Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. – Revelation 21:9-10
Revelation 21 shows an incredible picture of the “joy set before Christ” that took Him through the cross. It is the vision of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming from heaven. Even though the scripture provides great details of it physical features and dimensions, what makes this city, this physical structure, a picture of joy for Christ is revealed by the angel who called the New Jerusalem the Lamb’s bride, His wife.
The New Jerusalem will be the most incredible physical structure ever created. But the joy that drove Christ to endure the cross is more than that. It is Christ seeing the vision of that structure enabling His bride, the church, to continue His Eden directive – to be fruitful and multiply as a market place, as a city, as a Kingdom under His governance.
The fact that we are called the bride has great implications for our market place responsibilities today. The bride does not yet have the responsibilities of a wife, but is committed to prepare for that role. In the same way, Christ expects the church today to prepare for the wife’s role, to prepare for our place in the awesome city where we will celebrate the splendor of creativity and value creation as we work as one Body under His headship. We, as Christ’s bride today, have a market place responsibility to prepare for that role as the Lamb’s wife.
Market Place Prayer
May the Holy Spirit inspire His market place leaders to understand and fully commit to the bride’s preparation as the Lamb’s wife, as a city – a market place in New Jerusalem under Christ’s power, wisdom, and love.
