THE ETERNAL VISION: THE NEW JERUSALEM

For years I have struggled with my inadequacy of being able to verbalize the vision of God’s eternal purpose and His eternal city. Since this IS the vision that holds the overcomer to His course and IS the expectation and the excitement of the bride, this vision is of unequaled importance to the church. This is not a new message for our assembly. God put this message in my heart nearly 30 years ago and I have shared it hundreds of times.

I am not embarrassed to share these things over and over again even with those who are already pressing into the purpose of God. These especially need to be reminded of these things because discouragement is always ready to jump on us. After a while we see the church unconcerned and fussing about irrelevant things and wonder what is the purpose of struggling any longer. We may as well take it easy like the rest!

2 PET 1:12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. [13] And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, [14] knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. [15] And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind.

Since the course of the overcomer is so difficult and the trials and testings are so unexpected and come on us suddenly there is constant need of encouragement. Everybody that is pressing onward and upward toward the vision will need to be comforted. This is what is needed to hold the “seekers” who hunger and thirst after God on their course. To fulfill this ministry of constantly renewing the vision is a great calling because it is so necessary and so few will give themselves to it.

We pray for God’s best and seek God to bring us to His eternal purpose and then don’t recognize the trials, the testings, the sufferings, the lies, the criticism and the irritations as answers to our prayers.

I think that God has shown me that my ministry in the future will be always presenting this vision of the New Jerusalem and constantly encouraging the seekers after the Kingdom to keep pressing onward and upward. This obviously is not a ministry to the multitudes but limited to those that hunger and thirst after God. A ministry to those who will not be satisfied until their lives are a joy to the Father.

This study then is about that vision. In each generation God has raised up a small group of overcomers who press toward the mark of the high calling of God. They must be identified and shown the vision and imparted the revelation of God’s eternal city. Each one who overcomes must not just know the doctrine but must possess the vision personally as their own so that they might impart that vision to others in their generation.

Receiving the vision is a personal victory but imparting the vision to others is the overcomer’s ministry. To be able to “infuse” this truth in others requires a ministry that demands discernment, patience, humility, perseverance and a consecration to repeat the message, encourage and comfort until the vision is real in their lives. Then those will be able to comfort others with the comfort they, themselves have received. They will learn to encourage as they have been encouraged. Discernment means to recognize that the whole church will not pay the price to press on into the vision. Discernment is to identify the ones that will press in and pour your effort into them. While the whole church must be given the opportunity to hear the gospel of the Kingdom most people’s heart is not focused upon eternity or fulfilling the purpose of God or doing the will of God or living to bring joy to God’s heart. Discernment is learning to recognize those that God reveals are candidates for His Kingdom government.

In other words God is raising up a ministry to the overcomers, to develop the manifested sons, to prepare the bride for Jesus, to encourage the servants of God to make themselves bond-servants. That means to enter into an irrevocable covenant of servitude to God regardless of the consequences.

Then exactly what is the vision and how is it revealed? God has already given it in Revelation 21 & 22. As we examine the city and it’s construction we WILL see the manifested sons, the overcomers, the bond-servants, the bride and the wife of the Lamb. The perfection of the city is the revelation of the development of each of these metaphors.

REV 21:7] "He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

REV 21:9 And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I shall show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." [10] And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, [11] having the glory of God.

REV 22:3] And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; [4] and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. [5] And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.

To teach that these promise are for all God’s children is a great disservice to the church. NO! These are just for the bond servants but is also true of the bride, the overcomers, the manifested sons, and the wife of the Lamb. These all speak of the different preparation of the saints for God’s eternal purpose but all are referring to the same thing. While the invitation is to ALL of God’s children the fact remains that everybody will not pay the price to inherit these things. For that reason the scriptures tell us that they that overcome shall inherit these things.

This next study will focus upon what “these things” mean and how they are obtained.

The first principle of which we need to be convinced is that God has purposed before the foundation of the world to have a people that will fit perfectly into the New Jerusalem, the city of the great King, the Mt. Zion of God. The joy of God’s heart is to prepare such a people. We must be convinced that everyone who gives themselves totally to God and His purpose WILL NOT be overlooked or ignored. We should have absolute confidence that God is able to discipline us, prepare us, perfect us and develop us for His highest calling.

While in the past we may have considered ourselves as rejects of society we must exercise faith that we have been accepted as candidates for the Kingdom. The Kingdom is open and welcoming all who will overcome, regardless of our background, our culture, our race or our economic condition. In the Kingdom there are NO such distinctions. Christ-likeness is our passkey to the Kingdom, the New Jerusalem and God’s eternal purpose! The key to Christ-likeness is total surrender to God and willing acceptance of whatever discipline that is necessary and acceptance of every change that the Holy Spirit identifies as necessary. Preparation and development is line on line and precept upon precept, a little here and a little there. For that reason ALL may overcome. However, overcoming is NOT AUTOMATIC simply because we believe something about Jesus. Overcoming is the result of God doing something in our lives to change us from what we are to what we must become. This work “in us” is beyond the work of men’s ministry.

