Day 23 The Book of the Bride
Day 23 The Book of the Bride
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. Revelations 20:12
The Book of The Bride
Jacob’s Father, Samuel, called his son out to his workshop. Jacob was surprised to find the usually messy work table, typically filled with tools, wiped clean and a scroll open on the table. “Father, where are your tools? What in the world are you doing?” the son shouted as he entered the room. “Son”, Jacob’s father replied, “today we will open the Book of the Bride and you will see your future, through your past.” Jacob looked surprised… “Book of the Bride?”, then excitement filled his face… “Father, Is it time? Is it time to go and get Sarah? I must call my friends together!” Jacob’s father held up his hand to stop his son, “it will be soon my son, you have worked hard, you have done well, you have prepared a beautiful room for your bride. The marriage feast is upon us but first, you must see this book. Understanding your past will guide your present and determine your future.”
Samuel sat down and began to tell Jacob the story of his past, his future and his bride.
“Before you were born your mother and I were called by Jehovah God to use our talents and our earnings to provide work for many people. We knew this early in our marriage. God had gifted us with resources from my father and we both learned many skills useful to bring profit to our home and our village.” Jacob nodded, “Yes, Father, you have done well and you are a great provider!” His father continued, “but the wealth we received was not for our own benefit so we could have many houses and land, but rather to benefit those in need. When God gave you to us as our oldest son we asked God to bless you with a wife who could stand by your side with a generous heart, full of love for her husband. A woman of virtue, industrious, creative, diligent and with a heart for those less fortunate.” Samuel leaned forward, “I know you believe YOU chose Sarah, but in truth, Sarah was chosen by me before either of you were born.” Jacob broke into his father’s story, “But How? How could you choose my wife before either of us were born?” Jacob’s father raised his hand towards heaven, “I asked God to show me who should be partner with my heir to continue to provide work in the village and meet the needs of the poor and infirmed. God showed me Sarah’s father, Gabriel, and told me he would have a daughter, his firstborn and this daughter would be my son’s wife.” Jacob’s mind was spinning. “But, but I LOVED SARAH when I met her – I chose Sarah! I chose her!” “Yes Jacob”, his father replied lovingly, “but I knew you would choose her because God chose her for you.” Samuel continued…
God Chose Sarah for You
“God blessed your mother and I with an excellent worker, Gabriel, Sarah’s father. He was a true covenant partner in my business. I knew everything I owned as well as my name was in good hands with Gabriel. When Sarah was born Gabriel and his wife were devastated. Sarah’s foot was so damaged in the womb they feared her only future would be that of a temple beggar. Gabriel needed to be home to help his wife with this frail child for many weeks. I instructed those in my employ to go to Gabriel and take over his work so he could feel free to be home. I gave each of my workers an extra week’s pay so they could give that pay to Gabriel as a gift for the birth of his daughter. Gabriel saw this as an outpouring of love from the village; and it was. These men could have easily kept the extra money for themselves and not done a good job for Gabriel, however, he reaped what he had sown; hard work and generosity.”
“The love poured out on Sarah’s family over-flowed to Sarah and I knew she would be the one for my son. “
Preparing you and your bride for marriage
His father went to the open scroll. “Your mother and I began to write the character qualities both you and Sarah would require to carry on this business and ministry. These were written in your book and the book of your bride. Of course, you could have chosen differently, but I knew you would follow God’s leading.” As we learned the skills your bride would need we wrote them in this book and assigned Hannah, your maid, the task to learn the skills Sarah would need to learn so Hannah could teach them to your bride. Tasks such as how to how to run business matters, shop for fine goods, create beautiful textiles and run a house with servants. Hannah was your mother’s right hand. She knew our business, family and character as well as we did. Hannah watched Sarah grow and learned all she could about Sarah. And then there were the qualities only Sarah could bring, compassion, diligence, industry, generosity and…the most important…love.”
“God used Sarah’s difficulties and her family to imprint these character qualities on her soul.”
Jacob listened intently as his father continued, “Many people in the village were upset when you chose Sarah. They felt their daughters were physically stronger and more qualified. However, these families did not have the vision to bring prosperity to anyone but themselves. Sarah’s physical deformity is of absolutely no consequence; in fact, it adds to her qualifications and her beauty. We saw Sarah’s heart in action throughout her childhood. She was always helping those in need, attentive and obedient to her father and mother. We watched as Sarah struggled to find peace with her disability and be useful and kind. Now, with Hannah’s guidance, Sarah is skilled to be your covenant partner in her heart and ready to stand by your side and bless others. She has truly fulfilled the meaning of her name – ‘noblewoman’.”
