The Kingdom of God

THE NEW JERUSALEM

  ÓAnd I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and be will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."—Rev. 21:2, 3. "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.... And showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."—Verses 9, 10. Heaven is frequently in scripture termed a city. See Rev. 22:14, Heb. 11:16, 13:14. It is a place where we have a "building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."—2 Cor. 5:1. It is the place of our future inheritance. 1 Pet. 1:4. This place we shall enter after this earth and the works therein are burned up. 2 Pet. 3:7 13. Therefore be it understood that in this chapter we do not deny that there a place and state of future rewards in an immortal and glorified body in heaven, which is the place of God's throne and home of the angels.

  Our object is to treat directly on that which John saw coming down from God out of heaven. A thing which came "out of heaven" cannot be heaven itself. But was this, as many suppose, a literal city? Let the Word answer. It came down "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Here is a sufficient hint to the wise, that this city is not a literal thing, but represents a spiritual bride; I e., the bride of Christ. The angel promised to show John Óthe bride, the Lamb's wife," and accordingly showed him that this holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God." It is an undeniable fact that this holy Jerusalem is the bride, the Lamb's wife. Such is the positive testimony of these two texts at the head of this chapter.

  The bride, the Lamb's wife, is the church of God. Prophesying of the church in this dispensation (Isa. 54: 1-4), Isaiah says, "Thy maker is thy husband; the Lord [83] of hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel."—Isa. 54:5. In the early twilight of this Christian era, John the Baptist affirmed of Christ: "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom."—John 3:29. "Where. fore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."—Rom. 7:4. That first husband was the law. He emphasized his demands with "Thou shalt." If the Jewish church failed to obey him, he was ready to stone her to death. Surely such was not a happy union. Yet this woman was bound to that husband as long as he lived. But in the course of time that husband died—the law was abrogated, and passed away— and she was married to another. This second husband loves her. He gave his life for her. Instead of emphasizing his demands with "Thou shalt," he tenderly says to her, "If you love me, you will keep my words." This second husband is Christ; him who is raised from the dead.

  The object of this union is "that we should bring forth fruit unto God." The fruit of matrimony is offspring. Not in a future age, but now Zion travails and brings forth children unto God. Isa. 66:8 13. "Of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her."— Ps. 87:5. The whole church are "workers together with God" in the salvation of lost souls. In A. D. 30 Jesus had a bride and was himself a bridegroom. John 3:29. And like a true companion his wife joined heart and soul with him in the great cause which drew him to earth. Accordingly in A. D. 96 we hear "the Spirit and the bride say, Come."—Rev. 22:17. "But Jerusalem which is above [above the law dispensation and the world] is free, which is the mother of us all." Gal. 4:26. Every convert of the cross from the dawn of this dispensation to its close is a "new born babe" in the family of God. This being true, if Christ and the church—the spiritual Jerusalem~ are not now married, we who are her offspring are bastards, and not legitimate sons of God. "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be [84] to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave hinself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it in the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth add cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."—Eph. 5:23 32.

  This language is very clear and conclusive. The marriage relation is that which now exists between Christ and his church. "The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church." As the man and his wife are one flesh, "we are members of his body of his flesh, and of his bones." And that we might know that we are indeed married to Christ now, he was unwilling to drop the mysteries of this wonderful relation without reassuring us that the marriage of the Lamb had already come. "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." So Christ and the church are livng in the beautiful bond of matrimony. The marriage of man and wife in a most striking manner illustrates our union with Christ. The following are some of the points l f agreement between the two. First. In taking a husband a woman leaves the house of her father and mother, l ~ all its endearing attractions. She leaves all others n earth to cleave to and love him. So says Christ: whosoever forsaketh not father, mother, and all that he hath can not be my disciple." Second. The bride must even leave her former name, and be called by the name of her husband. So does Christ write his new name upon us, and henceforth, whatsoever we do in word or deed, we do in his name. Third. The marriage relation sealed under a covenant of fidelity for life; the husband to love, cherish, and protect; the wife to love, honor, [85] and obey. So does the Christian enter into an everlasting covenant with God in Christ to abandon all for his sake, to love, trust, and obey him in all things. And God places himself under covenant obligations to love us for Christ's sake, to preserve us from all evil, and supply all our needs. Thus we see that all the prominent features of the marriage state are fulfilled in our present relation to God when saved in Jesus, and he that is not really married to Jesus has not left all for his sake, and is not saved in God. Jesus Christ will soon return, not to consummate his marriage with the church, but to receive his wife. Rev. 19:7,: 8, 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. So it is a positive fact that the church of God is the wife of Christ, and she is the holy Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem is the church of God.

  Such terms as "Zion," "city of God," "holy city," "Jerusalem," "new Jerusalem," "heavenly Jerusalem," etc. are frequently found in the prophecies, and throughout the New Testament. Now do these terms apply to a literal city yet to descend upon earth, or to the people or church of God in this dispensation? Let the Word answer. Paul writing to the Hebrew brethren in A. D. 64 testifies thus: "Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." And this he denominates "the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven."—12:22, 23. In the name of Jesus we ask: What can be plainer? The heavenly Jerusalem is the church, and in this dispensation we have come "unto" it, and are living in it. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill."—Matt. 5:14. "The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel."—Isa. 60:14. The people of God in this dispensation were to be called "the Zion, the city of the Lord." So they are called. Matt. 5 :8; Heb. 12 :22, 23. "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jeru salem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which [86] the mouth of the Lord shall name.... Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shalt thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah [my delight is in her], and thy land Beulah [married]: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. ... And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silent, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."—Isa. 62:1 7. "And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."—Ver. 12. There is no possible evasion of the fact that the prophet here speaks of the New Testament church. The "holy people," who are "redeemed" by the blood of Christ are here called "Zion, Jerusalem, A city not forsaken." In verses 4 and 5 it is said that Zion would be married unto the Lord. "And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." This is all present truth. It is also said that the mouth of the Lord should name the church. Turn to John 17:6, 11,12, 26 and read the fulfillment of this. The watchmen on Zion's walls are God's holy ministry who proclaim the everlasting gospel.

  In Isa. 52:1, 2 the holy city is called Zion and Jerusalem. The same is commanded: "Awake, put on thy strength"; "put on thy beautiful garments"; "shake thyself"; "arise and sit down," etc. How could a literal city do this? What sense could attach to these words if Jersalem be not God's church? But remembering that the new and holy Jerusalem, which is here prophesied of, is the bride of Christ, this language is natural and sensible. Thus we could multiply scriptures which clearly teach that the heavenly Jerusalem is the church, but we deem it unnecessary. One clear proof text is as good as a thousand. Yet if there are any still unsettled on this point we ask you to closely read the following texts. Ps. 87:5, 6; Isa.1:21-27; 4:3-5; 12:5, 6; 26:1; 33:5, 14; Joel 2:1, 32.

  Again, as soon as the new Jerusalem came down it was announced: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with [87]

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