Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

Third Angel's Message

CHAPTER XXX.

SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM THE NEW JERUSALEM: FURTHER PROVING THE BIBLE PRINCIPLE OF THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION BEFORE, AND THE LITERAL APPLICATION AFTER, THE MILLENNIUM.

After the millennium, the literal "holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2), will descend to the place prepared by God, in the locality which, at one time, was the literal land of Israel. Compare Rev. 21:2 with Zech. 14:4. Then, literal things of the eternal kingdom will be centred in the New Jerusalem as, similarly, the literal things of national Israel had centred in old Jerusalem. During the Christian era, the church—spiritual Jerusalem—is the centre of spiritual things. The millennium is the dividing line on earth between the spiritual things centring around spiritual Jerusalem—the church—and the literal things centring around the literal New Jerusalem. Just as the terminology of national Israel is employed to describe the church, so the language descriptive of the New Jerusalem is also applicable to the church: it is applicable to the church now, during the kingdom of grace, but after the millennium it is applicable to the literal New Jerusalem.

BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM: THE SPIRITUAL JERUSALEM (THE CHURCH).	AFTER THE MILLENNIUM: THE LITERAL NEW JERUSALEM.
Church—a city. Matt. 5:14; Isa. 62:12, 1, 4; 54:1-17; 60:11-20; 1 Cor. 6:16; A.A. 11, 12.	"The holy city, New Jerusalem." Rev. 21:2, 9-27; 22:1-5, 14-17, 19; Isa. 52:1; Gal. 4:26; Heb. 11:10; 12:22; 13:14; Rev. 3:12.
Church—city and temple. G.C. 266; TM. 17; AA. 595; 6T. 363; AA. 599; Mt. Blessing 216; 9T. 180; PK. 36; Rev. 11:1-2.	Temple and city inseparable. Rev. 3:12; Ezra 1:2-5; Dan. 9:16-18; Ezek. 40-48; Isa. 60:11-14; 1 Kings 8:29, 38, 41-44; Num. 2:2-17; Ex. 29:45-46; 25:8; Ezek. 43:7-9; 37:26-28; Rev. 21:1-3, 5. "In the city I saw a temple." E.W. 32. (Rev. 21:22, see GC. 676.)
The church measured: "His church is to be a temple . . . the angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the divine measurement." T.M. 17; 7T. 219. See Rev. 21:15-17; 11:1-2; Zech. 2:1-2; Ezek. 40-48.	Temple and city measured. Rev. 11:1-2; 21:15-17; Zech. 2:1-2; Ezek. 40:3-49; 41; 42; 43; 48:31-35.
Church is born from above. John 3:3, 7, 31; James 3:15-17.	"Coming down from God out of heaven." Rev. 21:2.
Church is the bride. Jer. 6:2; 2 Cor. 11:2; Ephes. 5:23-32; Rom. 7:1-4.	"Bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21:2. "The bride, the Lamb's wife." Rev. 21:9, 10.
"The bride is the church." M.H., p. 356. 6T. 23 applies Isa. 54:2 to the church: "The words of the Lord in the fifty-fourth of Isaiah are for us." Mt. Bless., p. 100; P.K. 374: "He heard the Lord saying of the gospel church . . . and he heard the commission." Isa. 54:2, 3 is then quoted.	"The bride represents the holy city." G.C., p. 426; E.W., p. 251. Isa. 54:5; 2 Cor. 11:2; Isa. 61:10; in margin of Rev. 21:2 show translators coupled the literal, heavenly bride with the spiritual, earthly bride. Also see Rev. 19:7, with marginal references.
Church—bride—is to develop character so that she may live with Christ. Rev. 3:4; 19:7, 8; G.C., p. 428; C.O.L. 307-312. "That I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Cor. 11:2; Isa. 54:5; 61:10; Matt. 25:1-11; Rev. 14:4.	"Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21:2. "His wife bath made herself ready." Rev. 19:7. See also Isa. 54:5; 61:10.
"Ye are the temple [sanctuary R.V.] of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them ... and they shall be My people." 2 Cor. 6:16; Lev. 26:11, 12; Ezek. 43:7; 37:26-28; 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19; John 2:19-21; P.K. 36; T.M. 17; A.A. 595-598; 8T. 246.	"The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people." Rev. 21:2-5.
The church has Christ tabernacling with her. John 1:14, R.V.; Matt. 1:23: "God with us." Matt. 28:18- 20; John 14:23.
