THE BRIDE COMING FORTH


THE BRIDE COMING FORTH

By Christine Beadsworth
keluwlah@iafrica.com


The Lord has been impressing two scriptures upon my heart in the past days:

(Zechariah 4:7 KJV) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

(Psalms 102:13 KJV) Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

It seemed to me the Holy Spirit was highlighting an important event which was to take place in the spiritual realm and as I prayed for revelation and understanding of the times, I began to see an awesome parallel in the Word concerning the days we as the Church are living in. We are entering the appointed time in which God is pouring a double portion of favor upon His Bride! This is confirmed within these two verses as the word for ‘time’ in psalm 102 is ’eth’ which is the same as ‘kairos’ in the Greek, meaning ‘a window of time in which God moves’. The second word for ‘time’ in this verse means ‘ a fixed time or season, an appointed time, a festival’. So we see that the Lord is arising to meet an eternal appointment in this season. This is the time that was scheduled before the foundation of the earth and the appointment has not been canceled! This is the year of the Lord’s favour when He is coming to comfort all who mourn in Zion. The word translated ‘favour’ in psalm 102:13 is ‘to stoop in kindness to an inferior, to have pity on, to bestow’.

Zechariah says that the headstone is brought forth with cries of, “grace, grace”. This word can also be translated as ‘favour, favour’. What does favour do? It opens up the way for one to move or function freely. If you have favour with someone in a position of power, you are able to get doors opened for you in the direction you need to go!! Zechariah 4:7 shows us that a double portion of favour is going to make the way open for this headstone to be brought forth in the earth!

I began to be curious as to what this headstone was that Zechariah referred to. It is composed of two words:

Eben - a stone, a plummet, a stone of fire, a precious stone
Rosha - the feminine word for head

So this headstone is feminine! This scripture is not referring to Christ, the head of the Body but to someone who is at a similar level of rulership with Him - His Bride. We see here the beautiful portrayal of the revealing of the Bride of the Lamb released to rule in the earth with a double portion of favour making way for her as she walks. Isaiah 61:7 says this:

For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Esther pleased the king more than all the other women and so he crowned her queen. Esther 2:17 says that she received grace and favour in his sight. Another way of saying this is, she received favour and favour - a double portion of favour!

When a Bride is crowned, she is given a position of authority in the kingdom and is empowered to rule.

(Proverbs 12:4 KJV) A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband

The word for ‘virtuous’ here means ‘a force, an army, wealth, might, power, riches, valor, virtue, strength’. The Bride of Jesus is a virtuous woman; a warring, brave, strong army in the earth and she is the crown of her husband, Jesus.

(Isaiah 62:3 KJV) Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

She is a crown of glory, endued with favour, exercising righteous judgments in the earth and extending the Kingdom. It is the favour of God poured out in the coming season which will cause His people to go in and possess the land of their inheritance.

(Psalms 44:3 MKJV) For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.

God opened up the way at the Red Sea and at the Jordan for His people to go through and in this day we shall see a double opening, double favour, double anointing. Not only will there be evidence of the spirit of Elijah, but also of Elisha(who had a double portion of anointing).This is why we will do greater works for the Kingdom in this day.

It states in Zechariah 4:7 that Zerubbabel was the one who would bring forth this headstone, the Bride, who is a righteous plummet in the earth. What or who is he a picture of? I believe the answer is found in digging deep into the meaning of his name. It is a composite of two words:

Zeru - to flow
Babel - comes from a root word meaning ‘ to overflow, specifically with oil, to anoint’

So, wrapped up within this name is a double portion of flowing or an overflowing anointing. It is this double portion of anointing that will be the hallmark of the Bride in this day; it is this which will bring her forth to a place where she is recognized for who she is. As the crown of her Husband, she will carry the seal of His approval and favour. She is going to arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is upon her.

(Psalms 92:10 MKJV) But You shall lift up my horn as the wild ox; and I shall be anointed with fresh oil.

The word for ‘anoint’ in this scripture is only used once in the Word and means ‘to overflow with oil’. The other words translated ‘anoint’ mean ‘ to rub in’ signifying a smaller quantity of oil being used. So the anointing described here is a double portion anointing, the same one which flows over Aaron’s beard and onto his garments

Psa 133:1 A Song of degrees; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

This outpouring of anointing is connected to the brethren being in unity; unity of purpose, heart and mind like the disciples on the day of Pentecost - they were in one accord in one place. It also describes the anointing as being a high-priestly anointing which is in actual fact a commissioning and anointing for a position, an equipping to carry out an office. In the same way, the Bride is made up of royal priests and just as Esther was crowned and thus equipped for her position, so too there is coming in this season, an outpouring upon those who take up their positions and appointments in Christ.

