23.7 New Jerusalem is a real city (3)

Series 23

Episode 7

Prologue

Brothers and sisters, today’s topic of Treasures for the Soul is “New Jerusalem is a real city (3)”

Message

Part 1 

Revelation 21:9-10 reads, “Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.”

Part 2 

The holy city is a real city. The above verses say, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” The holy city is a real city carrying very important messages. However, you can’t equate the city as the Bride because people other than the church will also live in the city. 

Part 3 

The Lord once said on earth, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets…” (Matthew 23:37) This verse does not imply that the city of Jerusalem actually killed the prophets. Instead, it is referring to those who lived in it. Similarly, when you say that New York is miserable, you are not saying that the city itself is miserable but that the people of New York are miserable. 

Part 4 

The Bride is the most outstanding among all who dwell in the city. Of course, other people will also dwell in the city. But the church will remain the most prestigious and glorious. The Lord also said that He has prepared a place for us. This city is extremely beautiful, so it is rightfully called the Bride. However, this does not mean that the city is fake. Calling the city the Bride expresses in human terms the relationship between the Lord and the church, and the deep love union. This relationship is different from those on earth. So, here are some descriptions about the city. It would not make sense to use New Jerusalem as a symbol to refer to the Bride, which is another symbol. A symbol is used to represent the true form of reality. Simply put, the city is a real city with deep meanings. It shows many aspects of the church, as well as the glory of God and the Lord Himself. The Bride will be the most unique and important residents of this city. Therefore, it is rightful to call this city the Bride.

Part 5 

If the city was the church, it would make it very difficult to explain Rev 21:16-17. Instead, New Jerusalem is a real city with twelve gates and pearls.

Revelation 21:16-17 reads, “The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurements, which is also an angel’s measurement.”

Part 6 

This city is real. It has gates and a wall. It also has measurements. This city lies foursquare, and its length, width and height are equal. The Book of Hebrews talks about “shadows” and “realities”. (Hebrews 9:23, 10:1) 1 Kings chapter 6 says that the Most Holy Place in the temple had the same width, length and height, just like the holy city mentioned in Revelation, except that the holy city is more precious than the Most Holy Place. It is filled with God’s glory; the Most Holy Place in the past also had God’s light, but it could not be compared to this city, which is filled with God’s glory. The Lamb is the lamp of the city.

Part 7 

The shadows were made to resemble things that are real. It would be completely wrong to think that the shadows such as the Most Holy Place are real, but that the true forms, like the city, are not. Indeed, there is a real city in heaven. Those shadows on earth are used to help us to understand the true form in heaven.

Part 8 

Revelation 21:21-27 reads, “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Part 9 

The city is so immense that some people think it would be impossible to have such a large city. You can do the math—the length, width and height of the city would each be longer than the distance between Hong Kong and Beijing. In particular, some people find it hard to accept the great height of the city. Some think that the city is out of proportion to the size of the earth. In addition, the 12 gates of pearls will be unbelievably gigantic! It’s hard to believe that there’s a clam that could produce such a big pearl! Therefore, they conclude that it must be a symbol, not a real city.

Part 10 

When I was young, I did some math to estimate the total number of people who will live in heaven. This includes people who have been saved, babies who have never sinned, and all the saints from past generations. I felt that those who have not yet believed should repent as soon as possible. The Lord told us there are many rooms. But after all these generations, the rooms should be filled almost to capacity. We truly need such a big city to live in; otherwise, our rooms would be very tiny. Also, there will be some areas of the new city that we’ll be sharing with other residents. So if the city was not huge, our living spaces would be too tiny. Given that we will become the most glorious and honourable kings, small spaces wouldn’t be suitable for us to live in. 

Part 11 

The Father will bring many sons into great glory. This also proves that these are God’s words. Elevators and airplanes did not exist during John’s time. How would it be possible to travel up such a tall city? This also shows that these are God’s words. People cannot believe it because it is beyond their understanding. Actually, when we have a resurrected body, we’ll be able to go to the top of the city in no time. Because of the resurrected body, it does not matter how high the city is; we’ll be able to reach the top immediately. The size of the city is actually very appropriate. If these were not God’s words, how could John imagine such unusual things? Even though these words could be hard for some people to believe, he still wrote them down because they were true.

Part 12 

Try adding up the number of people in heaven. The Bible tells us very specifically what the volume of the city is. The length, width and height are equal. Just multiply the numbers and consider the public spaces along with the natural beauty. Then you will know that the Bible’s account of the city dimensions has to be true. In fact, such descriptions prove that it is the word of God. 

Part 13 

Some think the city is out of proportion. Indeed, a city as wide as the distance between Hong Kong and Beijing is very special. But I believe that the new earth will be bigger than the present earth. How much bigger? I don’t know. God will surely have the best plan.

