A selection of verses showing that God refers to His people as a bride:
God made a covenant with the nation of Israel like the covenant between a bridegroom and a bride:
8 “ ‘ “Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord GOD, “and you became mine.
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name.
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
He will be called the God of the whole earth.
Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom:
15 Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Using the same analogy John the Baptiser said:
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
The Apostle Paul also describes believers as the bride of Jesus christ:
2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
The book of Revelation also uses the symbol of Christ finally being united with faithful believers as his bride
7 Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”
9 He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’ ” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”
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