And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and be will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and
God himself shall be with them, and be their God."—Rev.
21:2, 3. "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 show thee the
bride, the Lamb's wife.... And showed me that great city, the
holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
God."—Verses 9, 10. Heaven is frequently in scripture
termed a city. See Rev. 22:14, Heb. 11:16, 13:14. It is a
place where we have a "building of God, an house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens."—2 Cor. 5:1. It is
the place of our future inheritance. 1 Pet. 1:4. This place we
shall enter after this earth and the works therein are burned
up. 2 Pet. 3:7-13. Therefore be it understood that in this
chapter we do not deny that there a place and state of future
rewards in an immortal and glorified body in heaven, which is
the place of God's throne and home of the angels.
Our object is to treat directly on that
which John saw coming down from God out of heaven. A thing
which came "out of heaven" cannot be heaven itself.
But was this, as many suppose, a literal city? Let the Word
answer. It came down "prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband." Here is a sufficient hint to the wise, that
this city is not a literal thing, but represents a spiritual
bride; I e., the bride of Christ. The angel promised to show
John Óthe bride, the Lamb's wife," and accordingly
showed him that this holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven
from God." It is an undeniable fact that this holy
Jerusalem is the bride, the Lamb's wife. Such is the positive
testimony of these two texts at the head of this chapter.
The bride, the Lamb's wife, is the
church of God. Prophesying of the church in this dispensation
(Isa. 54: 1-4), Isaiah says, "Thy maker is thy husband;
the Lord of hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of
Israel."—Isa. 54:5. In the early twilight of this
Christian era, John the Baptist affirmed of Christ: "He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom."—John 3:29.
"Where. fore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the
law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we
should bring forth fruit unto God."—Rom. 7:4. That
first husband was the law. He emphasized his demands with
"Thou shalt." If the Jewish church failed to obey
him, he was ready to stone her to death. Surely such was not a
happy union. Yet this woman was bound to that husband as long
as he lived. But in the course of time that husband died—the
law was abrogated, and passed away— and she was married to
another. This second husband loves her. He gave his life for
her. Instead of emphasizing his demands with "Thou shalt,"
he tenderly says to her, "If you love me, you will keep
my words." This second husband is Christ; him who is
raised from the dead.
The object of this union is "that
we should bring forth fruit unto God." The fruit of
matrimony is offspring. Not in a future age, but now Zion
travails and brings forth children unto God. Isa. 66:8-13.
"Of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in
her."— Ps. 87:5. The whole church are "workers
together with God" in the salvation of lost souls. In A.
D. 30 Jesus had a bride and was himself a bridegroom. John
3:29. And like a true companion his wife joined heart and soul
with him in the great cause which drew him to earth.
Accordingly in A. D. 96 we hear "the Spirit and the bride
say, Come."—Rev. 22:17. "But Jerusalem which is
above [above the law dispensation and the world] is free,
which is the mother of us all." Gal. 4:26. Every convert
of the cross from the dawn of this dispensation to its close
is a "new-born babe" in the family of God. This
being true, if Christ and the church—the spiritual
Jerusalem~ are not now married, we who are her offspring are
bastards, and not legitimate sons of God. "For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of
the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their
own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave hinself for it; that he
might sanctify and cleanse it in the washing of water by the
Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their
wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth
himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth add cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for
we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one
flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ
and the church."—Eph. 5:23-32.
This language is very clear and
conclusive. The marriage relation is that which now exists
between Christ and his church. "The husband is the head
of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church."
