Tagged: New Jerusalem
Key Features of New Jerusalem – Part 2
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 15: Assembly of the Firstborn: Hebrews 12:23.
The previous post intoduced us to some of the key features of Mount Zion, also known as New Jerusalem. Now, we examine more features of the heavenly city.
New Jerusalem lacks a temple, stellar lights, a closing time, and anything unclean (Rev. 21:22-27)
After a detailed description of New Jerusalem’s exterior, John turns his attention inside the city walls. He notes first the absence of a temple “because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (v. 22).
Historical Jerusalem is known as the city of God because his presence resides there in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-13). The people of God approach him through a mediator, a high priest who offers atoning sacrifices for the peoples’ sins in the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement.
The atoning blood is carried through a thick veil and sprinkled on the mercy seat, above which the Shekinahglory blazes. There, the wrath of God is satisfied, and his mercy is extended to sinful creatures. All this activity inside the cube-shaped holy of holies bears forward-looking significance. The day is coming when God himself provides a sacrifice: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Continue readingKey Features of New Jerusalem – Part 1
This is another in a series of excerpts from The Book of Life: What the Bible Says about God’s Registry of the Redeemed from High Street Press and available at Amazon. This except comes from Chapter 15: Assembly of the Firstborn: Hebrews 12:23.
The previous post intoduced us to Mount Zion, which stands in contrast with Mount Sinai. In this post, we note several key features of this heavenly city, also known as New Jerusalem.
New Jerusalem is a holy city (Rev. 21:2, 10)
Humans have built many great cities over the centuries, from ancient Babylon to modern-day Tokyo. But New Jerusalem is unique in that it is a city built without hands. The writer of Hebrews tells us Abraham saw New Jerusalem from afar. He may have lived in tents as a foreigner in the Promised Land, but “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10).
New Jerusalem is a holy city because it is the city of God. It is his home, and he invites us to live there forever with him. It is a holy place because God is holy – set apart, unique, perfect, and righteous. God’s otherness sets him apart from all creatures. He is eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, unchanging, and transcendent. Wherever God visits creation, that place is holy ground, as Moses and Joshua experienced (Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15).
In our future resurrection and glorification, we’re fully conformed to the image of Christ. That is, we are perfected in body, soul, and spirit, prepared to take up everlasting residence in the holy city.
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Features of New Jerusalem: Part 4
This is another in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.
In the previous posts (Part 1; Part 2; Part 3), we explored some key features of New Jerusalem. We conclude this study now.
New Jerusalem features a river, a broad street, a tree, and a throne (Rev. 22:1-5).
The first five verses of the final chapter of Revelation describe four prominent objects in New Jerusalem.
A river
First, the river of living water. John describes the water as “clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street” (vv. 1-2). Just a few verses earlier, the one seated on the throne says, “I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:6).
This promise draws deeply from the Old and New Testaments and speaks of eternal life received by God’s grace through faith. The Greek word potamos is translated “river,” “flood,” or “stream” and is used metaphorically in John 7:38 to describe the blessing of eternal satisfaction found in Christ.
Continue reading Features of New Jerusalem: Part 3
This is another in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.
In the previous posts (Part 1; Part 2), we explored some key features of New Jerusalem. We continue this study now.
New Jerusalem lacks a temple, stellar lights, a closing time, and anything unclean (Rev. 21:22-27).
After a detailed description of New Jerusalem’s exterior, John turns his attention inside the city walls. He notes first of all the absence of a temple “because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (v. 22).
Historical Jerusalem is known as the city of God because his presence resides there in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-13). The people of God approach him through a mediator, a high priest who offers atoning sacrifices for the peoples’ sins in the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement.
The atoning blood is carried through a thick veil and sprinkled on the mercy seat, above which the Shekinahglory blazes. There, the wrath of God is satisfied and his mercy is extended to sinful creatures. All of this activity inside the cube-shaped holy of holies bears forward-looking significance. The day is coming when God himself provides a sacrifice – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Continue reading Features of New Jerusalem: Part 2
This is another in a series of excerpts from What Every Christian Should Know About the Return of Jesus, released by High Street Press and available at Amazon.
In the previous post, we began to explore some key features of New Jerusalem. We continue this study now.
New Jerusalem is arrayed with God’s glory.
John writes of New Jerusalem, “Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (21:11). The most significant quality of New Jerusalem is stated at the outset: it is the radiance of God, the sign of his visible presence.
As in the burning bush, the pillar of cloud and fire, the Shekinah glory in the holy of holies, and the brilliance of Jesus’ presence on the mount of transfiguration, God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Isaiah foretells the work of the divine warrior who penetrates the earth’s spiritual darkness (Isa. 59:17-21). As a result, Isaiah exults, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD shines over you” (Isa. 60:1).
In a similar fashion, Ezekiel sees the glory of God returning through the eastern gate of the temple, from which the glory had earlier departed. He describes it in these terms: “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of a huge torrent, and the earth shone with his glory” (Ezek. 43:2).
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