"The title 'Bride' applies to both men and women. It is used to denote a special covenant relationship between the individual and God. Israel is an all-inclusive name to indicate God's covenant family, to which all people are invited to belong. Salvation and redemption is an individual affair. Although it is tempting to identify Israel as a naton of people, the scriptural use of the story of the Bride as a singular person invites us to explore our own particularly relationship with the Lord"-- back cover.