IN THE NEW CREATION
CHRIST PREPARING A BRIDE FOR HIMSELF
Before the human government is crushed, there will be a long history, both of the world and of the new creation. It is in the new creation that Christ prepares a bride for Himself to marry. If Christ did not have a bride, then He would have to fight alone against Antichrist, for Antichrist would have an army but Christ would not. However, Christ will have an army, and this army will be His bride.
The book of Ephesians reveals that the church is not only Christ’s bride but is also a warrior (6:10-20). On the day of His wedding, Christ will marry the one who has been fighting the battle against God’s enemy for years. This means that in Revelation 19 Christ will marry the overcomers, who have already overcome the evil one.
This defeated evil one, the devil, will then seek to join himself to Antichrist, and Antichrist will welcome him. The devil and Antichrist will become one. Inspired by the devil, Antichrist will gather together a multitude of evil persons to be his army. In the sight of God, these evil ones, the army of Antichrist, will be the grapes that will be trodden in "the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty" (Rev. 19:15).
When Christ comes to fight against Antichrist and his army, He will come as the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, He will need a counterpart to match Him and complete Him. This counterpart will be His bride. In His coming to crush human government, Christ will be the Husband with the overcomers as His bride. This means that before He descends to earth to deal with the ten toes and then with the entire image, He will have a wedding (Rev. 19:7-9). After His wedding, He will come with His newly-married bride to destroy Antichrist, who with his army will fight against God directly.
THE WAY CHRIST DEALS WITH
THE OLD CREATION AND THE HUMAN GOVERNMENT
In a previous message we pointed out that both the old creation and human government are problems to God. Christ dealt with the problem of the old creation through His crucifixion, His all-inclusive death on the cross. This problem He solved alone. Christ will deal with the problem of human government by coming with His bride to crush the great image from the toes to the head. This problem He will solve not alone but with His bride as His army. Christ with His bride will annihilate the human government.
(Life-Study of Daniel, Chapter 13, by Witness Lee)