PHILP 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; [13] for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

For us to fulfill the “good pleasure of God” it is necessary for God to do a mighty work “in us”. A large part of “the ministry” is just to encouraging the saints to continue to pursue God and yield to His work in them.

The Holy Spirit will use our environment, including in the church, in our homes, in our work and in society, to reveal areas in our lives that need His adjustment, His discipline and correction. There may be areas that we need deliverance from evil spirits. The adjustment of our thought life may require healing and deliverance. The thought life may require a reprogramming by the infusion of the word of God as we intensify our study and begin to walk according to scripture.

The revelation of these things and this great work is revealed by the building materials of the New Jerusalem.

REV 21:18] And the material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. [19] The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; [20] the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. [21] And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The material of the city was “every kind of precious stone” and “pure gold like transparent glass”. Even the gates were one single pearl! Since the city is constructed of these three materials and the city is the bride of Christ we may understand how Christ builds “His church”.

Paul lists 6 building materials that are popular to use in “building the church”. Three of these are unacceptable to God because they won’t survive the fire of His Presence.

1 COR 3:11] For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, [13] each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. [14] If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

Everything in God’s city must be tested by fire because of the fire of His Presence is resident within the city. It is obvious that wood, hay and straw are poor substitutes for the silver, gold and precious stones. Even silver is a poor substitute for gold and precious stones. While silver is acceptable building material within the church NO silver is found in the New Jerusalem.

Silver speaks of our redemption price and entrance into the things of God. However since redemption is common to all who dwell there, silver it is not found in the New Jerusalem as a building material, only gold, precious stones and at the entrance pearls. For that reason we will focus upon the gold and precious stones but we will begin with the pearls that form the entrance.

If we understand the natural formation of the pearl we will be able to discern the spiritual application. Pearls are formed within oysters and are the result of a piece of sand, coral or some other foreign substance that gets trapped within the mussel. This foreign substance creates an irritation within and the mussel begins the process of coating the irritation with a mineral to stop the irritation. This mineral continues to form until a pearl is produced within the mussel. The longer the mussel lives the larger the pearl becomes. The pearl begins to be formed by a deep wound in the inner man.

The spiritual application should be obvious. The Holy Spirit will use our environment and all the irritations that result in our homes, in our work, in our church, and in society to produce our entrance into the eternal city of God, Mt. Zion. Giving up and dropping out because of the irritations signal the end of our growth and cuts us off from God’s eternal purpose. The “gate” that is the entrance to the city is a “single pearl”. The longer the irritation the larger the pearl. Irritable people and irritable situations are a blessing from God. Grace, mercy, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, joy and self-control are the substances that coat the irritations that form the pearl. Since this is still the entrance it should be clear that more is required to build the city. Those materials are the gold and precious stones.

One of the primary differences in the gold and precious stones is found in their origins. Gold is part of God’s creation and was put here by God in it’s natural form. Gold is gold because it is from God and not from the earth. It’s source and origin is God. How do we know that?

GEN 2:10 Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers. ( One river became four rivers) [11] The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. [12] And the gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there.

Not only was gold there as part of creation but there were also certain stones that were there as a part of creation. These represent that which is wholly of God and from God. That which didn’t originate on the earth but was put there by God.

The application is this: There is part of the city of God that is wholly from God and doesn’t originate from the earth. This has to be imparted or infused by God and He is the only source! Gold then represents the life and nature of God that can only come from God. His life and nature must be imparted by God to us in redemption. We can never produce His life or His nature.

Now character is something different. It must be developed. Attitudes must be adjusted. Our disposition must be formed within by various trials etc. While God imparts His life and nature to us by His grace and mercy, our character development is produced by the Holy Spirit through many and diverse trials, sufferings, testings, confrontations, mistreatment, lies and attacks upon our reputations. While the gold itself is pure it is mixed with the dirt and dross of this earth. The “Goldsmith” begins the process of purifying the gold by removing all that originates here on this earth.

The problem is that we receive this life and nature in earthen vessels. Even though they are wholly from God and are “gold”, the “dross of flesh” is mixed with the gold. In God’s plan there is an extraction and also an addition. The dross must be extracted from the gold because nothing of earth can participate in the New Jerusalem. Besides that the gold of the New Jerusalem must be pure like transparent glass which means that all the opaqueness of earth has to be removed. The gold is refined by fire and as the dross comes to the surface it is scraped off and removed. Then the fire is increased and the temperature raises until even more dross comes to the surface. This is repeated until the gold is pure. The result is that there is nothing of earth that remains and everything is of Him and by Him and for Him and through Him and to Him. The church is then the fulness of Him that fills all in all. To reach fulness of Him everything unlike Him must be removed.

HEB 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. [8] Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. [9] And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal

salvation,

2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; [8] we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. [11] For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death works in us, but life in you. This also removes dross.

2CO 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. [17] For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, [18] while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. This is the eternal vision that strengthens us in trial..