Series 23

New Jerusalem is a real city

Message Date: 2020-04-10

The Lord said He went to prepare a place for us. When He has prepared it, He would come again to take us to be with Him. This place is New Jerusalem. However, many Christians nowadays are not so clear whether the New Jerusalem in heaven is a real city. Being affected by Greek culture and beliefs, some think that physical substances are not spiritual. So, they take New Jerusalem as a non-physical symbolic expression. Satan also wants to make people unclear and unsure of the things in heaven, so that they would not desire them. This series of messages list out many Bible verses to assure us that New Jerusalem is indeed a real city, which is also full of spiritual meanings.
1

23.1 God has prepared a heavenly home for us

2

23.2 Is the heavenly new Jerusalem a real city?

3

23.3 Satan causes man not to be clear and assured about the things in heaven

4

23.4 Are physical substances not spiritual?

5

23.5 New Jerusalem is a real city (1)

6

23.6 New Jerusalem is a real city (2)

7

23.7 New Jerusalem is a real city (3)

8

23.8 New Jerusalem is a real city (4)

9

23.9 New Jerusalem is a real city (5)

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Introduction

01 Introduction of Treasures for the Soul

Series 1: Being Heart to Heart with the Lord

1.1 The Most Blessed Generation
1.2 Message from John the Baptist
1.3 Abide in the Lord Always
1.4 Abide in the Lord’s Love at All Times
1.5 The Lord Speaks to Us and Helps Us in Our Hearts

Series 2: Being Heart to Heart with the Lord Throughout this Year

2.1 God’s Greatest Work Starts in Our Hearts
2.2 To Be Heart to Heart with the Lord Throughout the Year
2.3 Our Spirits can Feel God and Have Fellowship with Him
2.4 The Importance of Peace
2.5 Our Spirits Need the Words of God
2.6 Give the Lord Time and Space to Speak in Our Hearts

Series 3: Let Our Hearts be Influenced

3.1 The World Needs People Who Deeply Experience God
3.2 Just as His Anointing 
Has Taught You, 
Abide in the Lord
3.3 Be Influenced 
by the Lord Throughout 
this Year

Series 4: The Importance of Peace

4.1 Enjoying God’s Peace in Your heart
4.2 Let Not Your Hearts be Troubled, Neither Let Them be Afraid.
4.3 How Should Our Spirit Respond to the Lord?

Series 5: Our Spirit Being Able to Enjoy the Lord

5.1 Our Spirit is Satisfied Only When We Worship God and Deeply Experience Him
5.2 How to Worship God with Our Spirit
5.3 Looking at the Lord with our Inner Eyes
5.4 Our Spirit Needs to Enjoy the Lord Himself
5.5 The Song of Solomon Often Mentions About “Eyes”
5.6 Realize Being Heart to Heart with the Lord in Singing and Worship

Series 6: Live out the Life of being Heart to Heart with the Lord

6.1 Living a life of union with the Lord in a stable pattern every day
6.2 Enjoying the Lord and not being disturbed
6.3 The Importance of Seeing Him with Our Spiritual Eyes

Series 7

7.1 Learn to Protect Our Spirits From Virus Prevention
7.2 Our Spirit Can Hear, Think, and See
7.3 How to Live a Life of Faith
7.4 The Importance of the Mind
7.5 David’s Eyes Beheld the Lord Always

Series 8: During the last supper, the Lord spoke about the essence of the blessings of the new covenant.

8.1 The Lord established with us the eternal love covenant by His blood
8.2 The Lord Treasures the New Covenant and Break-Bread Meeting the Most
8.3 Love Encounters
8.4 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the fourth blessing
8.5 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (1)
8.6 Before His Crucifixion, the Lord clearly explained the essence of the blessings of the new covenant: the first blessing (2)

Series 16: We Have Come to Mount Zion and the Heavenly Jerusalem

16.1 See that the Lord is at the right hand of the Father
16.2 Coming to Mount Zion (1): the meaning of Mount Sinai
16.3 Coming to Mount Zion (2): the difficulty in forgiveness of sins
16.4 Coming to Mount Zion (3): to Live in Grace
16.5 Having Come to the Heavenly Jerusalem
16.6 What is in the heavenly Jerusalem (1)?

