Jerusalem The Heart Throb of God
Jerusalem is so central in all of Holy Scripture that the Father has named four entities by that name. Three cities are named Jerusalem. He calls His called-out church "Heavenly Jerusalem." All four of His Jerusalems are presently and swiftly becoming the focus of all revelations. It is the time of the end and the restitution of all things is at hand.
As the end approaches, Satan will be busy planning and scheming attacks on everything dear to the heart of God. The city of earthly Jerusalem will be attacked by the armies of the world. Misguided "Christians" will cast insult after insult at the Jewish nation and their capitol. The Islamic world will continuously claim Jerusalem as their capitol and seek to lay claim by their false satanic design. War is also gathering in the Heavens as the fallen angels follow Satan to accuse us before the throne of our God in heavenly Jerusalem. The true church, His spiritual Jerusalem, has never been more despised by the dark forces gathering to destroy. But, win He will!
The Four Jerusalems are Beautiful to Consider
1. The Heavenly Jerusalem (The church is also called "Heavenly Jerusalem.")
Our God is seated on His majestic throne framed with a rainbow on the sides of the North. Listen to David as he writes a song of praise about the heavenly city. "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge." (Psalm 48:1-3). Earthly events and His divine plans are all patterned after His will in Heaven. Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10) The closer you get to Heaven, the more you will understand His plans on earth.
The statement, "in the mountain of His holiness," sets this city apart as the place of His perfection. Apparently, Paul the Apostle was caught up to this indescribable realm. He returned with bated voice almost incapable of expressing his experience. "It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities." (II Corinthians 12:1-5)
Satan sacrificed this realm of glory in his pride and rebellion, and it is until today a focus of his hatred. Revelation chapter twelve records Satan’s last effort to hinder the activities proceeding from the throne in this realm of exceeding glory. The Father has allowed Satan to continue in defense of his claims until this future moment. All of Heaven’s actions are judicially perfect and Satan’s temporary parole is swiftly ending. Soon, the realm that separates the earth from the Heavenly city and seat will be cleansed of all evil activities. Satan and his angels will be cast out and his right as "prince of the power of the air" will end. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:10)
The raptured saints will be caught up into Heavenly Jerusalem where they will appear before His throne. Never have you seen a picture of earthly saints, since the fall of Adam, uncovered by some form of grace until the fourth chapter of Revelation. God had to slay an animal in the Garden of Eden for a covering before Adam and Eve could step from behind their hiding place. Moses had to be placed in a cleft of the rock (a picture of the smitten Savior) on the Mountain of Horeb before He could view the Father’s glory even from His back parts. "And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:21-23)
But, finally redemption has prevailed and the raptured saints have entered into their long desired haven. The Heavenly Jerusalem, God’s Zion, becomes the place of their celebration. We will enter with our glorified body unashamed, uncovered, and unshackled from the past into the realm of His immediate presence. Listen as John the Revelator describes this event. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." (Revelation 4:1-5)
All the events in Revelation chapters four and five occur within and without of the Heavenly Jerusalem. In chapter five we see the grand scene of the seven-sealed book and the preparation to unseal this redemption plan. The Son of God Himself does not appear in chapter four and only appears in chapter five as "a lamb as it had been (past tense) slain." The saints are present and have clearly been raptured and received their new bodies. No human creature could stand in the presence of such glory. They are clearly a multitude and now with unfettered voices, they proceed to sing the song of redemption. Listen, "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; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Revelation 5:9-12)
Other scenes in Scripture take us into this Heavenly Jerusalem. Isaiah "… saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isaiah 6:1-3) In Revelation as the seven-sealed book is unleashed in all its transactions, suddenly the temple is open in heaven. "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." (Revelation 11:19) "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." (Revelation 15:8)
Heavenly Jerusalem is the example of all perfection and holiness. "The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." (Psalm 50:1-2) Even the temple in Heavenly Jerusalem is the exact pattern from which Moses built the tabernacle and Solomon built the temple. The entire universe will soon reflect the excellent beauty of His Jerusalem "on the sides of the North." You should begin to sing with all His saints this song written by King David.
2. The Earthly Jerusalem
The second Jerusalem in the great scheme of our God is His chosen city on earth. Jerusalem has been the center of almost every revelation given to man. It is as clearly His chosen city as the Bible can make it. Remember, as you view today’s Jerusalem that it is still in bondage with her children and must be seen Biblically and prophetically. "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." (Galatians 4:24-26)
Our Heavenly Father said, "But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there." (II Chronicles 6:6a) That may be hard to grasp today in the natural. When you walk the streets of today’s Jerusalem, you cannot help but see the fatal expressions of that bondage to which the Apostle spoke. Unbelief, political maneuvering, hedonism, and outright rebellion against the laws of God is apparent everywhere. The Orthodox Jews are the only light from Israel’s past, but their light is steeped in traditions. Yet, these are good men and women and may well be the 144,000 Jews sealed with the seal of God in Revelation chapter seven.
