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The Mysteries of New Jerusalem, Part 3
Do People Go To Heaven?
Chapter 17, Part 3 Preview: I’m not the only person to notice the similarities between the cubic New Jerusalem and the Star Trek Borg cube. There was once a web site devoted to teaching that the coming “New Jerusalem” was a threat to humanity! Apparently the spirits that inspire some of today’s fascinating sci-fi know what’s “going down”, and “tremble” (James 2:19).
Zechariah 1:14-17 So the Messenger who was speaking with me said, “Announce that Commander Yehovah [God] says: ‘I’m extremely jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion, 15 but I’m very angry with the nations that feel so secure, because I was only slightly angry, but they furthered the disaster.’” 16 So this is what Yehovah says: “I’ve returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My 'Temple' will be built in it,” Commander Yehovah says, “and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.” 17 Also announce that Commander Yehovah says: “My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and Yehovah will comfort Zion again, and choose Jerusalem again.’”
Zechariah 2: Then I 'looked' up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To measure Jerusalem, to determine how wide it is and how long.” [This also parallels Revelation 21:15-16.] 3 The Messenger who was speaking with me left, when another Messenger was coming out to meet him, 4 and told him, “Run and tell this young man, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because of the huge number of people and livestock in it. 5 I’ll be a wall of fire around her,’ Yehovah says, ‘and I’ll be the splendor within her.’ 6 ‘Oh! Flee from the land of the north,’ Yehovah says, ‘because I’ve scattered you to the four winds of the sky,’ says Yehovah. 7 “Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon.” [the Second Exodus] 8 This is what Commander Yehovah says: ‘Afterward, His Splendor sent Me to the nations that plundered you, because he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. 9 I’ll wave My hand over them, and their slaves will plunder them! Then you’ll know that Commander Yehovah has sent Me.’” [Yeshua or Jesus was speaking to Zechariah].
10 “Sing and celebrate, Maiden Zion, because I’m going to come and live with you,” says Yehovah. 11 “Many nations will side with Yehovah during this time [many other nations as in Hosea 2:23], and become My people, and I’ll live among you, and you’ll know that Commander Yehovah has sent Me to you. 12 Yehovah will inherit Judah as His legacy in the kadosh land, and choose Jerusalem again. 13 Be silent everyone, in the presence of Yehovah, because He is moving into action from His kadosh abode!”
Will You Be Caught Sleeping?
1 Thessalonians 5:2-4,6 because you know for certain that the Day of Yehovah will come like a thieving false “minister” in the time of moral stupidity and darkness [1]. 3 When people are saying, “Peace and tranquility”, then suddenly destruction will overtake them like the labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they won’t escape. 4 But you, Friends, aren’t in darkness. That Day won’t catch you off guard like a thieving false “minister” ... 6 So let’s not sleep like everyone else does, but let’s stay awake and be sober.
[1] or “like a thief in the night”
I don’t believe that this awesome sight described below, that all of humanity will be able to see, is a vision of the third heaven, rather I believe that it has to do with being able to actually see what is taking place in the heaven above the earth, in our “sky”. This text concerns the sixth seal.
Revelation 6:12-17 I watched as He broke open the sixth seal, and there was a huge earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned blood red. 13 Stars from the heavens fell to the earth [See footnote on Isaiah 34:4] like unripe figs falling from a fig tree when it is shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky recoiled like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was ‘shaken’ out of place. 15 The kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders of thousands, the rich men, the men of valor and all the servants and free men hid themselves in caves and among rocks in the mountains, 16 and they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of the One sitting on the throne AND from the anger of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of Their anger has come, and who is able to ‘survive’ that?”
The very next paragraph (Revelation 7:1-8) concerns the sealing of the 144,000. How much of this can the people on the ground see? John’s perspective of this event is from the vantage point of being able to view both the “earth” and the “sky”!
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 Because if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we should also believe that thru Yeshua, Yehovah will bring those who have fallen asleep back with Him. 15 We declare this to you by the Word of Aloha’s own authority, that we who survive and are alive when our Master comes will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep [into the Kingdom]. 16 Our Master will ‘personally’ come down from Heaven with a mandate, and with a voice like the chief Messenger and with Yehovah’s shofar, and the dead who ‘belong to’ the Messiah will rise first! 17 Then, we who are still alive, having survived, will be carried away together with them into the clouds to meet our Master in the expanse. And we will be with our Master forever. 18 So comfort each other with these words.
There are many accounts from Genesis to Revelation of the One who became known as Yeshua visiting the earth, but the focal “coming” is when Yeshua comes to make a permanent presence here with His Father.
Altho there are few details given here about the gathering “in the air”, we do know from these verses that a very fantastic gathering takes place for the best resurrection and that it takes place in the earth’s atmosphere! It won’t take place in thin air tho. I believe that this is where New Jerusalem will be—a permanent “spaceport”!
When Yeshua and the Father arrive, don’t be among those who will say: “Jesus, I’m so glad that You are here, but who is that other shiny guy and what is this enormous cube?”
