The New Jerusalem

Preterism & The NJ

The New Jerusalem

Please ignore all spelling and punctuation errors due to the fact that my hands were paralyzed. I use voice recognition software that is very inadequate.

1. Outside the pearly gates are dogs and whore- mongers.

Outside of the church are dogs and whore-mongers -sinners-.

2. The tree of life is inside the new Jerusalem with gold leaves for the healing of the nations. We need healed while in this physical body. Do you think you need healed when you physically die and are with Christ?

3. When speaking to the church the early church were told- you are a city set on a hill.

4. When speaking to the church they were told out of thy bellies shall flow rivers of living water. The waters that flow from the tree of life was the Holy Spirit which proceeded out of the church's belly.

5. The new Jerusalem city-church- came out of heaven it -wasn't heaven- as a bride adorned for her husband Jesus. The early church the bride of Christ Married Jesus and those saved are the new creation offspring of that union sons of God. Only sons inherit.

6. The new Jerusalem church has 12 foundations. These foundations represent the 12 apostles and their message of salvation that is the foundation of the church.

7. The number twelve appears frequently in the description of New Jerusalem. Twelve indicates what is eternally perfect in quality, eternally complete in quantity, and eternally rich in composition; this is God’s perfection, God’s abundance, and God’s richness.

All the twelves in the Bible point to New Jerusalem in some way. In the OT Israel was composed of twelve tribes. The city has “a great and high wall and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of

the sons of Israel” (Rev. 21:12).

The old covenant Jerusalem was made up of 12 tribes and the new covenant new Jerusalem church is made up of all mankind.5

The focus in this post is the NT. A well-known twelve is the twelve apostles appointed by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 10. The wall of New Jerusalem has “twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names* of the twelve apostles the Lamb” (Rev. 21:14).

8. The gates of the new Jerusalem are open day and night so that anyone can come in and be saved by drinking from the rivers that flow from the tree of life.

9. I don't want anyone to feel that just because the new Jerusalem represents the church that this takes away from our spending eternity in a wonderful place with Christ Jesus. When we are saved and come up out of the waters of baptism we are resurrected into Christ. He is our Temple. From that moment on our eternity begins. When we are no longer in this physical body we will fully enjoy everything eternity has to offer. The moment we were saved we enter the kingdom of God. Let's start enjoying the kingdom now instead of waiting. You can't enjoy what you don't know that you currently possess. If you're saved then you are the temple of God and his Holy Spirit is in you. If you are saved you are in Christ..

We read about the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21and 22. As we go through the description given of the New Jerusalem we

must remember that no scripture is of a private interpretation. The Bible will clearly tell us what or who the New Jerusalem represents. We don’t have to guess we just need to pray with an honest and sincere heart that the Lord open our spiritual eyes to the truth of His Word.

Many people take this passage literally. Some believe that we will dwell in a literal place approximately 1500 miles square by 1500 miles high. Some believe we will literally walk on streets of pure gold and the gates will be of actual pearls. We must use the Bible to understand and interpret it’s own symbols. We must, in some cases, disregard our preconceived ideas and let the Bible explain itself. God’s ways are not our ways. We see the true meaning of these symbols as we study the Word of God. Symbolic language is used in describing Jesus. For example we can read how Jesus was referred to as the Lamb, the Branch, the Root, or the Lion. We know that Christ did not come as a literal branch or lamb. He was God in the flesh of a human being. Other passages of the Bible and especially Revelation use symbols to describe things for us. In Revelation 13 we see a seven-head ten-horned beast arise out of the sea. No one believes that this dreadful beast will literally rise out of the sea, at least I hope not. The New Jerusalem is no different. God is using language that we can relate to in describing something to us. God is not interested in literal gold, pearls, etc. The things important to God are spiritual in essence and not material. For our finite minds, to have something to relate to, God gives us the symbolic description of the New Jerusalem. We will now begin to look into what the Bible has to say about the New Jerusalem by comparing scripture to scripture. Not what we think, but what the Bible says.

We will start in revelation 21:1.

Revelation 21:1 ... And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

We can compare this scripture to Isaiah 65:17-18.

Isaiah 65:17-18 ... 17) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18) But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

We see here the prophecy of the creating of the new heavens and new earth, but when does this occur? We go back to the beginning of the passage in Isaiah 65:1-5.

Isaiah 65:1-5 ... 1) I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2) I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3) A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4) Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5) Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

Isaiah 65 is directly referred to in Romans chapter 10. We get an understanding of who is being talked about in Isaiah 65 by comparing these two passages.