The oneness of heart and mind is underscored by the fact that it is a single headstone that is brought forth; a many-membered Bride, made up of mature sons with a single vision; to bring glory to their Bridegroom.

This headstone is also the plummet spoken of in Zechariah 4:10

(Zechariah 4:10 KJV) For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

A plummet is an instrument used in adjusting building erections to a perpendicular line or to the upright. So this headstone or plummet is going to be a standard of righteousness against which all building in the Kingdom will be measured and tested. That which is not upright will be torn down and rebuilt according to the standard of righteousness because righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne. We see also from the above verse that the seven spirits of God will rest upon this plummet or headstone, which is confirmed by Zechariah 3:8,9

‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.’

So a hallmark of this bridal company will be that they operate in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Counsel and Might , the Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of the Lord. Isaiah 12 gives us a further explanation of how this Manchild will operate:

(Isaiah 11:3 KJV) And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

This Branch, which is also a plummet and a headstone, will exercise judgement in righteousness because of the anointing. She will proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.She will declare the year of the Lord’s favour in the earth!

In Zechariah 3:9, when God says, “I will engrave”, that word ‘engrave’ can be translated ‘ to open wide, to break forth, to let go free, to begin, to loosen’. The marking of God upon this stone will bring about a tremendous release to the Bride of Christ in this season. It will be a release marked by a double portion of divine favour. This servant that the Lord will bring forth is a bondslave Bride; One who has been set free but chooses to follow wherever the Spirit leads. She is the branch which grows and bears much fruit out of intimacy with the Bridegroom.

(Psalms 110:2 MKJV) The Lord will send forth the rod of Your strength from Zion; rule in the midst of Your enemies. Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power, in holy adornment from the womb of the morning: You have the dew of Your youth.

This rod or scepter sent forth out of Zion exercises God’s authority through the ruling reining Bride of Christ as she extends the influence of His Kingdom in the earth. The above verse says that God’s people will offer themselves willingly - they will say, “ here am I, Lord; send me”. It also speaks of them being set apart for His purposes in holiness, having been in a place of preparation for such a time as this - and from this womb, they shall be brought forth with shouts of ‘favour, favour’ into the fullness of their inheritance in Christ, a place of bridal rule and authority.

At this time, the feast of Pentecost or Shavuot is celebrated. There are very significant parallels prophetically for the Third Day Church in this feast. Firstly, it is celebrated 50 days after Passover. Fifty is the number of Jubilee, a set time of freedom from slavery and debt. Shackles are broken off and prisoners released at this time.

On the first Shavuot, God made arrangements with Moses to meet with His people, Israel:

(Exodus 19:10 KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

As we go into this season of Pentecost, the Lord is requiring a sanctifying and setting apart for His purposes. It is not acceptable to approach this time lightheartedly for we are entering one of God’s appointed times in the earth and we do not want to miss the day of our visitation. The people were given two days to prepare and on the third day, God showed up. The church has had two thousand years to prepare herself for this appointment - has she made herself ready - have you made yourself ready? Have you forsaken all others to surrender yourself to the Lord? Shavuot was God’s betrothal to His people Israel and in the manner of Jewish wedding ceremonies, it had to take place under a canopy or chuppah. Exodus tells us that the people gathered at the foot of the mountain or in Hebrew, ‘under, beneath,the womb’. So they were covered both by the cloud and the overhanging mountain.

We are in the morning of the Third Day and in like manner, the presence of God is going to descend with thunder and lightenings and a thick cloud upon mount Zion. He is coming to seek the hand of His Bride; His heart yearns to know whether His people will say ‘yes’ to Him. In a Jewish wedding, the marriage covenant or contract is called ketubah and is a written document which is presented at the betrothal ceremony. The betrothal is considered as binding as the wedding ceremony. On that first Shavuot, the Midrash tells us that when God spoke, the people saw the sound waves as a fiery substance which divided and went to stand before each individual as a tongue of fire. Each person had to say,” I will” and commit to this covenant with the Lord. Then the fiery substance went and wrote on the tablets of stone. God engraved the ketubah on these stone tablets, which were afterward broken by Moses because of the people’s unfaithfulness.

