2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Rev 21:2-7)

The final stanza of earth’s history is recorded in the Revelation. As anyone who has ever read the book knows, it is a book largely shrouded in prophetic types and symbols, difficult to be interpreted. It is almost as though the book was intentionally shrouded from readers whose sole purpose is to discover future events of which it speaks. Yet, as a book of Gospel Truths, the Revelation is intensely rich… though too few seem to read it for such. Personally, I believe doing so is the key which will unveil the most out of the book, even unshrouding events.

The book, itself is not called (as people often say it): revelationS, it is ‘THE Revelation [singular] of Jesus Christ’ titled such for the first five words of the book (Rev 1:1). The New Testament era (that is, the age which commenced when Jesus Christ came in the flesh) is the correlating timeframe – that is to say, God’s REVEALING (revelation) of Messiah to mankind began in earnest when Christ came in the flesh.

From the time leading up to His birth, a progressive Revelation of His Person has been more and more manifest in the earth. The Revelation is the unveiling of the mystery of Christ through the ages. It begins, and culminates in God’s plan of salvation for the human race.

It is not, therefore, surprising that the book’s final event is the unveiling of New Jerusalem: the Bride of Christ – she is the cumulative respondent to God’s plan of salvation through human history; that is: she is the all-inclusive society of those redeemed from the earth unto Jesus Christ.

From the passage transcribed above, mark how fully inclusive of ALL HUMANITY that New Jerusalem is: ‘…the tabernacle of God is with MEN…’ (v.3) Notice how non-exclusive of, and to humanity that the verbaige is. It’s not: God’s tabernacle is with he Jews.’ No branch, or breed of humanity exclusively called, or refused, but ALL HUMANITY is clearly declared to be God’s. Any and all who made covenant with God through Jesus Christ in this life is included with no inference of partiality: ‘…I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.’ (v.6) As I have discussed in another post, New Jerusalem is the second Eve who was the mother of ALL LIVING (Gen 3:20). Just as Jesus is the last Adam – the spiritual, rather than the earthly Adam (see 1 Cor 15:45-50); so New Jerusalem is mother to all who are spiritually alive (those who are born again (John 3:5-8)).

And, ‘He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.’ (Rev 21:7) Is there room in such terminology for partiality? Does God declare He will prefer one before another? Does He state ‘Jew first and also for the gentile’ in this context? No, there is no room in this verbiage for bias. It is clear that God’s intention is to redeem HUMANITY; as stated by the old testament prophet: ‘whosoever will, let him come….’ New Jerusalem is inhabited by ALL who believe on Christ unto salvation.

The culmination of Christ’s being revealed to humanity – that is: God’s will for mankind in sending Jesus Christ is that He may be Father to ALL MANKIND without partiality, discrimination or favorites. The promise for those who follow Christ is not according to the Old Testament promise: under the Old Covenant, temporal blessing (land) for a select group of individuals (the Jews) was promised. In contrast, the unveiling of New Jerusalem reveals not a temporal blessing to a select few, but the full inheritance of the Kingdom of God to all humanity! (Even as it is said: it is a ‘BETTER covenant established on BETTER promises (Heb 8:6).) Through Christ we are ALL God’s people, and God is God to us ALL.

God’s final desire toward His creation is revealed in this unveiling of New Jerusalem. God’s eternal will for all mankind is that they may be saved (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). His indiscriminate love for humanity is revealed; Christ takes for a bride all those who believe in Him!

Just as we started by looking at the book at a whole let me point out a couple of things about the premise of the book. You will notice that the book of Revelation is nowhere addressed to any one group of people; rather, it is addressed to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 1:4). Typologically, 7 represents wholeness, completion, or fullness, thus typologically, the book is addressed to he whole Church.

Another important thing to note (since we are talking specifically about New Jerusalem) is that the book nowhere calls earthly Jerusalem by the name ‘Jerusalem.’ The word ‘Jerusalem’ is used 3 times in the Revelation (3:12; 21:2; 21:10), and every time it is unambiguously speaking of New Jerusalem. This is an important point to extract because a large contingency of thought in our day places import on the earthly city of Jerusalem, and many believe that the Jews’ occupation of the modern, earthly Jerusalem is somehow a fulfillment of prophecies in the book of Revelation. Again, bear in mind that the book of Revelation nowhere refers to earthly Jerusalem as ‘Jerusalem.’ Only New Jerusalem is honored with the titles of ‘the holy city,’ and ‘Jerusalem.’

There is an important distinction to be made between these two Jerusalems; one is below, one is above; one is earthly, one is spiritual.

Paul discussed the distinction between the two very clearly in Galatians 4:22-31; to summarize, earthly Jerusalem is an allegory: a prophetic type, or illustration of New Jerusalem.
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Jerusalem which is above is spiritual, Jerusalem which now is is earthly: temporal. It is in bondage both figuratively, and literally. The Old Covenant was temporal (temporary); it was not the fulfillment of things to come, but the promise of things to come (Jesus Christ, alone, is the fulfillment of the promises). In fact, the Old Covenant could never have been, nor could it ever become the spiritual fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. Why? Because it only applied to the genetic offspring of Abraham: the Jews – and we have already seen that God’s will is that ALL HUMANITY inherit His kingdom, not Jews only. Don’t get hitched up with anyone who emphasizes DNA, and genetics in their message – ‘Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.’ (1 Cor 15:50) Such teaching can only minister carnality.

When the promised Messiah came, the new era began – the era of the spiritual fulfillment of all God’s promises: The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Under the Old covenant, Jerusalem had become the place of congregation; as that covenant was about land, and physical circumcision, and under such an covenant, a physical city with a literal temple was needed where the people could gather to worship – but only SOME people, for earthly Jerusalem is not large enough for all humanity.

