PAGE 12 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (THE BRIDE)

THE FIRST PROPHECY ABOUT THIS WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN STANDING ON THE MOON IS FOUND IN GENESIS 3 IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

THE WOMAN, I BELIEVE, REPRESENTS THE BELIEVERS IN YESHUA IN ISRAEL OR THE BELIEVING ISRAEL.  SHE NO LONGER PUTS HER OWN CHOSENESS, OR HER RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, OVER AND ABOVE GOD HIMSELF.

THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS IN YESHUA FROM THE GENTILE NATIONS THAT MAKE UP THE CHURCH ARE GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL OR ARE THE SPIRITUAL PART OF THE NATION. THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED THE NATION OF ISRAEL BUT ARE NOW PART OF IT AND ALL OF IT'S SPIRITUAL PROMISES.  PAUL SAYS:

"...AND YOU, THOUGH A WILD OLIVE SHOOT, HAVE BEEN GRAFTED IN AMONG THE OTHERS AND NOW SHARE IN THE NOURISHING SAP FROM THE OLIVE ROOT, DO NOT BOAST OVER THOSE BRANCHES. IF YOU DO, CONSIDER THIS: YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THE ROOT, BUT THE ROOT SUPPORTS YOU." ROM 11:17

PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE ROMAN GENTILE CHURCH AND HE IS PLEADING WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND THEIR POSITION AS GENTILES AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A MYSTERY. HE WANTS US TO GET THE CORRECT ORDER OF THINGS : THE BIBLICAL NARRATIVE IS ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND WE, AS THE GENTILE CHURCH ARE GRATEFULLY ADOPTED INTO THEIR STORY.

PAUL SAYS TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS:

"THEREFORE, REMEMBER THAT FORMERLY YOU WHO ARE GENTILES BY BIRTH AND CALLED 'UNCIRCUMCISED' BY THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'THE CIRCUMCISION' (THAT DONE IN THE BODY BY THE HANDS OF MEN) - REMEMBER THAT AT THAT TIME YOU WERE SEPARATE FROM CHRIST, EXCLUDED FROM CITIZENSHIP IN ISRAEL AND FOREIGNERS TO THE COVENANTS OF THE PROMISE, WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD. BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS YOU WHO ONCE WERE FAR AWAY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST."

THE GENTILE BELIEVERS WHO MAKE UP THE CHURCH ARE THE BRIDE OF YESHUA BUT THEY AWAIT A FULLER GLORY WHEN THE VEIL IS LIFTED OFF OF ISRAEL AND SHE REMARRIES YESHUA, JESUS. AT THAT TIME THE BARRIER BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE WILL COME DOWN AND THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE BODY.  THEY WILL BE RECONCILED TO YESHUA AND WE WILL BECOME RECONCILED TO EACH OTHER.

THE FIRST NOTION WE HAVE ABOUT THIS WOMAN, WHO IS BELIEVING ISRAEL AND THE BRIDE, IS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE BIBLE