THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM:

*[[Heb 11:10]] KJV* For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11 is sometimes referred to as the "hallmark of faith". Probably because it lists what the patriarch and prophets of old achieved through faith. Despite their faith, the chapter concludes on an unexpected note...

*[[Heb 11:39]] ISV* All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised

So what was this promise they were expecting? Our opening scripture tells us they were expecting a city that has been built by God.

WHAT TYPE OF CITY?

*[[Heb 11:16]] KJV* But now they desire a better country, that is, an *heavenly*: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The people of old were expecting a HEAVENLY  city. They wanted to be in a city that originated from heaven. And the verse above tells us that God had already prepared the city for them. But the reason why they didn't get it is so that everyone under the Old Covenant would be translated into that city together...

*[[Heb 11:40]] NET* For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

So in chapter 11 of Hebrews, Paul talks about how the patriarch and prophets of old were looking for a heavenly city. But in the next chapter (Hebrews 12), Paul proclaimed that we are already in that heavenly city..

*[[Heb 12:22]] KJV* But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

In effect, Paul is saying that the CITY OF GOD that Abraham and his descendants were expecting is not a physical place but a domain where Papa God lives.

THE BRIDE IS THAT CITY

*[[Rev 21:2-3/KJV]]*  2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

We need to understand that the book of Revelation was written to a Jewish audience. As such they understood the figures of speech used by John. So when Apostle John wrote Revelation 21, it reminded the Jews of a promise that was made about the establishment of God's covenant which included He (God) founding His tabernacle among men and walking among them...

*[[Lev 26:9-12/KJV]]*  9. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH YOU.... 11. And I WILL SET MY TABERNACLE AMONG YOU: and my soul shall not abhor you.  12. AND I WILL WALK AMONG YOU, AND WILL BE YOUR GOD, AND YE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

So you see, to the Jewish audience of John, the New Heaven and New Earth signified the establishment of a New Covenant and the fulfillment of God's promises unto them.

Notice that the promise included a tabernacle. Yes! Today, we are the tabernacle of God. He lives in us. The Church is the Bride which is also the heavenly Jerusalem. The New Heaven and New Earth is the New Covenant that replaced the Old Covenant.

When we understand this, we no longer see Revelation 21 as a distant prophecy yet to be fulfilled. Rather we are going to see it as something that is in our past and walk in all the power and liberty it reveals. Selah!!!

   LIVE-LOVE-SHINE®