ALONE WITH GOD     

  One beautiful figure under which the new testament church is presented is that of a woman. In Rev. 12: 1 we read, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. " This woman represents the true church of God in her primitive beauty and glory. Her being " clothed with the sun' would signify that she was clothed with the authority, power, glory, holiness, might, and truth of Christ himself. The crown upon her head would signify that she was a queen. The twelve stars in her crown signify the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Thus the true church is presented to us under the figure of a beautiful woman, while in the seventeenth chapter of this same book of symbols the apostate church is presented under the figure of a corrupted, adulterous woman decked with the filthiness of her fornications.

  Under this figure of a woman the church appears as a bride. Of her John the Baptist in his ministry said, " He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. " John 3: 29. The bridegroom is Christ, and the bride is his church. Again, in 2 Cor. 11: 2 we read, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." In these texts the relationship between Christ and his church, or people, is expressed as being an espousal. Jesus came to earth to purchase for himself a bride. He purchased her with his own precious blood, and under this figure she became his. During the present dispensation she is called out from this world of sin, and is robed in the garments of salvation, with his own righteousness, termed " white linen, clean and white, " and thus she is being made ready to be presented to him "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing."

  At the second coming Christ will appear to receive his bride unto himself. This, in figure, is called the marriage of the Lamb. See Rev. 19: 7, 8. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." What that great supper will consist of we are not now able to tell, but then will be fulfilled the words of Jesus, I will eat and drink anew with you in my Father's kingdom. In that new earth the church is seen as a bride, the Lamb's wife, the marriage having taken place. Under this figure, then, our future and eternal union with Christ is expressed by the term "marriage"—the marriage of the Lamb.

  Under another and separate figure our present union with Christ is beautifully expressed by the same term. Paul, in Rom. 7: 1-4, draws a beautiful analogy between a couple joined in the sacred bonds of wedlock and Christ and his people as individuals. " That we should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead." In Eph. 5:23-33 it will be seen that in some respects the same relationship which exists between the husband and the wife in natural matrimony, exists between Christ and his church. As the husband is the head of the wife, so Christ is the head of the church. As the wife is to be subject to her husband, so the church is subject to Christ. Husbands are exhorted to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Husbands are exhorted to nourish and cherish their wives even as the Lord does the church. As a husband and a wife are no more twain, but one flesh; so we are members of his body, his flesh, and his bones. In this we have a beautiful figure of the present close relationship that exists between Christ and his church, or people, on earth. Just as the woman must forsake home, friends, and all, and cleave to her husband; so the Lord requires of us in order to be numbered among those who constitute his true bride, that we forsake father, mother, friends, and even our own life, and cleave to him alone. And as a true wife loves her husband and lives in true affection with him so we love him because he first loved us.

  In the S. of Sol. 4: 7 the Lord speaks of the church in the following language: "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." And again' of her the prophet said, "My dove, my undefiled,, is but one. She is the only one of her mother. " Measured by these texts, the sectarian institutions in the world today, called churches, fall far short of being the bride of Christ; in fact, they form no part of her. Christ has but one wife. He has but one church. Under this figure is again clearly brought to view the oneness and the exclusiveness of the new testament church.

  There is still another figure in which a beautiful relationship between the church and God, the Father, is expressed. "For thy Maker is shine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name, . . . the Holy One of Israel. The God of the whole earth shall he be called. " Isa. 54: 5. Here, the church is spoken of as being married to God. "As a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. " " Thou shalt be called Hephzibah [my delight is in her], and thy land Beulah [which means "married"]." Isa. 62:4, 5. Under this figure the church is our spiritual mother and God our father. Accordingly, we read that " Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all" (Gal. 4: 26). The church being the spiritual mother, she travails for the salvation of a lost world and brings forth children (Isa. 66: 8). As a good mother, she bears us upon her sides and dandles us upon her knees. She satisfies her children with the breasts of her consolations; and they are permitted to milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory (Isa. 66: 11, 12). In fulfillment Paul says, "I have fed you with milk." Peter thus expressed it: "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." 1 Pet. 2:2.

  As a true wife endeavors to honor and reverence her husband, she bears his name. No true wife will think of taking some other man's name. Just so it is with the church. Being married to God, she bears his name. How consistent, then, the name given her by the Lord! Christ said in his prayer to the Father, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them thy name. " " Holy Father, keep through [Greek, in] shine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one." His name being God, she was properly named "the church of God." This is the name given in the New Testament. Both as a family and as a wife taking her husband's name, she is termed "the church of God." For the church to take other names, as the various sects have, is to cast reflection upon the Lord and to make the institution guilty of the sin of adultery.

  Since God is recognized as being the husband of his church, he bears, in many respects, the relationship that a true husband bears to his wife. He supplies all her needs. In Phil. 4:19 we read, "My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Psa. 23: 5. This table is spread with the dainties of heaven, rich things of the kingdom of grace; and the ţwilling and obedient are enabled to eat the good of the land. Thus they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of the Lord's house. He shall make them to drink of the rivers of his pleasures. A husband provides raiment for his wife; so the Lord clothes us with the garb meets of salvation, yea, he covers us with the robe of righteousness. The Lord also furnishes light for his church. Accordingly, we read in Isa. 60: 19, 20 : " The sun stall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee. but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be shine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended." What a beautiful picture is here portrayed! The Lord has become the light of his church, or people. He also promises grace sufficient for every trial and every need. " My grace is sufficient for thee, " and " God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things' may abound to every good work" (2 Cor. 9: S). In this figure, then, we have God acting as a husband unto the church and as a kind, loving Father to all of her children.