The bridegroom and the bride - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Revelation 21:9

The bridegroom and the bride
The Lord Jesus compares His relationship with the assembly or church of God, consisting of all believers from the present period of grace, to the relationship of a bridegroom with his bride. He draws this parallel to demonstrate His perfect love for the church:

1. What has the bridegroom done for his bride in the past? “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). He died on the cross to possess the church as His heavenly bride. Such is His love!

2. What is the bridegroom doing for his bride in the present? “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26). Because the Lord Jesus loves His bride, He takes care of her. He sanctifies the church by separating it from the world and aligning it inwardly with Himself. Moreover, Christ cleanses His church to make her conform to Him, using the cleansing power of the Word of God.

3. What will the bridegroom do for his bride in the future? First, He will fulfil His promise: “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). The bridegroom will personally collect His bride to take her to heaven. There, He will “present her to Himself a glorious church” so that He will be able to forever rejoice in her beauty (Ephesians 5:27).

Today’s reading: Jeremiah 10:1-25 · Luke 22:1-13