But, a Bible believer does not view the city with natural eyes but by the lens of prophecy. The city will be trodden down until the fullness of the Gentiles arrives. Jesus Christ Himself wept over the city which He saw in His day and declared, "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)
The Jerusalem He loved and wept over is very little different than today. They did have a temple that He called a "den of thieves." This city did not have a government, but was a vassal of Rome.
Recently, one of the extreme right-wingers from the anti-Semitic fold called Jerusalem "the most wicked city on earth." This statement reflects the growing attitude towards Jerusalem that will characterize the Antichrist’s hatred for this city. Satan hates Jerusalem because it replaced his capitol of Babel (Babylon) in the day starting with Abraham and finding fullness when David brought the Ark of God into Jerusalem. The city has been a battlefield with the forces of darkness and light from that day.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem will suffer their darkest night just before the "Light of the World" returns to fulfill His final plan for this chosen city. By divine anointing the prophet, Zechariah, stated, "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." (Zechariah 14:1-3) It is still night spiritually in Jerusalem, but "Daystar" is coming. The Son of man shall come in His glory at the end of the seven darkest years of human history and judge every nation by how they treated Israel and Earthly Jerusalem.
3. Spiritual Jerusalem
The third Jerusalem is His holy saints chosen out of the nations and united together in one great company, called the "Church." The church was never meant to be denominations or some monolithic political force. The church’s power is found in her devotion to Jesus Christ and the mighty anointing provided by her Holy Ghost Baptism. Every great awakening has transcended the church walls and her organized barriers. When God the Father comes down to answer unwavering prayer and faith, the nations tremble at His presence. No denomination has ever made a meaningful difference until something supernatural happened that washed away her religious systems.
It is extremely significant that the church is called Mount Zion. The Heavenly Father never departs from His eternal plans. From Jerusalem on the sides of the North, where His glory dwells, to Jerusalem, His chosen city, to Jerusalem, His heavenly company of saints, He reveals Himself to the nations. Apostle Paul worded it carefully in teaching the Hebrews about the New Zion. "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, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:22-24)
Why does He call His church Heavenly Jerusalem or Mount Zion? The answer is simple. We are not an earthly organization. We are a heavenly company. Our Pope is the Holy Scripture, our Overseer is the Lord of the church, and our authority is the anointing of the Holy Ghost. When the church is reduced to an earthly organization, it quickly resorts to earthly plans and powers and loses it uniqueness.
You must notice that the church was ordained to sin in heavenly places. The letter to the Ephesians stated, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6-7)
The writer had already stated that Jesus was seated in heavenly places. "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:20) Our fellowship is not to be limited by earthly confines. We have a fellowship of the mysteries of God that makes us an otherworldly company. The church demise today is her worldliness and hunger for worldly wisdom. Our fellowship is best described in this same letter from the Apostle Paul. "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." (Ephesians 3:9-10)
Indeed, the church of Jesus Christ is a Heavenly Jerusalem free from the entanglement of the world. Our closest kinship is with Jesus Christ, who sits on the right hand of God. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (I Peter 2:9).
4. New Jerusalem
The fourth Jerusalem is yet in our future. Jesus said to His disciples, "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. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." (John 14:1-4)
I know it is finished because John saw what he had heard Jesus explain and what he had reported in his gospel. Apostle Paul saw the City of Heavenly Jerusalem, but Apostle John saw the City of New Jerusalem.
John stated, as given to him by the Lord Jesus, "And 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. 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." (Revelation 21:1-3)
I love the way John said it, "And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem." For me, this establishes that John alone among the living has seen this city. From John’s inspired revelation, we must conclude that the city will not come into view until the millennium is over and the wicked have been judged. Even Hell will be in view of the earth’s inhabitants during the thousand years according to Isaiah. "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isaiah 66:23-24)
But, when that city, New Jerusalem, descends down to this earth, it will follow "a New Heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." The wicked will have been cast far away in the Lake of Fire. Nothing that offends shall be in sight or in hearing distance. It’s all been forever redeemed of that which defiles.
Those that are saved shall live in the light of this city, but the Bride of Christ shall live within the city. The city was prepared "as a bride adorned for her husband." Saints of the ages have sacrificed all that they are for the joy of being in the Bride of Christ. Some will be saved as by fire, but lose their reward. "If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (I Corinthians 3:15) Those will live outside the city. The Scripture states, "… others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." (Hebrews 11:35b) Apostle Paul said, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Philippians 3:10-11)
Conclusion
Jerusalem is a name to love with great emotion or to hate with equal passion. It best describes the beauty of God’s sinless past before sin marred His creation or our sinless future when once again the Eden of God will be manifest in the new city. While we await the glory of New Jerusalem, we must contend with an earthly city, which is creating a cup of trembling for the entire catalog of nations. The entire universe will soon be the paradise of God. The pattern of Heavenly Jerusalem will shape the kingdom of this earth. As you study the Scripture, let the holiness of God become your joy and allow the Redeemer to prepare you for the heavenly culture that will fill His world. No sin will enter there. Remember, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)