#28 Tabernacle: The Most Holy Place: The Glorious Presentation
The goal of the original creation of man is the glorious presentation of God’s finished product to His Son Jesus Christ. How do we identify what that means from the scripture? While the statement is simple, the identification of what that means is not. In order to recognize the magnitude of God’s finished plan it is necessary to examine several pictures that God presents to us in the scriptures.
The basic scripture we are using for this question is found in EPH 5:25 as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; EPH 5:26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, EPH 5:27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
This is what we are referring to as “the glorious presentation”. At first glance this would appear to be the final goal of God’s eternal plan. From this statement we could begin to speak about the bride of Christ and her specific preparations for this eternal moment.
However, we cannot arrive at a clear viewpoint from one picture. Is this then just a metaphor that speaks of a reality but is not the exact reality itself? Of course this is an eternal fact but is just one viewpoint in looking at the eternal fact. For example: The New Jerusalem has 12 gates the same as the earthly Jerusalem. If you look in one gate you just get one view of the city. In order to just get a full peripheral view it would be necessary to carefully look into the city through every gate. This still would not give us any idea of the central control system or government of the city. Particularly if the city was 1500 miles by 1500 miles by 1500 miles, as is the New Jerusalem. In that same way God’s eternal purpose must be seen from many different viewpoints.
Of course one of the final views will be the New Jerusalem as seen in Revelation 21 and 22. In addition to that will be the other parts of the Tabernacle of God. The glorious presentation will have a partial fulfillment as seen in REV 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. REV 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”REV 19:8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright {and} clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. REV 19:9 And he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.
“Both the bride and the invited guests are part of the fulfillment.
In addition to these pictures, there are several pictures in the scriptures that give us clues how God is going to bring about His final goals. In other words, there is a process by which God brings us to His goals. These processes are seen as types and shadows that reveal how God arrives at His goals. Some of the metaphors that are used are as listed below.
(1) A building (2) A house (3) A body (4) A church (5) A temple (6) A tabernacle (7) A field (8) A tower (9) A city (10) An army (11) A Kingdom (12) A family (13) A bride (14) A race Each of these types provides just a small vision of God’s completed work. If we add one to the other, line on line, we will get a clearer view but not a complete view. The vocabulary of words will fail long before we can describe the end of God’s final work. The indication is that it will be glorious. But exactly what does it mean to be “glorious”? The scripture says HEB 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. What then does it mean to bring many sons to “GLORY”?
First there are many levels and degrees of glory. There is the glory of the world. There is the glory of man. Man receives glory from man. There is the glory of stars and another glory of the sun. Above all other glories there is the glory of God, Himself. It is not so difficult to define these other glories but to define the magnitude of the glory of God is beyond human language. Since we have not seen it we cannot describe it. Even if we saw something of His glory we still could not describe it. God told Moses that he could not see the glory of God and still live.
EXO 33:18 Then Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!” EXO 33:19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” EXO 33:20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” EXO 33:21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand {there} on the rock; EXO 33:22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. EXO 33:23 “Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” If we beheld God’s glory while in this fallen state it would be fatal.
From this revelation it is clear that if God is going to bring His sons into His glory, His sons will have to undergo a tremendous change. If God’s glory speaks of God’s person or of His character and perfection, it is clear that man would have to come to a perfection far above what we are now. Therefore, God is at work in us to change us and perfect us to be like Himself.
2CO 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2CO 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2TI 2:10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus {and} with {it} eternal glory. 2TH 2:14 And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s plan is not only that we see His glory but that we obtain that same glory. JUDE 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
When we speak about the “GLORIOUS CHURCH” it means all the members have obtained to some measure of the glory of God. They were transformed from glory to glory. This is not an imputed glory that is obtained by faith but is an experiential glory that has come through suffering and the work of God subjectively in the member. It is true that God saved us so that we might obtain the glory of God but it is not automatic as some teach. ROM 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with {Him} in order that we may also be glorified with {Him.}.
