And I saw a City New Jerusalem.

[HAZARD]

Rev 21:2, And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

Rev. 21:16, And the city lieth foursquare, 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.

 

Twelve Thousand Furlongs, that's about 1,500 miles wide, 1,500 miles long and 1,500 miles high.

 

How can that be? Imagine a city 1,500 X 1500 X 1500 miles high, wide and long?

 

Lets look at such a construction over the USA.

 

 

Now Over the Holy Land;

 

Surely God would not build something that awkward looking on the Earth to remain here forever? No, here is what we can expect to see. A city with a wall about it 300 feet high, having twelve gates of pearl on which is written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel which are not closed day or night, as being four square  with three gates on each side as having twelve foundations and on them the names of the twelve apostles and garnished with all manner of precious stones, and having streets of gold like transparent glass, and having rivers, trees, fountains of waters, and the glory of God for the light of it. The entire city is pure gold!

Thus from Scripture we can conclude that the city is not simply a cube for a wall would be of no value around a cube, which itself would have four sides 1,500 miles high. From all the statements mentioned in Scripture it is clear that the city is a series of mountain peaks, beginning inside the walls as low foothills and increasing in height until the highest peak is, 1,500 miles high. On the highest part is built the Heavenly Tabernacle or capitol building where God sits as Supreme Moral Governor of the Universe. It was after the patterns of this tabernacle that Moses made his earthly tabernacle (Heb. 8:5; 9:23). On the mountains and in the valleys are built many mansions of John 14:1-3. There are living fountains of waters springing up through the city and rivers of water clear as crystal.

[other one]

remember that the first heaven and earth have passed away and we should have received out new bodies, so the new heaven and new city may well not be existing under the same physics we are today.....  Remember also that there is no need for a sun for the Lord is our light.

None of this leads me to understand that the new heaven and earth are anything like the old.

[Marilyn C]

Hi Hazard,

Also from down under. There seems to be a few of us Aussies on Worthy. Anyway, my view (& was taught) is that the New Jerusalem is above the earth & is the connecting vehicle for the spiritual & natural realms. The description is symbolic (of an actual `city`) & all the elements of the `heavenly substances` are found in God`s word.

Blessings, Marilyn. 

 

 

[Kan]

Thankyou Hazard for that practical illustration. It helps us to be realistic.

Ezekiel 40:12 is the beginning of an interesting vision, which has many similar features as seen by John.

See Revelation 21:10. "A very great and high mountain" the same as Ezekiel saw.

The prophets both saw a high mountain, and then they were shown an enclosure/wall with entrances, and the city of God and the throne etc. The river of life is also mentioned and a nearby city with 12 suburbs, and so on. Reading the two together brings in a lot of detail about heaven. 

(By the way, the visions of Ezekiel included a functioning temple, with altars for sacrifices etc. There are no sacrifices in heaven as such, but God was showing what Israel could have built on earth had they been faithful - a miniature model of heaven on earth, which would be a mighty city, with housing, farming and market places. They already had Solomon's temple as an example, which was unfortunately pilfered and ruined.)

Is this great and high mountain heaven? Is it the shape of a mountain rather than a cube?

If we take the measurement of the height from the diagonal to the top of the pyramid type shape we may have the same length as the breadth of the city.

We note that it "lies square" but it does not stand up square.

We can read many references about the "mountain of the Lord" being His habitation etc. but we never read about a great block. what you said about the walls makes perfect sense. Why measure the height of the walls when they would be only a hair breadth by comparison to the block?

In the visions of Ezekiel, he or the angel do a lot of measuring, and we find that objects like a gate, temple or house, are measured using a reed, while standing on one corner of the structure. The length is to the left and right, the breadth to the right or straight ahead, and the height from the corner to the pinnacle of the building.

The walls are measured from the base to the top. Could the "mountain of the Lord" be measured first by how it lies and then to it's pinnacle via its profile?

That is the order in which John describes it. 

Using this style, which is consistent with the Biblical ways of doing things, the overall incline of the mountain would be as natural and low as our mountains. What is more the earth is spherical, so the city base would match the curvature of the earth, it would bend to accommodate the sphere, and we can see from your model, that it is so large, that with the curvature of the earth and its gravity to the center, heaven would have an incline as little as 15 degrees, and heaven is so great (it's diagonal covers the width of our moon) that it is likely to have its own gravity, just like a planet, making the journey to the top like a walk in the plains. 

 

[Guest]

The New Jerusalem is above the Earth. This is demonstrated by Scripture, which tell us that the City will serve as the light source for the entire Earth.