"The place of My throne." Ezek. 43:7. "The Lord is there." Ezek. 48:35. Ezekiel's city and temple are a representation of the church and of the individual wherein God reigns. John 14:21-23; Rom. 8:9-11; 5:17-21; 6:12-16, etc.	"The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it." Rev. 22:3. See also Ezek. 48:35; Jer. 3:17; Joel 3:21: Zech. 2:10; Rev. 21:3, etc.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matt. 5:4. Isa. 61:2-3: "To comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Luke 4:18; John 16:20; 2 Cor. 1:3-7.	"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying. Rev. 21:4. See also Isa. 35:10; 61:3; 65:19.
"He that hath the Son hath everlasting life." John 3:36; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 2:20; 3:11; Heb. 10:38; 1 John 5:10-13.	"No more death." Rev. 21:4.
"Put off concerning the former conversation the old man." Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9; Heb. 12:1; Rom. 6:1-6; 7:24. "In Christ .. . old things are passed away." 2 Cor. 5:17.	"The former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4.
"All things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17. "If any man be in Christ. he is a new creature [Variorum Bible and R.V., margin "creation"]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." See also Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:9, 10; Ephes. 4:22-24.	"Behold, I make all things new." Rev. 21:5.
"Jesus the beginner and finisher of our faith." Heb. 12:2, margin. Phil. 1:6, margin: "He which hath begun a good work in you will finish it." Rev. 3:14.	"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Rev. 21:6. "The beginning and the ending." Rev. 1:8.
"Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." 1 John 3:22. Isa. 1:19; Ex. 19:5; Gen. 22:18; Heb. 5:9. If we obey, the Holy Spirit is given. Acts 5:32. The Spirit "brings all other blessings in its train." AA. 50; C.O.L. 327, 419.	"He that overcometh shall inherit all things." Rev. 21:7.
"Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people." Jer. 7:23; 11:4-7; Zech. 8:8; Heb. 8:10. "I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. 6:18.	"And I will be his God, and he shall be My son." Rev. 21:7.
Angels lead us to the church. Acts 8:26. Rev. 14:6-9; Angels have oversight of church. Dan. 9:21, 22; Angels make Bible plain to us. Heb. 1:14: Ministering spirits to the church.	"And there came unto me one of the . . . angels . . . saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Rev. 21:9.
"In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was the frame of a city." Ezek. 40:2. John's description of the New Jerusalem is partly based upon Ezekiel's vision. The Spirit of Prophecy applies Ezekiel's vision to the church. Ezekiel's temple and city will not be literally built in the land of Israel: the vision has a spiritual fulfilment in the church—its literal counterpart is in the New Jerusalem. Heb. 13:14; 11:16, 10.	"And he carried me . . . to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great City, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God." Rev. 21:10. See also Ezek. 40:2.
"The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." 1 Pet. 4:14. "Called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." 1 Pet. 2:9. Acts 26:18; Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 5:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:4.	"Having the glory of God." Rev. 21:11.
"For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about." Zech. 2:5. This promise to Jerusalem is applied by the Spirit of Prophecy to the church: the "Holy Spirit . . . is to be to His church as an encompassing wall of fire." T.M. 18. "What a God is our God! He rules over His kingdom with a diligence and care; and He has built a hedge—the ten commandments—about His subjects, to preserve them from the results of transgression." CT. 454.	"And had a wall great and high." Rev. 21:12. See Ezek. 48:31-34.
"There were sealed a 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel." Rev. 7:3-8. Twelve thousand of each of the twelve tribes are sealed.	"And had twelve gates . . . and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel." Rev. 21:12. See also Ezek. 48:31-34.
The three angels' messages show the way into the spiritual Jerusalem. Rev. 14:6-12, etc.	"On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates." Rev. 21:13. See also Ezek. 48:31-34.
