296 The Fundamentals I f the prophetic vision of the suffering Servant had an actual personal fulfillment, surely the prophetic vision of the con quering King will also have a personal fulfillment. As the world was astonished at Him when He came the first time, be cause “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men,” so it will be astonished when He comes a second time, and the prophet’s vision breaks upon its view: “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in His ap parel, marching in the greatness of His strength?” (Isa. 63:1.) And what will it mean for the redeemed? There will be, of course, the happy reunion of all the saints when the dead are raised and the living are changed, for, when the Lord de scends from heaven with a shout, “the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” But glorious as these things are, they are only prelim inary steps to a higher and holier bliss. The climax of re demption will be the manifested union of the Church with her Lord in the marriage of the Lamb. For then the Bride groom shall come to claim His Bride, and take her to share His glory and His throne. Then the Church that Christ loved and purchased shall be presented to Him a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Then the astonished world, beholding her transformation, shall cry, “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning on her Beloved ?” Think of what it will mean when, after shar ing His humiliation in the midst of a scoffing and unbelieving world, the redeemed Church is exalted to His side, and, as the consort of the King of kings and Lord of lords, stands “all rapture through and through in God’s most holy sight.” Nothing less than this is the destiny that awaits the Church of Jesus Christ. I f the Lord committed to His disciples the promise of His personal return, and if it occupied so large a place » t ie
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