Longing for Jerusalem

As the world continues to fray and is not able to hold itself together, there are a small but growing number of real Christians who are praying for and longing for Jerusalem. Not the physical city in modern Israel, but the one that John saw coming down out of heaven.

It's a mistake to think of this city as some type of reality that won't happen or come to earth until after the ressurrection. What John saw was an answer to the prayer Jesus taught us to pray concerning the kingdom of God and His will being done on earth as it was in heaven. New Jerusalem was the perfect will of God in its essence, and it is coming to earth now.

I'm not talking about the silliness and nonsense I heard years ago when some people actually said there was a square, large object hurtling toward the earth in space, declaring it to be New Jerusalem.

The truth is, all that New Jerusalem is and will be has been revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. He was the first building block of the city, and He is the one that came down out of heaven. The fact it is described in Revelation 21:2 as being "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," simply means we have taken on His characteristics which are not of this earth, and are a testimony of who Jesus Christ is; being adorned with His likeness.

When the city is described in Revelation 21, it's a reference to the characteristics God is building in His people, which are from Him who dwells in heaven, yet is above heaven in greatness and grandeur. What makes heaven what it is, is the fact the kingdom of God is perfectly expressed there, and His will totally done.

This is why we can, with confidence, pray for His kingdom to come and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Not only is it reflection of heaven, but of His character and will in completeness in a people. That is what He wants to see happen on the earth.

In verse 24 it says the nations of those that are saved will walk in the light of it, meaning to reflect who He is. A people will walk on this earth that walk in obedience to His commands and in accordance with His character.

The faraway land of heaven will become near to us as we respond in obedience to the revealed word of God, bringing a taste of heaven to the earth. We'll never have it perfectly here because evil people will remain, as Jesus described as tares, which were a plant that looked similar to wheat, but was completely different than it.

What is key to understanding New Jerusalem is the throne of God and the Lamb which is in the center of it. That's just another way of saying God ruling from heaven and working that rule into the people living on the earth. It is done through His people.

As Revelation 22:14 says, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city." Keeping His commandments is the way through the gates, although not the means of salvation. That can't come by works.

What it's declaring is only the obedient people of God enter the gates of this city, meaning they are what makes the city what it is. You can't just live any sloppy, disobedient life and be part of New Jerusalem. It takes obedience to the commandments of God.

In the end, those walking as Christ walked is what is being revealed here. That is what the city coming down of heaven is.

This is the longing Christians have who want to see what is being done in heaven concerning the kingdom of God and His will.

Our prayer should be for this city to come down out of heaven, taking up residence in His people, as it did in the person of Jesus Christ, who was the Lord from heaven.

His eternal purpose is to have a people conformed to His image, which is another way of understanding New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.

Whether we understand or identify this or not, this is the deep longing we have when we look at the world as it is at this time. We long for the person of Jesus Christ to take practical residence in a people. Not in a general sense of dwelling within them, but in helping to obey the laws of God that are now placed in our hearts.

Old things have passed away and all things have become new. That is the heritage of God's people, and it is more than a position, it's a practical reality being worked in us. That's the longing for Jerusalem we all have in us. Let us pray that it comes down out of heaven into our lives.