The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1-7; 10-12, 22-24

GOLDEN TEXT: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, nod he shall be My son.”—Revelation 21:17

IN THE symbolism of the Bible, a city represents a government; as for instance, symbolic Babylon is denominated “that great city [government] which ruleth over the kings of the earth.” The New Jerusalem, as a symbol, represents the new spiritual government of the Millennial age. It is not earth-born, it is not reared by men, but, as here pictured, it descends from God out of heaven—it is spiritual in every sense of the word—of God and not of men. It is for this Kingdom, this government, the Lord taught us, to pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is done in heaven.”

The declaration that the city is adorned as a bride for her husband implies its grandeur and beauty and perfection, as a bride’s adornment on such occasion is particular and elaborate to the last degree. But additionally it reminds us that in the government of the future, the judges of the world are the saints, now being selected through faithfulness in trial and tribulation, and that these are frequently called the bride, the Lamb’s wife and joint-heir in the Kingdom.

This glorious city will not be visible to the natural eye—neither Christ nor the saints in glory can ever be seen of men; only those “changed” from human to spiritual nature see these matters in the full. But the whole world will be quickly made aware of the fact that a new government has been instituted—a government of righteousness and with all power. Thereafter whosoever doeth righteousness shall be blessed, and whosoever doeth evil shall be punished.

The third verse of our lesson associates this city with the other figure of a symbolic temple, which the Lord is now preparing, of which the saints will constitute the “living stones” and “pillars,” for it is declared that the tabernacle (dwelling) of God shall be with men in this city (government or kingdom). God will, dwell in this glorious city or government—it will be His temple, and the world of mankind will approach God in it to receive the divine blessings, as Israel approached the typical tabernacle and the temple in their typical religious services.

Thus God, represented in His church (the Christ, Head and body) will dwell with men (the world of mankind during the Millennial age) and they shall be His people—all mankind will be treated from the standpoint of reconciliation, the propitiation price for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2) having been applied and the due time having then come for the manifestation of divine favor. Then all peoples will be treated as the Lord’s people; none of them will be treated as aliens, strangers, foreigners from God and His promises.

Since God is the Author of all the blessings of redemption and restitution, and since every good and every perfect gift cometh down from our Father in heaven, it is with appropriateness that the record declares that “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes”—from the eyes of mankind. Though it will be Christ and the church who will be doing it, nevertheless, the Heavenly Father will be recognized as the first cause, the fountain of all blessings.

The wiping away of tears implies a gradual work, such as we see will be the process of that glorious time. Man will not be exempt from every weakness and trial and difficulty at the beginning, but if he will conform to the laws of the Kingdom, all cause for distress will gradually pass away, as restitution blessings will lift him out of death into perfect life. “They that hear [obey] that prophet [teacher, the Christ, Head and body] shall live; but it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hear that prophet will be cut off from among the people [in the second death].”—Acts 3:23

The whole work of the Millennial age is summed up in few words, and we are brought to its culmination in the declaration, “There shall be no more death; neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.”

The fifth verse of our lesson comprehensively grasps the entire Millennial age; our Lord Jesus, then in the throne of earth’s dominion, declaring, “Behold, I make all things new.” The end of the Millennial age will see the work completed—all the wicked destroyed, all who will not hear the voice of that prophet, teacher, governor, cut off from among the people in the second death, and all the willing and obedient made new, brought to the complete perfection contemplated in the original divine plan.

The one enthroned (the Christ) declares at the conclusion of the Millennial age, “It is done”; My great contract is accomplished; “I am the Alpha and the Omega [the A and the Z], the beginning and the end.” It was the Father’s good pleasure that the blessed One, His only begotten Son, should accomplish the entire program of redemption and restitution. By His obedience in the things which He suffered He proved Himself worthy to be forever the associate and” representative of the Father, through whom and by whom all things should continue, as He was the One through whom all things were made that were made. It is this One who, during the Millennial age, will extend to all the willing and obedient the water of life, everlasting life—the privilege of perpetual existence. But they must thirst for it, must desire it; and this desire must be manifest in obedience to the terms, the laws, upon which it will be freely supplied.

QUESTIONS:

In the symbolism of the Scriptures, what does a city represent?

What is represented by the New Jerusalem being adorned as a bride?

What is meant by the promise, “I will make all things new”?

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