Samuel looked deep into the eyes of his oldest son
“While you were preparing a place for your bride, your bride was preparing to be your virtuous wife.” Jacob looked through the book of the bride in amazement. He had seen “his book”, the one his father asked him to follow to prepare for his marriage. The requirements in Jacob’s book were completed; and per the book of the bride, so were Sarah’s. Jacob’s father came up behind him, put his hand on his shoulder and said
“Son, Go get your bride” it’s time for the marriage supper.
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You and I have a book…
The Bible tells us that God has a vision for each of us. A plan to use the gifts and talents he has given us for his glory and to bring the world to Jesus. Psalm 139 tells us all our days were written in his book before one of them came into being. Psalm 139 is a wonderful testimony to God’s knowledge of us and his presence in our lives.
Psalm 139: 16-17
16You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[b]O God.
Ephesians 1:4-8
4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[b]7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 2:10
tells that God has planned good works for us, long ago.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
God will use “our book” at the judgement
Revelations 20:12 tells us of the books God will use to judge every person who has ever lived.
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
“Books are mentioned in the Bible 196 times, but only three are on God’s reading list. John wrote, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12). Since both “books” (plural) and a “book” (singular) were opened, we may conclude that we will likely see three books before God on Judgment Day. Daniel saw a similar vision: “The judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10). (1)
The Book of the Bride
Jacob’s parents had written a book, both for his life and for his bride. In the same way God has a book written for each of us, kept in heaven. This book has his best plans for us; his vision of our lives here on earth. However, God takes it a step further. He not only writes it in our book, he writes it on our hearts and leads us in a path to fulfill the destiny we were created for.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, declares the LORD, I will put my law within them and on their heart and I will write it; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. They will not teach again each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know ME, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more…”
Satan wants to keep us from our destiny in Christ
Like the villagers in Sarah’s town, satan and his cohort tries to bring accusation against us. However, because of the blood of Jesus, we are “hidden In Christ with God.”
Colossians 3:2-3
2 “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.84 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Jacob and Sarah’s futures were planned, even written down, however they both had choices. They could have been self-willed and rebellious. Sarah could have responded to her deformity with bitterness and selfishness. Jacob could have looked down on Sarah for her position in life, the daughter of his father’s employee and for her physical differences.
God’s plans for us are good
Our days are written in a book; they are God’s heart towards us. His best plan and He KNOWS them…
Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord.”
Like Hannah, the maid Jacob gave to Sarah, the Holy Spirit teaches, counsels, comforts us, He speaks for the Father, and He only speaks what He hears from the Father. He leads us into all truth and tells us what is to come. The Holy Spirit takes what belongs to Jesus and makes it ours.
God Knew what we would choose
Romans 8:28-30 talks about the controversial “predestination”. I love Robert Henderson’s take on this in his CD series, “Operating in the Courtroom of Heaven. (2)
Romans 8:28-30
28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
- God foreknew – he knew us before we were born-there were decisions made about us before we were born, Paul tells Timothy this happened before time began.
- Predestined – decisions were the thought out established plan for the will of God for my destiny and written in my book. – if I come into agreement with it, the reason I exist will have fulfillment and purpose.
- Called– we begin to get glimpses of what has been written in the book of heaven about us before time began-God is helping us to see the future and destiny before time began – whatever he wrote in heaven, he also wrote in our heart – look in your heart. We may disregard those glimpses if we don’t realize this process. Whatever he wrote in your book is also written in your heart.
- Justified–to declare to be innocent – legal connotations. What the enemy is going to use railing accusations against us to keep us from what is written in our book, God took care of it through Jesus blood. Satan builds cases against us day and night.
- Glorified – qualified to step into the full destiny we were made for and fulfilling what was written in our book.
Satan wants to stop what is written in God’s book about us because he knows it will do massive damage to his kingdom. The Bible tells us satan “roams the earth seeking whom he may devour.” The good news is, we have our own “Hannah”, the Holy Spirit, who reveals everything we have from God through Christ.
John 16:13-15
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.[c]
When we, like Sarah are fully prepared as The Bride of Christ, God the Father will tell Jesus, His son… Go Get Your Bride and what a day that will be!
Resources
(1) http://housetohouse.com/three-books-on-gods-reading-list/ (2) Operating in the Courtroom of Heaven, Robert Henderson, http://a.co/5gpwSvG Learn to live as the Bride of Christ. Dancing Through Life.
About the Author: Celeste Davis, is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ with a heart to walk fully in Covenant with Him. As Founder of The Wellness Workshop, Celeste’s passion is to teach women and impact their families to “Be Nourished” as opposed to dieting or trying different life strategies. We nourish our bodies with God-Made Food, our Souls with God-Made Relationships and our Spirits with the Word of God and Prayer. More Info about Celeste.
