Quote:
Originally Posted by berkeley
Well, if God can have many brides...
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Do not even go there.
Actually, we are grafted into an already existent bride (the children of Israel). He chose them, but then allowed the Gentiles to become a part as well. It is understood that all should now become one in the body of Christ as He is that living God who chose the children of Israel.
There has been and will always be one bride. He could claim both Israel and Judah since they had been a single people before. However, after their split the one walked after Him with partial hearts with the other left Him completely. However, there were representatives of the other tribes within the borders of Judah. Further the kingdom of Judah actually contained the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. Thus God is addressing them as a single entity not their composite parts.