The Holy City, New Jerusalem
(Rev 21:9-17)
The new heaven and earth in Revelation 21 shows us the perfect image of the heavenly kingdom. The heavenly kingdom is where we see with faith what we do not see otherwise and our values are changed. Notice the modifier of New Jerusalem, the Holy City for those who kept their spiritual chastity. Holiness is the theme of the Bible and the purpose of our life. Lets see what the Holy City, New Jerusalem there is like.
1. Its the city we enjoy after our last plague is over. We can be the Lambs brides after the last plague. The last plague is followed by the death of Babylon, the prostitute, the advent of the Lamb and New Jerusalem, which we can reach after coming out of the world, the city of Babylon. In order to get out of the world, we need to get through Gods judgment. Only then, can we enjoy the heavenly glory with God. Getting out of Babylon means to change our worldly values. Its not becoming impoverished. Then we enjoy recovery by being able to understand the Word through plagues. Thats why the vision Ezekiel saw was like the vision he had seen before the destruction of the city as in Ezekiel 43:3. They vision of recovery in chapter 1 is the same as that of destruction in chapter 9. Thus destruction and recovery are the key words of Gods temple. What God tells us, whether through vision or warning or recovery, is a blessing. Its the message that we will be restored if we live out well as a captive in a time of destruction through Gods warning. We need to keep it in mind and share it with others. Thats the supreme mission of us Christians and our church. The mission of Wooridle Church, given to us on its foundation day was that we proclaim the message of destruction, captivity, and recovery as stated in Ezekiel 43. Thats the mission of the New Jerusalem church. During our QT camp, a third-year middle school student, who had suffered from his relationships with his peers, was blessed to repent of his sins, touched by the Word. Notice the priority Listen to Gods warning and be restored in His time.
2. Its the city whose glory is seen only from the top of a great and high mountain. In chapter 17, The Holy Spirit took John from Babylon to the desert. After training in 21, John was taken to a mountain great and high and saw they Holy City in glory. Thus we can see the glory when we go up to our great and high mountain in the midst of our desert life. Both the phrases Lambs brides and the Holy City have the same meaning: the church. We can let go of our worldly things as much as we see the beauty of the holiness. We are built spiritually as much as we lose physically. We cant shine by ourselves. We can shine by reflecting the light of the Word. God makes those who see their sins reflect His light and shine. We call these people jewels. A senior high school student, who used to reject Pastor Kims visits, sent a repentance message to her mom after attending our church retreat, confessing that she was an Absalom. This is how we reflect the light of the Word after recognizing our sinful nature. We cant climb the great and high mountain except through the Holy Spirit. David did this in his toughest situation where he lost his son Absalom. Theres no greater and higher place in the world than that of the intercourse with God and of our spiritual community. Thats how David became a holy king beyond a great king. Whether our spouse has an affair or our child makes troubles, they all take the troubles to sanctify us for our entrance to the Holy City, New Jerusalem. Therefore, we need to trust our Lord, who will take us to His everlasting kingdom no matter how small our achievement might seem or how few people listen to our message.
3. Its the city where there are humble names. There are three gates on each of the four sides of the city, which stand for abundant opportunities of glorious intercourse with God. The twelve tribes and twelve apostles on the gates include all sinful problem people around us. No matter how great and high the wall may look, people can enter the city only through these gates, among which Jesus is called the gate of the Lamb. Thus we can come forward to God through Jesus if only we repent of our sins. The Holy City is the destination of Gods people, who share their weakness with one another. However humble they might look, by accepting who they are, they all will be enrolled in Gods kingdom.
4. Its the city which calls for precise measurement. The wall and gates of the city are measured by the unchangeable rod of gold, a precise ruler, which represents the perfect ministry of the trinity for salvation. 114 cubics is much smaller than 12,000 stadia, implying that what matters is substance. Great appearance without inner holiness is emptiness. The 12,000 stadia of Wooridle Church is its members tears of mourning for salvation. Our effort to live a holy life, knowing who we are is our inner stadia. Meanwhile, our small application of the resolution is the 144 cubit walls of our holy city. Thus our life on earth is measured by others whether we like it or not. Measuring ourselves on our own is our QT. This is how to live a consecrated life. By measuring our tough circumstances with the golden rod, we can enter the Holy City. Here is a middle school students application of entering the Holy City by measuring her dreadful situation with the Word. She confessed, 'Before coming to church, my parents used to fight each other until they lived apart for a year. Then my mother began to attend Wooridle worship service after she had a car accident when I was 7 years old. Yet my father said to her 'After spending lots of money, you go to church? Ill set fire to the church.' My father was so dreadful. Fed up with my parents fight, yet influenced by it, I rebelled against my mother like Absalom when I was a grade 6 student. I swore at her and even beat her. My mother and I still wrangle every day despite our daily QT after our one and half year war. But I apologized to my mom first. Please pray for my father, who doesnt go to church and for my mother, who has suffered from me, and for my wounded sisters recovery. I thank God for this sharing, which changes my scar into a star. Instead of dying before my own monument like Absalom, I was awakened in our last retreat by God, who shouted 'My son Absalom!' What an exemplar life in the Holy City. We need to enjoy the heavenly kingdom here on earth first. May God bless us to repent and open the gates of the Holy City as the Lambs wife, and enter the New Jerusalem.
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' (Rev 21:9)
