The Obligation of A Bride

     The Jews had been unfaithful to their "husband" - the Lord - according t0 Isaiah: For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God." (Isa 54:5-6). 

     There was a spiritual husband and wife relationship between the Jews and God. Just as men choose women for their betrothed, God chose Israel for his bride:

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (Deut 7:6)

     God chose the Hebrew people as his spiritual bride. The covenant between Israel and the Lord was Holy spiritual matrimony. Holy Matrimony - marriage between one man and one woman united under God - is representative of God's relationship with His people. Any marriage outside the bounds of a holy covenant is spiritual heresy. As a divorced person, I am at fault for fornicating against God. That's why the marriage covenant is so important and special! That's why same-sex marriage is so reprehensible. Many churches are falling for the lie that homosexual sin is no worse than any others. Homosexuality is ultimately doing what is right in one's own eyes without regard to God's precepts.
     Israel fornicated with other gods. They never entirely forsook Yahweh, but they had affairs with other gods. They breached the "marital" covenant with God, although the Lord remained faithful to them. The spiritual marriage covenant with God is the Abrahamic Covenant. Calvinists believe that it was one-sided; that the Lord would accept an infidel "woman" as his "wife." Not so!
     The writer has often proposed that Jerusalem, and likely the entire nation of Israel is "the harlot Babylon" (Rev 17:5), although most propose it is Rome. Rome was always a harlot. Jerusalem became the harlot just like Babylon. Isaiah was writing of the adulterous relationship between Babylon and  Judah (half of the former Kingdom of David). Half of the Hebrews had fornicated so openly that God dispersed them all over the world. They are the lost tribes of Israel.
     God is patient with His "woman". He gave the Jews of Israel another chance. Therein the chosen Hebrews became the chosen Jews. The Hebrews became abbreviated, leaving only 2/12 of them as somewhat faithful. God saw the flirtation between the Jews and the world, and Isaiah forewarned them that the marriage vows were about to be torn asunder. God had kept His covenant with the Jews, but the Jews had become unfaithful. With their open licentiousness, the Lord looked to increase his "woman". That was not sinful because the marriage of the Jews was only a  spiritual one. On the other hand, the Jews marriage to pagan religions was sexual as well. The Jews became the harlot which God spoke.
     God knew all along that is bride would be fickle. He knew that they would bed down with pagan gods. Right after God cleansed the world of fornication against Him, he knew His "woman" would again be unfaithful: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant" (Gen 9:27). What did the Lord mean by that? Isaiah knew everything. he saw the unfaithfulness and what God would do when Israel bedded down with Babylon:

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles. (Isa 54:2-3)

     God is consistent and fair. Back on New Day One after the flood, he warned his remaining people. Shem's line are the Jews. Long ago the Edomites had spoiled their covenant, and their seed sprouted into Islam through Esau then Ishmael. God's "bride" always became less faithful. Isaiah reminded the Jews of God's word so long ago: that the "tent" of Jepheth would be enlarged. The word "tent" is important in Judaism. That represents worship of God in the days of the tabernacles. The Hebrews in those days had been obedient and followed the Lord. They often picked up their crosses (the tabernacles) daily and followed the Lord who led them as a cloud by day and a fire by night. Yes, "tents" represent crosses! "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
     Not to be disrespectful, but God had a type of harem, but corporately they made the "bride." Shem's line -the present-day Jews - were His bride. He enlarged Shem's tent, and now Japtheth's seed - the Gentiles - are unified members and share equal privileges as the Lord's betrothed.
      In apostolic times, the Jews rejected their "husband," and Paul preached to the Gentiles who were anxious to become brides for the Lord:

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46).

     That event was what God meant back at the time of Noah. Japheth would finally enlarge Shem's tent, and with the exception of a few Messianic Jews, God has a new bride. That "bride" is the Christian Church: "But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days" Luke 5:35). Obviously, Jesus meant himself, but he left behind a widow who remained wed to him to the end. That is the body of believers called corporately - the Church. "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" Acts 2:47).
     The Church consists of those who are born again. (Acts 3:7). God cleanses the harlots and makes them into a fitting bride. That's what regeneration is! At generation -  genesis - Eve was brought forth from Adam's flesh. She was not a product of the world, bypassing natural birth entirely. Adam and Eve were the only two mortals who were not born in iniquity. Neither was Jesus. Adam and Eve were types foreshadowing Jesus. When the two were generated, it represented regeneration, which is a return to original innocence and purity. The "brides" are made holy by God for God!
     Near the end, God will tire of his infidel brides and destroy them. The harlot Babylon - Jerusalem  which is the Garden of the Lord - will be regenerated by fire and his bride - 144,000 Jews - will return to the Lord's tent and rejoin Shem's "enlargement." God will graciously accept the repentant harlot back into the unity of holy spiritual matrimony.
     Before the time of Jesus, God was silent for four-hundred years. Many of us know the meaning of the silent treatment from our mates. That time gave the Jews an opportunity to examine their guilt. They had time to reflect on their numerous affairs with other gods, and when they learned that lesson, they made "gods" of themselves. Like Adam long before, the Jews tried to cover their own sins by doing things themselves (Adam fashioned fig leaves into aprons). God wanted to cover their sins with a coat of skins; his own Flesh this time. It has taken thousands of years for the Lord's bride to be worthy of being the bride. When God tires of the infidelity, his "harem" will be thoroughly cleansed, leaving only the faithful. What type of "bride" will you be when the time comes for the judgment for permanent irreconciliation?