In Part 3 we looked at the New Heavens and the the New earth being symbolic of the New Covenant.
This happened when Jesus was crucified and resurrected. His death also ended the Law.
In Rev 21 John records God saying, "Now is the dwelling place of God with Man,...I am making all things NEW"
Jesus said also in john, " My Fathers house has many rooms..."
Meaning that Gods dwelling place is IN us - all His People.
"the mystery of the Gospel has been hidden for ages and Generations but has now been made clear, that is: Christ IN YOU, the hope of Glory" Col 1.
God announcing in Rev 21 regarding Him now being with Man is a Declaration of the New Covenant and that the Old Order of things had passed away and now ALL things are made New.
Paul says the same thing in 2 Cor 5: " The OLD has gone, Behold, ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW"
The Writer of Hebrews also quotes writing regarding the NEW COVENANT from the Old Testament in HEB 13: "I will never leave you nor Forsake you.."
Again, the implication of all this is that GOD IS WITH US NOW!
However, If we still have a future tense view of the Book of Revelation, this would make no sense as God only says, "Now is the dwelling of God with man" at the end of Revelation. This Implies that HE is NOT currently with us. - This is NOT GOOD NEWS!
In This Part we will look at:
- Being BORN Again
- the significance of the Golden City being called the "NEW Jerusalem"
Lets have a look at this:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; (Also remember Jesus' words that when he was lifted up, he would "drag" ALL MEN to himself)
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Q: If all fullness dwelled in him, What would happen if He died?
A: All things would Die too, right?
That's exactly how Paul puts in in Corinthians: 2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, having concluded this: that if One died for all, then all died;
When He Died, All things died too - the Old earth and Old Heaven, The Law and the OLD covenant, ALL of mankind...
BUT, when he Rose again, so too was Everything made NEW again.
When HE Died, ALL OF CREATION symbolically died with Him. When HE Rose again ALL OF CREATION was BORN AGAIN!!
In John 3 when Jesus tells Nicodemus that he cannot enter the kingdom unless he is "BORN AGAIN".
Nowhere in scripture is anyone told how to get "born again".
Jesus did not tell Nicodemus how to do this because it was not something Nicodemus had to do. It was something that Jesus would do through His Death and Resurrection.
Think about it: What hand did you play in your natural Birth?
Did you have to make a choice in order to get Born the first time around?
Of course not! It had nothing to do with you.
In the same way the Death of your Old Adamic nature and your Being co-crucified, co-burred and co-raised with Jesus at the Ressurection unto Newness of Life had absolutely NOTHING to do with you! But Everything to do with Him! (your believing the Gospel didnt create or change the fact that you were Crucified WITH Christ back when Christ was Crucified. rather, your belief in the Good News merely allowed you to actively participate in your New Life now, in this age.)
That's why HE is called the author of Salvation and the Savior of the WORLD. This is NOT of yourself lest any man boast!
We have already shown that the the Dwelling Place of God is us. He lives in us. We are His Dwelling Place.
John records that the Dwelling Place of God (in Revelation 21) is now called the NEW Jerusalem. Why?
What Happened at the Cross that caused God to call his dwelling place "NEW"?
In the Old Testament when God was addressing His people he would say, for example:
Isaiha 52:1 Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful robes, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For never again shall uncircumcised and unclean ones come to you.
God is not talking to a literal City ie: the streets and buildings... He is speaking symbolically to the People of that City.
The NEW Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is a reference to ALL of Man, not just the Jews.
In the OLD Testament the Jews only were known as "Gods people". But that Old order of things has become obsolete. On the Cross Jesus made ALL THINGS NEW and he has Reconciled "ALL THINGS" to Himself.
Romans 11 explains that through the Cross the Gentiles are now also apart of Gods Kingdom/Covenant.
The Good News announcement right from the beginning by the Angels, on the night of Jesus' birth was one of Peace and Joy to ALL MEN.
So in Revelation 21 John sees this unfolding as he sees the accomplishments of the Cross unfolding and after he sees the OLD heaven and earth pass away, he hears the announcement of "ALL THINGS have been made NEW". He then gets shown the Bride of the Lamb - The NEW JERUSALEM. The Bride and the Groom are now in UNION. They are ONE. there is no longer any separation between God and the object of His affection - US (Mankind, not just believers)
Paul also talks about this in Ephesians 5 when he uses that analogy of a husband and a wife being joined together in marriage and the two become ONE.
Paul also talks about this in Ephesians 5 when he uses that analogy of a husband and a wife being joined together in marriage and the two become ONE.
In this part we have looked at
- We were all BORN AGAIN when Christ made ALL THINGS NEW at his Resurrection.
- We have seen that the NEW Jerusalem is ALL OF MANKIND and not a Litteral City and not just made up of the Jews. It is the dwelling place of God. He lives in us... NOW.
In the next Part we will look at how the dreaded "Lake of Fire" in Revelations 20 factors into THE FINISHED WORK and is NOT a future tense event. It Really is Finished!
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