Communion With the Christ:: The New Jerusalem Relationship

From the Apocalyptic Book of Revelation St. John Records for us a Vision of the New Jerusalem using the Highly Symbolic Form of writing which is Call "Apocalyptic Ligature" Which Was Devised by the Jewish People in the Second Century BC and Was Employed by Early Christians.

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev: 21:1-5

At close of the Old Testament and the writing of the New Testament, Rabbinical Scholars had come to believe that at the end of human history God would restore the very Garden of Eden, which they believed had been removed from the Earth by God and taken into Heaven when the Great Flood was sent upon the Earth in the Days of Noah. They believed that at the end of history the Edenic condition would be restored between God and humanity.

The City of God

St. John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, draws upon this concept of the restored Eden when he writes of the New Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God.

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, “for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” he who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev: 21:1-5

This city, which we are given a glimpse of, we are told has been sought for even from the time of the Patriarchs. Abraham, is spoken of as seeking this city.

"By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Heb: 11:9-10

The Holy Scriptures even describe the Christian life in Jesus in the terms of this New Jerusalem.

"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven”. Heb: 12:22-23

This New Jerusalem is described within the book of Revelation as it descends to the New Earth from out of Heaven from God. St. John records what the Spirit showed him as he transported in the Spirit to a high mountain by an angle.

"One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" Rev:21:9-10

St. John tells us about the Holy City of God, this New Jerusalem, which is described in great detail within the book of Revelation as it descends from Heaven from God to the New Earth. This Holy City is depicted as being filled with radiance of the glory of the Lord.

"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life"(12-27)

Many Christians see this vision as a literal city, the New Jerusalem in which all redeemed humanity in Christ, will dwell in with the great God at the close of human history.

But is this what the Holy Spirit is really speaking to us?

A Community

In the ancient world, the world in which the Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost, the community was of supreme value and great importance and all the more, to be closely associated with a given community was a thing to be prized and to take pride in, to have one's name written into the role book of a given city as a citizen was highly prized among the people and of great personal and social pride.

Even St. Paul demonstrates this pride in his citizenship and being a citizen of the city of Tarsus in the Cilicia region of Asia Minor.

"Paul answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary" Acts:21:39

Jesus himself alluded to this citizenship as a position to be valued in a conversation with his Disciples as they returned and gave a report on their evangelism tour and the power which was manifested in them.

"but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke: 10:20b

But what is this community, especially in the ancient world in-which the Church arose out of at the manifesting of the Holy Spirit among and in the lives of the followers of Jesus?

A community in the ancient world was, and still is, is an extended interdependent relationship among several people all living together in a given place all who are a part of one another's lives and each contributing to that extended relationship as they are able.

Understanding the ancient world's view of a community as an extended relationships to which persons are bound together in can help us better understand what the Spirit is telling us about the New Jerusalem.

St. John, begins his description of the New Jerusalem describing it as having and emitting the very radiance of the glory of God and walls which enclosed the city.

"It shone with the glory of God, and its radiance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal"Rev:21:11

Community In Christ

St. John’s description of this New Jerusalem, this extended community relationship, from the very start points us to the presence of Jesus, the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, as being the very source of and among this community relationship of the redeemed.

The "glory" and "radiance" which St. John sees coming from the New Jerusalem is Jesus himself who we are told is according to the Hebrews Epistle is:

" The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" Heb: 1:3

This tells us that Jesus is that glorious perfect representation of what God, the Holy Trinity wants for humanity, which is what the New Jerusalem expresses for us, and that we should and will live in an extend community bound together through the person of Jesus, and that this was and is God's purpose even from the very creation.

"let us make man in our image and in our likeness" Gen: 1:26

This community relationship is patterned after God's own "image" and "likeness", for the Holy Trinity is a community relationship which God has within himself. This is why humanity is drawn to live in community with others, because God himself is a community. Living in community with others, is the part of the "image" and "likeness" which God is referring to.

High Walls and Gates

This glorious City of God, this radiant community, we are told by St. John has high walls which enclose the community and each of these walls has three gates.

