All posts tagged Revelation 22:3-5

Aspects of New Jerusalem in these verses.

No Levitical Service in New Jerusalem

In Exodus and Leviticus both the priestly service and the Levitical service were established. The first was for ministering directly to God, the second for practical support.

New JerusalemIn the New Testament a local church has both elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 8-13). The elders oversee and guide the church; they also minister the Word of God (as do others who are not elders). The deacons help with practical service (e.g. Acts 6:1-3).

In New Jerusalem, everyone of God’s people will be priests, ministering directly to God and being directly supplied by Him. Revelation 22:3b says, “His slaves will serve Him.” The Greek word translated serve means to serve as a priest. In eternity there will be no need for practical service by Levites or deacons.

But don’t wait for New Jerusalem. Revelation 1:5-6 and 5:9-10 both say clearly that all who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb are a kingdom and “priests to our God.” We are all priests to worship God, sing and speak praises to Him, proclaim His worth and accomplishments, and release thanksgivings to Him.

First Peter 2:5 says we all (even babes in Christ, v. 2) “are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices.” Verse 9 adds that we are a royal priesthood to “tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

The priesthood today is our foretaste of and our preparation for New Jerusalem. Let’s all participate!

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by Don on February 16, 2024  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on February 16, 2024

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/no-levitical-service-in-new-jerusalem/

New Jerusalem is Eternally Perfect

An angel “measured [New Jerusalem] with the reed to a length of twelve thousand stadia; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal” (Rev. 21:16).

In the Bible twelve means something eternal and perfect. The dimensions of New Jerusalem indicate that it is one thousand fold eternally perfect.

New Jerusalem is a living entity, not a physical thing. Do not try to interpret its measurements in physical terms. Such efforts lead to many strange explanations which do not correspond with what God has presented to us in the Bible.

The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal shows that the entire city is the eternal holy of holies where we are forever in the presence of God and see His face (Rev. 22:4).

Photo courtesy of US National Park Service.

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by Don on January 22, 2024  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on January 22, 2024

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/01/22/new-jerusalem-is-eternally-perfect/

The Light, the River, and the Tree for our Enjoyment

The fifth aspect of the New Jerusalem’s application to the believers is the triune enjoyment. (the prior four are linked below)
According to the record in Revelation 21 and 22, the main stress of the New Jerusalem’s application to us is the aspect of the triune enjoyment. The enjoyment of the New Jerusalem is of the Triune God, the very Godhead of the Trinity. The items of our triune enjoyment are the divine light (21:23a; 22:5), the divine river (v. 1), and the divine tree (vv. 2a, 14).*

New JerusalemRevelation 22:5 tells us that those who are in New Jerusalem “have no need of the light of a lamp and of the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine upon them.” Verses 22:1-2 present “a river of water of life” and “on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits.”

The light, the river, and the tree are the Triune God for our experience and enjoyment both now and, to a much greater extent, in New Jerusalem. An example is the light in 1 John 1. God is light (v. 5), we can walk in this light and have fellowship with one another (v. 7), and if we confess our sins (v. 9) ‘the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from every sin (v. 7).

First Corinthians 12:13 declares we “were all given to drink one Spirit.” And in John 6:50-58 the Lord Jesus told us that He is the bread we may eat to live forever. These verses show us the Triune God as our enjoyment now and in New Jerusalem.

* From chapter 43, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986

The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Entry posts begin here
The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Constitution posts begin here
The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Existence posts begin here
The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Living posts begin here

 

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by Don on October 23, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Life and New Jerusalem, River of Life and Tree of Life
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Posted by Don on October 23, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/10/23/the-light-the-river-and-the-tree-for-our-enjoyment-43-1-1/

Live by the Spirit’s Flow from the Redeeming God

Revelation 22:1 and 3 show the center of New Jerusalem: “the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

We should be those living with the Father as the source of life (John 1:13; Eph. 4:18; John 5:26) on the throne. The first striking point of the New Jerusalem is that God is sitting on the throne. This God is the Lamb-God, the redeeming God….The first verse of Genesis tells us that God only created. In Revelation 22:1, however, we see God and the Lamb, which signifies that God is now the redeeming God, no longer merely the creating God. In Genesis 1:1 He was the creating God, but in Revelation 22:1 we see the redeeming God.*

New JerusalemThe redeeming God is on the throne and the Spirit flows out from the throne as the “river of water of life.” God’s intention in creation was that man would eat the tree of life in the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9) to take God in as His life and thereby express God.

But man took the fruit God had commanded him not to take and fell away from God into sin and death. As a result, man was shut out of the garden and kept away from the tree of life (Gen. 3:22-24). Much later Jesus came to redeem man from sin. However, redemption was not the goal; redemption was a step to restore man to the position to receive God as life (John 3:15-16).

After we accept God’s redemption and receive Christ as our life, this life grows in us. This growth causes us to live Christ and magnify Him. The ultimate stage of this growth, living, and magnification is New Jerusalem.