While all this may seem extreme, God never causes us to suffer without a reason. He takes no joy in our suffering but He does require us to change if we are crying out to God for His best. This is the basis of the formation of the “precious stones”.

Precious stones were not formed at creation but throughout the millenniums of time. They were formed during the time of earth. The process of their formation holds the revelation of the spiritual application to our lives. These precious stones are formed during our stay on earth. It is the natural stones that hold the revelation of the spiritual stones.

Some of the natural “precious stones” are formed deep within the earth and are the result of the tremendous and unmeasurable heat at the center of the earth. This is a molten mass of intense heat that develops tremendous pressure upon the surfaces of the surrounding, hardened mass of earth. When fissures occur in the strata the tremendous pressure forces steam up through the crevices that carries with it minerals that are gathered along the way. When that crevice ends in a void in the rock formations, the minerals begin to deposit in the void. Because of the tremendous heat and tremendous pressure upon the void these minerals are pressed into a compound that is another substance. Through earthquakes and eruptions these “precious stones” are sometimes found on the surface of the earth. Others must be mined and blasted out of the rock formations.

Since God is building His city from these precious stones and these precious stones are His saints, there is an obvious reason why the true seekers must be tried by fire and external pressures. Most of society agrees that stress is very bad and we should avoid it at any cost. However, in the Kingdom, God generated stress, fire and pressure produce an eternal blessing.

2 COR 11:27] I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. [28] Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches. The rest of 2 Cor 11 reveals many more pressures and firey trials that perfect us. This removes dross.

1 PET 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; [13] but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. [14] If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. This removes dross!

1 PET 1:6] In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, [7] that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; This removes dross!

What seems to the ordinary believer to be the work of the devil may actually be God’s answer to your prayer. Even if the devil gets into the action the result will still be eternal glory if we remain faithful.

What we need to understand is that when we are seeking God and asking for His best, His heavy hand will be upon us to change us. The devil will also show up to nip any birth of the overcomer in the bud. He will cause various counterfeit sufferings to pursue us and overtake us and discourage us but even these trials will be used by God to perfect us. We have this assurance in Rom. 8:28] And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. His purpose is our goal!

Then what is the difference between Christians? When you were “saved” you received God’s life and His nature. When I was “saved” I received God’s life and His nature and so do each and everybody that is “saved”. At that point all Christians are equal and share in God’s blessings and all stand in exactly the same grace and mercy of God. From that point onward, however, the development is based upon our willingness to do His will and to suffer through the trials and discouragements. In this stage a great diversity and gap develops between Christians and soon eternity becomes visible in the inner man. Some are willing to go on with God because they have vision of eternity and some are unwilling and are always complaining. It has always been that way in church history and I suspect that it will be that way until the snatching away. Once the tribulation begins, the unwilling better get willing.

One work of ministry is to constantly inform the unwilling to get them to see beyond themselves. Another work is to keep encouraging those who are willing to suffer, to continue on until they receive the prize. It should be obvious that only those who are willing for anything, are properly equipped for ministry. “Ministers” that are demanding their “rights” are not yet equipped. “Ministers” that are expecting the easy life don’t have a clue!

The basic difference between the overcomer and the under-comer is this willingness to permit God to do whatever is necessary for His eternal purpose to be realized. If our vision is set upon the New Jerusalem then I can assure you that trials, testings, suffering and fierce opposition will be our lot in life. Without that vision our attitude can only be “WHO NEEDS THIS, I was better off before I began to pray”. With “vision” we can testify that with each new trial I am making progress toward God’s mountain!

ISA 33:13 "You who are far away, hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might." [14] Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?" [15] He who walks righteously, and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain, And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; [16] He will dwell on the heights; His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him; His water will be sure.

ISA 33:17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will behold a far-distant land.

Who can live in that terrible fire of God’s Presence? Those who have been through the fire and everything combustible has been removed! All the wood, hay and straw and whatever is of earth has already been consumed in the fire of His live.

Overcoming “the fire and surviving” is the testimony of the overcomer that inherits all things. Does all this “fire” come upon us simply because some are lucky and others are not? No! It seems to come upon those with vision who have prayed for God’s best and have sought God to be changed into His likeness. Once we “see” the third heaven, the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God and the bride in her perfection, we should cry out to God to do whatever is necessary to change us from what we are to what we must become to inherit these things. This sets a process in motion that will kindle the fire of sufferings and afflictions. This indicates that “perfection” is beginning and God has answered our prayer. THIS IS the reason to rejoice in tribulations because we know God is at work in us to perfect us for the day of Jesus Christ.

DAN 7:9 "I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. [10] "A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him;

REV 3:21] `He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

To sit with Him on His throne is no small matter if we understand that His throne is a furnace of fire and a river of fire flows out from His throne. Wood, hay and straw would not be happy in that place. Transparent Gold and precious stones are enhanced by the fire and can dwell in His Presence. It should not be difficult to understand why there are “few that find it”.

REV 3:18] I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich,

What is the “cost”? The removal of everything that is from this earth, that which is natural and that which is from old Adam. None of these things will fit into the eternal city of God.