GOD, THE BRIDEGROOM THEME

 THE BIBLICAL IMAGE OF THE "MARRIAGE" OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE IS BASICALLY ONLY A MANNER OF EXPRESSING THE COVENANT. BUT IT ADMIRABLY RENDERS THE DRAMATIC ASPECT OF THE COVENANT, AND IT EMPHASIZES ESPECIALLY THE NECESSITY FOR LOVE AND FIDELITY BETWEEN THE TWO CONTRACTING PARTIES. THE HISTORY OF GOD'S PLAN WAS ABOVE ALL THAT OF THE OFFER OF HIS LOVE TO A BRIDE--HUMANITY. THIS BRIDE WILL BE UTTERLY UNFAITHFUL TO HIM UNTIL THE DAY WHEN THE TRUE MARRIAGE CAN BE CELEBRATED, BECAUSE THE BRIDEGROOM WILL HAVE PURIFIED HIS BRIDE WITH HIS OWN BLOOD AND MADE HER SPOTLESS. FROM THEN ON IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS TO LOVE EACH OTHER IN MARRIAGE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY WILL RITUALIZE IN A CERTAIN WAY THE MARRIAGE OF GOD AND THE CHURCH. THE PROPHET HAS SUFFERED IN HIS MARRIED LIFE; GOD SHOWS HIM THAT THIS SUFFERING IS SIMILAR TO HIS, BECAUSE THE COVENANT WAS BROKEN BY THE PEOPLES UNFAITHFULNESS. ISRAEL IS AN ADULTERESS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE COVENANT AS SHE HAD SWORN TO DO. SHE IS A PROSTITUTE BECAUSE SHE HAS GIVEN HERSELF. MAN'S SIN HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN SO CLEARLY AS UNDER THIS ASPECT OF GOD'S DECEIVED LOVE. JER.2: 3O-36; 3:1-13: EZECH 16;23. THEME OF BRIDE-GROOM god WAS FOUND IN CERTAIN OTHER EASTERN RELIGIONS, WHERE IT WAS EXPRESSED IN SACRED PROSTITUTION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE CUSTOMS HAD CONTAMINATED ISRAEL AND CAUSED THE PROPHETS TO SPEAK AS THEY DID. NUM 25; DEUT 23:18-19; 3 KINGS 14:24. EVEN WHILE HE CONDEMNS HIS UNFAITHFUL BRIDE, GOD ANNOUNCES HE WILL PARDON HER. HE WILL POUR OUT SUCH LOVE THAT SHE WILL NO LONGER BE CAPABLE OF UNFAITHFULNESS. THIS GIVES  A NEW DIMENSION TO CONJUGAL LOVE. THE BRIDE LOVES THE BRIDEGROOM WITH THE SAME LOVE WHICH HE SHOWS HER POURS FORTH TO HER. GOD WAS THE FIRST TO LOVE AND DID SO FREELY. JER30: 17;31: 2-4, 21-22; EZECH 16: 53-63. AFTER THE TEMPORARY REPUDIATION OF THE EXILE (LAMENTATIONS) THE NEW MARRIAGE IS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECOND ISAIAS, WHO EVEN DENIES THAT THERE EVER WAS A REPUDIATION.
 (LAM1:1-21) Isa: 49: 14-21; 50:1-2. SONGS MEANT FOR HUMAN WEDDINGS WERE THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE SACRED BOOKS IN ORDER SING OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS BRIDE (Ps 44. WE CAN NOW UNDERSTAND WHY THE THEME OF THE WEDDING FEAST HAS SUCH AN IMPORTANCE IN THE GOSPELS OF THE NEW COVENANT: MATT 22:1-14; 25:1-13; LUKE 14: 14-26; JOHN 2:1-11. CHRIST IS OVERTLY PRESENTED AS GOD AS THE BRIDEGROOM IN THE BAPTISM OF THE CHURCH. JOHN 3:25-30; MATT 9:14-16;EPH 5:26. BUT IN ORDER THAT THIS MARRIAGE MAY CONSECRATE AN EVER-FAITHFUL UNION IS A VIRGIN. THE BRIDEGROOM MUST BE AT THE SAMETIME THE SAVIOR OF HIS BRIDE, WHO IS MADE A VIRGIN BY HIS BLOOD. GAL 4:21-31; 2 COR 11;1-3. THIS MYSTERY FINDS ITS APPLICATION IN THE MORALITY OF MARRIAGE EPH 5:22-23; MATT 19:1-9. EVEN IF THERE IS A PROSTITUTE WHO IS CONDEMNED (BABYLON), THE BLOOD OF CHRIST HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR AN EVERLASTING MARRIAGE