Exo 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

At Pentecost, the people were in unity in one place and the Holy Spirit was poured out in tongues of fire, which rested on each one individually. This is considered to be the birth of the Church as we know it and the ketubah is written on our hearts, which are turned from stone to flesh. Shavuot was the birth of the nation of Israel and also a covenantal marriage ceremony between God and His people.

In this season God is bringing forth His servant, the Branch,( the Manchild) out of Zion, and His Bride, who will rule in righteousness in the earth. Once again, as the cloud of His presence overshadows us, He is coming to receive from each one of us an answer. Will we be His vessels, brought to the Kingdom for such a time as this? Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and her response was:

(Luke 1:38 KJV) And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

He is the One who comes to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire! Are you ready to receive a baptism of the fiery power of God in this day?

At this time God is laying a banquet before us and we each have an individual meal to eat, His specific purpose for us in these end times. Will we say yes and consume it, will we align ourselves with His desired purpose for our lives, no matter what the cost? We are the one stone of Zechariah 3 on which the Lord wants to engrave our new name. This is our married name; we leave our maiden names behind and take on His Name and all that it embraces. Just as on the first Shavuot when God engraved the stone tablets, we are going into the season when He is engraving stones again!

(Revelation 2:17 KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

The word, ‘knoweth’ here means ‘to grasp or understand’. Only you will fully understand the extent of the Lord’s purposes for your life. Others may not see what He is making of you but deep within your spirit will be written and deposited the blueprint of your destiny in the Kingdom. The word, ‘name’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘authority, character’ and only the one who ‘receiveth’ this new name or ‘takes hold of’ this revelation of our authority and character in Christ, will understand and walk in the light of that revelation. We are His Bride, destined to rule and take dominion in the earth. Paul says, “ I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me”. We must press in and possess our inheritance because that day which is spoken of is this day in which we are priviledged to walk the earth. We have been brought to the Kingdom for such a time as this!

Psalm 110:2 tells us that His people will offer themselves ‘willingly’ in this day of His power. This word means ‘to volunteer as a soldier’. The word for ‘power’ carries within it the sense of bringing forth and travailing. God is wanting an army to bring forth and birth something in the earth. This mighty army which is the rod and branch that is sent forth from Zion is arrayed in the beauty of holiness. They have sanctified themselves, just like the sanctification for two days before Shavuot. The Bride has been making herself ready for this morning of the Third Day!

Psalm 110, which is a Third Day psalm, says in the last verse;

(Psalms 110:7 KJV) He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up his head.

This seems unconnected to the theme of the previous verses until we discover that the word ‘drink’ means ‘to imbibe, banquet’. Here is the connection to the feast of our inheritance which the Lord is laying before us at this time. The root word for ‘brook’ is translated ‘to inherit, to be made to possess, to occupy’! So this Branch that is sent forth out of Zion will feast on her inheritance. She will experience the fulfillment of God’s promise to her - she will eat of the fruit of the promised land!

(Isaiah 25:6 KJV) And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

Pentecost is also called the Feast of First Fruits. When God met with the Israelites and covenanted in marriage with them, they were to be a sign or a type in the earth, a firstfruits of what was to come:

(Jeremiah 2:2 KJV) Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
(Jeremiah 2:3 KJV) Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase

In Revelation, it speaks of another firstfruits company who have God’s name engraved upon them:

(Revelation 14:4 KJV) These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

God is once again bringing forth a company in a similar type to Israel, His earthly Bride.When He exchanged vows with them that first Shavuot, he promised:

(Exodus 19:5 KJV) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.

These words, ‘a peculiar treasure’ are from the Hebrew word for ‘jewel, wealth, to closely shut up’ and appear again in a prophetic scripture referring to these very days in which we find ourselves:

(Malachi 3:16 KJV) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

God is in the process of ‘making up’ His jewels for His crown. This is the Hebrew word meaning ‘to appoint or bring forth’. This is His firstfruits company, His heavenly Bride, the one who is a crown to her Husband. She has been ‘shut up’ in a place of preparation but we are entering the time when He will openly display her as His treasure.

