The New Jerusalem ...

 

If the NEW JERUSALEM is a literal, physical city that floats down on a cloud (as most Christians believe), then how is it possible that the BELIEVERS in the first century were already there (Hebrews 12:22) ??

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The New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven is not a literal/physical city ... and Hebrews 12:22 proves that.  It is a metaphor (a picture) of the New Covenant's full arrival. The Kingdom arrived in the form of a New Covenant ... and can not be observed in the PHYSICAL sense (as stated by Jesus).

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Luke 17:20 .. Jesus said, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed." (seen with your eyes).

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What John saw in the SPIRIT was to help us understand the full arrival of the New Covenant ... as the Old Covenant was DESTROYED (literally & violently).

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REV 21:9-10 ... “Come, I will show you the BRIDE, the WIFE of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the SPIRIT to a mountain great and high, and showed me the NEW JERUSALEM coming down out of heaven from God."

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So from that verse, we find that the New Jerusalem is the BRIDE (the church). They are one in the same (metaphors). In other words, in the New Covenant, you are currently apart of the New Jerusalem. 

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Matt 5:14 ... "You are a CITY set upon a hill that cannot be hid."

(It's a metaphor describing the New Jerusalem / the Church).

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1 Peter 2:5 ... "And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple." - (Again, it's a metaphor).

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Isaiah 62:4 ... "Your new name will be 'THE CITY OF GOD'S DELIGHT' and 'THE BRIDE OF GOD,' for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his BRIDE.

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The last two chapters of Revelation gives us a beautiful snap-shot of this "metaphoric" city (the church) as it CURRENTLY stands TODAY.

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Rev 21:25-27 ... "ON NO DAY WILL IT'S GATES EVER BE SHUT, for there is no darkness. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

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So we find there is no darkness in this New Jerusalem (He is the light) ... and the gates of this "metaphoric" city (the Church) remain OPEN, inviting everyone on the outside to come into the city ... (they are being invited into this New Covenant).

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The darkness is OUTSIDE the city / church / New Covenant.

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Rev 22:15 ... "Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

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Notice what is happening in the very LAST CHAPTER - (2 chapters AFTER the judgment) - The people OUTSIDE are still experiencing death, pain, sin, idolatry, etc ... It even says that "murderers" are still here ! Yes, this is AFTER the judgment !!

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Again, this is a snapshot of where we are presently TODAY.

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This last chapter, also says ..."The Spirit and the BRIDE (the church) say, COME ! And let him who hears say, COME ! Whoever is thirsty, let him COME. - Rev 22:17

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From that verse we see that evangelism CONTINUES even after the JUDGMENT took place ... just as it does TODAY.

Yet modern Western Christians are under the impression that a literal/physical city will one day float down from heaven and REST upon the earth ... and all the negative stuff will magically go away ... but do you see how this resembles where we are today ??

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The JUDGMENT of man, and the defeat of "satan" (man's EGO) (the false identity) are found back in Rev 20 ... That "Judgment" has already happened. - Rev 20 is simply re-telling what happened in John 12:31.

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John 12:31 Jesus said ... "NOW is the time for the judgment on this world; NOW the prince of this world will be driven out."

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JOHN 9:39 ... And Jesus said, “For the JUDGMENT OF THIS WORLD I have come, that those who DO NOT SEE may see, and that THOSE WHO SEE may become blind.”

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Read the following passage, as I've held it back for the end of this post ...

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Revelation 21:2-3 .... "I saw the holy city, the NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “LOOK ! GOD'S DWELLING PLACE IS NOW AMONG THE PEOPLE, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM. They will be his people, and GOD HIMSELF WILL BE WITH THEM and be their God."

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YEAH ... Jesus is already here !! ... He lives, rules, & reigns from the New Jerusalem ... for the KINGDOM (domain of the King) is within us ... not in a physical city that we can observe, or a building made by human hands (That would be a major downgrade).

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JOHN 14:23 ... "Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will go to him and MAKE OUR HOME WITHIN HIM."

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So let me ask those of you who are still waiting for Jesus to return, what would you do differently if you saw Him physically here today? In other words, what are you waiting for ?