One of the metaphors that is used is “the church”. Jesus said MAT 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. This church will be “the glorious church”. The word “church” has come to mean different things to different people. The actual word that is translated “church” is “ekklesia”. This means “the called out ones”. Those who stand separate from the rest. A separated group. The Roman army was called an “ekklesia”. An “ekklesia” had a governmental head and sovereign leader. This doesn’t just refer to a group that have had their sins forgiven but also who have assembled together and separated themselves for a purpose. The purpose stated is to battle the gates of Hades.
EPH 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Workmanship means “God’s own skillful work”. It could be said that “We are God’s masterpiece”. The crowning glory of His greatest work. This speaks of much more than God’s mercy in forgiving our sins. It speaks of a subjective work of perfecting us into His own image, likeness, character, nature and personality. It speaks of transforming our attitudes, ambitions, goals character and perspectives to harmonize with His own.
Since God doesn’t force His will or His way upon us, we must submit to every change He desires. Those who resist His will and His way will suffer eternal loss. Those who willingly yield to His guidance and His desires will be perfected for the day of Christ. Even God will not accept a defective, stubborn and unchanged member to be the glorious bride for Jesus Christ. ROM 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, ( and only these) are sons of God. These are the “many sons that He will bring to glory”. In the metaphor of the “family”, God will have a multitude of children but these should not be confused with the mature sons whom He will bring to glory.
We could compare the full grown and glorious church with the full grown and mature “many sons” that He will bring to glory. We could also say that the New Jerusalem in Rev 21 is the masterpiece of all of the wonders of God’s creation. It is full of the glory of God and manifests the fullness of His glory. REV 21:10 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, REV 21:11 having the glory of God. REV 21:23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp {is} the Lamb. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
JOH 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.
ROM 5:2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
2CO 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
EPH 5:27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
PHI 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
COL 1:27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
COL 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
1TH 2:12 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
2TH 2:14 And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2TI 2:10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus {and} with {it} eternal glory.
1PE 5:10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen {and} establish you.
JUDE 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
To attain to the glory of God is certainly not automatic. This requires a deep and continuous work of God in our lives and represents the process of God’s discipline. HEB 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives. “ HEB 12:7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom {his} father does not discipline? HEB 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. HEB 12:9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? HEB 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He {disciplines us} for {our} good, that we may share His holiness.
There is a certain self-satisfaction in the visible church that assumes that God is satisfied and finished with His glorious work and His masterpiece when our sins are forgiven. However, when we see the New Jerusalem we should be alerted to understand how the city became so beautiful and transparent. This city is built out of living stones. 1PE 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 1PE 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1CO 3:12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 1CO 3:13 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.
These “living stones” have been quarried out of the slime pits of this earth as stones that are of irregular shapes and strange sizes. After they are blasted out of this world they still must be cut and fit and perfected to be suitable for their place in the eternal city. These earthly and opaque living stones must also be made transparent and transformed into gold and precious stones. The reason is so that the stones will not hinder the glory of God from shining through to illuminate the nations of the New Earth.
1KI 6:7 And the house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.
This scripture is referring to the material that was being gathered for the temple of Solomon. David prepared all the material but was not permitted to build the temple. First they had to quarry the stone from the pit. Then each stone was cut and fit at the quarry before it was taken to the temple site. When the actual construction began no more work was done on the material. Every piece was perfectly fit before it was brought to the temple site. The workman had to have an exact plan and a dimension for every piece and they had to prepare every piece for that particular place. The stones were not cut to an approximate size and then finally cut to fit when it was installed into the wall.
We are now just rough stones blasted out of the slime pits of this world. If we fail to yield to the stone cutter now how will we fit into God’s house in the day of Christ? Those who are waiting for His final work to take place after the catching up will be sadly disappointed. He is just catching up the material that is already cut and fit and perfected. Since the whole city is transparent, He will not accept material that is still opaque. This is why the city is the masterpiece of all of God’s creation. Solomon’s temple was surely glorious but nothing in his temple could compare with the glory of the New Jerusalem. Nothing in Solomon’s temple was made of transparent gold. Solomon’s temple and Moses’ tabernacle were just a type and shadow of the real one in heaven.