Series 9: Being Heart to Heart with the Father

9.1 Being Heart to Heart with Abba (Part 1)
9.2 Being Heart to Heart with Abba (Part 2)

Series 10

10.1 The Love Desire in the Depths of Abba and the Lord’s hearts
10.2 Fruit of the Lord’s Crucifixion: Eternal Life
10.3 The Lord Came to Manifest the Father’s Name
10.4 The Father Sent His Only Begotten Son
10.5 Reminders on enjoying heart to heart with the Father
10.6 The Father’s Desire for Me is Forever Steadfast

Series 11

11.1 The preciousness of the Letter to Philemon
11.2 The most profitable; the most accepted.
11.3 Charge That to My Account
11.4 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (1)
11.5 The Father made the Lord our eternal High Priest by an oath (2)
11.6 We are the Lord’s darling love

Series 12

12.1 The Lord’s Words at the Last Supper
12.2 Apart from the Lord, we can do nothing.
12.3 What is true faith?
12.4 Look upon the Lord in glory
11.5 Trust and Peace (1)
12.6 Trust and Peace (2)

Series 13: The Lord’s Gentleness and Humility

13.3 The Lord’s Gentleness and Humility (Part 2)

Series 14: Manifold evidence

14.1 How does the infinite Lord see us?
14.2 We are the ultimate and final love of the Lord
14.3 The Lord is forever a Man; He once died for us
14.4 The Lord’s manifold love evidence (Part 1)
14.5 The Lord’s manifold love evidence Part 2

Series 15: Understand How Our Spirit Works And Be Heart To Heart With The Lord Continuously

15.1 We Can Only Enjoy God By Faith
15.2 His Words Abide In Us
15.3 Live With The Lord
15.4 Seek The Things That Are Above
15.5 Understand How Our Spirit Works: Will, Mind And Feelings
15.6 Guard And Uplift Our Mind

Series 17: Know that the Church is the Firstborn

17.1 Know that the church is the firstborn
17.2 The Blessing of the Firstborn (Part 1)
17.3 The Blessing of the Firstborn (Part 2)
17.4 The Lord redeemed us to be the firstborn (Part 1)
17.5 The Lord redeemed us to be the firstborn (Part 2)

Series 18: The Blessings to be the First Born

18.1 Israel is God’s Firstborn Son (Part 1)
18.2 Israel is God’s Firstborn Son (Part 2)
18.3 To be united with the Lord and become the Firstborn
18.4 The Lord is the Firstborn
18.5 The Blessing of the Firstborn: Kingship
18.6 The Blessing of the Firstborn: a Double Portion of the Blessings

Series 19: Coming to Mount Zion to Appear Before God

19.1 The Lord is the way, and the truth, and the life
19.2 Live in Grace. Enjoy the Father and the Lord
19.3 Mind the things that are above (1)
19.4 Mind the things that are above (2)
19.5 Appear before God in Mount Zion

Series 20: The final destination of our spirit and eternity is the heavenly Jerusalem

20.1 The Lord Desires Most for Us to Draw Near to Him (1)
20.2 The Lord Desires Most for Us to Draw Near to Him (2)
20.3 The Lord Becomes the Way so that We can Come Before God with Confidence
20.4 The Heavenly Jerusalem, Destination of Our Spirits and Eternity (1)
20.5 The Heavenly Jerusalem, Destination of Our Spirits and Eternity (2)

Series 21: Live Out the Life of the Firstborn: Be A Priest

21.1 The Father made the Lord the High Priest
21.2 Priesthood: One of the Blessings of the Firstborn
21.4 The Precedents of Priests in the Bible (2)

Series 22: When Believers Die, They Will Go to the Heavenly Jerusalem

22.1 The Heavenly Jerusalem is paradise (1)
The Heavenly Jerusalem is paradise (2)
The Spirits of the Righteous Made Perfect

Series 23: New Jerusalem is a real city

God has prepared a heavenly home for us
Is the heavenly new Jerusalem a real city?
Satan causes man not to be clear and assured about the things in heaven
Are physical substances not spiritual?
New Jerusalem is a real city (1)
New Jerusalem is a real city (2)

Series 24: God prepares for us

Genesis 22: Father and Son went together
Genesis 22: For us, the Father gave His only Son
Genesis 22: The Lord will provide
24.4 God’s preparation for us

Series 25: The Father and Son Affection

25.1 The Lord Came to Make Known the Father
25.2 The Father and Son Affection (Part 1)
25.3 The Father and Son Affection (Part 2)

Series 26: We are a royal priesthood

26.1 God who alone does wondrous things
26.2 The Lord is the High Priest
26.3 We are a royal priesthood (1)
26.4 We are a royal priesthood (2)
26.5 The life of a priest

Series 27: Who are you in the infinite one’s loving heart?

27.1 Meditate on who you are in the infinite Lord’s loving heart
27.2 Meditate on who you are in the infinite Lord’s loving heart (2)
27.3 Meditate on the infinite Lord’s words at the last supper

Series 28: The conclusion and climax of the book of Hebrews

28.1 Sing praises at Easter (1): The defeat of death
28.2 Sing praises at Easter (2): The risen Lord has swallowed up death