“Adoption” and the Suzerain Bride

“Adoption” and the Suzerain Bride by Stephen Kraner

Some time ago, I have posted my study on the Suzerain Bride. The ancient concept of the suzerain bride unlocks the question as to, Who is the Bride of Messiah? Jews say that they are the “covenant bride” of YHWH. Christians say that they are the New Covenant “bride” of YHWH. Revelation says that New Jerusalem is the Lamb’s Bride. Isaiah 62:4 says, “thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for YHWH delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.” In the Song of Songs, Solomon’s bride is the Shulamite woman. Per my mentor, Doug Waterhouse, “Shulamite” is an endearment referring to an inhabitant of Jerusalem. As the old TV show asked, Will the true bride please stand up?

Well, the answer solved by understanding the ancient suzerain marriage. (Bear with me, I will get to the issue of the “adoption”.)

A very ancient custom was the Suzerain Marriage. I was introduced to it by my mentor, Doug Waterhouse, prof. Andrews University, retired. I was able to wrap my head around the custom through Myocean Greece and the city states. A king from one city has a daughter. Another king from another city state has a son. The king from the one city send a message to the king of the other city that he would like to arrange a marriage. The king, with the son, sends his son to “court” the princess of the other city-state. The king has trained his son. The son is looking out for the interests of his father and his father’s kingdom. Upon arriving, the son/prince “courts” the princess. The son also checks out the economy of the city, the battlements of the city, the strength of its walls, the strength of its navy and army, the health of its citizens. When the son has completed his “courting” he wispers his intent to the princess and returns to his father to arrange for the wedding. WHILE HE IS GONE, THE PRINCES ADOPTS ALL THE ORPHAN CHILDREN SO THAT UPON THE MARRIAGE, THERE WILL BE NO ORPHANS IN HER CITY !!!

When the prince marries the princess, he marries the city. To signify this, at the time of the marriage, he would crown his bride with a crown in the shape of the walls of her city. (When wealthy Jews get married, the crown their bride with a crown called, “Jerusalem of Gold”.) When the prince marries the princess, he marries her city. When the prince maries the princess, he marries the inhabitants of the city. When the prince marries the princess, he marries the land belonging to the city of the princess. When the prince marries the princess, he marries the people living on the land belonging to the city of the princess. SO,WHO IS THE BRIDE? ALL OF THE ABOVE!

1. The bride is the princess;
2. The bride is the princess’ city;
3. The bride is the people living in the city of the princess;
4. The bride is the land belonging to the city of the princess; and,
5. The bride is the people living on the land belonging to the city of the princess.

I propose that with Messiah Yahushua, it is the same. There is a singular Princess that He is to marry. He is going to marry the city, New Jerusalem. He is going to marry the inhabitants of that city, which includes specifically, the 144,000 and the 24 elders and some other dignitaries. He is going to marry the land belong to that city, (a couple levels here: the literal land of Israel, then by extension, the entire planet). And, He is going to marry the people living on the land belonging to that city, (again, two levels here: the redeemed of the literal people of Israel; and, the redeemed of the entire planet).

Where I have particular interest is in the identity of the Princess. I believe that the Princess is She who was revealed when Messiah, as the second Adam was put into a deep sleep on the cross and, like the first Adam, His side was pierced and from that pierced side flowed water and blood, BOTH symbols of the Ruach ha’Chodesh (Holy Spirit). She is the second Eve. She is the Comforter, Whom the Father sent in Messiah’s name so that the disciples would not be “orphans”.

“18 I will not leave you comfortless [Greek: orphanos]: I will come to you.” John 14:18.

Above, I noted that while the prince was away, arranging the marriage, THE PRINCESS WOULD ADOPT ALL THE ORPHAN CHILDREN OF HER CITY, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ORPHANS IN HER CITY UPON THE MARRIAGE.

