Living Water #597

LIVING WATER – EPISODE 597 || 22ND JANUARY, 2026
By Solomon Uwumbolibe Mensah

THE REVELATION OF THE BRIDE

REVELATION 21:9–12

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.”

John’s vision now moves from judgment to glory, from wrath to wedding, from the bowls of judgment to the beauty of the Bride. The same angel who once poured out plagues now unveils promise. This passage reveals not merely a city, but a people; not merely architecture, but identity; not merely heaven’s design, but God’s eternal intention. Revelation 21:9–12 shows us how God sees His redeemed people—glorious, secure, ordered, and eternally united with the Lamb.

1. “Come, I Will Show You the Bride”

The angel does not say, “I will show you a city,” but “I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Heaven defines the redeemed not first as structures, but as relationship. The Church is not a religious institution; she is the Bride of Christ. This language speaks of love, covenant, devotion, and union. Redemption was never just about rescue from sin, but about preparation for union. Christ did not die merely to save us from judgment, but to present us to Himself in glory.

2. “He Carried Me Away in the Spirit”

John is carried in the Spirit to receive this revelation. Spiritual realities are not discerned by natural reasoning but by divine revelation. God reveals eternal truth to those who are willing to be lifted beyond earthly perspectives. The vision of the Bride requires spiritual sight. When we walk in the Spirit, God lifts our understanding from temporary struggles to eternal purposes. Heaven’s beauty is revealed not to the casual observer, but to the yielded heart.

3. “To a Mountain Great and High”

Mountains in Scripture represent divine perspective, authority, and revelation. From this high place, John sees what cannot be seen from the valley. God often elevates our vision before He reveals our destiny. The Bride is seen from heaven’s viewpoint, not from earth’s criticism. What the world may see as flawed or weak, God sees as glorious and complete. Elevation in God is not about pride, but about clarity.

4. “The Holy City, Jerusalem, Coming Down from God”

The Bride is revealed as a city coming down from heaven, not built up from earth. This shows that salvation, glory, and eternal life originate with God, not human effort. The Holy City reflects divine order, divine purity, and divine purpose. It is called holy because it belongs fully to God. The Church’s future is not escape from creation, but the renewal of creation under God’s rule.

5. “It Shone with the Glory of God”

The defining feature of the Bride is not gold, walls, or gates—it is glory. The city shines because God dwells there. God’s presence transforms everything it inhabits. The Church does not generate her own light; she reflects the glory of God. Just as a jewel shines when light passes through it, so God’s people radiate His glory when His presence fills them. This is the ultimate calling of the redeemed—to reflect God’s glory eternally.

6. “A Great, High Wall with Twelve Gates”

The wall speaks of security, not exclusion. God’s Bride is eternally protected. The gates speak of access and order. Each gate bears the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, showing continuity between God’s promises to Israel and their fulfillment in the redeemed community. God’s plan has never changed; it has unfolded. Angels at the gates remind us that heaven is divinely guarded and divinely governed. Eternity is not chaos—it is holy order.

A Call to See Ourselves as God Sees Us

Revelation 21:9–12 calls believers to shift their identity. We are not abandoned sinners, struggling survivors, or forgotten people. We are the Bride being prepared for glory. Our present trials are not our final description. God is shaping His people into a dwelling place for His glory. When we understand who we are becoming, it changes how we live today. Holiness, faithfulness, and endurance take on eternal meaning.

God is not only preparing a place for His people; He is preparing His people for that place. The invitation is clear—“Come, I will show you the bride.” Let us live as those who belong to the Lamb, who reflect His glory, and who are destined for eternal union with Him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Your heart toward Your people. Thank You that You see us not in our weakness, but in our destiny as the Bride of the Lamb. Purify my heart, align my life with Your will, and help me live in a way that reflects Your glory. Lift my vision beyond the present and anchor my hope in eternity with You. Prepare me, Lord, for the glory You have prepared for Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.