New Jerusalem - the Consummation

The introduction to this series

by Don on April 5, 2024 • Permalink

Posted in Life and New Jerusalem

Tagged Christ the living Word, enlargement, grow with the growth of God, John, tabernacle of God, temple, the house & family of God, Thessalonians-Timothy-Titus

Posted by Don on April 5, 2024

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/04/05/the-house-of-god-2/

New Jerusalem in God’s New Testament Economy

This is the conclusion of a series of posts which began over a year ago. These have excerpts about New Jerusalem from the latter part of the book God’s New Testament Economy*. These posts present spiritual significances of the characteristics of New Jerusalem and their application in our current Christian life. Each line below has the name of a chapter in God’s New Testament Economy with a link to the first post from that chapter.

26. The New Jerusalem—The Ultimate Consummation

27. The New Jerusalem—Its Designations (1)
28. The New Jerusalem—Its Designations (2)

29. The New Jerusalem—The Basic Elements of its Structure (1)
33. The New Jerusalem—The Basic Elements of its Structure (5)
34. The New Jerusalem—The Basic Elements of its Structure (6)

35. The New Jerusalem—Its Triune Entrance
36. The New Jerusalem—Its Wall, Its Foundation, and Its Street
37. The New Jerusalem—Its Dimensions, Its Temple, and Its Light
38. The New Jerusalem—Its Throne

39. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Entry
40. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Constitution
41. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Existence
42. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Living
43. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Enjoyment
44. The New Jerusalem’s Application to the Believers—the Triune Expression

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

by Don on December 8, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Characteristics of New Jerusalem, Life and New Jerusalem

Tagged building up is spiritual, corporate expression of God, God's eternal purpose, mingling, pearl gates, precious stones, pure gold, Revelation 21–22, river of life, spiritual signs, summaries, temple, throne of God and the Lamb, tree of life, Triune God, wall, wife of the Lamb

Posted by Don on December 8, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/12/08/gods-new-testament-economy-summary/

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!*

These 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

by Don on September 4, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Life and New Jerusalem

Tagged God's slaves serve Him, John, mutual indwelling, priests of God, Revelation 21:22-27, Revelation 22:3-5, tabernacle of God, temple

Posted by Don on September 4, 2023

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

New Jerusalem, a Mingling of Divinity & Humanity

Revelation 21:3, “the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will tabernacle with them.”
Revelation 21:22b, “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are [New Jerusalem’s] temple.”
Revelation 21:23b, “the glory of God illumined [New Jerusalem], and its lamp is the Lamb.”

Our Triune God is our lamp, our light, and our temple in whom we serve. We dwell in Him, and He shines within us. We are His tabernacle in whom He dwells, and He is our temple in whom we dwell. He is also our lamp and our light who shines from within us through the lamp. He is in us, and we are in Him. This is a mingling of the divine Spirit with our human spirit. In our human spirit He dwells in us, the tabernacle, and we dwell in Him, the divine Spirit reaching us, the temple.*

The mingling of the divine Spirit with our human spirit is 1 Corinthians 6:17, “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” This mingling began when we were born again; “that which is born of the [divine] Spirit is [our human] spirit” (John 3:6). As a result, “The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16).

This mingling grows through our Christian life and into the coming ages with a consummation as New Jerusalem. The growth includes the renewing in the spirit of our mind by the renewing Spirit within us (Eph. 4:23; Titus 3:5).

Even today the Spirit imparts life into our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11), which will be fully transfigured when the Lord Jesus returns in glory (Phil. 3:21). In New Jerusalem our entire being will be mingled with the Spirit; without any trace of mortality!

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

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

by Don on May 17, 2023 • Permalink

Tagged born of the Spirit, Lamb-lamp, light of life, mingling, mutual indwelling, one spirit, renewing of the Spirit, Revelation 21:22-27, Revelation 21:3-8, Romans, tabernacle of God, temple, the Spirit with our spirit, Thessalonians-Timothy-Titus, transfigure, Triune God

Posted by Don on May 17, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/17/new-jerusalem-a-mingling-of-divinity-humanity/

We Worship in Spirit, Now and in New Jerusalem

John wrote about the city New Jerusalem, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (Rev. 21:22) The temple is the living God Himself.

In Revelation John tells us that the temple in which we worship is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. John 4:24 also tells us that God whom we worship is Spirit. This is the Triune God reaching us as the Spirit, and this is our temple. Here in this temple, we worship and dwell with God in our spirit. In our human spirit He dwells in us who are His tabernacle, and in the divine Spirit we dwell in Him who is our temple. In our spirit we enjoy our triune, processed, redeeming, and reaching God as our habitation. What an enjoyment!*

John 4:23 has words of the Lord Jesus, “the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truthfulness, for the Father also seeks such to worship Him.” To worship in spirit is our privilege, even our blessing. Our Father God is seeking our worship in this way.

