Here Comes the Bride

"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues (afflictions, calamities) came and spoke to me. He said, Come with me! I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife. Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy (hallowed, consecrated) city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God." (Revelation 21:9,10 - Amplified Bible)

John's attention now focuses upon the New Jerusalem; the Holy City of God. Much of what he describes is difficult to imagine. Some of it is unclear because of terminology. We will not completely understand the glory of this city until we see it for ourselves. However, John's description does give us an imperfect glimpse of its wonders. The description covers the rest of chapter twenty-one and part of chapter twenty-two.

Early in Revelation, one of the seven angels which had the bowls of God's wrath had shown John another city called Babylon. That city had been destroyed. Now one of the seven angels shows John the eternal city that will never be destroyed. Whether this is the same angel or another one we have no way of knowing.

The angel tells John that he will show to Him the bride of the Lamb. He then takes John in the spirit to the top of a high mountain upon the New Earth. The angel shows him the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. This is the bride. Of course, it is the people that make a city not the buildings. So the bride includes all who dwell in the New Jerusalem: the redeemed of every age.