Troublesome Topic: The Holy City, Jerusalem

Revelation 21:2

Translation

and I saw the holy city,

the new JERUSALEM,

coming down out of heaven from GOD,

having been prepared the way a bride

is adorned for her husband.

Paraphrase

and I saw the gathering of holy people, those that really do have PEACEFUL FOUNDATIONS,

whose origin is THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS,

and who have kept themselves pure the way a bride must keep herself pure for her wedding day and is thus acceptable and desirable to her husband.

Revelation 21:9

Translation

Then came one of the seven angels

which had

the seven bowls

which were filled to the brim with the seven last plagues,

and spoke to me saying, “Come, I will show you the bride,

the wife

of the LAMB.”

Paraphrase

Then came one of the compliment of capable agents which was more than sufficient to carry out their orders; these agents had been responsible for the entire compilation of evidence that would be used in determining consequences; it was more than enough evidence to make necessary the last punishments yet to come.

He spoke to me saying, “Come, I will show you the one who has committed to keep herself pure and set apart for the one she loves, the one who enjoys incredibly intimate communion with THE ONLY EFFICACIOUS SACRIFICE.”

Revelation 21:10

Translation

Then he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain, a huge and very high mountain,

and he showed

me the holy city,

JERUSALEM,

descending out of heaven from GOD, (See Comment below.)

Paraphrase

Then he carried me away in the spirit to a strong place; it had all the qualities one looks for in a place of protection, and he showed me the holy people all gathered together, THOSE WHO LIVE IN PEACE, who have their origin only in THE CREATOR AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS, (See comment below.)

The city is the same as the bride; it is a different image for the same thing. Both of these images refer to the faithful people of God.

We have usually been taught that the rest of this chapter is a description of heaven, and that is why we think that heaven will have pearly gates Revelation 21:21, big walls Revelation 21:17, and streets of gold Revelation 21:21 etc. However, I hope to show you convincingly that this passage gives us several indications that it is referring to the true church, not to heaven.

Why do I specify the “true church?” I say that because God sees the heart of each individual and there are many people who “go to church” regularly who will not end up in heaven, and there are some who do not “go to church” who will indeed end up in heaven. The true church, the body of Christ, is made up on those whose hearts are right with God and who live for Him not for self.

Interpreting the city as heaven violates the context in which the bride and the city have twice been shown to be the same thing, Revelation 21:2 along with Revelation 21:9 and Revelation 21:10. This confirms that the purpose is to draw a picture of the faithful followers of God. Also there appears to be no break in the narrative, no new topic of discussion. Rather, the vision flows seamlessly from a reference to the bride and wife of Christ to a description of the city of peace. That lack of transition, that seamless connecting of these three images was intentional. Since the bride and wife of Christ refer to the followers of Jesus, we should not change the topic and suddenly start talking about heaven. Such a change is not warranted by the text.

Jerusalem means “peaceful foundations.” It was the people living in that place that made the name a reality or a falsehood. For the most part it has been a falsehood. The physical place we call Jerusalem has actually been the center of much strife and turmoil, both physical and spiritual. So the “new Jerusalem” will be a people who really do have peaceful foundations because of their commitment to follow God and live as He desires.

It is unfortunate that we have consistently thought and taught that this passage refers to heaven and that heaven will be a beautiful place. This passage does not even refer to heaven; it is a picture of the true church; it is a description of the character of God’s faithful followers. I no longer see this as a feel-good passage about heaven, but as a passage that challenges me toward greater spiritual vitality.

As we proceed with the rest of this description, try to train your mind to apply these word pictures to the true church, not to heaven.

The next lesson is: The City as a Picture of the Church Rather than Heaven

Footnotes

1: "new Jerusalem"

Here the city is described as a bride. Starting in verse 9 of this same chapter the bride is described as a city. More will be said about it after verse 9, but the reader should make note that the images of a bride and a city are both referring to the same thing—the faithful people of God.

2: “Adorned for her husband”

Even though many people focus on the outward appearance, it is the inner qualities, such as purity of heart, that make us acceptable and desirable to God.

3

This angel and his cohorts were responsible, in some part, for the evidence used in setting consequences, and for the delivery of those consequences. This makes the faithfulness of the saints even more special—for if anyone, apart from God himself, could attest to the worthiness of the faithful to receive their rewards it would be one of these agents that serve on behalf of God to fulfill this specific duty.