"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any
sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 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. ‘He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more deathor mourning
or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”He who
was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he
said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev:21:1-5
During the time at close of the Old Testament and the writing of the
New Testament, Rabbinical Scholars had come to believe that at the
end of human history God would restore the very Garden of Eden which
they believed was removed from the Earth by God and taken into Heaven,
when the Great Flood was sent upon the Earth in the Days of Noah. They
believed that at the end of history the Edenic condition would be
restored between God and humanity.
The City of God
St. John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit draws upon this
concept of restored Eden when he writes of the New Jerusalem descending
out of Heaven from God.
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven
and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I
saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 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. ‘He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning
or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” he who
was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he
said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev:21:1-5
This city, which we are given a glimpse of , we are told has been
sought even from the time of the Patriarchs. Abraham is spoken of as
seeking this city.
"By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a
foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of
the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations,
whose architect and builder is God." Heb:11:9-10
The Holy Scriptures even describe the Christian life in Jesus in the terms of this New Jerusalem.
"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of
angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven".
Heb:12:22-23
This New Jerusalem is described in great detail within the book of
Revelation as it descends from out of Heaven from God. St. John records
what the Spirit shows him as he transported in the Spirit to a high
mountain by an angle.
"One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the
seven last plagues came and said to me, “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 Holy City, Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God" Rev:21:9-10
St. John tells us about the Holy City of God, this New Jerusalem,
which is described in great detail within the book of Revelation as it
descends from Heaven from God to the New Earth. This Holy City is
depicted as being filled with radiance of the glory of the Lord.
"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve
angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve
tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the
north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city
had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to
measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a
square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and
found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is
long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was
144 cubits thick.The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold,
as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with
every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the
second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx,
the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth
topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth
amethyst.The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single
pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent
glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon
to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is
its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth
will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be
shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the
nations will be brought into it. 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"(12-27)
Many Christians view this vision as a literal city, the New
Jerusalem in which all redeemed humanity, in Christ, will dwell in
with the great God at the close of human history.
But is this what the Holy Spirit is really speaking to us? What Does it mean?
A Community
In the ancient world, the world in which the Church was founded on
the Day of Pentecost , the community was of supreme value and great
importance, and all the more, to be closely associated with a given
community was a thing to be prized and to take pride in, to have one's
name written into the role book of a given city as a citizen was highly
prized among the people and of great personal and social pride.
Even St. Paul demonstrates this pride in his citizenship and being a
a citizen of the city of Tarsus in the Cilicia region of Asia Minor.
"Paul answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary" Acts:21:39
Jesus himself eluded to this citizenship as a position to be valued
in a conversation with his Disciples as they returned and gave a report
on their evangelism tour and the power which was manifested in them.
"but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke:10:20b
But what ,was and is , this community, especially in the ancient
world in which the Church arose out of at the manifesting of the Holy
Spirit among and in the lives of the followers of Jesus?
A community in the ancient world was ,and still is, an extended
interdependent relationship among several people all living together in
a given place all who are a part of one another lives and each
contributing to that extended relationship as they are able.
Understanding the ancient world's view of a community as an extended
relationships to which persons are bound together in can help us better
understand what the Spirit is telling us about the New Jerusalem.
St.John begins his description of the New Jerusalem describing it as
having and emitting the very radiance of the glory of God and walls
which enclosed the city.
"It shone with the glory of God, and its radiance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal"Rev:21:11
Community In Christ
St.John's description of this New Jursalem, this extended community
relationship, from the very start points us to the presence of Jesus ,
the eternal Son of God , the second person of the Holy Trinity as being
the very source of and among this community relationship of the
redeemed.
The "
glory" and "
radiance" which St.John sees coming from the New Jerusalem is Jesus himself who we are told is according to the Hebrews Epistle is:
" The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being"
Heb:1:3
This tells us that Jesus is that glorious perfect representation of
what God, the Holy Trinity wants for humanity, which is, what the New
Jerusalem expresses for us , and that we should and will live in an
extend community bound together thru the person of Jesus,and that this
was and is God's purpose even from the very creation.
"let us make man in our image and in our likeness" Gen:1:26
This community relationship is patterned after God's own "
image" and "
likeness",
for the Holy Trinity is a community relationship which God has with in
himself. This is why humanity is drawn to live in community with others
, because God himself is a community. Living in community with others,
is the part of the "
image" and
"likeness" which God is referring to.
High Walls and Gates
This glorious City of God, this radiant community we are told by
St.John has high walls which enclose the community and each of these
walls has thee gates.
"
It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve
angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve
tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the
north, three on the south and three on the west"Rev:21:12-13
These gates we are told never shut "
On no day will its gates ever be shut(25)" again this speaks of our God's grace and desire that all come to Jesus , he will never turn us away.
In the ancient world walls were need for security. Wall represented
and spoke of safety , a place of refuge and security. The higher and
thicker the walls the more safety there was for those within.
The safety of the Old Covenant
Cities of Refuge found throughout Israel are brought to mind.
Joshua:20:1-9.
That Jesus is the refuge to which we all can resort to and enter.
These great walls of the New Jerusalem which enclose this community
of the redeemed, speak to us all regarding the security of our
relationship with our Lord Jesus.
That our relationship with our God is secure, and is secured, by and
thru Jesus alone. We are assured of God's great love for us and that
there is nothing we can do lose his loving grip upon our lives.
