New Jerusalem

[glf1]

Seen from a distance, New Jerusalem will be light of the world as the Father and Jesus shine forth upon the sunless New Earth. New Jerusalem is a huge cubed-shaped city that is equivalent to the distance of Houston to New York for its length, width, and height. That height is five times higher than the altitude that the space shuttle orbits this Earth. Perhaps the eternal New Earth will be a bit larger than this temporal one that we live on now.
Within the city and in every direction, save one, we will see streets and buildings of pure gold, but in that one, the gold will turn translucent as the Shekinah Glory shines through illuminating everything brightly even on the far side of the planet in a single eternal day for there will be no night. I imagine every giant pearl of a gate having a highway leading directly to the throne room where the Father sits on a great white throne that sits under an emerald rainbow. I also picture the throne room to be large enough to hold both the angelic host and the faithful of both the OT and the NT where the Father will tabernacle our praises and joy over us all with singing.
As far as what we'll be doing:
- Those whom he foreknew, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.
- We will get to know the Lord just a fully as we are known of him. So we'll be spending a lot of quality time with the Lord himself.
- We're given new names that only that person and the Lord himself knows which is written on a white rock. I suspect that as we get to know someone we'll share our new names, at least until every one knows everyone.
- Example; While eating one of the twelve kinds of fruit from the tree of life and old friend from before runs up exclaiming, " I was with Jesus and he told me that he used you to bring me to Jesus. I am alive because of you. I am here forever because of you. Thank you! THANK YOU!!!"
- Another example; For all the time that we'll have in New Jerusalem, sooner or later you'll be visiting with Adam, Mary, Peter and John, sharing the things that the Lord has done, when you see Jesus walk past your home. You ask, "where are you going Lord?"
Jesus pokes his head into the room and replies, "I'm on my way to the throne room. Want to go with me?"
Sure do," you exclaim. And then arm in arm with the Lord of all glory you all go to the throne room to praise the Father in Spirit and in truth.
- The New Earth must be there for a reason for us to make use of it along with the New Heaven. If nothing else at least it'll be there for us to explore since the Lord is clearly seen by the things that are made.
- Eye hasn't seen, ear hasn't heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man those things that God has prepared for them that love him and are called according to his purpose.

 

[Nehemiah6]

New Jerusalem is a huge cubed-shaped city that is equivalent to the distance of Houston to New York for its length, width, and height.

Yes the New Jerusalem will be a gigantic cube -- 1500 miles x 1500 miles x 1500 miles, and it will remain in orbit over the earth, since God and the Lamb will be the light of it (as well as the Temple of that city), and this city will give light to the earth in the absence of the sun.

The Holy of Holies was also a cube -- 20 cubits x 20 cubits x 20 cubits, and God's glory (the Divine Presence) would rest in that location. So we can see the parallel, as well as the fact that the Holy of Holies was a type of the eternal New Jerusalem.

Many Christians mistakenly believe that it will descend to earth, but you will not find that in Scripture. It will descend from the 3rd heaven and probably remain in the 2nd heaven or more likely in the first heaven (the atmospheric heaven) which will be in fact a "new heaven" (unpolluted and free from all debris).

 

[Noose]

You have done good to read the bible, but your thinking has remained literal which is not supposed to be. New Jerusalem is not a building but the people of God, the 144k faithful end times believers to be precise aka the Church of Philadelphia.
These are believers who are given a heart to know God in every practical way. They will never leave the Earth- these are being built together are God's dwelling place which is with men. All the other saints have their souls resurrected and they also indwell these believers' hearts.

Eph 2:21 In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in Himyou too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

Rev 3:
10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

Rev 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

These people are protected here on earth.

Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Rev 21:
10And 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. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It 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. 13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.16The 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 stadiac in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubitsd thick.e 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

 

[Noose]

You have done good to read the bible, but your thinking has remained literal which is not supposed to be. New Jerusalem is not a building but the people of God, the 144k faithful end times believers to be precise aka the Church of Philadelphia.
These are believers who are given a heart to know God in every practical way. They will never leave the Earth- these are being built together are God's dwelling place which is with men. All the other saints have their souls resurrected and they also indwell these believers' hearts.

Eph 2:21 In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in Himyou too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

Rev 3:
10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

Rev 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

These people are protected here on earth.

Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Rev 21:
10And 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. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It 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. 13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.16The 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 stadiac in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubitsd thick.e 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

Rev 21:
10And 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. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It 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. 13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.16The 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 stadiac in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubitsd thick.e 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

 

[Nehemiah6]

New Jerusalem is not a building but the people of God

Your above statement is completely false, and controverts Scripture.

Scripture is to be taken in its plain literal sense unless there is good reason to do otherwise. Of course the New Jerusalem is not a building but a heavenly CITY of stupendous dimensions. It is currently occupied as follows (Heb 12:22-24):

1. God the Judge
2. Jesus the Mediator
3. An innumerable company of angels
4. The New Testament saints who have passed on
5. The Old Testament saints who were in Sheol/Hades
6. The blood of Christ

 

[Noose]

Your above statement is completely false, and controverts Scripture.

Scripture is to be taken in its plain literal sense unless there is good reason to do otherwise. Of course the New Jerusalem is not a building but a heavenly CITY of stupendous dimensions. It is currently occupied as follows (Heb 12:22-24):

1. God the Judge
2. Jesus the Mediator
3. An innumerable company of angels
4. The New Testament saints who have passed on
5. The Old Testament saints who were in Sheol/Hades
6. The blood of Christ

Fake news.

Rev 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

Eph 2:21 In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in Him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.

There's no building made of literal 'pillars of men'. And the new Jerusalem is not in the space somewhere, it is inheaven and the meaning of heaven is the hearts of men right here on earth.

Heb 12:22 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, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

The people addressed were not in space, they were right here on earth.

And

Rev 21: 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.

No space/no flying off, you should get used to it.

 

[posthuman]

Scripture is to be taken in its plain literal sense unless there is good reason to do otherwise.

i agree

but isn't the fact that the angel told John he was about to show him the bride of Christ - and then showed him the vision of the city - a good reason to think that what John was being shown was symbolic?

maybe it's both *shrug* we will see one day

 

[trofimus]

Scripture is to be taken in its plain literal sense unless there is good reason to do otherwise.

This good reason to do otherwise is a genre of the book. Revelation is a book full of images, therefore there is this good reason not to take things in it literally.

As the dream of Nebuchadnesar was not to be taken literally, so also the book of Revelation.