"Jesus Christ, both in the Old and New Testament, is called a foundation. Isa. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11. Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. And the abovementioned passage in Isa. 28:16 is cited by Peter, and applied to Christ, 1 Pet. 2:6."—Cruden.	"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Rev. 21:14. See also Heb. 11:10.
"The foundation of God standeth sure." 2 Tim. 2:19; Gal. 2:9; Rev. 3:12; Ephes. 2:20. 1 Cor. 3:9-15 makes it clear that we build on Christ the foundation.
"The angelic architect has brought his golden measuring rod from heaven, that every stone may be hewed and squared by the divine measurement." T.M. 17. Ps. 48:12-13; 122:3. "The holy city (the true church)." GC. 266. See Rev. 11:1. The spirit of Prophecy has given us a spiritual interpretation of the temple of Ezekiel. Hence the measuring of it, which is identical with the measuring of the holy city, shows that the New Jerusalem has a church aspect today. The measuring of Jerusalem mentioned in Zech. 2 refers to the church.	"And he that talketh with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof." Rev. 21:15. See also Ezek. 40:3 and onwards, which pictures the angel measuring everything with the measuring reed. Zech. 2:1-2: "A measuring line in his hand . . . to measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof." Rev. 11:1: "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod .. . rise, measure the temple."
The church is perfectly symmetrical: Christ is the foundation, and every stone is measured and polished by God. Twelve is the kingdom number. There were 12 tribes of Israel; the church had 12 apostles; the New Jerusalem has 12 foundations; 12 gates; the tree of life bearing 12 fruits, etc. The remnant of spiritual Israel is said to number 144,000 (Rev. 7:4; 14:1) the same number as the cubits in the measurement of the wall mentioned in v. 17, Rev. 21.	"And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel," Rev. 21:16-17.
"Foundation . . . Jesus Christ . . . if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, and precious stones." 1 Cor. 3:11-12. Gold symbolises divine character. Rev. 3:18. "Gold tried in the fire" i.e., free from dross, or sin. 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30, margin; Zech. 13:9; D.A. 280; C.O.L. 158; 4T. 88-89.	"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass." Concerning the building of the wall the Var. Bible says, "i.e., work above the foundation." Rev. 21:18.
"Through the ages . . . the building of God's temple has never ceased. We may look back through the centuries, and see the living stones of which it is composed gleaming like jets of light. . . . Throughout eternity these precious jewels will shine. . . . The flashing light of these polished stones. . . . We are to bring to the foundation material that will stand the test of fire; gold, silver, and precious stones, 'polished after the similitude of a palace'." AA. 598-599. PK. 724, 725 quotes Isa. 54:11-17—which mentions the precious foundation stones—in relation to the church.	"And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones." Rev. 21:19-20. See also Isa. 54:11-12.
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matt. 13:45, 46. Christ is the pearl. (See C.O.L., pp. 115-121.) He is the entrance into the church. Christ provided "a new and living way." Heb. 10:20. A pearl is made by suffering: Christ "suffered for us." 1 Pet. 2:21; 1:11. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22.	"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl." Rev. 21:21.
"Pure gold," clear, like glass, represents the divine purity of the path the church must tread to God's throne. Rev. 3:18; Heb. 12:14; Matt. 5:8; 2 Cor. 7:1; Ephes. 5:5; Matt. 7:13, 14. The sacred vessels and the furniture of the holy places of the sanctuary and temple were made of gold.	"And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Rev. 21:21.
"Called . . . into His marvellous light." 1 Pet. 2:9; Ps. 36:9; 84:11; Mal. 4:2; John 9:5; 2 Cor. 4:4. The Bible teaches that God and Christ are the light of the church. See chapter 25 dealing with "The Kings from the Sunrising." Isa. 60: 18, which gives a description of Jerusalem, is applied in G.C. 675 and PK. 730 to the New Jerusalem; but in PK. 375 and AA. 595, Isa. 60:10, 11 is applied to the church.	"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten if, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Rev. 21:23. "The Lord God givefh them light." Rev. 22:5. See also Rev. 21:24, 25; Isa. 60:19, 20, etc.
