NEW JERUSALEM
-- A PLACE PREPARED FOR US
MF Blume
July 25, 1998
What is Heaven?
Is it the New Jerusalem? I think so, but not in the sense of Heaven that
most people think. I am already in the Kingdom of Heaven now.
What do most people mean by
"Heaven"?
Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the
kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!
for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom
of Heaven are one and the same thing. Jesus said it is not an observable
entity, but has the nature of being able to be inside of a person.
Let us read about the New Jerusalem
as it is mentioned in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
John saw this City when he was
"in the Spirit." Being "in the Spirit" allows one to see things that are
not material or even literal, but are symbolic things that relate to us realities
that cannot be seen with the eyes nor heard of with the ears. In 1 Corinthians
2:9-12, Paul said that eyes cannot see nor can ears hear the things
prepared for us. These
things are not of this world and cannot be sensed by the fleshly senses.
New Jerusalem is prepared
as a Bride, and had to be seen in the spirit. God gave us His Spirit so
that we might know the things prepared for us.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him. But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things
of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away
in the spirit
to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God,
The New Jerusalem is one of the
spiritual things prepared for us, and cannot be comprehended through the
five senses but must be revealed by the Spirit of God given to us. When
John was in the Spirit he could be shown this entity called the New Jerusalem.
It was a symbolic vision. Rev
1:1 said that the contents of the Book of Revelation would be of things
signified to John.
"Signified" implies they are
symbolic.
We are in the New Jerusalem
now. We read of a seemingly contradictory phrase in Hebrews, though, saying
that we seek a city to come, as if we cannot be in it presently.
Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek
one to come.
We know we cannot find the bible
contradicting itself. We must establish what was meant by this above verse
in contrast to Hebrews 12:22. Hebrews 12 22 says we are presently at
the City. It even names it as "Heavenly Jerusalem."
Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Hebrews 13:14 says we have one
yet to come. Which is yet, and why the difference?
Here is the explanation. Notice
that the writer of Hebrews 13:14 said "here" we have no continuing city.
We read that we are already in the city, as per the chapter immediately
preceding this chapter (see Hebrews 12:22). However, this City is not of
this world "here". We are already in a City but that City is not HERE in
this world. We are in it in the Spirit, and it is a City that is
not of this world
. But one day we will be in a new world where there
will be a City "
here." The one we are
in now
will be "here"
in the new earth.
THE BRIDE
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem
, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
Revelation 21:9-10 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 shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife
. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of
heaven from God,
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and
unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which
are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect,
2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:
for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ.
Ephesians 5:25-28 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it
to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or 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.
Ephesians
5:30-32 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.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church
...
Colossians 1:24
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind
of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is
the church:
These
verses clearly indicate the Church is the Body and wife of Christ, just
as Adam was given a Bride after God took from his own body a rib to make the
woman. She was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. So, too, is the
Church bone of Jesus' bone and flesh of Jesus' flesh. There are not two
brides of Christ, but one bride. So if the Church is the Bride of Christ,
and the New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ, then it only stands to reason
that the Church is the New Jerusalem. Rev 1:1 says the angel SIGNIFIED to
John these things. What does signify mean?
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave
unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;
and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
signify
1) to give a sign, to
signify, indicate
2) to make known
Our dictionaries read that
it is to betoken
or symbolize.
Is the New Jerusalem the
Bride?
Yes.
Are we in the Bride?
Yes.
There is a progressively
greater joy and glory awaiting the Church, and it can only be said that we
have somewhat of a fraction of what we will have at our departure from this
present world. The Bible says that right now we can
taste of the powers
of the world to come, indicating to us that there will be another world that
will come.
Hebrews 6:5
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
The writer was not speaking
allegorically about this issue, so we know that it is actual and literal.
And it means that we have everything we ever will have but in lesser degree,
probably due to the inhibiting flesh we have to deal with right now. Imagine
what freedom we will have when there is no flesh to contend with!
What does the Bible say
the New Jerusalem is? It is The Bride. Hebrews 12:22 says I am already
come to the heavenly city, and then it names it "Heavenly Jerusalem" and
actually synonymizes it with the term "the church of the firstborn."