* From chapter 42, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

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by Don on October 6, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on October 6, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/10/06/live-by-the-spirits-flow-from-the-redeeming-god-42-1-5/

New Jerusalem is a Mutual Indwelling

The New Jerusalem is the tabernacle, and in another sense it is a temple. This is a strong proof that the New Jerusalem is not a physical city but a personal entity. The New Jerusalem is the believers, God’s tabernacle, and God, the believers’ temple. He dwells in us, the tabernacle, and we dwell in Him, the temple. We serve God in God. This is God’s expansion. The New Jerusalem as a spiritual, divine constitution is God’s dwelling place, God’s corporate expression, and God’s expansion to be our temple for us to live in and to serve Him. Praise the Lord for the triune constitution!*

New JerusalemThese aspects of New Jerusalem are the eternal fulfillment of John 14:20, “I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” and John 15:4, “Abide in Me and I in you.” The Lord is in us, the disciples, and we are in the Lord.

The Lord prayed for this in John 17:21, “That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us.” His prayer continues “the glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as We are one” (v. 22). This points to the glory expressed by New Jerusalem.

Also, in Revelation 21:22, “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its [New Jerusalem’s] temple.” In this living temple we will live and serve God as priests (22:3).

* From chapter 40, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986

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by Don on September 4, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on September 4, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/09/04/new-jerusalem-is-a-mutual-indwelling/

Praise the Lord and Partake of His Divine Nature

“His divine power has granted to us all things which relate to life and godliness” and “He has granted to us precious and exceedingly great promises that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

Peter tells us in his second Epistle that through the precious and exceedingly great promises, the believers might become partakers of the divine nature (v. 4). We all need to praise the Lord that we have God’s divine nature as the gold within us. His divine nature is rich, high, excellent, and brilliant! He has also given us great promises in both the Old and New Testaments to enable us to partake of this golden nature.*

New JerusalemGod has given “all things” and “granted great promises” that we might partake. Now we cooperate. We have a great High Priest (Heb. 4:14) who has redeemed us and given us divine life. “Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help” (4:16).

God will not force Himself on us but He strongly desires that we take action to receive all that He has made available.

In New Jerusalem we will not be passive. We all will actively enjoy the presence of God with the tree of life and river of life and we will all serve God (Rev. 22:1-5). Don’t wait for New Jerusalem; come forward to God now!

* From chapter 40, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

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by Don on August 16, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on August 16, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/08/16/praise-the-lord-and-partake-of-his-divine-nature/

Live and Serve God in New Jerusalem’s Flow of Life

Revelation 22 describes life in New Jerusalem. The city has “a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,” God’s “slaves will serve Him [as priests],” “they will see His face,” and “they will reign forever and ever.”

New JerusalemIt is here in this flow from the throne that we serve Him and that we see His face. Also, in this flow we reign as kings (22:5). If you do go to the mission field, you must go by taking God’s throne in the center of your being. Then every day out of the throne the water flows and the tree grows. When you drink the water of life and eat the tree of life, you will serve Him, you will see His face, and you will be a king.*

Whatever we do should be in the flow of life from the throne. This is to live Christ by allowing Christ to live in us (Phil. 1:21; Gal. 2:20). By this living we “magnify Christ” and “shine as luminaries in the world, holding forth the word of life” (Phil. 1:20, 2:15-16). Such a living is a precursor of life in New Jerusalem.

* From chapter 38, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

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by Don on June 28, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on June 28, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/06/28/live-and-serve-god-in-new-jerusalems-flow-of-life/

Come and Eat, Now and New Jerusalem

Revelation 22:1-2 reveals the river of life and the tree of life. Verses 22:3b-4 presents aspects of life in New Jerusalem, including “His slaves will serve Him; and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.”

In the place where the Triune God flows, we serve Him (v. 3). Not only do we serve Him, but also we see His face (v. 4). His face is in the water of life and in the fruit of the tree of life. When you drink the water of life, you see His face. When you eat the fruit of the tree of life, you receive His face. You serve Him by drinking and eating Him.*    77

New JerusalemSix times in John 6 the Lord Jesus speaks of those who “come to Me.” He also told us that He is the bread of life. To come to Him as the bread of life is to eat Him. And He will still be the bread of life in New Jerusalem.

Hebrews 12:1-2 exhorts us to put away all the things which entangle us and “run with endurance the race which is set before us, looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” The more we look to Him, the more He nourishes us, and the more we have the present experience of New Jerusalem.

* From chapter 38, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

Photo courtesy of European Space Agency.

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by Don on June 16, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on June 16, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/06/16/come-and-eat-now-and-new-jerusalem/

God is the Light and Glory of New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:23 tells us, “the city [New Jerusalem] has no need of the sun or of the moon that they should shine in it, for the glory of God illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.”

