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God began a new order of creation by the cross and his resurrection here on earth. The new order came because our Lord gave us a new and better covenant. The new order of salvation brought a new beginning of hope and grace from God.Jesus gave us chapter 21 in pictures and symbols just as he gave the rest of Revelation. This indicated a symbolic meaning for the bride of Christ. The pictures pointed to both his holy Church on earth and his holy Church in Heaven. Most of the verses symbolized both the present Gospel Age and the future time after his Second Coming. Saints of God have written volumes about what the future New Jerusalem will mean in Heaven. I will not focus on our destined life in Heaven. I will focus on the spiritual meaning of New Jerusalem on earth during the Gospel Age. We will look at what the wife of the Lamb means today. Earth is our home until we go to Heaven with the Lord. Our Savior wants us to use our stay on earth to expand his body, the New Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22; Isa. 60:11–14). New Order or Spiritual pictureThe Father views his Church on earth as the beginning of his Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 4:17; Luke 21:31). Christ considers the Christian Church as the spiritual beginning of his body, which he will fulfill in Heaven. We live in Christ’s body in part on earth. God will complete every promise in Heaven that he doesn’t carry out here on earth. Chapter 21 reveals the Lord’s tender compassion. He extends his love, grace, and peace toward you and me. Our Redeemer offers mercy and forgiveness to all. Because of the Father’s love, he yearns for a relationship with his children. He wants all the people in the world to go through the gate into that bright city. “Thank you, Father, for your tender affection.” 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:1, 2, KJV). Many of the images in chapter 21 come from Isaiah 60–66. Isaiah spoke of God’s new covenant with man, which Jesus Christ gave to us. Isaiah wrote in pictures and symbols to foretell the future. Then John, in Revelation, used similar pictures and images to tell us about the present spiritual Church. New Order-New BeginningWhen Jesus died on the cross, he began a new order of creation. He created a new spiritual Heaven and a new spiritual earth (Isa. 65:17–19). The cross put in effect the beginning of a new order of creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Because the Creator has viewed all time in a glance, he saw as completed … a new heaven and a new earth. We live in a limited environment. We believe in God and his spiritual principles by faith. The Almighty doesn’t take us to his Throne and show us his view of the earth, the Church, and Heaven. Yet, he gives us glimpses of these things through the Bible and by the witness of the Holy Spirit. Although we haven’t seen our Lord, we love him, and we know that he loves us (1 Pet. 1:8, 9). Our Father gives us faith and encourages each of us to trust him. Because of the restrictions on earth, our best efforts seem less than sufficient. Yet, God gives us a living hope that all ends well in his new order.
New Order of Salvation and GraceJesus spoke from the cross, “It is finished.” From that moment, God verified the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth in the spiritual realms. Man couldn’t see it or feel it, but God spoke the new order and made it true. We have walked by faith not by sight. The Eternal Creator saw that … there was no more sea. The cross of redemption eliminated the barrier between man and God. When Jesus sacrificed himself, the power of the Holy Spirit tore the heavy veil in the old covenant Temple. This revealed that the barrier of sin between man and his Creator was gone. The shed blood of the Savior opened the way into the Holy of Holies for each of his children (Heb. 10:19–23). “Holy Lord, we thank you for giving each of us a way to reach salvation. You give each of us blessing because of your sacrifice. Thank you for reaching down and drawing us to yourself. All blessing and honor and glory to you. Amen!” New Order of Heaven and EarthNew Jerusalem comes … down from God out of heaven. This contrasts with Satan and the two beasts coming up from the Abyss and the earth. The Devil centers his work on earthly desires of the flesh, while God centers his work on spiritual desires from Heaven. The Holy City originates from God in Heaven. Holy indicates “something pure, blameless, and set apart for God.” New Jerusalem doesn’t belong to the saints in the city. The saints making up the city belong to God. The Almighty keeps the Holy City or the body of Christ alive today for his own uses and pleasure. The metaphor for New Jerusalem (Hierousalem) means “the City of God founded by Christ.” The city wears the form of the church today, but after Christ’s Second Coming, it will turn into the perfected city in Heaven.[i] 22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. 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 men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24ato Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, (Heb. 12:22–24a, NIV). The Holy City was … prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Jesus Christ prepared or clothed his bride with the garments of salvation. He adorned her with his robes of righteousness as with jewels (Isa. 61:10). Our Lord has made the Church in a new order of holiness today by washing away our sins.
[i] New Jerusalem, Hierousalem,
G2419. Metaphor, The City of God founded by Christ. The Church today
and also the home of Saints in Heaven.
Text of, New order of creation, from pages 298-300 of "Walking Through Revelation With a Common Man" |
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