I feel that although the
present world
is not where we will spend eternity, the
place Jesus prepared
for us to spend eternity in is the
City, and is the Church
right now. And though we are espoused to Christ now, and are therefore His
wife
(more about this later), the wedding makes our experience
greater. And that marriage
has not yet occurred. So, although the City is the
espoused wife at the
present moment, and we are in her now, when she meets her wedding day as
the Bride
, she will be much greater in the sense that she will consummate the marriage
then
. We read of the perfected church in Revelation 21.
Effusions 5 tells us
that Jesus has a wife called the Church that He is washing with the water
of the Word that she might be without spot or wrinkle and presented to Him
on that day of the Marriage. This is not yet. It is to come. But just as
much as the woman is the
wife during espousal
before the marriage
, and experiences greater joy at the marriage, so is the City still here
now but will be greater at the day of the wedding supper! Yet this does
not mean that the City is not our place
now or that we are
not in it now
.
Is Jesus marrying a set
of buildings as a Bride? Or is He espoused to the Church now, to be soon
married to her?
Marriage in Israel was not
approached as it is in our society today. When a couple were
espoused they were considered
a "husband" and "wife" before the actual marriage.
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to
one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
The serious commitment to
the other was made at the espousal and not the marriage ceremony as in our
society. Their espousal
was a more committing engagement than what we are accustomed to. Our engagements
would have been considered futile and too carefree for the Israelite who
was accustomed to the system of espousal. One actually had to get a divorce
during the espousal if one decided after the espousal to not marry the other
party.
Joseph's Mary was his "wife"
before they were married. And before the wedding, when Joseph saw that Mary
was pregnant, he had to get a bill of divorcement in order to "put her away",
and would have done so had not he received the dream of an angel informing
him as to why she was with child.
Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son
of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which
is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
The angel did not say that
Mary would be taken to
be his wife, but simply
that she was referred to as "
Mary thy wife."
So it is with the Church.
The Bride
is at the point of wedding long after she is the wife. We are presently
the wife of Christ. Our point of commitment to be with the Lord for eternity
has already been made at our espousal. We are on our way to the wedding,
and it is the wedding that you read about in Rev 21. The Bride is then ready.
But she was the "wife" long before the wedding, since the Church is "espoused"
to Christ presently. He is not marrying us and also marrying a set of actual
buildings as though the City is a literal City. John writes out most plainly
what the City is.... "THE BRIDE." He said he heard a voice cry, "THE TABERNACLE
OF GOD WITH MEN." Is not the Church the
temple of God among
men today? Is not the Church the Bride?
We are
not going to
a City, as the popular hymns say, but are
in the City now. We
are
going to
a wedding. But the same city we are in now will be the city we are in forever.
SATAN'S "ANTI-"
Satan
has an alternative for everything God has provided for mankind, in his attempts
to hold man away from meeting God and entering the espoused Church of Christ.
For example, Satan has a "whore" instead of a "Bride."
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which
had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will
shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many
waters:
Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit
into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured
beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
John again had to see this
"in the spirit," since it was so deceptive an entity in the world and had
to be seen in the spirit so as to comprehend what it really was. But even
in the spirit, he could not fully understand it.
Revelation 17:6-7 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood
of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw
her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me,
Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the
woman , and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads
and ten horns.
He was told what the Beast
was. Let us notice that she had her relationship with a "
beast" whereas the New
Jerusalem is a Bride of the
Lamb .
This beast shares her with
all the kings of the earth, and therefore relates to her in a prostitution
kind of relationship.
Revelation 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication
with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance
of her delicacies.
Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that
great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
She was called BABYLON THE
GREAT. She was a "great City".
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY,
BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH.
Babylon was a literal City
during Old Testament times, but is a spiritual entity today. This is not
unlike Jerusalem. Jerusalemwas a literal City in the Old Testament
days of types and shadows, but is presently a spiritual entity -- the church.
Satan's headquarters on
earth was always Babylon. The first antichrist was Nimrod in Genesis 10.
God's headquarters was always the City of His Name, Jerusalem.
The thought of a
Bride and a
Whore denotes a similar
experience involving a man and a woman, but altogether different in relationship.
A man marries his Bride and they lawfully, under God, are united and blessed
by God in that union of flesh. A whore, however, adulterates herself with
many other men and the whole lot of individuals involved are adulterers and
adulteresses.