As the man and his wife are one flesh, "we are members of
his body of his flesh, and of his bones." And that we
might know that we are indeed married to Christ now, he was
unwilling to drop the mysteries of this wonderful relation
without reassuring us that the marriage of the Lamb had
already come. "This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church." So Christ and the
church are livng in the beautiful bond of matrimony. The
marriage of man and wife in a most striking manner illustrates
our union with Christ. The following are some of the points of
agreement between the two. First. In taking a husband a woman
leaves the house of her father and mother, l ~ all its
endearing attractions. She leaves all others n earth to cleave
to and love him. So says Christ: whosoever forsaketh not
father, mother, and all that he hath can not be my
disciple." Second. The bride must even leave her former
name, and be called by the name of her husband. So does Christ
write his new name upon us, and henceforth, whatsoever we do
in word or deed, we do in his name. Third. The marriage
relation sealed under a covenant of fidelity for life; the
husband to love, cherish, and protect; the wife to love,
honor, and obey. So does the Christian enter into an
everlasting covenant with God in Christ to abandon all for his
sake, to love, trust, and obey him in all things. And God
places himself under covenant obligations to love us for
Christ's sake, to preserve us from all evil, and supply all
our needs. Thus we see that all the prominent features of the
marriage state are fulfilled in our present relation to God
when saved in Jesus, and he that is not really married to
Jesus has not left all for his sake, and is not saved in God.
Jesus Christ will soon return, not to consummate his marriage
with the church, but to receive his wife. Rev. 19:7,: 8, 1
Thess. 4:16, 17. So it is a positive fact that the church of
God is the wife of Christ, and she is the holy Jerusalem. The
new Jerusalem is the church of God.
Such terms as "Zion,"
"city of God," "holy city,"
"Jerusalem," "new Jerusalem,"
"heavenly Jerusalem," etc. are frequently found in
the prophecies, and throughout the New Testament. Now do these
terms apply to a literal city yet to descend upon earth, or to
the people or church of God in this dispensation? Let the Word
answer. Paul writing to the Hebrew brethren in A. D. 64
testifies thus: "Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." And
this he denominates "the general assembly and church of
the firstborn, which are written in heaven."—12:22, 23.
In the name of Jesus we ask: What can be plainer? The heavenly
Jerusalem is the church, and in this dispensation we have come
"unto" it, and are living in it. "Ye are the
light of the world. A city that is set on an
hill."—Matt. 5:14. "The sons also of them that
afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that
despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy
feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion
of the Holy One of Israel."—Isa. 60:14. The people of
God in this dispensation were to be called "the Zion, the
city of the Lord." So they are called. Matt. 5 :8; Heb.
12 :22, 23. "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace,
and for Jeru salem's sake I will not rest, until the
righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the
salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles
shall see thy righteousness, and thou shalt be called by a new
name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.... Thou shalt no
more be termed Forsaken; neither shalt thy land any more be
termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah [my
delight is in her], and thy land Beulah [married]: for the
Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. ...
And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy
God rejoice over thee. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night:
ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silent, and give
him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a
praise in the earth."—Isa. 62:1-7. "And they shall
call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou
shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."—Ver.
12. There is no possible evasion of the fact that the prophet
here speaks of the New Testament church. The "holy
people," who are "redeemed" by the blood of
Christ are here called "Zion, Jerusalem, A city not
forsaken." In verses 4 and 5 it is said that Zion would
be married unto the Lord. "And as the bridegroom
rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over
thee." This is all present truth. It is also said that
the mouth of the Lord should name the church. Turn to John
17:6, 11,12, 26 and read the fulfillment of this. The watchmen
on Zion's walls are God's holy ministry who proclaim the
everlasting gospel.
In Isa. 52:1, 2 the holy city is called
Zion and Jerusalem. The same is commanded: "Awake, put on
thy strength"; "put on thy beautiful garments";
"shake thyself"; "arise and sit down,"
etc. How could a literal city do this? What sense could attach
to these words if Jersalem be not God's church? But
remembering that the new and holy Jerusalem, which is here
prophesied of, is the bride of Christ, this language is
natural and sensible. Thus we could multiply scriptures which
clearly teach that the heavenly Jerusalem is the church, but
we deem it unnecessary. One clear proof text is as good as a
thousand. Yet if there are any still unsettled on this point
we ask you to closely read the following texts. Ps. 87:5, 6;
Isa.1:21-27; 4:3-5; 12:5, 6; 26:1; 33:5, 14; Joel 2:1, 32.