Next, we go to the “adoption” texts:

1. Ephesians 1:5: “Having predestinated us unto the ADOPTION OF CHILDREN by Yahushua ha’Meshiach to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”
Note: This text indicates, by way of the word, “predestinated”, that our “adoption” was pre-planned. It was no after-thought. This “adoption” pertains to the “mystery hid from before the foundation of the earth.” (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26; Eph. 1:4)

2. Romans 9:4: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the ADOPTION, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Torah, and the service of Elohim, and the promises;”

3. Galatians 4:5: “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the ADOPTION OF SONS.”

4. Romans 8:15: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
Note: See my comments below.

5. Romans 8:23: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the ADOPTION, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Note: The “adoption” is not complete until our bodies are redeemed.

Having listed the “adoption” texts, above, I turn now to the Princess of the Suzerain Marriage. The fourth text above, Romans 8:15 reveals Her:

“26 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:23.

We have received the Spirit, She Who “ADOPTS”!!! We are being adopted. Every soul that turns to Elohim through faith in Messiah Yahushua, is being adopted. She is the Princess who is “adopting” the orphans! “The Spirit also maketh intercession.” It is She, the Spirit of the Son, who cries, “Abba Father”. She is His Daughter. She is represented by the female sacrifices. When/if, we cry “Abba Father”, it is because of Her. It is through Her.

New Jerusalem is describe as being clothed in fine linen, which is the righteous acts of the Saints. As in the parable of the ten virgins, not everyone is the Bride. “Even Wisdom is justified of Her children.” Matthew 11:19. The ancient suzerain bride was crowned with a crown that was made to look like the walls of her city. When the prince married her, he married her city. The princess is the “Voice” of the citizens of her city. In Revelation, BOTH the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. I believe that the Spirit, is the Divine Mother and the Bride is the Divine Daughter, the Spirit of the Son, the Comforter, sent in the Son’s name.

It occurred to me to ask, How is it that there are “orphans”? Because, our Father, the Devil is going to die. Our Mother Earth is going to die. Here are “orphans”. Those who believe in Messiah Yahushua are accepted as “orphans” and adopted into the Heavenly family, through the ministration of the Spirit of the Son. She is the Adopting Spirit, the Princess who adopts the orphans so that they will not be Fatherless.

 Additional comments:

A mountain represents a “king” and his “kingdom”:

Revelation 17:9-10: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are SEVEN MOUNTAINS, on which the woman sitteth. And there are SEVEN KINGS: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”

There is a “heavenly mount Sion”.

Hebrews 12:22: “But ye are come unto MOUNT SION, and unto the city of the living Elohim, the HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, and to an innumerable company of angels,”

Jerusalem is referred to as “the daughter of Zion”:

Zephaniah 3:14: “Sing, O DAUGHTER of ZION; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.”

Jeremiah 6:2: “I have likened the DAUGHTER of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.”

Revelation 21:9-10: “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the BRIDE, the Lamb’s WIFE. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and HIGH MOUNTAIN, and shewed me that great city, the HOLY JERUSALEM, descending out of heaven from Elohim.”

Revelation 21:11: “Having the glory of Elohim: and her light was like unto a STONE most precious, even LIKE A JASPER STONE, clear as crystal;”

Revelation 4:2-3: “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a JASPER and a SARDINE STONE: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”

The city, New Jerusalem, is able to speak:

Revelation 22:17: “And the Spirit and the BRIDE say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

When you understand the idea of the suzerain bride, that she is associated to and equated to her city, that upon the marriage the prints would crown her with the crown that had the shape of the walls of the city to which she was becoming queen, then you understand that New Jerusalem is more than just a city.

Above I pointed out that a mountain represents the king. New Jerusalem is described as a stone descending to the earth from heaven, from a great and high mountain, having the appearance of a Jasper stone. Then, above, I quoted from Revelation chapter 4. The one sitting up on the throne has the appearance of the Jasper and of a sardine stone. MY POINT IS THAT NEW JERUSALEM HAS THE SAME DIVINE NATURE, JASPER, AS THE ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE IN REVELATION 4!

The great high mountain is the Father and/or the Divine Mother. Here we have a Divine Daughter.

Do you see why I believe in a divine, royal family of four persons? Father, Mother, only begotten Son and, only begotten Daughter. She is the Spirit of the Son