[Jo S]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

Also, this verse makes no sense if the bride is not the church:

Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

The Bride made herself ready is clearly the saints, who have clothed themselves in righteous deeds. The clothing of Christ's bride is the righteous deeds of the saints. This makes no sense if the Bride is the physical city.

What makes no sense is our deeds translating into literal clothing.

So of course we can conclude that "linen" is metaphor for splendor.

Now, if we can cloth ourselves in righteous deeds how come we are not yet glorified? Does our glory come before or after Christ return's? If before, as you interpret this verse, then you claim we can glorify ourselves. Can you bring Christ down from heaven with your righteousness?

This goes back to where Christ talks about storing up our treasure in heaven.

What then is that treasure he talks about? It's our righteous deeds.

Since our righteous deeds are stored in heaven, it follows that they will be presented when heaven or the New Jerusalem comes to earth with Christ.

Christ talks about showing other's our righteous deeds in order for God to be glorified, not so we can be glorified.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Our light is from God. Our righteousness is not our glory but God's glory and when that holy city appears, it'll will be clothed in his light, not ours.

Revelation 22:5

"And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."

So yes Revelation 19:7-8 talks about the city, the New Jerusalem, appearing clothed in God's bright and awesome glory.

Ezekiel 16:1 must refer to the people. Because a physical city does not do detestable practices.

This then all ties back to Ezekiel 16:1.

It is not likening the city of Jerusalem to the people themselves, but their works or practices.

See, if the detestable practices of the people can condemn Jerusalem then the righteous deeds or treasures of the Lord's people can bring glory to the New Jerusalem.

And I'll end on this note.

Here we also see a city likened to a women in Revelation 17:18:

"The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

If you do not have issue with the the great city Babylon being called a "whore", you should find no issue with the New Jerusalem being called the bride.