Romans 10:20-21 ... 20) But Esaias (Isaiah) is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21) But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

We can see from Romans 9 that the gentiles are the people that God is found of that sought him not. We know from Romans 10 that Israel is the rebellious people of Isaiah 65:2.and the gentiles from Romans chapter 9. When was God found by the gentiles? When Christ came the first time. This is also when the new heavens and new earth were created.

Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11 are all of one continuous thought. A reading of the chapters makes it clear that this is about Christ’s first coming. The chapters tell how Israel had rejected Christ, stumbled at that stumbling stone, and the gentiles were grafted in.

The timing of Romans 10 is at Christ’s first coming. Paul refers in Romans 10 to that being the time that was prophesied of in Isaiah 65. There is no break in the thought or time frame from Isaiah 65:1-2 to Isaiah 65:17-18. Given that Isaiah 65:17-18 and Revelation 21:1 are referring to the same creating of the new heavens and new earth we can see this happening when Christ came. Let us move on to see this and prove this further by the Word of God.

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Revelation 21:2 ... And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

We see that the New Jerusalem is prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. We know that the bride of Christ is the church. In Ephesians chapter 5 the conversation is concerning the husband and wife and Paul goes on to say...

Ephesians 5:32 ... This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

In Matthew 9:15 Jesus describes Himself as the bridegroom. In John 3:29 John the Baptist says concerning Jesus ... that He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.

We would also like to take a look at Isaiah 61:9-10.

Isaiah 61:9) And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. 10) I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

We can see that, as a bride and bridegroom decks themselves, God has decked the ones spoke of in Isaiah with the garments of salvation and covered them with the robe of righteousness. When is this? Isaiah 61:1-2 is obviously prophesying about the first coming of Christ.

Isaiah 61:1-2 ... 1) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

We prove this from Jesus’ own reading of this passage in Luke.

Luke 4:16-21 ... 16) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17) And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19) to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20) And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21) And he began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

When is their seed known among the Gentiles as in Isaiah 61:9? When Christ came according to Isaiah 61:1-2.

You can see throughout the New Testament and especially Romans that the Jews had a very hard time understanding that God was now no respecter of persons, that they were not the exclusive chosen people. That the door was opened to the gentiles and whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

We will soon see how the New Jerusalem is clothed with walls of salvation and her gates of praise.

Galatians 4:24-27 ... 24) Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27) For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children that she which hath an husband.

This refers to Isaiah 54:1.

Isaiah 54:1 ... Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.

There again the flow from Isaiah 53 to 54 is the same time frame. We know that the prophecy of Isaiah 53 spoke of Jesus’ first coming. Jerusalem from above is free and now is according to Galatians 4:24-27.

Hebrews 12:22-24 ... 22) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living god, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

We have come to the heavenly Jerusalem! Thank the Lord. We are just getting started though so lets keep looking at the many other things said about the New Jerusalem.

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Revelation 21:3 ... And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The tabernacle of God is now with men through Christ. God has come to dwell right within our hearts. He does not dwell any longer in a temple made with hands.

2nd Corinthians 6:16 ... And what agreement hath the temple of god with idols? For ye are the temple of the living god; as god hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Ezekiel 37:26-27 ... 26) Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27) My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Notice how the book of Acts quotes Amos concerning the tabernacle of David being raised. Repeatedly the Bible refers to our bodies being the tabernacle of God.

Acts 15:15-17 ... 15) And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16) After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17) That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

Amos 9:11-12 ... 11) In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12) That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.

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Revelation 21:4 ... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Now many look for this in the future. This will be the case one-day in heaven in the literal sense but that is not what is being described here. Again scripture must interpret scripture. We must look into Isaiah once again.

Isaiah 65:19 ... And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

This there again is prophetic and right after the new heavens and new earth are created in Isaiah 65:17. This is all telling of Christ coming, as we will show even further.

Isaiah 25:7-9 ... 7) And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. 8) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. 9) And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

When did the Lord wipe tears from off all faces? He did at the coming of Christ. As verse 9 says that we have waited on him, and he will save us ... we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. The salvation that was prophesied here was prophesied of Christ and His saving power at his first coming.

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Revelation 21:5 ... And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Remember that we are reading the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ made all things new when salvation became possible and Christ could dwell right in our hearts. We are new creatures in Christ.

