THE NEW JERUSALEM PART I

  1. The New Jerusalem is the greatest sign in the Scriptures (Rev. 1;1)
    1. The book of Revelation is mainly composed of signs, that is symbols with spiritual significance, such as the seven lampstands signifying the churches and the seven stars signifying the messengers of the churches (Rev. 1:20).
    2. The New Jerusalem is a sign, signifying the ultimate consummation of God’s economy (Rev. 21 - 22).
      1. It is the conclusion of the entire revelation and the central and ultimate consummated significance of the entire divine revelation - Rev. 21:2, 9-10.
      2. It is not a physical city but an organic constitution constituted with the redeeming processed and consummated Triune God with the redeemed, regenerated, transformed, and glorified tripartite man as an organism of the consummated Triune God for His eternal enlargement and expression through the glorified tripartite man.
      3. It is the ultimate goal of God’s economy.
    3. The New Jerusalem will be in the New Heaven and the New Earth (Rev. 21:1-2)
      1. When the old heaven and the old earth shall be burned (II Pet. 3:10-13), they shall become the new heaven and new earth then the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven to earth (Rev. 21:2, 10). After all God’s redeemed saints are raptured to the heaven, they will constitute the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from God. This indicates that our dwelling place for eternity will not be heaven but the New Jerusalem on the New earth. And the New Jerusalem as God’s tabernacle will also be God’s dwelling place. God’s intention is not to have an eternal habitation in heaven; He desires to dwell on earth. Although religion dreams of going to heaven, God desires to come down on earth. Even today God’s best habitation is not heaven; it is the church on earth. Eventually the church will be transformed into the New Jerusalem.
  2. The New Jerusalem - Its designations
    1. The New Jerusalem - The word "new" means God has been added into it. Anything without God is old. God is newness and newness is God. The New Jerusalem as a new creation has God in Christ, possessing the divine nature and the divine life. And the title "Jerusalem" is composed of two words - "Jeru" means foundation and "Salem" means peace. Thus, Jerusalem means the foundation of peace. Jerusalem is something grounded, founded, and safeguarded in peace. This peace is God into whom we have been grounded. In eternity we will enjoy the Triune God as peace forever.
    2. The Holy City (Rev. 21:2a) - The word "holy" does not only mean separated unto God positionally but also saturated with God dispositionally for the fulfilling of His purpose. In positional sanctification there is only a change in position, but in dispositional sanctification there is the transformation in nature and element.
    3. The Tabernacle of God (Rev. 21:3a) - In both the Old and New Testament God liken His chosen people to a dwelling place for His rest and expression (Exo. 29:45-46; Num. 5:3; Ezek. 43:7-9; Psa. 68:18; I Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; II Cor. 6:16; I Tim. 3:15). The New Jerusalem as the tabernacle of God is built with humanity and divinity combined together as typified by the standing boards in the tabernacle which are made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Gold signifies God’s divinity and wood signifies humanity. The New Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place is not a material building but a corporate person; a mingling of God with His redeemed people.
    4. The Wife of the Lamb (Rev. 21:2, 9) - In both the Old and New Testament God likens His chosen people to a spouse (Isa. 54:6; Jer. 3:1; Ezek. 16:8; Hosea 2:19; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:31-32). The spouse is for satisfaction in love. In John 3 all regenerated believers are the bride of Christ to be His increase, His enlargement (vv. 29-30). In Ephesians 5 is the church as the wife of Christ and in II Cor. 11:2 the believers have been engaged or betrothed to Christ as their husband. In Revelation 19:7-9 is a universal wedding day, the marriage of the Lamb. The New Jerusalem as the wife of the Lamb is composed of the Old Testament saints represented by the twelve tribes, and the New testament saints represented by the twelve apostles (Rev. 21:9-14). As the wife of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem comes out of Christ, her husband, and becomes His counterpart, just as Eve comes out of Adam, her husband, and becomes his counterpart (Gen. 2:21-24). Thus, the New Jerusalem is not a material lifeless city but a corporate living person, as the bride, having Christ, such a wonderful person, as her husband (Rev. 21:2).
    5. The Mother of the Believers, the Covenant of Grace (Gal. 4:26-28, 31) - In Galatians 4 Hagar symbolizes the old covenant of the law that condemns and brings in death, bringing forth the children unto slavery (vv. 24-25) while Sarah symbolizes the new covenant of grace that justifies and brings in life, bringing forth children unto freedom. The New Jerusalem above, is our mother and this mother is the new covenant of grace. This new covenant is our mother because it brought us forth as children of freedom. The children brought forth by the old covenant of the law were the children of Hagar, but the new covenant of grace brings forth the children of freedom by God as grace to enjoy the Triune God, not by human efforts to keep law. Also this is a great mystery in the Bible that the children of the mother become the components of the mother. All believers who have been saved by grace are components of the New Jerusalem.