There  is  another group mentioned in the course of Ellen  White's  writing that  may  represent yet other potential brides of her time.   Early  Writings, mentions  that  "WE"  heard His lovely voice saying...."    Who  is  the  "we"? Obviously it was Ellen White with others.   Who are these others?  Are they the Bride  or possibly  those mentioned above?    Further down in  the passage  she hears Jesus say to the group, "Wait here...In a little while I will return from the wedding and receive you  to myself."   When did Ellen see this event taking place?  In the sentence that follows she is very specific. 

   "Then  a cloudy chariot,  with wheels  like  flaming  fire, surrounded  by angels,  came to where Jesus was.   He  stepped into  the  chariot and was borne TO THE  HOLIEST, where the Father sat."   Early  Writings 55. 

    As  described  here,  this interchange between Jesus and this group takes place BEFORE Jesus is described as riding the chariot into the Most Holy Place. The "we" had to be those in 1844 who were just beginning to learn about sanctification and received of the latter rain.   This is substantiated further down in this long paragraph. 

   "Those who rose up with Jesus would send up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray 'My Father,  give us Thy Spirit,'  Then  Jesus would breath upon them the Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy, and peace."  Early Writings 55. 

    Those mentioned in Ellen's time accepted the message of Christ's righteousness.  They rose up and followed Jesus into the Most Holy Place where they received the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Those who rejected this message were left in the Holy Place only living in a justification experience.  The time had come for a change, but those who did not accept the message were left behind to suffer a tragic end. 

      "I  turned  to look at the company  who  were  still  bowed  before the throne;  they did not know that Jesus had left  it.  Satan  appeared to be by the throne,  trying to carry  on  the work  of God.   I  saw them look up to the throne,  and  pray, 'Father  give  us Thy Spirit.'  Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence;  in it there was light and much  power,  but no sweet love, joy, and peace.  Satan's object was to keep them  deceived and to draw back  and  deceive God's children."   Early Writings 56. 

    This was a ghastly state of affairs.  Supposedly honest people were asking for the Father's Spirit but were receiving Satan's instead,  and  they did  not even know it.   And all this came as a result of their not following Jesus into a sanctification experience. 

    But as bad as that was,  even more is a repetition of the rejection of  the Holy Spirit in the 1850's, 1888 and again today.  The denomination and the so-called  New Theology are following in the very same footsteps and it  is  clear from this passage that they are being led by Satan himself.

    True to the Lord's admonition the Bride has waited for His return.  But, in fact,  the reverse is also true.   Our Lord has waited for His  Bride-to-be for over 140  years to receive His Spirit in her heart.  Remember where Jesus says the  kingdom  is to be established?  It is within,  your heart and  mine  (Luke 17:21).  Ellen White's views in the above paragraphs began in October of 1844 and extend down to the present time.  Jesus went into the Most Holy  Place  to administer  judgment  and decide who would be worthy to be His Bride. If  the kingdom is within the Bride, then when Jesus comes "to receive the kingdom," He is  coming  to receive the Bride. To receive the kingdom takes place when  we receive His Spirit within.  Then it is that we become one with Him.  Then it is He receives or welcomes us with open arms.

    We  have talked about several groups mentioned in Scripture  in  connection with the marriage of the Lamb and shown that none of them are the Bride.  Those discussed  include the servants who wait for their Lord's return, the ten virgins, the eople from the highways and byways, and the rest of those who are to be called to the wedding feast.  But we have not yet specifically identified who is the Bride of Christ. 

    The  parables  of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and the  wedding garment  (Matthew 22:2-13)  emphasize the fact that BELIEVERS AS INVITED GUESTS attend Christ's wedding celebration which is not theirs. The parable of the wedding  garment  shows  a  person's welcome at the marriage depends  upon  his wearing the robe of Christ's righteousness. 

    In Revelation 21:9,10,2 the holy city New Jerusalem is called "THE BRIDE OF CHRIST." 