David’s New House in the New Promised Land! [Map]
Here is a prophecy given to Nathan the prophet to relay to King David. David was considering building the Temple for Yehovah, but on the contrary, Yehovah said that He would make David a house to occupy after his death! David was somewhat perplexed at this prophecy because Israel was in its heyday. Israel was already occupying the Promised Land and Yehovah had already “cut off all your enemies”, yet this prophecy says that 1) “I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them”. This place would be Israel’s final destination. 2) Israel was already at peace, but Yehovah promised that: “I will cause you to rest from all your enemies”. And 3) Elohim said that He “will make you [David] “a house” for him to live in some time after his death:
Zechariah 7:4-17 Then the Word of Commander Yehovah came to me: 5 “Ask all the people of the land, and the priests, ‘When you fasted and cried in the fifth and in the seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted? 6 And when you eat and drink, aren’t you eating and drinking for yourselves? 7 Aren’t these the words that Yehovah proclaimed thru the former prophets, when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were inhabited and prosperous, and the Negev and the foothills were still inhabited?’”ť 8 The Word of Yehovah came to Zechariah again: 9 “Commander Yehovah said to administer true justice, and show kindness and compassion to each other. 10 Never oppress widows, orphans, aliens or the poor, and none of you should even think of plotting evil against each other.” 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and covered their ears so they wouldn’t hear. 12 They kept their 'attitudes' as hard as flint, so as not to heed the Torah and the 'message' that Commander Yehovah had sent by His spirit thru the former prophets. So great wrath came from Commander Yehovah. 13 Just as He called, and they refused to listen, so they’ll call, and I won’t listen,” says Commander Yehovah. 14 So I scattered them like a tornado among all the nations that they were unfamiliar with. The land they left was so desolate that no one even traveled thru it, because they ruined the pleasant land.
This should sound very reminiscent to what Yeshua said. There will be a New Heavens, a New Earth, a New Jerusalem, and also a New “House” or Temple in the New “Place”!
John 14:2-3 There are many dwelling places in My Father’s house, otherwise, I would have told you. I’m going to prepare a place for you to live. 3 If I go to prepare that place for you, I’ll appear publicly again and accept you as My own, so that you can be where I am.
This is no secret rapture!
It is apparent that David has still not received his “house” but he will get it in the resurrection of the just.
Acts 2:29, 34-35 Men and Friends, allow me to speak freely to you about the patriarch David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day. ... 34 David didn’t ascend into the heavens, because he said himself, “Yehovah said to His Word [Targum of Jonathan (Aramaic) Psalm 110:1]—Gill’s Commentary], ‘Seat Yourself on My right hand side 35 until I make your enemies a footstool under Your feet.’”
The following personified reference to “Zion” and “Jerusalem” being promised “her” “reward”, when it is compared to the above reference, further establishes the timing of the end time events of the last two chapters of the Bible, concerning the New Jerusalem.
Isaiah 40:2,9-11 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her warfare is over, and that her injustice has been pardoned, and that she has received from Yehovah’s hand double for all her sins.” ... 9 “Zion, climb a mountain and herald the good news! Jerusalem, herald of good news, raise your voice fearlessly. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your Elohim!’ 10 The Sovereign Yehovah will come in power, and His Arm will rule for Him! His reward is with Him, and His compensation accompanies Him! 11 He’ll tend His flock like a shepherd. He’ll gather the lambs in His arm, and carry them in His arms. He’ll gently lead the nursing ewes.”
Here is another reference to Jerusalem being compared to a woman, maybe a bride, in “beautiful clothing”. Similar to Revelation 21:2, the context has the “captive daughter” just leaving her captors. I believe that the “watchmen”, in this context, are the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11.
Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12 Wake up, wake up, Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, Jerusalem, the kadosh city, because from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean won’t enter you. 2 Shake off your dust, get up and sit on your throne [Barnes], Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, captive maiden Zion. ... 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the One who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes deliverance, who says to Zion: ‘Your Elohim reigns!’ 8 Listen to the voice of your watchmen! They shout for joy together, because they’ll see it with their own eyes [Barnes] when Yehovah returns to Zion. 9 Break out into shouts of joy, you ruined places of Jerusalem, because Yehovah has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 Yehovah has bared His kadosh arm [Barnes] within view of all the nations, and all of the remotest parts of the earth have seen deliverance by our Elohim.
[1] The vessels of Yehovah could be those hidden by Jeremiah just prior to the destruction of the second temple and used in the third Temple.
Revelation 14 describes the 144,000 “firstfruits” “standing on Mount Zion” (v.1-5) while the “Wild Beast” is on his last legs (v.9-11)
Yet other kadishea (saints) will be martyred:
Revelation 14:12-14 ‘This calls for’ patient endurance by the kadishea, who preserve [obey, guard] the Commandments of Yehovah AND the faith of Yeshua. 13 I heard a voice from the sky say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Master from now on!” “Yes”, says the spirit. “They’ll rest from their hard work, and the record of their deeds will accompany them.” 14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was Someone who looked like the Human Son with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand!
(Note that John, who had known Yeshua quite well in the flesh, did not want to commit to calling the one on the cloud “Son of Man”. His majestic form had changed since he saw Him even after His resurrection. John didn’t want to chance calling a Messenger (angel) Yeshua, so he said “like” as a precaution. John used the word “like” 54 times in Revelation because he was frequently uncertain about what he was witnessing—it was so astonishing. Ironically by 19:8 he messed up and bowed to an angel!)
We have hope in the dawn of the age to come:
Psalm 46:2-5 So we won’t be afraid, tho the earth changes, [removed”, as in the KJV, is not in Strong’s] tho the mountains are moved into the middle of the seas, 3 tho its waters roar and 'foam', [Literally “boil”, “foam up”, ferment”], tho the mountains tremble with their 'rising up' [Literally, “Pride, majesty, rising up, swelling]. Selah.
4 “There is a river with streams that make the city of Elohim glad, the very Tabernacle’ of the Highest One. 5 Elohim is in her midst. She won’t be 'shaken' [Literally, “Totter, shaken, slip, be moved], Elohim will HELP HER at the break of dawn.
Part 4, The Mysteries of New Jerusalem: Jacob’s Awesome Ladder!
Lon Martin’s work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.