ALL Doves:

In this installment of "The Theme of The Bride" we are going to be looking at the Bridegroom and the Bride going through the open door, and the crossing of the threshhold into their new home.  In western marriage customs, it is custom of the Groom to carry the Bride across the threshold.  Going into the new house in heaven requires going through the open door.

John 14:2  - "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."

John 14:3  - "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

Today, in the USA, a strong wedding theme often shown in movies and television programs is that the groom lifts up his bride to carry her across the threshold, through the door of the house.  This is also a strong theme of the Rapture and Feast of Trumpets in Scripture, going through the open door.

Revelation 3:8  - "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."

Revelation 3:10  - "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

Revelation 3:20  - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Revelation 4:1  - "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

Matthew 25:10  - "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut."

Matthew 25:11  - "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us."

Matthew 25:12  - "But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

Luke 13:23  - "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?  And he said unto them,"

Luke 13:24  - "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Luke 13:25  - When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us: and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:"

Luke 13:26  - "Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets."

Luke 13:27  - "But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

Luke 13:28  - "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."

Luke 13:29  - "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God."

Luke 13:30  - "And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

The door to the Temple (representing heaven) was open on the new moon festival of the Feast of Trumpets:

Ezekiel 46:1  - "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened."

Psalm 118:19  - "Open to me the gates of righteousness:  I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:"

Psalm 118:20  - "This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter."

Isaiah 26:2  - "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in."

Isaiah 26:19  - "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.  Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."

Isaiah 26:20  - "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

Isaiah 26:21  - "For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: for the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."

Jesus is the door.

John 10:7  - "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep."

John 10:9  - "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

There is no other name by which men might be saved.  Christ Jesus is the only way to salvation.  Not the Roman Catholic Church, no church for that matter.

Matthew 1:21  - "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Acts 2:21  - "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Acts 4:10  - "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."

Acts 4:11  - "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."

Acts 4:12  -  "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Romans 10:13  - "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Going through the "open door into heaven" takes us to being in those "many mansions in my father's house", that bridal chamber."

The "door to heaven" is also commonly known in popular culture (and many jokes) in America as the "pearly gates", which is from the description of New Jerusalem, which is also described as the Bride of Christ.

Revelation 2:2  - "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Revelation 21:9  - "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials of the seven last plagues, and talked with me saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."

Revelation 21:10  -  "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,"

Revelation 21:21  - "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

In the next installment of "he Biblical Theme of The Bride" we will move to the Bridal Week in the Wedding Chamber.  The Bridal Week begins at the beginning of Daniel's 70th week, or "shavuah".  Dr. Chuck Missler has a beautifuly expression for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.  He says, "God is not going to beat up his Bride and then in the middle of the Tribulation, say to the Bride, let's go on a honeymoon".  The honeymoon custom of the western wedding is to spend a week at a special place with privacy and intimacy by the wedding couple.  The Jewish wedding and reception is structured on a "seven" day getaway. 

Blessings from God,

Pastor Bob