New Jerusalem, Promised To Whom, Who Will Live There, And Who Will Not

Introduction

Many blend Israel’s prophetic hope with the Body of Christ’s heavenly calling. This confusion often turns the New Jerusalem into a catch all destiny for every saint. When we let the King James Bible speak in its own terms, and when we keep prophecy and mystery separate, the picture becomes clear. The New Jerusalem belongs to Israel’s covenant program, it descends to the new earth, and it fulfills promises spoken by the prophets and confirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ to Israel. The Body of Christ has a different hope, a heavenly vocation in heavenly places, not life inside the New Jerusalem.

What Is The New Jerusalem

John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and he was shown the bride, the Lamb’s wife, which is the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God. Read Revelation 21 verse 2 and verses 9 through 10. The city is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife, which ties to Israel’s marriage language in prophecy. See Isaiah 62 verses 4 through 5 and Hosea 2 verses 19 through 20. The city has a wall great and high, twelve gates named after the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, and twelve foundations with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Read Revelation 21 verses 12 through 14. This is covenant language that anchors the city to Israel’s fathers, Israel’s tribes, and Israel’s apostles.

To Whom Was It Promised

God promised a city to the faithful of Israel. Abraham looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, and he desired a better country, that is, an heavenly, therefore God hath prepared for them a city. Read Hebrews 11 verses 10 and 16. The prophets spoke of Zion’s future glory, of the nations bringing their wealth to Jerusalem, and of the Lord being Israel’s everlasting light. See Isaiah 60 verses 14 through 21. The new covenant promised to the house of Israel and the house of Judah includes God dwelling in their midst, the forgiveness of their sins, and His law written in their hearts. Read Jeremiah 31 verses 31 through 34 and Ezekiel 37 verses 24 through 28. Revelation 21 verse 3 matches this when the great voice from heaven says, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. In prophecy these men are Israel in their kingdom with nations blessed through them.

Who Will Live In The New Jerusalem

Residents of the New Jerusalem are the redeemed of Israel, the bride, the Lamb’s wife, gathered under the everlasting covenants. The city’s gates bear the names of Israel’s tribes, and its foundations bear the names of the apostles of the Lamb. Read Revelation 21 verses 12 through 14. The nations of them which are saved walk in the light of that city, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. Read Revelation 21 verse 24 and verse 26. That is Gentile blessing through Israel’s risen King in the world to come, just as the prophets spoke. See Isaiah 2 verses 2 through 4 and Zechariah 8 verses 20 through 23. The river of the water of life proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb, and the tree of life bears fruit for the healing of the nations. Read Revelation 22 verses 1 through 2. This is life flowing from Israel’s city to the earth.

Who Will Not Live There

The city is pure and holy, so nothing that defiles can enter. Revelation 21 verse 8 lists the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, whose part is in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. Revelation 21 verse 27 adds that there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but only they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 22 verse 15 says that outside are dogs, sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. The lost do not enter, nor do any who remain in unbelief and defilement.

What About The Body Of Christ

The Body of Christ is not the bride of the Lamb. The Body of Christ is His body, His new creature, with a heavenly calling and position. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, and God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Read Ephesians 1 verse 3 and Ephesians 2 verse 6. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour. Read Philippians 3 verse 20. We have a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Read Second Corinthians 5 verses 1 through 2. We meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Read First Thessalonians 4 verses 16 through 17. None of these passages place the Body of Christ inside the New Jerusalem. They place us in heavenly places above. The New Jerusalem descends to the new earth for Israel’s kingdom glory in the ages to come. That glory reaches the nations on earth through that city, while the Body of Christ serves the fulness of Christ in heavenly places. See Ephesians 1 verses 20 through 23.

Why The City Is Called The Bride

In prophecy God uses marriage language for Israel. He will marry Zion, He will betroth her unto Him in righteousness and lovingkindness, and He will rejoice over her as the bridegroom over the bride. Read Isaiah 62 verses 4 through 5 and Hosea 2 verses 19 through 20. Revelation keeps this prophetic title when the angel says, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife, then shows John the city itself. Read Revelation 21 verses 9 through 10. Paul does not give the Body of Christ the title Bride. He teaches that we are one new man and one body. Read Ephesians 2 verses 15 through 16 and Ephesians 4 verse 4. Any similarity of marriage language in Paul is illustrative for love and sanctification, not a transfer of Israel’s prophetic title or city to the Body of Christ. See Ephesians 5 verses 25 through 32 and note verse 30, for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

The Gates, Foundations, And Government

The city’s identity markers are Israel’s. Twelve gates named for the twelve tribes show covenant entry by the nation that God formed for His name. Twelve foundations named for the twelve apostles of the Lamb show royal administration in Israel’s kingdom. Read Revelation 21 verses 12 through 14. The measures, the materials, and the brilliance of the city show God’s glory dwelling with Israel forever. Read Revelation 21 verses 15 through 23. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it, and the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Read Revelation 21 verse 22 and verse 23.

Access And Purity

Entrance is controlled by the gates and by the book of life. Read Revelation 21 verse 27. Its streets are clean gold, its river is pure, and its throne is righteous. There shall be no more curse, and his servants shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads, and they shall reign for ever and ever. Read Revelation 22 verses 3 through 5. This speaks of a holy administration on the earth from the Lord’s city, in line with prophecy.

Common Objections Answered

Objection. Some say all saints of all ages will live in the New Jerusalem.

Answer. The city’s names and structure are Israel’s. The Body of Christ is never directed to that city. Our hope is in heavenly places. Read Ephesians 1 verse 3, Ephesians 2 verse 6, and Philippians 3 verse 20.

Objection. Some say the Body of Christ is the bride, therefore the city belongs to us.

Answer. Revelation identifies the city as the bride, the Lamb’s wife, and ties it to Israel’s tribes and apostles. Paul identifies us as His body with a heavenly position, not a prophetic bride with a city on earth. Compare Revelation 21 verses 9 through 14 with Ephesians 2 verses 6 through 7 and Ephesians 4 verse 4.

Objection. Hebrews 12 calls it the heavenly Jerusalem which must include us now.

Answer. Hebrews addresses Israel’s believing remnant looking to their new covenant and kingdom hope. Its heavenly Jerusalem language sets forth their city from above that will come down to the new earth. This is their program and their promises, not the mystery of the Body of Christ.

Summary

The New Jerusalem is the holy city that fulfills Israel’s prophetic hope. It descends from God to the new earth. Its gates bear the names of Israel’s twelve tribes. Its foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Redeemed Israel will dwell there, and the saved nations will walk in its light. The Body of Christ will not live there, because our hope and position are in heavenly places in Christ, a mystery purpose not revealed by the prophets. The unredeemed and all that defile shall not enter that city, but only they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Read Revelation 21 verse 27.

A Closing Gospel Clarifier For Today

While Revelation sets Israel’s future city in prophecy, today God is dispensing grace through the gospel preached by Paul. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. Read First Corinthians 15 verses 3 through 4. We are justified by faith in the blood of Christ, without works. Read Romans 3 verses 24 through 26 and Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 9. This gospel saves today and places believers into the Body of Christ with a heavenly hope, not into the bride with an earthly city.

Key Passages To Revisit

Revelation 21 through 22, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 62 verses 4 through 5, Hosea 2 verses 19 through 20, Jeremiah 31 verses 31 through 34, Ezekiel 37 verses 24 through 28, Hebrews 11 verses 10 and 16, Ephesians 1 verse 3, Ephesians 2 verse 6, Philippians 3 verse 20, First Thessalonians 4 verses 16 through 17.