Now to further see the glory we need to see this masterpiece is not just a city but is the wife of the Lamb and His bride. This city is also His perfected body, the glorious church. To assume that every born again child of God is automatically perfected when they are forgiven of their sins is gross ignorance. They are just a rough cut stone ready to be cut and fit for their destiny. To teach that the thief on the cross is part of that city is foolishness. The thief may be on the New Earth or maybe in the New Heaven but certainly not in the New Jerusalem. There was no time for the hammer of God to fall on him and perfect him to fit into that city. Paradise in the old testament is not the same thing as the paradise of Rev 22.
Stones that refuse to be cut, fit and made transparent in the quarry will be left in the quarry as far as the New Jerusalem and the bride is concerned. They may be cut and fit during the great tribulation but they will have to fit into the temple of heaven or somewhere else.
God has to take that which is natural, opaque, temporal, of a crooked shape and ugly and refashion it until it becomes spiritual, eternal, transparent, beautiful and perfect. When Jesus Christ said “I will build My church” He meant no one else could possibly do it. Paul could plant and another water but God still had to cause the growth. The best that man can do is co-operate with God and work with Him. The glorious church is still His masterpiece.
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. 2CO 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2CO 4:18 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. 1PE 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 1PE 1:7 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; Do not under estimate the necessity for trials and suffering in the final work of preparation of the glorious church.
Many of the women in the scriptures are pictures and types of the church in her various purposes and preparations. Of course we can’t look at all of these women in this study and investigate their characteristics as they apply to the church. However, it is profitable to look at Eve, the church in Eph. 5, the woman in Rev. 12, the bride in Rev. 19 and the wife in Rev. 21. Rebekah, Ester and others are good pictures of how the church is prepared while these five are pictures of God’s purpose and the fulfillment of His purpose.
This study will focus primarily upon the glorious church and Her presentation to Jesus Christ as His eternal spouse and companion. Because the visible church has focused so much upon the acceptance of sinners through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary, this larger goal has been neglected. The salvation of sinners focuses primarily upon solving the problem of man in his fallen state. Of course without the salvation of sinners there are not candidates for the glorious church. Salvation is primary but the glorious church is the goal. The two are not necessarily the same thing, as much of the church has taught. Even the church in all her glory is not the final goal of full salvation. The glorious church must be seen in relationship with God’s eternal purpose to have a man to rule over all the works of God’s hands. That Man is the Lord Jesus Christ. The glorious church must have her function in eternity in relationship with Him. It is here that the woman is seen as the wife of the Lamb. In Rev. 21 the wife of the Lamb is seen as a great city. This is revealed as the location of the throne of God and the throne of the Lamb. Or we could say the new Jerusalem is the ground zero of the Kingdom of God, the eternal government of God. Here, again, we have more pictures presented that speak of different aspects of the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.
The bride and wife along with the bridegroom speak of relationship and spiritual children. A family with sons coming to maturity. An intimate corporate group joined to one husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that the two have become one. Rom. 7 reveals this joining with Jesus Christ is for the purpose of bringing forth spiritual children. ROM 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God.
The city speaks of Kingdom, government, laws, King, rulers, citizens, gates and the headquarters of the decision making process throughout all eternity. The specific characteristics of the city speak of the perfection and completion of God’s eternal purpose and finished work of God in the bride of Christ. The city is transparent and constructed of pure gold and very precious and costly stones. Since the city is transparent, it shows the work of God in removing all that is hidden and opaque. Since the city is the bride, the wife of the Lamb, it speaks of the absolute perfection of the church that is His body. It also speaks of the intimacy of a husband and wife relationship.
Each time we speak of the eternal purpose of God it is necessary to go back to the very beginning to understand not just how it all began but why it all began. When God created all things it was for a definite purpose. Creation has to do with design, purpose, desire, goal, plan, determination, origination and initiation. We will surely miss God’s heart in the creation if we just focus upon the redemption that has come through Jesus Christ. Redemption is for the purpose of restoration and is remedial to solve the problem of man’s fall and is to ultimately recover man to God’s original purpose. Restoration is designed to completely renew man to all that was lost. However, in addition to that there is still God’s original purpose for creating man in the first place. What God did not obtain through Adam and Eve He will obtain through Christ and the church. Redemption has to do with man’s need because of the fall. The completion of God’s purpose has to do with “His need” that was expressed in the original creation.