Verse 24 continues, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.” To worship in spirit is to worship God in God. This is both for now and in New Jerusalem, which will be filled with “true worshippers.”

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

by Don on May 10, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Characteristics of New Jerusalem, Life and New Jerusalem

Tagged John, Revelation 21:22-27, temple, worship in spirit

Posted by Don on May 10, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/10/we-worship-in-spirit-now-and-in-new-jerusalem/

New Jerusalem is our Eternal Holy of Holies

New Jerusalem: “the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal” (Rev. 21:16) and “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (21:22).

The dimensions of the New Jerusalem indicate that it is the Holy of Holies, and this Holy of Holies is not a physical thing but the divine person. How could the divine person be measured? Is not God immeasurable and unlimited? God is the Holy of Holies, and it has been measured to be twelve thousand stadia in three dimensions. God is immeasurable, but He has some measurements. These measurements show the perfection and completion of our wonderful God. Even today we are in our perfect and complete God as our Holy of Holies, our temple.*

New Jerusalem is not a physical city; it is a spiritual entity composed with God and all His people built together. The twelve thousand stadia are not a physical distance but a spiritual indication of the perfection and completeness of God.

We have been reborn in our human spirit with God’s divine life (John 1:12-13; 3:5-6). Now this life is growing in us and washing away all our fallen oldness. We are growing to maturity unto the perfection and completion of New Jerusalem. This is the Lord’s word in Matthew 5:48: “You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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

by Don on May 8, 2023 • Permalink

Tagged Bible numbers, building up is spiritual, complete, perfect, Revelation 21:12-21, spiritual signs, temple, twelve

Posted by Don on May 8, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/08/new-jerusalem-is-our-eternal-holy-of-holies/

New Jerusalem is a Mutual Indwelling of God and His People

New Jerusalem is presented as the tabernacle in Revelation 21:3 and as the temple in 21:22

The New Jerusalem as the tabernacle to God and the temple to us indicates a marvelous mingling in that God’s dwelling is our dwelling, and our dwelling is God’s dwelling. We are here to be God’s dwelling, and God is here to be our dwelling. God dwells in us, and we dwell in Him—a mutual indwelling. This corresponds with John 15:4. In eternity future the New Jerusalem will be the tabernacle for God’s dwelling and the temple for our dwelling.*

In John 14 the Lord Jesus spoke about His leaving the disciples by His death and coming back to them in His resurrection. He said (v. 20) that in the day of His resurrection we will know “I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” This is the mutual indwelling which consummates in New Jerusalem.

In John 15:4 He continued with “Abide in Me and I in you.” In verse 7 He expressed the same in this way: “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you…” The key to Him abiding in us is His words. May we open ourselves freshly each day for His speaking through the Bible, so that we experience the mutual abiding of New Jerusalem now.

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

by Don on May 5, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in New Jerusalem is Spiritual

Tagged amen to God's word, John, mutual indwelling, Revelation 21:22-27, Revelation 21:3-8, tabernacle of God, temple

Posted by Don on May 5, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/05/new-jerusalem-is-a-mutual-indwelling-of-god-and-his-people/

Both Today and in Eternity God is our Temple

Revelation 21:22 tells us, “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are [New Jerusalem’s] temple.” The temple is the living God to match the nature of the city, a living composition of God and all His people.

Even today our God is our temple. It is not reasonable to think that when we enter into eternity, we will have another temple. We will not get out of God and enter into another temple. When we get into eternity, God will be our temple, and this should not be a surprise to us. We should be able to say that while we were living on the earth, we remained in this temple all the time, in our God who is triune, processed, redeeming, and reaching us as the Spirit. The New Jerusalem, this allegory, is the ultimate consummation of the entire divine revelation, and this is a practical application of God being our temple.*

God the Father and Jesus Christ are in the heavens seated on the throne. Yet they are our dwelling place! Ephesians 2:4-6 declares that God “made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.” This was done by God, not by our effort.

Likewise Philippians 1:1 and Colossians 1:2 recognize our position in Christ. In eternity we will not be pushed out of God and Christ. No! We will remain in them as our eternal dwelling. We are in the Triune God and the Triune God is in us; this is the reality of New Jerusalem.

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

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.

by Don on May 3, 2023 • Permalink

Tagged consummation, Ephesians 2, mutual indwelling, of God we are in Christ Jesus, Revelation 21:22-27, temple, Triune God

Posted by Don on May 3, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/03/both-today-and-in-eternity-god-is-our-temple/

We Serve God in the Temple; that is, in God Himself

The Old Testament had a physical tabernacle and temple as shadows of the New Testament reality. In the NT time Christ is the reality.

Today we do not have a physical temple, but our temple is our triune, processed, redeeming God, reaching us as the Spirit. Such a Spirit is our temple. We worship and serve God in this temple, and day and night God is our dwelling place. When I was traveling in a plane, I told the Lord, “This plane is not my dwelling place. You are my dwelling place. I am not actually in this plane, but I am in You.”*

In Revelation 7 John was shown a multitude who “are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple” (v. 15). These believers serve God “in His temple” and in verse 21:22 we are told that “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are [New Jerusalem’s] temple.” Thus, to serve in the temple is to serve in God.

