Mystery of the Bride
Part 3
Vicky Moots
We read in Gen. 2:21 that God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam while He was removing a rib to form Eve. Does this mean anything to us spiritually? We know that in the natural, in order for a surgery to take place, a patient must be anesthetized, or “put to sleep.” Adam’s physical body was asleep, and therefore was not aware of the operation that was being performed. Likewise, the majority of the spiritual body of Christ, the church, is fast asleep today and is unaware of the signs of the end-times and that the marriage of the Lamb is soon to take place.
So, what happened that caused the church to fall asleep? The church began on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. About three thousand people were saved on that day, and we read in Acts 2:47 that “…the Lord added to the church daily such as should be [were being] saved.”
The early church was very much awake and full of the Holy Ghost. But it wasn’t long before we read that they began to murmur among themselves saying that not everyone was being treated equally (Acts 6:1). Does that sound familiar? Satan was actively sowing disagreement and discontent among the church to try to stop it from growing.
In II Tim. 4:10 Paul speaks sadly regarding one of his previous followers: “…Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…” He warned Timothy in v.3 concerning the lukewarm, sleepy conditions that would soon invade the church: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” This condition results when the love of the world is greater than our love for the Lord or for His Word.
Many religious organizations today have fallen asleep to the voice of God and no longer heed it or teach sound doctrine from the Bible. Instead, they have compromised with the world to please the people. Jesus Himself also warned of such conditions that would prevail in the end-time: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12).
God does not cause these things to happen, but He allows them to take place in order to fulfill His purposes, just like He allowed the church to fall asleep so that He may prepare a bride for Christ. He is calling out from among the sleeping body of Christ a group of people whose love has not grown cold.
In I Thess. 5:1-8, Paul admonishes us to be awake and aware of the times and the seasons, because the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, and many will be asleep and not watching. In v.4 he says, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” In v.5 He states, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” He then warns us in v.6 to be awake: “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
Paul is speaking of two different groups of believers in the church: those who are asleep and those who are awake. This was true at that time and is true today. Which group do you choose to be in? Even three of Jesus’ closest disciples fell asleep instead of watching while He prayed and agonized in Gethsemane, so we must always be on our guard.
Yes, the church is still alive. It has a pulse, and it is breathing, but the majority of it is in a spiritual deep sleep. It is time to wake up and listen to the Word of God. Paul warns the sleeping believers regarding this in Rom. 13:11: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep…”
Listen closely. Can you hear the Holy Spirit calling your name? Do you wish to remain a part of the sleeping body of Christ, or do you choose to wake up and be a part of that small rib portion that is being called out and separated out from among them to be fashioned into His bride?