(Isaiah 62:3 KJV) Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

The wife of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings is a crown of fiery precious stones. In Revelation 21, the Lamb’s wife is described as having a foundation of precious stones and being utterly beautiful to behold:

(Revelation 21:11 KJV) Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal

When a baby is born, there is a moment in the labour called the ‘crowning of the head’. We are in that moment even now at this Pentecost season. God is bringing forth the crown of the Head , His jewels who are living memorials to show the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises.

Another picture of these jewels is seen in the the two wave -loaves of finely ground flour which are a firstfruits offering to the Lord at the time of Shavuot (Lev 23:15-17). They symbolize those who have been through much refining and purifying and are ready to be part of a firstfruits company in the earth, jewels which have been cut and polished to fit into a crown to glorify the King.

All of creation is groaning, waiting for the manifestation or revealing of the sons of God. The labour has reached the time of breakthrough - the crowning of the Head and the way is opening up; the headstone is being brought forth with shouts of ‘favour, favour!’. Halleluyah! So arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen upon you!

(Isaiah 62:2 KJV) And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

The set time to favour Zion has come!



THE BRIDE COMING FORTH
(Part 2)

keluwlah@iafrica.com


By Christine Beadsworth













In the first part of this article, I dwelt on the symbolism in the feast of Pentecost or Shavuot and its relevance to the prophetic time in which the Church finds itself. We are now approaching the Jewish New Year, known as Rosh Hashanna on the 16th and 17th September and I would like to share some further insights the Lord has given me for this season.

Rosh Hashanna has many names and themes which give us great understanding into the times we are walking into. It is known as the Feast of Trumpets, the Coronation of the King, the Day of Remembrance and the Wedding ceremony. If Pentecost/Shavuot is a picture of the betrothal, then Rosh Hashanna is the marriage. From the understanding I had when I wrote the previous article, I spoke of the crowning of the head in the birth process of the sons of God as taking place during the Pentecost season. However I now see that this actually takes place during Rosh Hashanna when the crowning of the King or Head is believed to take place. So the time period between Shavuot and Rosh Hashanna is equated to the trip down the birth canal. Shavuot heralds the departure from the womb of preparation but there is still the birth canal to be negotiated before the coming forth is complete. This process is set in motion by God. It is His command that causes the waters to break and the contractions to begin. The baby then enters into a journey that is narrow, pressurized, uncomfortable and exhausting. It is completely at the mercy of the One bringing it forth and has no control over the length or strength of the contractions. It is upside-down and spiraling through a dark narrow passage to its destiny. Until the crowning of the head, it has no indication that the breakthrough it has anticipated will happen. Then light breaks through and once the head is crowned, the shoulder follows and the rest of the body exits easily from the birth canal.

Does this describe what you have been going through in the months between Pentecost and today? Have you been facing trials, pressure, disorientation and exhaustion, coupled with confusion because you rightly discerned the announcement of a new season in the spirit and a breakthrough on its way and yet there just seemed to be opposition all around you, darkness and resistance to you moving forward into your destiny? Well, rejoice, because you are right on track with the process of being brought forth into your destiny. Keep pressing through because Rosh Hashanna is on its way! The baby presses forward in faith without sight and so we too, in these months since April, have been persevering and moving forward inch by inch because we know in the depths of our Spirit that we have heard the Word that God has spoken over our lives and we, like Paul, press forward to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us! The crowning of the head is about to take place and we will begin to possess the promised land of our inheritance in God. God’s timetable is moving forward and the manifestation of the sons of God is about to take place for He has promised in His Word:

(Isaiah 66:9 KJV) Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

The first part of the body to appear after the head is the shoulder. This represents government and authority. As God reveals His sons, their areas of authority in the spirit will be evident and so they will be recognized for who they are in Christ and no longer recognized after the flesh.

The time between Shavuot and Rosh Hashanna is also a season of preparation for the wedding ceremony. Once the betrothal has taken place, the bride is focused on only one thing and that is getting ready for the wedding. Anyone who has prepared for a wedding knows that this is a pressurized time of separation, consecration and making ready. The Bride is ‘set-apart’ for this purpose. She can think of little else. There have been calls by many respected leaders in the Body of Christ in these days to set ourselves apart in a time of repentance and consecration and as one has put it, ‘ preparation for increase’.