Again, as soon as the new Jerusalem
came down it was announced: "Behold, the tabernacle of
God is with men, and he will dwell with them."—Rev.
21:3. Surely this is plain. Does God dwell with his people
now? Christ said, "If a man love me, ... my Father will
love him and we will come unto him, and make our abode with
him."—John 14 :23; 16 :13-16. "If we love one
another God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he
hath given us of his Spirit."—1 John 4:12, 13. "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."—2 Cor. 6:16. His name was
called "Immanuel" for the very purpose of announcing
that fact. The word signifies "God with us." Truly
God was in Christ and dwelt among us, and by the Holy Spirit
has taken up his permanent abode in the church. Since the day
of Pentecost the tabernacle of God is with men. Hence at that
time the new Jerusalem came down to earth.
But, says one, in what sense is the
church a city which descended from heaven? In Rev. 17:1-5,
sect Babylon is seen in the figure of a woman—called a
"great whore"— with her harlot daughters. So in
Rev. 12:1 the true church is seen in the figure of a pure
woman, clothed with the sun. In Rev. 17:18 and 18:1-24 Babylon
is called a "great city" which is said to be full of
darkness and a "habitation of devils." So in Rev.
21:1-27 the church is called the "holy city," which
is said to be full of light and glory. Every fully saved man
and woman is a house in this city. 2 Cor. 6 :16; 1 Cor. 3 :16,
17. Sect Babylon, or the Antichrist beast religion, is said to
"ascend out of the bottomless pit" (Rev. 17 :8);
while the true church "came down from God out of
heaven" (Rev. 21 :2-10); namely, the one is Antichrist,
the other genuine. The one is of hellish origin, the other of
heavenly, divine origin. The one shall finally be cast down to
perdition, from whence it emanated (Rev. 17:8; 19:20); the
other will in the last day ascend to heaven, from which it
emanated. 1 Thess. 4 :16, 17.
1. In the new Jerusalem all things are
made new. Rev. 21:5.
2. This is true of God's people, or the
church. 2 Cor. 5:17. We have in this dispensation a new
church, new people, '`new name," new kingdom, New
Testament, "new creation," "new heart,"
"new spirit," "new and living way"; we
"walk in newness of life" and "serve in newness
of spirit." Behold, all things are become new.
1. In the new Jerusalem such as thirst
can drink of water of life freely. Ver. 6.
2. This is true in the church of God.
John 4:10-14; . 12:1-3; Rev. 22:17.
1. In the new Jerusalem "he that
overcometh shall inherit all things."—Ver. 7.
2. This is true in the church of God.
Rom. 8:32; 1 or 3:21-23.
1. The new Jerusalem had the glory of
God. Ver. 11.
2. So has the church. John 17:22.
1. The new Jerusalem had a wall
"great and high." Verse 12.
2. So has the church. Isa. 26:1; Zech.
2:5.
1. The new Jerusalem had gates which
were continually p~. Verses 12, 25.
2. This is true of God's church. Isa.
60 :18; Heb. 13:15.
1. This city had twelve foundations.
Ver. 14.
2. So has the church. Eph. 2:19, 20.
1. None but saved people dwell in the
new Jerusalem. verses 24, 27.
2. This is true of the church of God.
John 10 :9.
Beloved, in the light of God, these are
the same. But why is the church called new Jerusalem? The
following are some of the points of agreement between old
Jerusalem and the church of God, as type and antitype. First,
it was the dwelling-place of God on earth. Now the church p
the habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:22.
Jerusalem was the temple of God; the
church is now his holy temple. 2 Cor. 6:16. In Jerusalem God
recorded his name; his church is also called by his name. In
Jerusalem was the place of continual sacrifice unto God;
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an ho' priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."—1 Pet. 2:5. As
therefore, the church of God has taken the place of old
Jerusalem as the present dwelling-place and temple of God, and
place of all offerings, she is called the new Jerusalem.
