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In the Word the highest of human relationships is lifted beyond the earthly plane, beyond and above angels in the courts of heaven, to point us to that blessed union that belongs to the Divine...
"I speak concerning Christ and the church". Ephesians 5;32.

In Proverbs 31:10 to 31, we have the description of the virtuous woman of any age, a glowing account of ideals, a help meet for a perfect man. As the Word of God directs us to such a list of qualities and character the Spirit of God helps us to see reflected therein some glimpses of the Bride of Christ.

The statement of perfection may bring little comfort to those who are only too aware of imperfection. The high standards seem remote as they are beautiful. As our perception deepens so the goal may appear to recede further from our reach. We know we have not yet attained, but how conceivable is it that we shall ever attain?

The answer lies in the blessed truth that this is a work of grace. His grace, producing ours. Just believing this, and staggering not, makes us pure in His eyes, and brings us into a relationship of at-one-ness with the very Source of All Perfection through our Lord Jesus Christ. That He is our Lord is special enough in the sight of His Father to give us faith's access into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Here then is a kind of check-list of those attainments of the bride in her making ready for that eternal union with the Heavenly Bridegroom. All the divine resources are at hand, the very power of God at our disposal, and the angels of God waiting upon the every spiritual need of heaven's princess, with those echoes of mercy and whispers of love.

THINE EYES SHALL SEE THE KING IN HIS BEAUTY..

COME HITHER, I WILL SHEW THEE THE BRIDE, THE LAMB'S WIFE.

AND HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT ... TO A MOUNTAIN, GREAT AND HIGH

The description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31;10 to 31, in which we catch glimpses of the Betrothed of the Lord, consists of 22 verses. It is alphabetical, each verse commencing with the next Hebrew letter. No doubt this was to aid the memory of a precious passage worthy indeed of engraving in the mind. This may seem of little point to us in that few of the Lord's people can read Hebrew. However, it has been noticed that in each letter there may be some deeper link than at first supposed with the principle point of each verse. If this be so it is a bonus, the main value rests in the verse. Nevertheless a further bonus may lie in that we are thus afforded an opportunity to become a little more acquainted with the language of the Holy Word.
The nineteenth century was a remarkable one for Bible students in many ways, not least in the works of the Hebrew scholar Gesenius which marked its opening years. It is to him we are indebted for the designations given to each Hebrew letter by those who used them. Thus the first letter Aleph is designated the ox, probably because if viewed with imagination it does rather look like the head and horns of an ox. Beth is a house, Gamel a camel, and so on.
If the Lord uses the ideal of the virtues of this woman to paint a picture of the virtuous woman of this gospel age, then indeed do we need the spirit's power to carry us away, to translate both the picture and also ourselves in the highest spiritual terms. The love of God that has overflowed into human hearts is this moment expressing itself in countless human ways in the lives of His saints. Here the human is but the vehicle, the vessel, of the divine. A new mind is in control, a new light in the eyes, a new life and purpose in the step. A woman in love lives in a different world. She faces the realities around her, but she is not inhibited by them, for she has in her heart a glowing vision of a life shared with the man of her dreams.