A comment made to the "Marriage Supper" video post is as follows:
Thanks you for your teachings. Nothing fluffy here, just straight to the point, short, succinct and based entirely in scripture. Love it! 
One question if I may. Through the scriptures, I have begun to wonder who the actual "Bride" is. We, the Church, are the Body of Christ. We are considered 'friends of the bridegroom'. We see this clearly in the NT epistles. If we search the NT for the phrase "Bride of Christ", we find it nowhere. All through the OT, we see that Israel was God's wife and He gave her a bill of divorce. (Isaiah 54, Jeremiah 3) In Hosea we see God's plan to restore her to Himself again (Hosea 2:16) As the Body of Christ, we will certainly be united with Israel in Christ at that time, but I believe that Israel is God's bride and we are part of His body, making us part of the bridegroom and not the bride. I'd love your thoughts on this. And thank you again. :)
******** My Response was:
Short answer would be =
The Bride references believers as a group.
At the very least those who have believed during the church age,
but could include all believers since Adam & Eve.
It is NOT spelled out for us in Scripture.
Long answer = I see a lot of "imagery" used in Scripture.
I believe it is there to help us relate to and understand things that, frankly, are beyond our understanding.
I did notice the similar "imagery" used with the LORD God in the O.T. for the relationship with Israel.
Both as a bride and a wife ( unfaithful ).
In the N.T. we see the Church referenced in may ways ( brethren, sons & daugthers, joint heirs, and the body of Christ ).
And just to make things more confusing,
we notice that the term as a Bride is used in reference to the city New Jerusalem ( Revelation 21:9-10 ).
There are several places that Paul uses a marriage metaphor.
My current conclusion is =
I believe the term BRIDE is used because there is nothing more exciting, initimate, or "close" as the relationship between a Groom and his Bride.
This "oneness" has no greater example.
I believe it is a mistake to take every Analogy too literally.
Especially the imagery found in the book of Revelation.
Many "myths" have been created by assuming more than what is stated in the Scriptures.
The good thing about this is that in our near future,
we will see CLEARLY and understand what it all means.
Saved by Grace,
Andrew Cross
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another,
and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25
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