The Whore is tagged as the
GREAT CITY whereas the Bride is the HOLY CITY.
Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that
great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem
, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.
Note also that Babylon was
in the wilderness
while the New City is
in Heaven.
Another strong that pinpoints
the Church as the City is given when we read that Jesus actually said we
are a "CITY" that is set on a hill that cannot be hid.
Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
WHAT ABOUT THE RAPTURE?
Some
feel there will be no literal "rapture" of the Church. The thought of the
rapture, the catching away of the saints at the second coming of Jesus, cannot
be refuted due to the information Paul gave us in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1
Thessalonians 4.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54
Now
this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of
God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal
shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
In this chapter, Paul discussed
the issue of literal and actual resurrection. He said that Jesus Christ
was resurrected very literally and indicated therefore that we will be literally
resurrected. We are already risen with Him through His "proxy" and vicarious
resurrection, however we will also be literally raised as He was literally
raised.
1 Corinthians 15:4-8
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After
that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater
part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he
was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen
of me also, as of one born out of due time.
He was literally raised and
literally seen by many witnesses.
1 Corinthians 15:12-13
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among
you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection
of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
People admitted Christ was
literally raised in Paul's day, but would not commit to accepting a resurrection
of others who died. Paul links a literal resurrection of others to the historical
fact that Christ was literally resurrected. If there is no resurrection,
then Christ was not resurrected, implying that one cannot be separated without
the other. There will be a resurrection of our very bodies. Paul said that
if another person who dies will not be resurrected, then Christ could not
have been resurrected.
1 Corinthians 15:14-20
And
if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also
vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified
of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the
dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if
Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they
also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only
we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ
risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Paul said that if Christ
is not risen then he lied to them and they believed a lie. He said that
Christ experienced something that cannot occur if there is no resurrection
from the dead.
The terms "fallen asleep"
indicate that christians had died. This is not referring to death in sin
and resurrection with Christ into newness of life. This is referring to
literal and actual resurrection of the bodies of those believers who have
fallen asleep. To say, as some, that this refers to dead in trespasses and
sins and a subsequent experience of salvation of resurrection from the deadness
of sins, as Romans 6 is speaking about, is to deny the fact that one can
"fall asleep" or die. The deadness of being a sinner is a deadness that
one was born into. We were BORN in sins. We cannot fall asleep in death
in sin, for we already are born into sin. But our literal bodies will fall
asleep in death, and will be raised again into immortality, according to
this chapter.
If we
only have hope in this present life of mortality, then we are insane to suffer
and even give up this mortal life in the hopes that eternal life and resurrection
into it is not true. Paul said he was more miserably off than anybody else,
if that be true, because he daily gave himself over to the conclusion that
he might just die that day for the Gospel. He fought with beasts at Ephesus
and the peril of life-threatening circumstances was gladly experienced by
Paul because he was convinced he would enter immortality at the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:30-32
And
why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I
have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I
have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise
not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
Many, many have mistakenly
taken verse 31 as though Paul was speaking about a spiritual dying to flesh
each day as though it meant denial of the self. This is absolutely incorrect.
True, we must take up our cross daily and follow Him as we deny ourselves,
but that is not the issue in verse 31. Paul said that he stood in jeopardy
and peril every day since he literally risked his life when he stood for
truth and was thrown amongst beasts to be killed. He said he would never
risk his life like he had if there was no future resurrection from the grave.
Paul answered some who asked
how we could be resurrected and with what body we will rise with in the
next few verses, and called the resurrected body a "spiritual body." And
her e is where he noted the changing of the natural body into a spiritual
body.
Jehovah's Witnesses fall
into grave error here. They feel their bodies will be wiped out and they
will have bodies that are not changed from mortal bodies, but are recreated
bodies. However, Paul said that we will see our bodies changed. Something
is sown in corruption and that same thing is changed and raised into incorruption.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44
So
also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised in incorruption: It is sown
in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown
in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown
a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a
natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Whatever "it" is will be
changed after "it" is buried. The same "it" will be raised but in another
form. That "it" is the literal body.
Of course we are going to be raptured yet in the future, and the time
after this is when
the City (the church - body of Christ - Bride) descends to the new earth
as a Bride in Revelation 21. This means that the present world and earth
is not our resting place
. We are not of this world. But thanks be to God that the new earth will
feel like home and will be our home. (Imagine a world of righteousness!)