"I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand"Jhn:10:28-29
In these great secure walls are found the gates of Pearl thru which
the redeemed enter into this community. The gates are found on all side
of the city, the north, the south, the east or west, each of these gates
bare an name of the tribes of Israel name upon them, showing us that
Israel was from where the Christ would arise from, for salvation is of
the Jews
.Jhn:4:22b.
This also tells us that thru Jesus people of all nations might be joined with and as part of the promises made to Israel.
Eph:2:21
The Pearl is the message, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God,which has
been preached into all the world by the Apostles of our Lord.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."Matt:13:45-46
This Gospel message is personified in the person of our Lord Jesus
,preached throughout the earth, the directions also speak of the
accessibility of God to any and to all who will but freely receive it.
"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matt:28:18-20
Jesus himself tells us that he is the gate through which we enter this holy community and there is no other means.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved They will come in and go out, and find pasture."Jhn:10:7-9
What this all tells us is that we have gained access into the
redeemed community, this New Jerusalem, when we hear the Gospel
proclaimed and come to believe and accept all that Jesus has
accomplished for us all.
"The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to
measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a
square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and
found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is
long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was
144 cubits thick" Rev:21:15-17
The Walls Measured
This city is a place of perfect balance and is in a accordance with word of God.
The rod which St.John sees the angle used to measure the city is the
Greek the word where from we derive the word Canon or Canonical which
is used to describe the body of writings which we recognized as
inspired by the Holy Spirit, this means that our relationship with God
is perfectly framed by the word of God, the Holy Bible.
"The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to
measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a
square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and
found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is
long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was
144 cubits thick" Rev:21:15-17
Foundations
St.John directs us now to the foundations of this New Jerusalem, on which the secure walls are built.
The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.Rev:21:14
This reference to the Apostles reminds us that they were the very
first who came to believe that Jesus is the Christ and that they would
serve as the start of God work of grace, and the very start of this
redeemed community under the tenants of the New Covenant, which gives
birth to the Church with Jesus as the very cornerstone of the foundation
which hold the rest in place.
Matt:16:17-19
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone",
Eph:2:19-20
It is Jesus who holds the New Jerusalem, this extended community
relationship, in place as the Cornerstone . This tells us that our
secure relationship is built on an unshakeable foundation secured by
Jesus himself.
A Royal Priesthood
the foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind
of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire,
the third agate, the fourth emerald,the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the
seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth
turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst" (19-20)
The stones which are upon the great foundations speak to us of the
Royal Priesthood which all Christians are apart of as believers in
Jesus.
1Petr:2:9
This Royal Priesthood of believers is from Jesus' own ministry as the High Priest.
Heb:4:14-16. The precious stones also call to mind the Stones which adorned the Brest Plate of Israel's High Priest, which Jesus supersedes.
The Golden Way
St.John also sees as the main road of the city a golden street. This
would be known in the Ancient world as the King's High Way, or The
King's street it was the main way to the Royal residence ,or to the main
city of a kingdom. This road was often a tole road and a price needed
to be paid to travel it.
This beautiful golden way of gold, is Jesus himself who has paved the
way to this New Jerusalem and who paid tole, the price for us all so
that we might enter this glorious city. "
I am the Way" Jesus tells us.
No Temple
St. John notes the absences of any Temple, he then explained that
this because it is due the presence of God and Jesus himself.
"I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple"
Those who have entered into this redeemed community now wroship in
Spirit and in truth and are not bound by locations or building
ceremonies.
Jhn:4:19-24
Citizens From All Nations
We are told in the narrative of Revelation that people of all nations
are now apart of this community relationship with the great God,
through Jesus.
"The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
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."(26-27)
The Restoration of Eden
St. John give us a a little more detail about this extended community
realtionship which is pictured by the New Jursalem. St.John again
borrows from the Rabbinical belief of a restored Eden, which pictures
for us what our God's intent has always been toward humanity .
Eden was a place and condition of rest, beauty, abundance,security,
health, peace , joy, and unlimited access and fellowship with the
Creator of all things.Eden was a place where humanity was intended to
walk among the shade of the trees, along the rivers which flowed and
come to know their God.
Gen:1-2
Here St.John tells us that God's eternal purpose is now made a
reality for all who will believe. St. John gives us a glimpse of what is
now made true for any and all who will receive it through Jesus alone,
that the Holy Spirit, pictured by the River which flows from the Throne
of God , minsters to us every thing which the cross of our Lord has
accomplished for us. There is fruitfulness and life , glorious worship
and fellowship in union with our God, no more pain no more suffering,
our minds filled with merits of our Lord Jesus , no more sorrow not more
alienation, no more disenfranchisement a place of belonging where our
Lord God is accessible and among and in us all and it even now
available to all and can be experienced even now thru the body of the
Church, which give us only a foretaste of awaits in eternity.
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as
clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down
the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river
stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its
fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the
nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of
the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will
see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no
more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the
sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever
and ever."
Rev:22:1-5
This Community Relationship pictured by the New Jerusalem is what our
God has always intended for each and all of us as being in his "
image" and "
likeness", even from the very garden of Eden ,to us now , and on into eternity.
Benediction: may we each and all give glory to our
God who, through Jesus has brought us into a extended community
realtionship , which he has always intended for us to live in union with
himself and one another, today, tomorrow and forevermore.Amen
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301 www.gcfountainoflife.org
The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network
1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the
Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in
Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world
at www.rkpradio.com
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"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"
Rev.
George Relic – Assistant Pastor (724-583-9217)
