The Lord promised in Hos 2:19: “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.” This is the offer of grace by the Redeemer for the redeemed. On the cross of Calvary, the Bridegroom paid the price of redemption for the Bride (Jn 3:16). Through the shed blood of the New Covenant (Mat 26:26-28), the Church has been redeemed: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace …” (Eph 1:7). As the side of Adam was opened and Eve was taken out of him and then given back to him (Gen 2), so the side of the Redeemer was pierced on the cross (Jn 19:34), and the redeemed are His Bride Church, who will meet Him in the air when going up to the marriage supper (1 Ths 4:17). “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1 Cor 15:45). All sons and daughters are “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Paul also wrote: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph 5:30-32).

As the man becomes the bridegroom and his fiancée the bride at the engagement, so is a genuine conversion to Jesus Christ a “Yes” to Him, and the Redeemer becomes the heavenly Bridegroom and the redeemed become His Bride. An engagement does not come about one-sidedly; it can only take place when two meet one another, their hearts beat for each other in love, and she has said “Yes.”

All of the redeemed in whom the Word has been sown as the seed (Lk 8:11) are born again unto a living hope (1 Pet 1:3). They receive the divine nature of the Redeemer and eternal life: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:14-21). Someone who belongs to the Bride Church has a personal relationship with the Lord, just as fiancés have with each other, and listens to what the Bridegroom says to His beloved Bride through His Word and obeys it. Thus it is fulfilled: “… and his wife hath made herself ready.”

Those who are of the Bride Church will be ready at the Return of the Bridegroom. They love Him and wait longingly to go with Him to the marriage supper, as it is written: “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rev 19:7-9). Through the ministry of the promised prophet, the Holy Spirit has let the written Word become the revealed Word in all those who truly believe. And even more: In all those who believe and are part of the Bride Church, the Word-message accomplishes what is was sent to do (Isa 55:11; Rom 10:16-21).

John the Baptist exclaimed, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” (Jn 3:29). John was more than one of the prophets; he was a promised prophet with a very special task: “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (Mat 11:9-10).

No other preacher spoke as often of the Bride of Christ, of the preparation and rapture as the man of God, William Branham. As is well-known, the heavenly commission went forth unto him on June 11, 1933: “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of Christ, so you are sent with a message that will forerun the second coming of Christ!” His ministry, which was directly connected to the divine Plan of Salvation, was worthwhile, and his joy shall also be fulfilled, just as John the Baptist’s.

This Scripture is now being fulfilled: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev 22:17).

However, to somebody who is so overwhelmed with what God has spoken and revealed that he or she wants to pay homage to an angel or servant of God instead of giving God alone the glory, like John did on the Isle of Patmos, the same words must be said as they were to John back then: “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” (Rev 22:9). Amen.

The Lord promised in Hos 2:19: “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.” This is the offer of grace by the Redeemer for the redeemed. On the cross of Calvary, the Bridegroom paid the price of redemption for the Bride (Jn 3:16). Through the shed blood of the New Covenant (Mat 26:26-28), the Church has been redeemed: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace …” (Eph 1:7). As the side of Adam was opened and Eve was taken out of him and then given back to him (Gen 2), so the side of the Redeemer was pierced on the cross (Jn 19:34), and the redeemed are His Bride Church, who will meet Him in the air when going up to the marriage supper (1 Ths 4:17). “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1 Cor 15:45). All sons and daughters are “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Paul also wrote: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph 5:30-32).

As the man becomes the bridegroom and his fiancée the bride at the engagement, so is a genuine conversion to Jesus Christ a “Yes” to Him, and the Redeemer becomes the heavenly Bridegroom and the redeemed become His Bride. An engagement does not come about one-sidedly; it can only take place when two meet one another, their hearts beat for each other in love, and she has said “Yes.”

All of the redeemed in whom the Word has been sown as the seed (Lk 8:11) are born again unto a living hope (1 Pet 1:3). They receive the divine nature of the Redeemer and eternal life: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:14-21). Someone who belongs to the Bride Church has a personal relationship with the Lord, just as fiancés have with each other, and listens to what the Bridegroom says to His beloved Bride through His Word and obeys it. Thus it is fulfilled: “… and his wife hath made herself ready.”

Those who are of the Bride Church will be ready at the Return of the Bridegroom. They love Him and wait longingly to go with Him to the marriage supper, as it is written: “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rev 19:7-9). Through the ministry of the promised prophet, the Holy Spirit has let the written Word become the revealed Word in all those who truly believe. And even more: In all those who believe and are part of the Bride Church, the Word-message accomplishes what is was sent to do (Isa 55:11; Rom 10:16-21).

John the Baptist exclaimed, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” (Jn 3:29). John was more than one of the prophets; he was a promised prophet with a very special task: “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (Mat 11:9-10).

No other preacher spoke as often of the Bride of Christ, of the preparation and rapture as the man of God, William Branham. As is well-known, the heavenly commission went forth unto him on June 11, 1933: “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of Christ, so you are sent with a message that will forerun the second coming of Christ!” His ministry, which was directly connected to the divine Plan of Salvation, was worthwhile, and his joy shall also be fulfilled, just as John the Baptist’s.

This Scripture is now being fulfilled: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev 22:17).

However, to somebody who is so overwhelmed with what God has spoken and revealed that he or she wants to pay homage to an angel or servant of God instead of giving God alone the glory, like John did on the Isle of Patmos, the same words must be said as they were to John back then: “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” (Rev 22:9). Amen.