The Jews undergo a thirty day period of repentance before Rosh Hashanna. The shofar is blown every morning and they examine themselves to see how closely their lives line up with God’s Word. This is important because one of the other names for Rosh Hashanna is ‘the Day of Judgment’. This is the day when the books are opened and men’s lives are examined. Daniel describes seeing one such Rosh Hashanna:

(Daniel 7:9) I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.’

One of the books opened is the Book of Remembrance mentioned in Malachi 3. This is why we have been in a period of deeper consecration and preparation – because God is wanting to take us into a period of increase, a double portion of favour making the way open for us. However, this can only be for those who have set their hearts apart for Him alone; those who have said, “here am I, Lord, send me”. This explains why Rosh Hashanna is also called ‘the Day of Remembrance’. It is a two-way remembrance; we remember God and He remembers us. Just as God remembered Noah and brought him out of the ark and God remembered Hannah and she bore a child, in the same way God is not deaf to our cries. He has heard our prayers and the set time to favor and have compassion on Zion has come! The long period of being formed into a vessel fit for the Master’s use is almost past and the time to arise and shine is upon us.

The Lord took me to Song of Solomon chapter 8 to teach me further on this wedding ceremony that is going to take place.

(Song of Solomon 8:4) ‘ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.
(Song of Solomon 8:5) Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
(Song of Solomon 8:6) Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.’

Here we hear a warning not to stir up or awaken this bridal love until the Bridegroom pleases. We cannot force our way through to what we are wanting to experience. The awakening is according to the desire of God. The Hebrew word for ‘please’ in verse 4 actually means ‘to desire, to favour’. So the awakening is brought about by His favour. One of the themes of Rosh Hashanna is ‘to awaken’ and it is sometimes referred to as the Day of the Awakening Blast! There is a night of trial and testing and there is a rising of the dawn which occurs according to God’s clock. We can do nothing to bring the morning before its appointed time nor bring ourselves into our destiny before His appointed time. Like Jacob, we have been wrestling with God all night, getting our characters and names changed and now, praise God, we, like Israel, are about to walk forth with the light of His favor upon us!

(Genesis 32:30) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
And as he passed over Peniel the sun rose upon him’

Remember in Zechariah 4 we saw how the headstone is to be brought forth with cries of, ‘favour, favour’. This is the awakening described in Song of Solomon 8:4. There is an awakening to the beauty of sexual love that comes to a bride at the appointed time of her wedding. The fruit of intimacy will then be seen in the earth.

In Song of Solomon 8:5 we hear the Bridegroom’s words of wonder at the beauty of His Bride. He is gazing upon her with His eyes of fire as He exclaims,” who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?” Her beauty and purity takes His breath away and He speaks of her awakening. The word ‘raised thee up’ is the same Hebrew word translated ‘stir up’ and ‘awaken’ in verse 4. So He is speaking of awakening her mature bridal love and he tells us this took place under ‘the apple tree’. The Hebrew word used here means ‘to breathe upon’. So as He breathes upon us, we are awakened to a new dispensation of intimacy. This same word is used in Ezekiel 37:9 when the prophet calls upon the Lord to breathe upon the dry bones that they may live. When this happens, then they stand up on their feet, ‘an exceeding great army’. This word for army is also translated ‘virtuous woman’ elsewhere in the Word where we are told that a virtuous woman is a crown for her husband! From this we can understand that the description in Ezekiel 37 pictures the Bride of Christ, the crown of her Husband, arising as an exceeding great army in the earth! The same thing is described in psalm 110:

(Psalms 110:3) Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning shall spring forth your young men who are as the dew’ (AMP)

Seeing as the crowning of the King and the marriage take place at Rosh Hashanna, it follows that this is the season into which the Church is about to enter. Songs 8:5 also tells us that it was during this experience of being breathed upon (the apple tree) that the bride was brought forth by her mother. We know from Zechariah 4:7 that Zerubbabel was the one who brought forth the headstone and that the root meaning of his name is ‘to flow, to overflow’ referring to a double portion anointing. Songs 8:5 confirms this understanding because being ‘brought forth’ is spoken of twice. There is a double anointing and a double bringing forth. The Hebrew word for ‘bring forth’ is chabal, which is translated: to wind tightly (as a rope), that is, to bind; specifically by a pledge; also to writhe in pain (especially of labour): - X at all, band, bring forth, lay to (take a) pledge, travail. There seems to be a description of vows being taken ,hidden in the folds of this verse. We are being ‘wound tightly’ to our Bridegroom by our pledge. There is a double pledging and double favour in this season when the King of Kings is being crowned by His Bride.