To be in God is the reality both now and in New Jerusalem. To realize this, we need to “seek the things which are above” and “set your mind on the things which are above, not on the things which are on the earth” (Col. 3:1, 2). This connects us to the present spiritual reality of New Jerusalem.

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

Bible verses quoted in these posts are from The Holy Bible, Recovery Version, published and © by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim CA, 2003. The text of this Bible is at text.recoveryversion.bible; this too is © by LSM.

Photo courtesy of pdphoto.org.

by Don on May 1, 2023 • Permalink

Tagged Christian life and walk, God's slaves serve Him, Revelation 21:22-27, Revelation 5–11, temple

Posted by Don on May 1, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/05/01/we-serve-god-in-the-temple-that-is-in-god-himself/

Serve God in God Himself, in Spirit

New Jerusalem has a living temple; “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev. 21:22).

The temple being the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb signifies that the Triune God is our dwelling place in eternity (Deut. 33:27; Psa. 90:1), in which we serve Him. Many people feel that we serve God in the sanctuaries, in the chapels, and in the cathedrals. However, we must realize that the Bible reveals that we serve God in God Himself. We may also say that we serve God in the Spirit. The New Testament shows that the Spirit is the processed Triune God reaching us.*

The Spirit reaches us and we live and serve God in spirit—our human spirit mingled with the Spirit of God.

Paul, in Romans 1:9 speaks of God “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son.” And in Romans 7:6, “we serve in newness of spirit.” In our natural man is oldness but in Spirit is newness.

Philippians 3 assures us that circumcision is not an outward form but “we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh” (v. 3). The flesh here is not only our sinful aspects but rather all that we are from our human birth.

In New Jerusalem we, God’s slaves, “will serve Him [as priests]; and they will see His face” (Rev. 22:3-4).

Photo courtesy of unsplash.com.

by Don on April 26, 2023 • Permalink

Tagged boast in Christ Jesus, God's slaves serve Him, human spirit, Philippians, Revelation 21:22-27, Romans, temple, the Spirit

Posted by Don on April 26, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/04/26/serve-god-in-god-himself-in-spirit/

To be in the Holy of Holies is to be in God

In Revelation 21:22 John says, “I saw no temple in it [New Jerusalem], for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

The temple is not something physical or material, but the temple is a personal temple, even the Triune God Himself. The Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb indicate the redeeming Triune God. The Lamb, who is the second of the Trinity, is also the temple. We have seen thus far that the entire New Jerusalem is a cube just like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Exo. 26:2-8) and in the temple (1 Kings 6:20), but here it says that John saw no temple. The temple is a person, and this person is the Triune God, the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.*

To be in the holy of holies is to be in God. By the time of New Jerusalem this will not be strange to us. From the day we received the Lord Jesus we have been a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Romans 6:3 says we “have been baptized into Christ Jesus.” And 1 Corinthians 1:30, of God we “are in Christ Jesus.”

Those verses speak of our objective position. But Romans 8:1, 2 speak of our being “in Christ Jesus” subjectively where we have the experiences set forth in the following verses. Here we live Christ, grow in Christ, and are built together with other believers. This is our course to being in New Jerusalem, the eternal holy of holies.

by Don on April 21, 2023 • Permalink

Posted in Characteristics of New Jerusalem, New Jerusalem is Spiritual

Tagged enter New Jerusalem, enter the veil, holy of holies, in Christ, Revelation 21:22-27, Romans, temple, Triune God

Posted by Don on April 21, 2023

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2023/04/21/to-be-in-the-holy-of-holies-is-to-be-in-god/

New Jerusalem is the Living Temple of God

“Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up….He spoke of the temple of His body.” (John 2:19, 21)
“You are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
“In whom [Christ Jesus] all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Eph. 2:21)

in the New Testament both the tabernacle and the temple are a person. After His resurrection this person was enlarged, multiplied, and propagated, so this person became a corporate person…. In the Gospels Christ is called the temple, and in the Epistles the church is called the temple (1 Cor. 3:16). Both are a person, not physical things. Since this is the case, how could the consummation of the New Testament be a physical building?…The tabernacle and the temple in the Gospels are a person, the temple in the Epistles is a corporate person, the church, and the New Jerusalem in Revelation as a consummation of the New Testament is a corporate person.*

Three verses in Hebrews present contrasts between the physical OT tabernacle and temple and the living NT temple: “the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man” (8:2), “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not of this creation” (9:11), “Christ did not enter into a holy place made by hands, a figure of the true” (9:24).

The old Jerusalem is merely a figure of the true, new Jerusalem, which is not of the old creation but of the new creation. Hence it is the heavenly and better country for our eternal dwelling.

by Don on November 25, 2022 • Permalink