People from all nations are now walking into the church. The Revelator (Rev. 21: 24-26) quotes from Isa. 60:10, 12. PK. 375 and AA. 595 apply Isa. 60:10, 12 to the church to-day. What will be literally true on earth in the eternal kingdom has a spiritual application to the church now.	"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it." Rev. 21:24-26. See also Isa. 60:10, 11.
"Thy people also shall be all righteous." Isa. 60:21. "O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean." Isa. 52:1. In 9T. 108, 6T. 434, this verse is applied to the church to-day. In PK. 725 the same text is applied to the New Jerusalem.	"And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth." Rev. 21:27; Isa. 60:21; Joel 3:17; Isa. 52:1; 35:8, etc.
"Living water . . . a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:10-14. "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. But this He spake of the Spirit." John 7:37-39. "Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem." Zech. 14:8; Isa. 12:3; 55:1, etc. "And whosoever will, let him take the wafer of life freely." Rev. 22:17. To-day we partake of the spiritual, living waters: in the eternal kingdom we shall drink literal waters.	"A pure river of wafer of life . . . proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Rev. 22:1. A will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Rev. 21:6. See also Ezek. 47:1-12; Zech. 14:8; Joel 3:18.
"And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat . . . it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months . . . and the leaf thereof for medicine." Ezek. 47:12. "Wonderful is the work which the Lord designs to accomplish through His church. ... The picture of this work is given in Ezekiel's vision of the river of healing." AA., pp. 13, 14; 7T. 171, 236; 6T. 227, 288.	"On either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Rev. 22:2.
"Christ . . . brings us to His Word, and from the tree of life presents to us leaves for the healing of sin-sick souls." AA. 478; MH. 66, 122, 173, 199; 6T. 393.	"The tree of life . . . and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Rev. 22:2. See also Ezek. 47:12; Gen. 2:9.
The Bible is the tree of life—in the midst of the church, The Living and the written Word go together.	The tree of life was in Eden: it was translated to heaven (P.P. 62) and is now "in the midst of the Paradise of God." Rev. 2:7.
[Note: the "BIBLE-JESUS-BOTH ARE" table	below was originally inserted here.]
Sabbath-keepers have the Father's name spiritually written in their foreheads. Rev. 3:12; 14:1; 7:1-4.	"His name shall be in their foreheads." Rev. 22:4.
"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers." Phil. 3:2. "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." Gal. 5:15; Isa. 56:10, 11. The wicked will be outside the city at the end of the millennium, ready to devour the righteous; similarly, those who now bite and devour are not really in the church.	"For without are dogs." Rev. 22:15.
The "bride" in Rev. 22:17 refers to both the church and the New Jerusalem. The Spirit, through the church—the earthly, spiritual bride—says "Come." See 9T. 43. Also, through the descriptions of the literal bride, New Jerusalem, the Spirit says "Come." We spiritually drink of the waters of life now; we literally drink in the eternal kingdom.	"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.

[Note: the following table originally appeared in the table above in the row so noted.]

BIBLE.	JESUS.	BOTH ARE
Mark 7:13.	Rev. 19:13.	Word of God.
Phil. 2:16.	1 John 1:1.	Word of life.
2 Tim. 3:15.	Heb. 7:26.	Holy.
Ps. 119:140.	1 John 3:3.	Pure.
Heb. 4:2.	1 Cor. 1:24.	Powerful.
Rev. 21:5.	Heb. 3:1, 2.	Faithful.
Ps. 33:4.	1 John 2:29.	Righteous.
John 17:17.	John 14:6.	True.
John 6:63.	John 14:6.	Life.
Ps. 119:105, 130.	John 1:8, 9.	Light.
John 6:63.	John 3:34.	Spiritual.
Ps. 19:7; 18:30.	Isa. 28:16.	Sure.
Matt. 4:4.	John 6:35.	Food.
Heb. 4:12.	Matt. 12:25.	Discerners of thoughts and hearts.

The description applying both to the New Jerusalem and its spiritual counterpart, the church, further proves the principle that those things which apply literally on earth after the millennium are spiritually applied before the millennium.