Songs 8:6 gives us further insight into this wedding as the Bridegroom instructs His Bride to set Him as a seal upon both her heart and her arm. So there is a double awakening, double pledging, double sealing in this time. The seal refers to being marked with His Name on both our hearts and our arms because He says, ‘set Me’ as a seal. This word ‘seal’ comes from the word for ‘signet ring’ which is something which bears the crest and carries the authority of the owner. The Lord is wanting to imprint the mark of His authority upon both our hearts and all that is sown and planted from our lives. When something is declared and sealed with a seal, then its purpose cannot be changed. It shall be brought to pass. God is not only wanting us to set Him as a seal on our hearts and arms but he wants to make this Bride that walks with a double portion of favour and anointing to be His signet ring in the earth! Then we shall declare a thing and it shall be accomplished:
(Haggai 2:23) ‘ In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.’

This verse in Haggai tells us that Zerubbabel came from Shealtiel, which means ‘asked of God’. Just like Hannah asked god for a son and God remembered her, so too those who have been hungering for this double portion anointing shall be released to operate in God’s authority in the earth.

God has a passionate jealous love for His Bride.He will not share her with another and he who touches her touches the apple of His eye. She is his peculiar treasure, His holy nation and He defends her and destroys all that would contaminate or defile her. (Deuteronomy 4:24) For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
It is the heat of this firey love that makes us pliable enough to have the seal of His Name imprinted upon us. Just as the high priest had to go through a time of consecration after which he received his priestly garments, so too we as His priestly Bride in the earth go through the same process. The Lord showed me there is a link between the sealing on our heart and arm and the high priest’s breastplate and shoulder stones. The high priest had the names of the tribes on Israel engraved on his breastplate, over his heart and on his shoulder. These are the names which made up the bride that God betrothed to himself at Shavuot. Jesus is our great High Priest. Now it is time for the Bride to receive the seal of His Name on her heart and shoulder. This is an exchanging of vows, a taking of one anothers’ names. This is a wedding! There is a double pledging and a double sealing, an eternal wedding covenant set in place. This is why we are being asked to say, “here am I, Lord, send me” It speaks of a total surrender, a yielding to the will of the Bridegroom.

The description of the making of the breastplate and shoulder stones yields some interesting nuggets of understanding:
(Exodus 28:11) With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.’
Notice the mention of the signet! The Hebrew word translated ‘ouches’ also means ‘the setting of a gem’. So we see here that consecration and setting in place are linked. The Lord is wanting to position His jewels in their places:
(Exodus 28:20) And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

The stones of the breastplate were set permanently in their ‘enclosings’; this word coming from a root word meaning ‘ consecration’. As we consecrate ourselves and bind ourselves by a pledge to the Lord, He sets us in place in His Bride as he sees fit. This is the position of our priestly office from which we will function in the power and authority of the King of Kings.
(Exodus 28:21) ‘ And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.’

The word for ‘names’ in the above verse is significant as it conveys much more than the English word ’name’ does:
A primitive word (perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: - + base, [in-] fame [-ous], name (-d), renown, report.
The whole breastplate in itself is a picture of the Bride of Christ worn over the heart of the great High Priest as a seal:
(Exodus 28:29) ‘And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.’

It is called the breastplate of judgment and this word ‘judgment’ carries within it the idea of ‘governing, to condemn or defend, to vindicate or punish’. This is how his Bride will rule in the earth, as described in Malachi :
(Malachi 3:17) And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.’

The verdict comes from the heart and is announced with authority from the shoulder which is why the breastplate and shoulder stones are linked by gold chains. God is wanting a Bride who will rule in righteousness and so he puts us through much purifying and purging to prepare us.

