you believe that “these are the true sayings of God”--
1. You will listen to them with attention, and judge what you hear from preachers by this infallible standard.
2. You will receive these words with assurance. This will produce confidence of understanding. This will produce rest of heart.
3. You will submit with reverence to these words, obey their precepts, believe their teachings, and value their prophecies.
4. You will expect fulfilment of Divine promises under difficulties.
5. You will cling to revealed truth with pertinacity.
6. You will proclaim it with boldness.
III. Our justification for forming such an estimate.
1. The Scriptures are what they profess to be--the word of God.
2. There is a singular majesty and power in them; and we see this when the truth of God is preached.
3. There is a marvellous omniscience in Scripture, which is perceived by us when it unveils our inmost souls.
4. They have proven themselves true to us. They warned us of the bitter fruit of sin, and we have tasted it. They told us of the evil of the heart, and we have seen it. They told us of the peace-giving power of the blood, and we have proved it by faith in Jesus. They told us of the purifying energy of Divine grace: we are already instances of it, and desire to be more so. They assured us of the efficacy of prayer, and itis true. They assured us of the upholding power of faith in God, and by faith we have been upheld in trial. They assured us of the faithfulness of God to His people as shown in providence, and we have experienced it. All things have worked together for ourgood hitherto.
5. The witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts confirms our faith in Holy Scripture. We believe, and are saved from sin by believing. Those words must be truly Divine which have wrought in us such gracious results. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Worship God.--
The Supreme Being the only proper object of religious worship
I. The scripture represents God as the only proper object of religious worship.
II. The absolute supremacy of God in all His great and essential attributes.
1. God is supreme in respect to His existence.
2. God infinitely surpasses all other beings in the immensity of His presence.
3. God far transcends all other beings in His knowledge.
4. God is absolutely supreme in wisdom.
5. God is supreme in power.
6. God is supremely excellent in His holiness, goodness, or benevolence.
III. It is absurd to pay religious worship to any being who is not possessed of the essential attributes of divinity. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The great prophetic burden
I. The theme or burden of the bible is Jesus. Not philosophy, nor science, nor theology, nor metaphysics, nor morality, but Jesus.
II. The theme of bible-annals is Jesus. Not mere history, but history as containing Jesus. Not the mere rise and fall of nations and kingdoms, but these as connected with the promised seed of the woman.
III. The theme of the Psalms is Jesus. It is not mere poetry, Hebrew poetry, that we find in them, but Jesus. It is poetry embodying Jesus; it is praise, of which every note is Immanuel.
IV. The theme of prophecy is Jesus. It is not certain future events, dark or bright, presented to the view of the curious and speculative; itis Jesus; earthly events and hopes and fears only as linked with Him. (H. Bonar,D. D.)
The one witness and the one testimony
(with Rev_22:20):--
I. The oneness of the testifier. He is the one God. The sender of the testimony is the one Jehovah; the subject of the testimony is the one Jesus; the inspirer is the one Spirit. Through many lips He has spoken, by many pens He has written; but it is the mind, the will, the purpose, the revelation of the one God that is here.
II. The oneness of the messenger. It is intimated here that it was one angel alone that was employed to communicate the testimony. He was sent to patriarchs and prophets of old, to apostles and brethren in later times. The instrument or medium of communication was a created being, an angel; but it was the same throughout.
III. The oneness of the testimony. It is not many testimonies, but one; it is the word (not words) of God. It was given at sundry times and divers manners; in fragments and portions, great and small; yet there is unity throughout, not discord or contradiction--marvellous unity, which can only be accounted for on the fact that there was in reality but one writer, He to whom one day is as a thousand years, and that therefore the truths enunciated are the offspring of one mind, the thoughts of one heart. This testimony bore all upon one point, one person, one work, one kingdom. It was the “testimony of Jesus,” that is, it testified of Him from first to last; for Christ is theall and in all of prophecy, the all and in all of the Bible. (H. Bonar,D. D.)