The New Jerusalem (Church) will descend onto it, after it has left this
world into the heavens to marry Christ in the rapture and at the wedding
supper of the lamb. After the wedding, we will descend to the new earth
after the present earth has melted away with fervent heat.
JOHN CHAPTER 14
The following run-through
of John 14 opens this up. Please read carefully.
First of all, does John
14:2-3 speak about what you would call the New Jerusalem?
As you think about that,
let us begin reading...
John 14:1-3
Let not
your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my
Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told
you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
Notice what he then said.
John 14:4
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
He said that they knew two
things. They knew the destination ("whither I go") and they knew "the way."
What did He mean by saying they knew what we can call "the destination"
(whither I go), and "the way." In response to this, the disciples asked
Him what he meant, for they honestly did not think they knew "the way" nor
"the destination."
John 14:5
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, (1) we know not whither thou goest; and
(2) how can we know the way?
- whither thou goest
(destination)
- the way
Thomas said, "We do not know
the way nor the destination. What do you mean we know the way and we know
the destination you are going to. You said you are going somewhere to prepare
a place for us there. We do not know what you mean." (Keep in mind that
the conversation has shifted to questions and answers surrounding verses
2-3. The topic
has not changed. This is very important.)
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, (1) I am the way , the truth, and the life:
(2) no man cometh unto the Father, (1) but by me.
Jesus
said they did indeed know the way because
He is the way .
They knew Jesus did they not? And to what destination was Jesus
the way? The Father!
Jesus was the way
, and they knew Him. Above, Jesus said He was the way. And then He noted
to what destination He was the way -- the Father. He stressed again that
He was the Way when he said you go to the destination of the Father
by Him.
- cometh to the Father
(destination)
- I am the way
The
destination
was the Father, and they knew the Father. Jesus Christ alone was
the way to where He
was going, to the Father, because no man comes to the Father but by Him.
He said that in conjunction with the response to Thomas who asked him what
was the way and what was the destination. This tells us that the way is
Jesus and the destination, the place to be prepared for them, was the Father.
It may sound strange to think of the Father as the place to which He went
in order to prepare a place for them. But hold on. It gets clearer.
John 14:7
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth
ye know him, and have seen him.
If they knew Jesus, and He
was the way, then they knew the way. And if they knew Jesus, then they knew
the destination also, for it is the Father. When you know Jesus you automatically
know the Father.
Jesus then went into some
good old
oneness teaching
(which I will skip
for now), explaining how they knew the Father and seen Him when they seen
Jesus..
As He yet thought about
"the destination" that He spoke about in verses 2 and 3, Jesus then referred
to that same destination again as He said the following:
John 14:12
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because
I go unto my Father.
Again the "destination" of
verses 2-3 is noted. He would go to the Father
Now, in this reference about
going to the destination, Jesus said that He would do so because He was
to not only prepare a place for them, but would also accomplish a work whereby
they would do greater things than He did. So I ask you, did Jesus not already
complete and accomplish this by giving us power to do greater things than
He did when the Holy Ghost was poured out
after he first left
them, died on the cross, resurrected, ascended to the father and returned
as the Spirit? He said He would go and prepare a place for us, and that
place He was going to was the presence of the Father. Repeatedly He indicated
that the destination was the Father. The conversation ad not yet shifted
from the issues noted in verses 2 and 3. In fact, even after these verses
that we have read so far, he said very plainly where he was going ....
John 14:28
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you.
If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father
: for my Father is greater than I.
That is verse 28 and we have
only read to verse 12 so far. The majority of this chapter is about the
issue of where He was going to prepare a place for us. This proves the
same points referred to in verses 2- 3 are around the single issue all the
way through the chapter, at least up until verse 28!
Back to where we left reading.
Jesus said that when He
returned from going to prepare a place for us and receive us to Himself,
we would then pray to the Father. This was not done before that time of John
14.
Chapter 16 speaks of the
same issue when we read the following :
John 16:22-24
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart
shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And
in that day ye shall ask me nothing . Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give
it you.
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name
: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
And compare this with chapter
14 where we are so far.
John 14:13
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son.
When
was this day? The context thus far reveals to us that it was the day of
His return to them after having departed from them to prepare a place for
them.