[missmuffet]

2 hours ago, Rick_Parker said:

The New Jerusalem is above the Earth. This is demonstrated by Scripture, which tell us that the City will serve as the light source for the entire Earth.

Yes.

[Willa]

To me it sounds like the Garden of Eden.  Jesus also calls it Paradise. in Rev 2:7  The River of Life is the Holy Spirit, isn't it?  Jesus called Him like rivers of living waters flowing out from you.  The Tree of Life is Jesus?  He is the vine and we are the branches.  He is the Root of Jesse.  Both the Father and the Son have life within themselves.  Jesus is the bread of life.    They are the source of life.  And they are also the source of light in Paradise.                                                                      

[HAZARD]

5 hours ago, Rick_Parker said:

The New Jerusalem is above the Earth. This is demonstrated by Scripture, which tell us that the City will serve as the light source for the entire Earth.

Rev. 21:2, And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. V 3, 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.

It will be on the earth.

Rev. 3:12; 21:2; 24-26 22:1-5;

Rev. 22:1, And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
    V 2, In the midst of the street of it, and 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.
    V 3, And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
   V  4, And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
    V 5, And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

These passages state that the Holy City will be transported from Heaven to the Earth after the Millennium to be among men forever. The eternal location will be on the Earth.

The light of the city will surpass the light of the sun, moon, and stars. We know that the light of the sun, moon and stars will be increased during the Millennium (Isa. 30:26) so if the glory of God outshines this new light of the sun, moon, and stars it will be wonderful beyond words. These passages do not teach that the sun and moon will not shine, but that in this particular city there will be no need for them, for there will be a greater light - the glory of God. Neither do these passages teach that there will be no sun, and moon in the rest of the Earth, for they will shine forever and day and night will not cease on Earth (Gen.8:22; Ps. 89:2-3, 29. 35:37; Jer. 31:35:6).

This light of the New Jerusalem will radiate from Gods throne on the highest peak of the city 1,500 miles high and will give light to all the city below. It is beyond the imagination of men to picture how marvellous will be the dazzling light from the glory of God shining on this city of transparent gold and decked with all manner of precious stones and pearls.  Whether this glory will be the full brightness that God lives in now as stated in 1 Tim 6:16 is not clear, but it will be brighter than the brightest sunlight possible, as is stated in Rev. 21:23-25.

[Guest]

At 1400 miles tall, it would extend into space well beyond the upper atmosphere and be 4,000 times as tall as the world’s next tallest building. If it was circular in shape the New Jerusalem would be 2/3^rds the size of the moon. And for me the clincher is in Rev. 21:24 which says the nations will walk by its light. Since Earth will get its light from the New Jerusalem, it has to be detached from Earth or else one side of the planet would always be dark. (Remember, in Matt. 24:29 Jesus said the sun and moon would not give their light after the end of the Great Tribulation.) Put this all together and I think that although the Bible doesn’t specifically say so, it’s logical to conclude that the New Jerusalem will not land on Earth.

[HAZARD]

23 hours ago, Rick_Parker said:

At 1400 miles tall, it would extend into space well beyond the upper atmosphere and be 4,000 times as tall as the world’s next tallest building. If it was circular in shape the New Jerusalem would be 2/3^rds the size of the moon. And for me the clincher is in Rev. 21:24 which says the nations will walk by its light. Since Earth will get its light from the New Jerusalem, it has to be detached from Earth or else one side of the planet would always be dark. (Remember, in Matt. 24:29 Jesus said the sun and moon would not give their light after the end of the Great Tribulation.) Put this all together and I think that although the Bible doesn’t specifically say so, it’s logical to conclude that the New Jerusalem will not land on Earth.

The sun will be darkened 5 times during Daniels 70th Week.

Rev. 6:12 During the 6th seal in the early part of the week.

2. during the 4th trumpet, V 8:12.

3. During the 5th trumpet V 9:2

4. During the 5th vial at the end of the Week V 16:10.

5. Immediately after the future tribulation at the second advent (Matt. 24:29; Isa. 13:10; Ez. 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Acts 2:16:21).

The sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17), the wrath of God begins. In the first five seals we have the wrath of man, but with the sixth seal God begins to pour out His judgments because of the persecution of His people on Earth. There are seven great events that happen under this seal: an earthquake, darkening of the sun, turning the moon to blood, falling of meteors, rolling back of the heavens, moving of mountains and islands, and the beginning of God's wrath.

These things will not continue for ever, the Earth's not going anywhere, New Jerusalem is coming to the Earth.

Gen 8:22, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. There can be no day and night with out the sun and the moon.