2nd Corinthians 5:17 ... Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Isaiah 43:19 ... Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert

Is this passage in Isaiah literal? No. It is to be understood as an event of Christ’s first coming. The Lord goes on to say in Isaiah 43:22 that Jacob has not called upon Him and that Israel hast been weary of me. This is the backsliding Jewish people of the Old Testament. All things have been made new through Christ.

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Revelation 21:6 ... And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

When did Jesus give unto them that were athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely? When He came and brought us salvation.

Jeremiah 2:13 ... For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. John 7:37 ... In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Joel 3:18 ... And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

This passage in Joel comes after Joel 2:28-32 which is quoted in Acts 2 by Peter as happening at the day of Pentecost.

Joel 2:28-32

Now Joel 2:28 says "And it shall come to pass afterward," Notice that the day of Pentecost comes afterward. In Joel 3:1 the Bible says "For, behold, in those days," This is a continuation of the same thought and time of Joel 2, the time of the cross and afterward Pentecost.

Zechariah 13:1 ... In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

Zechariah 13:7 says "... smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered". There again this passage of Zechariah 13 is all concerning the same time frame. When Christ died and the Shepherd was smitten.

John 4:13-14 ... 13) Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14) But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

This makes it plain. When Christ came He gave us salvation and water for the heart. Why can we see the symbolic language of Christ here but many times people cannot see the similar symbolic language of Revelation? There is no crying or weeping, or death, or thirsting, or hungering now. We are no longer under the bondage of the law. Christ has set us free!

Isaiah 12:3 ... Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

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Revelation 21:7 ... He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

When did we become the sons of God? When Christ came and we became joint heirs with Him. We are now the sons of God if we are saved.

I John 3:1-2 ... 1) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Romans 8:14 ... For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

John 1:12 ... But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Galatians 4:5-7 ... 5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7) Wherefore thou are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

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Revelation 21:8 ... But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Anyone that is a liar, whoremonger, etc. cannot enter into the kingdom of God. None of these can be a part of the church or be in the New Jerusalem.

Ephesians 5:5 ... For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

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Revelation 21:9-10 ... 9) And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

We read here that the angel tells John that He will show him the bride, the Lamb’s wife. He then proceeds to show him the New Jerusalem. Who is the Lamb’s wife? The church.

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Revelation 21:11 ... Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

The New Jerusalem has the glory of God and her light is like unto a stone most precious. We can read on in Revelation 21:23 and see that the, "Lamb is the light thereof", of the New Jerusalem. Notice these passages concerning Christ as a stone most precious.

I Peter 2:4-5 ... 4) To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:16 ... Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Zechariah 3:9 ... For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

We know from Revelation 5:6 that Jesus is the one with seven eyes. He is the one spoken of in Zechariah 3:9 ... "upon one stone shall be seven eyes". Notice also in the passage that the Lord says that He will "remove the iniquity of that land in one day". What day is that one day? That day is the day of the cross, when the chief cornerstone was laid.

Matthew 21:42-44 ... 42) Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43) Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, 44) and whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

This passage in Matthew is spoken concerning Christ and how the Jews rejected Him but that He has become the head of the corner. Whosever shall fall on this stone shall be broken.

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Revelation 21:12-13 ... 12) And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13) On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

We can read about the literal gates set up of the children of Israel in Ezekiel 48. The gates described here are not literal gates, but gates of praise.

Isaiah 26:1-2 ... 1) In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2) Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Isaiah 60:18 ... Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shall call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

Zechariah 2:5 ... For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

We can read Isaiah 60:1-3 and know that this is the time of Christ’s first coming. The rest of the chapter also pertains to the same time period.

Isaiah 60:3 ... And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

When did this happen? The gentiles were grafted in by Christ at His first coming.

Romans 11:17 ... And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

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Revelation 21:14-21 ... 14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15) And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16) And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17) And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18) And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19) And the foundations of the all of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, and chalcedony; the fourth, san emerald; 20) The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The city lieth foursquare. The foundations were of all manner of precious stones. Compare this information to Exodus 27 about the priest’s breastplate. We need to also look into Isaiah.

Isaiah 54:10-12 ... 10) For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. 11) O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. 12) And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

There again this all happens through salvation by Jesus Christ. As we read earlier we have walls of salvation. When was the covenant of peace made? When Christ died on the cross. The new covenant was established.

Ephesians 2:19-22 ... 19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Notice in Ephesians 2:20 ... that we are now built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets and that Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner stone. This is what is said in revelation 21:14 of the foundation of the New Jerusalem. The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are in the foundation walls. We are now as the church built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

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Revelation 21:22-23 ... 22) And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Jesus Christ is now our temple. He was not of the Old Testament but now is the glory of Israel and a light to the gentiles.