He said the same thing in
both chapters! He did not speak about the act of "leaving and returning"
as if it would occur in repetition. He did not speak of one "departure and
return" and then speak about a second "departure and return".
Now notice another issue
He brings up which, following this, leads to more questions from the hearers.
Again, the same issue it at hand here.
John 14:16-21
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with
you, and shall be in you.
Jesus initially stated that
upon having gone to the Father, He would also "pray the Father" and as a
result of that "prayer" the Father would send another Comforter.
So we find that He would
do three things after He left them.
- Prepare a place for
them.
- Allow them to ask the
Father anything in Jesus' name.
- Pray the Father to send
another Comforter.
Once again, He spoke about
leaving them. He said that He would not leave them comfortless, but would
come to them again. But then He said that the Father would send another
Comforter. How can Jesus return and yet another Comforter come, too? Did
that mean two would return? Jesus and the other Comforter?
We find that Jesus, Himself,
would return in the Spirit form of the Holy Ghost. And He once again raised
the issue of knowing
that which the world
would not know nor see.
Now, keep in mind that this
entire chapter is not talking about the second coming as we know it. There
will be Second Coming of the Son of God. The second coming of the
Son has not occurred
yet. We shall see literally see Him when He comes the second time as the
Son
.
This initial return would
not be visible to the world, but only to the disciples.
John 14:19
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because
I live, ye shall live also.
But
we also read of a time when all the world will see Him return.
Revelation 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also]
which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
Even so, Amen.
But in John 14 He is talking
about coming as the Comforter
. And that means the first few verses referred to coming as the Comforter
when He said He would return to them after having prepared a place for them.
He would return, and not
only that, but when He would return He would
be in them . He that
dwelt with them
would be in them
. And this was speaking about His return to them.
In order for Jesus to return
and the Comforter to return also, as though they were two different persons
as many believe them to be, both He and the Comforter would have to be spirits.
Jesus said that the world would not longer see Him, but they would. That
means He would return in Spirit. However, we read that there are not two
Spirits, but there is only one Spirit in our relationship with God.
Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your
calling;
Jesus is that Comforter!
Let us read the last verse
we have come to so far.
John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:
and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.
This
time Judas became inquisitive and asked what Jesus meant. How would they
see Him and no one else see Him? He said that He would manifest Himself to
them upon His return.
John 14:22
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest
thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Then Jesus gave him the answer:
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode
with him.
How was that an answer to
Judas' question? At first glance it does not look like an answer, but notice
the last sentence. "We
will come unto him, and make our abode with him
." That was the same thing He said earlier!: -- "
he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you
."
A similar statement was
only said one other time in another point in history.
Exodus 25:8
And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
And that was talking about
the tabernacle. At this point the thought of the New Jerusalem becomes quite
clearly connected to Jesus' topic of conversation in John 14. It is the place
prepared for us after He left. In it are many mansions. He came back to
receive us to Himself. And in coming back He would also dwell in us, so
that we would see Him but the world would not. He would
manifest to us alone.
And that manifestation is the Holy Ghost. We are the Bride. The Tabernacle.
All of this is implied in the following.
Revelation 21:2-3
And 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 he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
When
He said the Father and Himself would return and make their abode with them,
He answered Judas' question of how He would manifest Himself to them. He
would manifest himself as the
Holy Ghost. This is
so Oneness
!
He said in verse 19 that
the world would see Him no more, but they would see Him! "How?", Judas
asked. He would manifest to them in a special way that would exclude the
world from seeing Him. That manifestation was
THE HOLY GHOST.
John 14:24 -25
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear
is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Again the issue is raised
about being with them and then having to leave. And speaking to them like
this before
the cross, and before
He left them to
again return, He said the above two verses. And then He spoke again of the
most Oneness truth of being the Spirit. He referred to the time He would
return so the world could not see Him as the Holy Ghost.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
All of this, my friend, is
speaking about the issue raised in verses 2 and 3 of the same chapter, and
the issue is never changed.
He went to
build a place for us.
Something was said about this very same thing.
Matthew 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
He went to build a church.
We are come to the city
of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem which is distinctly called the
CHURCH of the firstborn in Hebrews 12:22. So the church that was to be built
and the City are the same thing.