St. John, begins his description of the New Jerusalem describing it as having and emitting the very radiance of the glory of God and walls which enclosed the city.

"It shone with the glory of God, and its radiance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal"Rev:21:11

Community In Christ

The "glory" and "radiance" which St. John sees coming from the New Jerusalem is Jesus himself who we are told is according to the Hebrews Epistle is:

" The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" Heb: 1:3

"let us make man in our image and in our likeness" Gen: 1:26

High Walls and Gates

This glorious City of God, this radiant community, we are told by St. John has high walls which enclose the community and each of these walls has three gates.

This reference to the Apostles reminds us that they were the very first who came to believe that Jesus is the Christ and that they would serve as the start of God work of grace, and the very start of this redeemed community under the tenants of the New Covenant, which gave birth to the Church with Jesus as the very cornerstone of the foundation which hold the rest in place. Matt: 16:17-19

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone”, Eph:2:19-20

It is Jesus who holds the New Jerusalem, this extended community relationship, in place as the Cornerstone. This tells us that our secure relationship is built on an unshakeable foundation secured by Jesus himself.

A Royal Priesthood

the foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst" (19-20)

The stones which are upon the great foundations speak to us of the Royal Priesthood which all Christians are a part of as believers in Jesus.1Petr:2:9

This Royal Priesthood of believers is from Jesus' own ministry as the High Priest.Heb:4:14-16. The precious stones also call to mind the Stones which adorned the Brest Plate of Israel's High Priest, which Jesus supersedes.

The Golden Way

St. John also sees as the main road of the city a golden street. This would be known in the ancient world as the King's High Way, or the King’s Street it was the main way to the Royal residence, or to the main city of a kingdom. This road was often a toll road and a price needed to be paid to travel it.

This beautiful golden way of gold, is Jesus himself who has paved the way to this New Jerusalem and who paid tole, the price for us all so that we might enter this glorious city. "I am the Way" Jesus tells us.

No Temple

St. John notes the absences of any Temple, he then explained that this is because it is due to the presence of God and Jesus himself.

"I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple"

Those who have entered into this redeemed community now worship in Spirit and in truth and are not bound by locations or building ceremonies. Jhn: 4:19-24

Jesus we are told that he himself is the living restored Temple of God which has resin and from the dead to which we worship the great God in.

"Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body.”: Jhn:2:19-20

Citizens From All Nations

We are told in the narrative of Revelation that people of all nations are now apart of this community relationship with the great God, through Jesus.

"The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life."(26-27)

The Restoration of Eden

St. John give us a little more detail about this extended community relationship which is pictured by the New Jerusalem. St. John again borrows from the Rabbinical belief of a restored Eden, which pictures for us what our God's intent has always been toward humanity.

Eden was a place and condition of rest, beauty, abundance, security, health, peace, joy, and unlimited access and fellowship with the Creator of all things. Eden was a place where humanity was intended to walk among the shade of the trees, along the rivers which flowed and come to know their God. Gen:1-2

Here St. John tells us that God's eternal purpose is now made a reality for all who will believe. St. John gives us a glimpse of what is now made true for any and all who will receive it through Jesus alone, that the Holy Spirit, pictured by the river which flows from the Throne of God, minsters to us everything which the cross of our Lord has accomplished for us.

There is fruitfulness and life, glorious worship and fellowship in union with our God, no more pain no more suffering, our minds filled with merits of our Lord Jesus, no more sorrow not more alienation, no more disenfranchisement a place of belonging where our Lord God is accessible and among and in us all and it even now available to all and can be experienced even now thru the body of the Church, which give us only a foretaste of what awaits in eternity.

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."Rev:22:1-5

This Community Relationship pictured by the New Jerusalem is what our God has always intended for each and all of us as being in his "image" and "likeness", even from the very Garden of Eden, to us now, and on into eternity.

Benediction: May we each and all give glory to our God who, through Jesus has brought us into a extended community relationship, which he has always intended for us to live in union with himself and one another, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.