Isaiah 61:19-20 ... 19) The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20) Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Isaiah 61:1 is the quotation Jesus read concerning Himself as we showed earlier. There again the timing is at Christ’s first coming. Revelation 21:22-23 is all symbolic of salvation coming to mankind. It is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Revelation 21:24 ... And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Notice that them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. Only those accepting Christ as personal savior walk in the New Jerusalem. Only they can be in the kingdom of God, which is within you.

Isaiah 2:2-4 ... 2) And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3) and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4) And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 52:15 ... So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Isaiah 66:12-13 ... 12) For thus saith the Lord, Behold I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13) As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

At the beginning literal Jerusalem and Judah’s gates lament. But then their gates are turned to praise because the Lord has appointed them walls for salvation. They are no longer under the curse of the law.

Isaiah 3:26 ... And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

compare to

Isaiah 61:3 ... To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

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Revelation 21:25 ... And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

The gates are continually open. There is no night here in the church. Not literally but spiritually.

Isaiah 60:11 ... Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

The gates are not shut and the forces of the gentiles have been brought in. As in Isaiah 60:3 when the Gentiles come to thy light. This is at Christ’s first coming.

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Revelation 21:27 ... And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Nothing can enter the church that defiles it, works abomination, or makes lies. The church is spotless and without wrinkle.

Isaiah 35:8-10 ... 8) And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9) No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10) And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Ephesians 5:25-27 ... 25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27) that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should holy and without blemish.

The true church, the bride of Christ stands now redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified. By the blood of Christ we are without blemish or spot and beautiful in our apparel. Clothed with the garments of salvation (Isaiah 61:10).

Isaiah 52:1 ... Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Isaiah 52:9 ... Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

From here we go into the well-known passage about the Lord in Isaiah 53. We know that chapters were not in the original letters or books and that there is just a continuous flow. We can see in Isaiah 53 that this is Christ at His first coming. We can see in Isaiah 54 that by reason of the gentiles being grafted in that the tent needed to be larger and the stakes strengthened. Why do we not see that Isaiah 52 is also about Christ’s first coming and the New Jerusalem is part of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Revelation 22:1-2 ... 1) And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

This pure river of water of life is the blood of Jesus Christ proceeding out of the throne, which was spilt for each of us. We can read about this in Ezekiel 47. Ezekiel sees waters issuing out from under the threshold of a door in verse 1. Through the verses to verse 5 Ezekiel sees the waters rise to the ankles. The water rises to the knees, then to the loins. Then the water rises to be a river that could not be passed over. He later returns in verse 7 to see trees on one side of the river and also on the other. We quote verse 9.

Ezekiel 47:9 ... And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

This river is Christ’s blood. Everyone that the blood touches is healed. In verses 9 and 10 the fishes that come forth are fishes of men.

Matthew 4:19 ... And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Ezekiel 47:12 ... And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

See how the new fruit is according to his months and the leaf is medicine or for the healing of the nations as Revelation describes.

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Revelation 22:3-5 ... 3) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

As compared to Isaiah 60:19 which was quoted earlier we have no need of a candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives us light. He gives us Light in our heart.

Jesus Christ has also redeemed us from the curse. There is no more curse. This is the curse of the law that could never free us from sin.

Galatians 3:10-13 ... 10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12) And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every on that hangeth on a tree:

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Revelation 22:12-13 ... 12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

What was said concerning Jesus’ first coming?

Isaiah 40:1-3 ... 1) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2) Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3) The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

We know that the voice in the wilderness is John the Baptist. We know that this speaks of Christ’s first coming. Their iniquity is pardoned. When was Jerusalem’s iniquity pardoned? It was at the cross. Isaiah 40 goes on to say:

Isaiah 40:9-11 ... 9) O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 10) Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

As in Isaiah 40:1-2 this is about Christ’s first coming. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. His reward was with Him. His reward was the reward of salvation. He is the Good Shepherd that feeds his flock.

Isaiah 44:6 ... Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

The church is the New Jerusalem. The kingdom of God is now in us as Jesus says. God dwells in this bodily temple and not a temple made with hands. We, Christ’s bride, are that city. We are not the whore or adulteress wife, the literal Jerusalem. We are the beautiful, clothed with the garments of salvation, without spot, without wrinkle, bride of Christ. We are the saved. We are the Church. We are the New Jerusalem.