I say that all these references
are talking about the same thing. What a revelation! John 14 clinches it.
And then in the midst of
it all, recall that Jesus said:
John 14:16 -17a
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that
he may abide with you for ever;
Even the
Spirit of truth; ...
The Comforter would ABIDE
with us.
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode
with him.
Jesus is the Holy Ghost.
And He said that He and
the Father would abide in them. And since this all refers to the place He
prepared for them upon His departure, only to return and bring them in, and
this is the New Jerusalem. No wonder we read of a dual throne...
Revelation 22:1
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Where is this throne? In
the New Jerusalem.
Who is God? The Father.
Who is the Lamb? Jesus Christ
the Son.
Jesus said He and the Father
would come and make their
abode in them . Plural.
That is why we read of
the throne of GOD AND
THE LAMB in the City.
It all fits together!
And notice another point
found in realizing where the
living water is ?
Revelation 21:27 -28
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written
in the Lamb's book of life.
And
he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
The Living water is seen
In the CITY.
When is the time period
Jesus referred to as being the time we could drink of it, after saying it
is in the City?
Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water
of life freely.
When can we come and take
of this water that is in the City? Later? Or
NOW?
What is the water?
John 7:38-39
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus was not glorified,
so the Spirit was not yet given. This is identical to John 14. Jesus had
not left yet, so the place where the water of life was flowing from was not
built yet. It was at the cross when Jesus left them. And though he descended
to speak to them about the doctrine to preach, He
still had to leave and return
as the COMFORTER, the HOLY GHOST, which we read about in Acts chapters 1
and 2.
Notice, also, how Jesus
said that the river of life would flow from our bellies as it flowed from
His belly.
John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life.
And where did the water flow
from in Revelation 21? It flowed out from within the New Jerusalem. Jesus
said that the New Jerusalem is the Church, and in the midst of the Church
is the throne of God and the lamb, as in the midst of the Tabernacle sat
the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat.
WHEN JESUS RESURRECTED
TO GO PREPARE A PLACE FOR US
Jesus resurrected as we
read about in John 20. He told Mary the very day He resurrected that He
had not yet gone to the Father -- to the Destination.
John 20:17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my
Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
In John 14 Jesus said He
was going to leave them in order to go the Father and prepare a place for
them where they could not as of yet go. And in John 20 He arose from the
grave and told Mary he was ascending to the Father. When we read here that
He had not yet ascended to the Father, we find out that He had not yet gone
to the destination spoken of in John 14. And therefore she could not touch
Him. (See Lev. 16:17 -- he was going to the Holiest and no man could touch
Him on His way there).
So we find that Jesus went
to prepare a place for us after he rose from the dead. John saw the Lamb
of God enter the presence of the Father in Revelation 5.
Where was the throne of
God?
In Heaven.
Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold,
a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Jesus had not yet ascended
with His blood at this point in Rev 4. The Father alone was on the throne.
Then we read that Jesus
appears.
Revelation 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,
and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain
, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent
forth into all the earth.
The Lamb was seen in the
holiest, past the cherubimic-veiled barrier, or past the four beasts (the
four beasts were the same creatures as the cherubim of Genesis 3:24. And
Cherubim were embroidered on the veil that barred the people from entering
the Holiest). He ascended with the blood. This was a picture of entering
the Holiest of Holies. Why did He go there?
Revelation 5:9
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God
by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Just as when the High Priest
made atonement for the people by entering the holiest with blood of the
lamb, Jesus entered the actual holiest with His blood to redeem mankind.
And whereas the throne was occupied only by God, we read....
Revelation 3:21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as
I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
What does this past experience
of the overcoming of Christ refer to?
Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the
tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and
to loose the seven seals thereof.
After He prevailed, or overcame,
He sat down with the Father on the throne.
That
is why we read of the
throne of God and of the Lamb
. A throne for both God and the Lamb.
Where is that Throne? In
Heaven. But as Adam did not build walls to
keep the Garden, Heaven
did not have walls in chapter 4 and 5. It was the Garden of Genesis removed
from earth awaiting another Adam to come and do what the first Adam failed
to do -- dress and keep the Garden. Build the Garden into a City. In Revelation
21 this domain is built up and is a City with great walls. Since Calvary
there are walls in this domain with the Father.