The heart of God, on the other hand IS large enough for all humanity, wherefore even before sending the Messiah so that He coukd recieve us all, He selected a people (the Jews) to illustrate that desire through means we could understand: an earthly illustration. He showed that God’s people would be set apart for Himself; their hearts would be circumcised, and God would cause them to inherit all things. Living by the illustration of God’s plan (i.e. ‘let’s send the Jews to earthly Jerusalem to erect a physical temple’) now that the fulfillment of the promise has come is going into temporal, and spiritual bondage. ‘But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of US ALL [both Jews, and gentiles].’

The concept of the restoration of Israel under the Old Covenant was that Messiah would bring the full reign of the kingdom of God to the nation of Israel, and reign in earthly Jerusalem. This idea even appeared to be declared by the prophets who spoke of the coming reign of Messiah (see post Zionism vs. the Tabernacle of David), but when Christ came, He did not even attempt to set up the theocratic reign in earthly Jerusalem that they were anticipating.

In fact when Jesus Christ was asked by Pilate whether He was the King of the Jews (a concept which Jesus had not suggested to Pilate), Jesus responded thus:
My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36)

From the lips of Christ, we can see that He never intended to reign over earthly Jerusalem; His Kingdom is in heaven. He also points out in this verse that it is the people who expect Messiah to reign as King in Jerusalem that are the very ones who seek to kill Him: ‘…that I should not be delivered TO THE JEWS.’ Interestingly, Jesus didn’t stop with that statement, but continued in verse 37 to give Pilate (a gentile) an opportunity to enter into that spiritual inheritance: ‘…EVERYONE that is of the Truth heareth my voice.’ Not Jews only, EVERYONE.

Why? Because God is not a racist. He does not prefer one people above another. He selected Abraham because of faith (Romans 4:3), not because he was an Hebrew – those who live by faith are his spiritual descendants (Rom 4:16), which also means that those who do not live by faith are NOT Abraham’s descendants, rather, thwy are in bondage with earthly Jerusalem. But they who emulate Abraham’s faith in Jesus Christ (whether they be Jew, or Gentile) are his True descendants, and members of New Jerusalem.

Pilate recognized that Jesus was, indeed, the spiritual ruler that the Jews were waiting for, and he proved it by writing as Jesus’ accusation (for the Jews had failed to supply an accusation against Jesus (John 18:29 & 30)) the words: ‘King of the Jews.’ Pilate, a gentile who had not sought the Messiah, was able to recognized Him expressly because he had not been caught up on the typology of the Old Covenant, and the assumptions that developed from them, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah:

1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;

4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments… (Isaiah 65:1-4)

Interesting that Isaiah calls out not only salvation for all the people of the world, but points out that it is the very holding to the types prior to the coming Messiah which is an offense to God, as it says: ‘Which remain among the graves [(compare Matt 23:29; Luke 11:47)], and lodge in the monuments…’ Monuments are made for a memorial – in this case, a memorial not of things past, but of things to come. All of the Old Testament types are monuments to the coming reign of Messiah.

When the Sanhedrin held council and made the decision to kill Jesus it was because they believed the Romans would take away their nation:
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. (John 11:48, 47)

Those of the Old Covenant were so concerned with the earthly typology, the monument of Mesiah’s Kingdom that they had rather have their monument than the Kingdom of God in actuality. This is also illustrated when they took Jesus before Pilate; Jesus death took place during the feast of Passover, the very feast which was a prophecy that Messiah would be the spotles Lamb slain to save His people. While the fulfillment of that prophecy was being literally fulfilled AT PRECISELY THE TIME OF PASSOVER (the timing of which had been determined hundreds of years prior), yet the Jews refused to enter Pilates’ judgment hall lest hey become ceremonially unclean, and have to miss the Passover celebration! Again, they were choosing their customs, their monuments OVER the fulfillment of them.

The judgment of God is upon those who seek after earthly Jerusalem, for they remain among the graves and lodge in the monuments.

This is why Paul used the rather harsh sounding terminology that we read in Galatians:
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Paul was not speaking against Jews (for Paul, himself was a Jew!), rather, he was speaking of those who seek to find fulfillment in the Old Covenant, and in earthly Jerusalem. As Israel has become a nation, the same error has returned today, and people are claiming earthly Jerusalem to be the ‘eternal capital of Israel.’ Perhaps you’ve heard it. Be not decieved, reader: Jerusalem which now is is in bondage with her children. Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

This verse declares that those of earthly Jerusalem are expressly excluded from New Jerusalem (not excluding Jews, but excluding those who ‘lodge in the monuments’). Paul further clarifies that in Verse 4 of Galatians 5, declaring: ‘Christ is become of no effect to you, whosoever of you is justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.’ That is, Paul plainly declares that living under the reign of earthly Jerusalem literally disqaulifies one from salvation in Christ. Why? Because it is choosing the earthly [form] over the spiritual [fullfillment]; since Christ is revealed, living by the old monuments which prophesied His coming becomes idolatry.

To the question some will ask: “Is not earthly Jerusalem yet chosen in the last days, as surely the Jews even today are inhabiting it… as Trump has moved the embassy, and other nations are following suit?” But the bible, itself answers this question:

‘For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one that is to come.’ (Heb 13:14) (Seek not, therefore, the counterfeit fulfillment. Rather: ‘Come out of her my people, that ye be not partaker of her sins, and that ye recieve not of her plagues. (Rev 18:4))

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of US ALL.

John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; AND THERE SHALL BE ONE FOLD, AND ONE SHEPHERD.“