   "The holy city, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom is called 'the bride, the Lamb's  wife.'...Clearly,   then,   the  bride  represents  the holy city....In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the  GUESTS at  the  marriage supper.  If guests,  they cannot be represented also as the BRIDE."  Great Controversy 426,427 

    There  is only one Bride of Christ.   Light for this time reveals THE  ONLY BRIDE OF CHRIST IS THE 144,000 VIRGINS. At last we can now piece together the rest of  the puzzle. Ever since John wrote about the 144,000, people have speculated, wondered, argued and pondered. No  longer do we have to speculate about  who they are,  whether they are a literal or figurative number,  whether they are the only people who will be saved without tasting death,  etc.  This part of the scroll has now been opened to our understanding  "Wondrous things have been revealed out of the Law."  Let us examine this light and see what has been revealed. 

            Review  and Herald March 9,  1905-- "LET US STRIVE WITH ALL THE POWER GOD HAS GIVEN US TO BE AMONG THE HUNDRED AND  FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND." 

    How  does  one  strive with all the power God gives them to be  among  this group?  The answer should be self evident:  One seeks the infilling of the Holy Spirit and agonizes day and night before the Lord for the relationship we have been describing in this series.   One forsakes all other interests to establish a  one-to-one  personal  relationship with our  Lord.    This  constitutes  the striving  mentioned  in the above quote.   And this has to be done  during  the sealing of the Bride, just before the seal of God is applied to the forehead is the time we walk the Christian Pathway.   In Early Writings 58 we were told many years ago, "The  sealing time is very short,  and will soon be over."    And how short  is short?  As mentioned before,  it is thought the sealing has been going on since 1983.  At  the time of this writing (September of 1988)  we are  sharing what inspiration so far has revealed. 

    What this means is by the time this Volume is placed in general circulation the  time  for  becoming a Bride of Christ will have  passed.  The following statement will be fulfilled prophecy. 

    "Who  is  to compose the hundred and  forty-four  thousand? THIS  THOSE WHO ARE THE ELECT OF GOD WILL IN A SHORT TIME KNOW WITHOUT QUESTION."  1 Selected Messages 174. 

    How will they "know without question"?  As we continue with our discussion it  will become most obvious.  For the things that happen to them preclude any possibility of their not being aware of their status as the Bride of Christ. 

    Most  of the readers of this monograph will not be a Bride of Christ.  But you should understand that all others will be part of the wedding party.   JUST BECAUSE  YOU ARE NOT A BRIDE OF CHRIST,  ONE OF THE 144,000,  DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL BE LOST.  It means ONLY you are not the Bride. You can still be part of the wedding party.  You may in type be one of the wise virgins, or part of the group represented as servants in Luke 12:36,  who answer the door when He knocks.  You may be one of those keeping the Master's house and waiting for His return,  or you may be one of those called in from the highways and byways, who serves God  and  loves Him with all your heart.  YOU WILL BE GIVEN A WEDDING GARMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

    You may not be the Bride of Christ, but you can be part of all the countless other elect.  "THESE ARE THEY WHO HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB."   (They are members of the wedding  party and invited guests of the wedding party.)  Because of this, they are considered part  of  the  family of God.   These are they who have  become  Christlike  in character by daily partaking His Spirit.   It may be you did not seek the  Lord
with  all your heart soon enough to be chosen as the Bride.  Or it may be for some other reason known only to God.   But whatever the reason you can know for sure that YOU ARE NOT LOST IF YOU COME WHEN THE CALL IS MADE. 

     " ...when  those  who claim to  be children of  God  become Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God's commandments.  Then the Lord can trust them to be of  the number who shall compose the family of heaven.  Clothed in the glorious apparel of Christ's righteousness, they have a place at the King's feast."  Christ Object Lessons 315. 

    Notice  Ellen did not say "Bride"  but rather the "family of heaven."  All are  invited to have a place at the King's marriage feast because they have on the "glorious apparel of Christ's righteousness."   It is obvious they are not the Bride, but THEY ARE IN HEAVEN NON THE LESS.   This agrees with  the first quotation we used in this chapter, EW 251.  In this reference Ellen says Jesus WAS  MARRIED  to the New Jerusalem WHILE HE WAS STILL IN  THE MOST HOLY PLACE.  THEN  He  descends to the earth to take to Himself the PRECIOUS ONES, who are filled with His Spirit and patiently wait His return.   Reading between the lines, we clearly see that He does not descend to earth to take just His Bride who has patiently waited His return, BUT RATHER ALL THE  PRECIOUS ONES.