The New Jerusalem has no need of the sun or of the moon, neither of the light of a lamp (Rev. 21:23a; 22:5a). The fact that there is no need of the sun or of the moon indicates that in the New Jerusalem there is no natural light, and the fact that there is no need of the light of a lamp means that there is no man-made light. God Himself, the very divine person, is the light. The glory of God, the Lord God Himself, illumines the city (21:23b; 22:5b). God is both the light within and the glory without. He is the inner light and the outer expression of the light, the glory.*

New JerusalemThe Lord Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world” and He is “the light of life” (John 8:12). Today we still have need of natural light and man-made light, but the Lord is within us as our real light. For our Christian walk today He is the light; otherwise, as He said, we are in darkness.

Today we are learning to walk in His light, to live according to the leading of the Spirit within (Rom. 8:14). This is our learning for New Jerusalem. When the city appears in fullness we will be mature, having no more need of natural or man-made light but will be entirely in the light of life.

* From chapter 37, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

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by Don on May 12, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on May 12, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/12/god-is-the-light-and-glory-of-new-jerusalem/

God Himself is Our Dwelling Place

In New Jerusalem, under the throne of God and the Lamb, with the river of life and the tree of life, “His slaves will serve Him” (Rev. 22:3). The Greek text of the New Testament has three different words often translated “serve;” here it means to serve as a priest.

We serve God in God Himself as the Spirit reaching us. When we pray, we pray in God Himself as the Spirit reaching us. The proper prayer and the proper service we render to God must be in God Himself. If we pray in ourselves, that prayer is not genuine. The genuine prayer must be to God and in God. God is our dwelling in the New Testament, and even the Old Testament saints had the same consideration. In Psalm 90:1 Moses said, “O Lord, You have been our dwelling place / In all generations.” This indicates that while Moses was traveling in the wilderness with the children of Israel for forty years, in his deep feeling he was dwelling in God. God was his dwelling place.*

New JerusalemThe word of Moses in Psalm 90 refers to “all generations”, so it is true for us today. The Lord Jesus told us, “Abide in Me and I in you” (John 15:4). And 1 Thessalonians was written “to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1:1).

To have God as our dwelling is not in the physical realm but in the spiritual realm. John 16 tells us that the Spirit guides us into all the reality, including the reality of abiding in God in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to open to the Spirit and seek this reality that we may appreciate it today, not waiting for the future.

In New Jerusalem God and the Lamb are the temple and the temple is the holy of holies which includes the whole city. Thus to be in New Jerusalem is to be in the holy of holies which is to be in God and the Lamb.

* From chapter 37, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

Photo courtesy of NASA.

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by Don on April 28, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on April 28, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/04/28/god-himself-is-our-dwelling-place/

The Triune God is the Temple of New Jerusalem

“The Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are [New Jerusalem’s] temple” (Rev. 21:22b). The Lord God the Almighty emphasizes His sovereignty over the entire universe. The Lamb points to His redeeming death and His resurrection to apply this redemption to us.

New JerusalemOur God today is the very Redeemer as well as the Triune God, so the redeeming Triune God is our temple. Since our redeeming Triune God is our temple, how could He be a literal cube? Again, we cannot understand this city in a physical way. If we try to understand the city in a physical way, we cannot get through in any direction. The fact that the New Jerusalem is a cube of twelve thousand stadia in three dimensions shows the absolute perfection and eternal completeness of our redeeming Triune God who is the temple and who is the Holy of Holies.*

The Triune God is the living temple of New Jerusalem. The work in the outer court and the holy place have been completed and they are no longer needed. Every aspect of the relationship of God and His people will be in the holy of holies, so the eternal temple is solely the holy of holies.

There, in New Jerusalem, we “will serve Him,” “will see His face,” and “the Lord God will shine” on us (Rev. 22:3-5).

* From chapter 37, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

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by Don on April 24, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on April 24, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/04/24/the-triune-god-is-the-temple-of-new-jerusalem/

New Jerusalem, the Center of God’s Administration

Revelation 22:3 says, “the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it [New Jerusalem].” This is the eternal consummation of God’s kingdom, God’s administration over the universe.

New JerusalemTwelve is the number of absolute perfection and eternal completion in God’s administration. In the Old Testament…the twelve tribes were for God’s administration. In the New Testament the twelve apostles’ preaching was for the producing of the churches, and the churches are God’s government for God’s administration. Thus, both the twelve tribes in the Old Testament and the twelve apostles in the New Testament are for God’s governmental administration….The entire New Jerusalem will be the consummation of God’s administration. This is why the center of the New Jerusalem is God’s throne, which is mainly for God’s governmental administration.*

In Genesis 1:26-28 God blessed created man with His image (to express Him) and dominion (to represent His authority). However, in a short time man turned from God to Satan and could no longer be God’s expression or representation.

Later, God was incarnated in the man Jesus to redeem man, impart His life into man, and restore man as His expression and representation. This representation is in God’s administration of His kingdom. Therefore, the first proclamation of both John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2) and Jesus (Matt. 4:17) is “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.”

Through the Lord’s death, resurrection, and ascension the kingdom was fully brought forth. It is now a reality within us (Rom. 14:17) and will be openly displayed by New Jerusalem.

* From chapter 35, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.

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by Don on March 10, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on March 10, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/new-jerusalem-the-center-of-gods-administration/

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