I have often heard and even read that the Church is the bride of Christ. But where in the Bible can we find justification for this Christian claim? In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah referred to the people of Israel as the wife of one husband—the Lord God (Isaiah 54:5).  

Carrying this thought into the New Testament, we again see where Paul uses the marriage analogy when speaking of the husband (Jesus) being the head of the wife (the Church) that He might sanctify and cleanse her unto himself as holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:23-27).

Yet when we look at what the Bible has to say in its entirety, we also find the Lord God speaking of the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah and their cities (the daughters of Zion) in the female gender. Furthermore, when calling out their adulterous relationships with the foreign nations and their false gods, He refers to them as female harlots (see Jeremiah 3, Ezekiel 16, and Hosea 2).

In the New Testament book of Revelation, we find the same female imagery being applied to both the harlot city of Babylon (Rev. 17-19) and the holy city New Jerusalem (Rev. 21) which the angel tells John is the bride of Christ!

“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me [John], saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 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” (Rev. 21:9-10).

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. 21:2).

Now I’m confused?  Is the Church or is the Holy City, the bride of Christ?

Again, turning the Bible, we find the answer in the marriage supper of the Lamb.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he [the angel] saith unto me [John], Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:7-9).

Who are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb?

None other than the blessed saints who have been sanctified (made righteous) by the cleansing blood of the Lamb!

Therefore, the Christian Church can’t be both the bride and wedding guests. Furthermore, the bride’s (Holy City’s) fine linen is the Son of righteousness which gloriously covers us all!

“The Spirit and the bride (City of God) say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life [flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb].” Rev. 22:17 (NIV, emphasis added).

For further understanding on this subject see The Great Controversy pp. 426-427