the Harlot?

[stratt]

There is a harlot mentioned in the book of revelations, and until this moment, i thought it was the catholic church.... but i have been informed that the body of christ, is a MAN therefore the woman would have to be isreal?? And the harlot would have to be, the nation of isreal that is not following God????

What think ye?

 

[heymikey80]

Hm.

The Church is who Christ is married to (Ep 5). It's also His Body, Whom He nourishes and cherishes. I wouldn't say the church is never considered Christ's actual Body, but it's definitely got both male and female allegory attached to it. Fortunately in heaven there isn't male and female.

I'm sure the Harlot has been identified any number of different ways across the centuries. It's whatever religion sets itself against the people of God, the Body of Christ. Just as John said in 1 John 2 about the antichrist, likely many harlots have gone out into the world, too.

If it were the Roman(?) Catholic church ... it wouldn't be a premil concept. On the other hand, I believe that was Martin Luther's position, connecting the RC church of his day with the Babylonian Captivity of the Church (in the book of the same name).

 

[A Brother In Christ]

nope

 

[timlamb]

Strange stuff floating around here strat, you are right to question.

 

[eph3Nine]

LOL....The ONLY wife of God is the nation Israel. WE are the BODY of Christ, not the BRIDE of Christ...which, by the way is a term never used in the bible. Its a real shame that people dont go to the scriptures to find out what THEY tell us about who the lambs wife IS. God has only been espoused to ONE...ISRAEL. He is not a bigamist.

 

[heymikey80]

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. Ep 5:23-32

 

[timlamb]

LOL....The ONLY wife of God is the nation Israel. WE are the BODY of Christ, not the BRIDE of Christ...which, by the way is a term never used in the bible. Its a real shame that people dont go to the scriptures to find out what THEY tell us about who the lambs wife IS. God has only been espoused to ONE...ISRAEL. He is not a bigamist.

Hey, if Israel is the Bride, and we, the gentiles are the body, That must mean we will marry Israel and be eternally united .

Or, the bride and body are both allegories, and both include all believers; think of that, united in Christ!!

 

[A Brother In Christ]

Hey, if Israel is the Bride, and we, the gentiles are the body, That must mean we will marry Israel and be eternally united .

Or, the bride and body are both allegories, and both include all believers; think of that, united in Christ!!

We are the bride and the body

right now the bride cannot see the groom other wise some believer would not be put into the body since it would make God a lier.. 1john 3:2, eph 1:4

Once every elect one believes..eph 1:4 the rapture can happen after all the works that God said would be completed eph 2:10

at this time when the bride and the groom see each other ..1john 3:2, eph 5:27 God perfects the wife so that we can meet the Father face to face since we are one body with Christ being the head

 

[timlamb]

We are the bride and the body

right now the bride cannot see the groom other wise some believer would not be put into the body since it would make God a lier.. 1john 3:2, eph 1:4

Once every elect one believes..eph 1:4 the rapture can happen after all the works that God said would be completed eph 2:10

at this time when the bride and the groom see each other ..1john 3:2, eph 5:27 God perfects the wife so that we can meet the Father face to face since we are one body with Christ being the head

who was that masked man

 

[eph3Nine]

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. Ep 5:23-32

yep...the similarities between the love relationship in a marriage and Christ and the Church are many indeed. But I still dont see scripture contradicting itself by calling we who are His BODY what ISRAEL is INDEED...the Lambs WIFE.

To hold to this view after being presented scriputural PROOF as to who IS the lambs wife...ISRAEL...one must conclude two things. The Word of God is NOT the final authority for some, but their own understanding and that there is indeed a plan of evil that satan has developed to ENSNARE those who are NOT studied...he takes them captive to do HIS will and NOT Gods REVEALED will. These are BELIEVERS the scripture is talking about with this warning...NOT unbelievers!!!!!

I pray for all eyes to be enlightened to ACKNOWLEDGE the hidden wisdom of God that He has REVEALED thru Paul.

 

[stratt]

yep...the similarities between the love relationship in a marriage and Christ and the Church are many indeed. But I still dont see scripture contradicting itself by calling we who are His BODY what ISRAEL is INDEED...the Lambs WIFE.

To hold to this view after being presented scriputural PROOF as to who IS the lambs wife...ISRAEL...one must conclude two things. The Word of God is NOT the final authority for some, but their own understanding and that there is indeed a plan of evil that satan has developed to ENSNARE those who are NOT studied...he takes them captive to do HIS will and NOT Gods REVEALED will. These are BELIEVERS the scripture is talking about with this warning...NOT unbelievers!!!!!

I pray for all eyes to be enlightened to ACKNOWLEDGE the hidden wisdom of God that He has REVEALED thru Paul.

So then who is the harlot in revelations? is it a harlot isreal? or is it a real woman, and there is no symbolisim? This question is for those of Eph3nines belief system, as i know the other viewpoint.

 

[eph3Nine]

So then who is the harlot in revelations? is it a harlot isreal? or is it a real woman, and there is no symbolisim? This question is for those of Eph3nines belief system, as i know the other viewpoint.

Since Revelation is written to those who will go thru the GREAT TRIBULATION and since Leviticus 26 tells us about the program that Israel signed up for with God, AND given the fact that there is ONE course of curses of a seven year duration that is LEFT on Israels 5 courses of curses in that program....also adding to those facts the additional fact that the Nation Israel is the one called a harlot in the program of times Past, and since Revelation deals with Gods RESUMPTION Of the program WITH Israel...I think its safe to say that ISRAEL is the harlot being referred to.

We dont need to make symbols where the Bible has already identified the phrase or word used in the same context with the same group of individuals. Times PAST and Ages to come ALL have to do with Israels program, and not ours.

Hope that helps. Other "viewpoints" may be interesting to consider, but let me give you a handy illustration of why its fruitless to engage in "opinion" polls. Our concentration should be on the REAL THING...not on the myriad of "opinions" held by myriads of folks who havent a CLUE what God is doing today.

Heres my little story...you wont soon forget it, Im sure...

Do you know how they train FBI agents to determine whether or not a piece of currency is counterfeit or not? You would THINK they would have them handle a whole bunch of the fake stuff so they could spot it when they see it, wouldnt ya? NOPE....they give them the REAL THING, and make them SO familiar with it that when a forgery comes along it stands out like a sore thumb.

That is what God wants us to do with His Word. Hes not interested in our finding out every one else's OPINION...opinions are like "belly buttons"...everyone seems to HAVE one!

God wants us to be so familiar with what the REAL truth is that when we hear a falsity we will know it instantly. How so? Because the REAL DEAL is engraven in our heads by the "renewing of our minds, to think as God thinks."

God never appeals to peoples personal "opinions"...He appeals to our minds and tells us to compare what we have thot in the past with what His word actually SAYS...by studying it rightly divided.

It makes ones Bible make sense and come alive....and ya dont have to put round pieces in square holes trying to make things "fit".

God is smart....Listen to Him!