Replies

Now wait a minute......because in Rev.19:7
we have the church in heaven as ‘Christ’s bride’ at the “marriage of the Lamb” (not the marriage supper, v 9, which takes place later on earth when Christ introduces His bride to those who enter the Millennium).

Christ’s bride is composed of the saints of all ages to that time, is in heaven (having been resurrected and raptured there) and comes with Him at Armageddon as Zechariah:14:5 and Jude 14 declare (“all the saints with Him”).

That Old Testament saints will be part of the church seems clear also from Christ’s statement that... “Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (Jn:8:56
) and Hebrews 11 where Old Testament saints are linked in their destiny both with heaven (v 16) and with New Testament saints (v 40).

Those martyred during the Tribulation are resurrected after Antichrist is “taken ...and cast alive into the lake of fire” (Rv 19:20) ...and Christ is on earth, they will not be raptured to heaven but gathered by angels, along with the living remnant of Jews not in Israel, into His presence on earth: ....

“Immediately after the tribulation... shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven...they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels...and they shall gather together [to Jerusalem] his elect from the four winds” (Mt 24:27-31).

The Jews so gathered will be in the earthly kingdom ruled by Christ, while the Tribulation martyrs will reign with Christ over the millennial kingdom.

All humans enter Heaven, that enter Heaven, by the Grace of God in Christ. Since the establishment of the Ekklesia, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, for during the Ekklesia Age (Church Age) it is not by following the law that Salvation is given but by believing in Him Whom God sent for our salvation. It is the Ekklesia who are the bride of Christ. The age of the Ekklesia ends with the taking away of the Bride of Christ from the wrath of God to be poured out in ever increasing severity.

Jews before the Church Age are not a part of the Bride of Christ. They are in Heaven at the wedding of The Lamb as witnesses. God chose them before Abraham was. Just as the Jews hidden from the Beast during the Great Tribulation are not the Bride or the witnesses at the wedding, so the Tribulation Saints are not the Bride, for the Age of Grace ends with the Rapture and the tribulum is applied to harvest the last of those who will be saved by the Grace of God in Christ, as a result of their suffering and calling out to Jesus.