The New Jerusalem is a topic that is not often explored, being a small subset of the study of eschatology (end-times), but the scriptures say much more about it than you'd think during a casual reading of Revelation 21. Ryan Habbena returns for another episode with us to discuss what he found when he dug into this very interesting subject. It's not only a little-explored subject within the Bible, it's a subject that deals heavily with the city that will be the home for believers for all of eternity.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:20:17 — 27.7MB)
Subscribe: RSS | Subscribe to Echo Zoe Radio
Outline of the Discussion
- What seems like an obscure topic, only mentioned in scripture in passing, turns out to be much deeper than would seem. The Bible is littered with passages alluding to, or outright describing the New Jerusalem.
- The New Jerusalem is the most prominent aspect of our eternal state, so its study is fundamental to our lives after the resurrection, it is where we put our eternal hope.
- Our discussion starts with Hebrews 11, and the hope that Abraham had in the future City of God.
- Hebrews 11 brings us back to Genesis, and the promise of a land that would be given to the descendants of Abraham as an eternal promise. Those descendants of which includes the faithful among the gentiles.
- The future Jerusalem will rest on the same place where we find the Jerusalem of our age.
- We know that there will be sacrifices in the Temple in the New Jerusalem. However, the Scripture doesn't explicitly state the purpose of those sacrifices. It is implied that they act as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice of our King on the Cross.
- Ryan sees the New Jerusalem as being centered around Mount Moriah, where Abraham offered up Isaac.
- The description of the New city of Jerusalem is ambiguous. There are a few things that the Scriptures give us though. It is equal in length, width, and height. That could describe a cube, or it could describe a pyramid. Ryan sees it as a cube.
- It has a foundation (implying that it rests on the ground, it doesn't hover, it isn't a satellite.)
- A river flows out from the city.
- Ryan sees the city as coming down at the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ. The majority view is that it comes at the end.
- As believers, we will reign with Christ on the Earth from the New Jerusalem.
- The description in Ezekiel puts the Temple about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, in what is now Bethel. Bethel means “the house of God.”
- In addition to acting as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the Temple sacrifices may serve to demonstrate the Holiness of God.
Scriptures Referenced
- Revelation 21
- Hebrews 11
- Galatians 3
- Revelation 12
- Genesis 3:15
- Revelation 20-21
- Isaiah 65:17, 2:2
- Revelation 5
Get Connected
Sign up for email notifications of new episodes of Echo Zoe Radio, and follow Echo Zoe Ministries on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Google+!
No Comments “Ryan Habbena: The New Jerusalem”
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:1-10
The New Jerusalem is the Church! The bride of Christ.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God†I Cor 3:16
The idea that sacrifices will be reinstituted is blasphemous. Christ was offered up once for all.
We do not go back to type and shadow! Christ is the fulfillment of the promises of God.
The New Jerusalem is a vision that John was given of the glorified body of Christ, clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. The dispensationalists are missing so much of what the scripture offers by continuously seeking to return to the type, when God has given us his Son Jesus Christ as a fulfillment of those things. It’s sad, really sad.
Rick,
You clearly didn’t listen to the discussion. On top of that, you clearly didn’t even read the entire sentence in the above text from which you derived your criticism, not to mention the rest of the post. Can I take your words out of their proper context and criticize you for them?