Lets go back to Song of Solomon and find out what happens after the vows!
(Song of Solomon 8:8) ‘We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
(Song of Solomon 8:9) If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.
(Song of Solomon 8:10) I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.’
It seems there are those who do not think their little sister has what it takes to satisfy the Bridegroom – she has no breasts! However she knows who she is in Christ and declares boldly, “I am a wall and my breasts like towers”. She has structure and the ability to nourish many and so she finds favour in His eyes. This word ‘favour’ means ‘ to be safe, to make amends, to repay, perfect, prosper, recompense, make restitution, restore’! We are entering the time when we will receive double what we have forfeited and everlasting joy shall be ours. He will perfect that which concerns us. It doesn’t matter what our older brothers in the church think of us, we know what our new name is, we are ‘Mrs Lord of Hosts’ and we walk in His authority! The word describing her breasts as ‘towers’ is interesting because it can be translated ‘ a rostrum, a pulpit’. There is a platform to speak from with power because we have the ability to nourish many and we go forth with a double portion of favour!

In Revelation John sees the Bride descending out of heaven covered in the glory of God with a light like a jasper stone. Jasper makes fire when struck with steel and is used to make seals! The wall of this great city is built of jasper and the bride in Songs 8 says,” I am a wall” – this wall that is made of the same material as seals has 12 foundation stones and twelve gates and 12 angels at the gates. This Bride walks in apostolic authority. The wall is 144 cubits high ( 12x12) and in Revelation 14 we are told of 144000 standing with the Lamb, who have His Father’s name written on their foreheads. There was one more place the high priestly garment carried a seal – on the front of the head turban over his forehead was a seal which read ‘ holiness to the Lord’. This same seal was given to the first fruits to God and the Lamb in Revelation 7 which marks them as functioning in a high priestly office and sets them apart for His service because they have no inheritance, the Lord is their inheritance. The bride in Song of Solomon says,” my beloved is mine and I am His” and we say the same – He is our inheritance and we are His!
This sealing is one which keeps safe from the hour of trial that is coming upon the earth:
(Revelation 3:10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Here we see the three names or seals. They are upon the heart, the arm or shoulder and the forehead. As we come up to Rosh Hashanna, we need to complete our consecration and preparation, knowing that God is wanting to release us into a whole new sphere of influence carrying His authority as never before. He wants to extend the scepter of His rule from Zion but first He will extend His scepter to us, just like Esther who received a double portion of favour from the King and was crowned his queen.

The season of purification and preparation will have been worth it for God ha s been removing all idolatry and uncleanness from our lives :
(Hosea 2:15) ‘ And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.’

The word ‘Ishi’ means ‘husband’ whereas the word ‘Baali’ means ‘master’. That day in which the Lord will do these things is this day, the Third Day. (Hosea 2:19) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.

(Hosea 2:20) I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.’

This passage speaks of a returning to the Lord and entering into a covenant forever, now that all unfaithfulness and idolatry have been dealt with. The word ‘know’ can be translated ‘ to ascertain by seeing, to understand’ and is the same word used when Adam ‘knew’ Eve and she conceived. It speaks of intimacy and the result of intimacy is fruitfulness as it goes on to say in Hosea 2:21
‘ And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.’

The corn, the wine and the oil symbolize harvest increase and blessing and the word ‘hear’ in the above verses means ‘to sing, to respond, to shout, to announce’. So what God is saying here is that in the coming season, the intimate marriage relationship which He will bring His beloved into, will precipitate a time of fruitfulness brought about by god responding to His spoken Word through us! ‘Jezreel’ means ‘God will sow’ and comes from the same word as that for ‘arm’ used in Songs 8 where God sets Himself as a seal upon our arm.This means that he will work through us. God in us will sow by singing, shouting and declaring and because His Word never returns void, there will be a corresponding response from the heavens and the earth and the harvest will be brought forth. I see this bondslave Bride in the earth declaring the Word in power as God’s scepter is extended from Zion. She is His wife, co-ruling with His authority, a plumbline of righteousness and justice for the world to see.

There are two interesting scriptures in Jeremiah which refer to the Lord’s name, chapter 23 says ‘he shall be called’ and chapter 33 says ‘she shall be called’. So we can see that a marriage is taking place and the Bride is taking on the Bridegroom’s name:
(Jeremiah 23:5) ‘ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 33:15) In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.’

(Jeremiah 33:16) ‘ In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.’

Let us approach these last few days before Rosh Hashanna with reverence and complete our consecration, waiting for Him to breathe upon us and raise up up. Let us be aware that The Lord is requiring of us a pledge and yielding of both our hearts and our arms (or ministries) so that He may in return set the seal of His kingly name upon them. Then let us rule with Him from the heavens in our priestly garments and bring forth His judgments in the earth that His glory may cover the earth as the waters cover the sea!