Eve speaks of the woman in prophesy and in purpose. She was created for the man and was given dominion with the man to rule over the earth and subdue the earth. The man was Adam who is a picture of Him who was to come, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was first given all power and authority over everything on the earth just like the first Adam. This was preceding Calvary. In addition to that, following the resurrection, He was given like power over heaven also. MAT 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. The authority was given to Adam and was transferred to Eve so that she shared Adam’s authority. Now all authority has been given to Jesus Christ and He has transferred His authority to us so that we may share Christ’s authority.
It appears that originally the authority over the earth was given to Satan. However, Satan corrupted his authority and he lost his God given authority. Satan was like a dethroned king who just continued to rule as he once did. As far as Satan was concerned nothing had changed and he would continue to exercise authority over the earth.
God could have squashed Satan like a bug in a moment of time. However, God had a better plan that would also include man and perfect man for God’s eternal purpose. God decided to create man and give him rulership and dominion over the earth. The problem was that God didn’t remove Satan or lock him up. He was free to roam on the earth and to exercise his counterfeit authority over the earth. Now there was an instant conflict on the earth. Man had God given authority to rule over the earth. Satan had no authority but still continued to act like he did. Satan was a beautiful and powerful being of angelic dimension. He was spirit and was full of wisdom. Surely God would have to create man much more powerful and with greater wisdom if man was going to conquer and subdue the earth and rule over it in opposition to Satan.
But look what God did! He took some dirt and fashioned it into the form of a man. Since man’s realm and rulership was going to be the earth, God took earth to make man. God breathed into that sculpture of dirt and the man became a living soul. It is certain that this man was no match for Satan and all his experience at deception. Adam was made in God’s image and likeness but he was just innocent and without experience in this world system that was functioning under Satan and his demons along with the fallen angels. Surely God’s plan was doomed to failure. The first man did fail and fell from the purpose of God. However, God’s purpose was just beginning and God was looking to His final completion of His original purpose. Everything was still going forward and God was not discouraged. Satan was in a position where he had to resist everything that man set out to do but in his resisting he was actually perfecting man for God’s eternal purpose.
Anybody who set out to fulfill God’s purpose and to bring joy to God’s heart came into direct conflict with Satan. Satan made them suffer for siding with God and His purpose. But in the suffering God was perfecting man and preparing man for His destiny. The more Satan persecuted man, the more man was perfected and moved closer to God’s eternal purpose.
Under the Old Covenant Satan’s work was much easier and it looked as if God’s purpose was being disrupted and even made void. None was able to come to perfection. However, with the coming of the Son of God, Satan was in deep trouble because his former methods did not work. Jesus Christ is real and is completely human ( the perfect man ) but was of a different realm, not having been born into the fallen nature of Adam. Satan tried all his tricks and temptations but he was not able to prevail. Satan made Jesus to suffer to the ultimate of death, even death on the cross. Still Jesus overcame and God raised Him from the dead. Now He is at the right hand of God and is at this very moment ruling until He has put every enemy under His feet. God has acquired the Man He always wanted. Jesus is the fulfillment of what God wanted in the first Adam. However, it is still not good that this new man be alone. This is where the new Eve comes in. What God intended for the first woman He is going to obtain through the church, which is His body.
Now God’s desire is to bring many sons to that same place and to that same glory as His only begotten Son. These “many sons” are the overcomers of Rev. 21 who are also the city which is the wife of the Lamb. In Rev. 21 we see several types and pictures coming together to reveal God’s eternal purpose.
As “man” Jesus fulfilled God’s original purpose. As “man” Jesus became the last Adam. Because through man sin entered into the world and death through sin, Jesus had to become a real man in order to conquer sin and overcome death and render powerless him who had the power of death, the devil.
As the “son of God” Jesus was without the fallen nature of first Adam and was not born as a sinner. As the “Son of God” Jesus could qualify as the sinless and perfect sacrifice that could take away sin and perfect those who had faith in Him. In Jesus Christ we see the perfect man and the perfect sacrifice that provides for the many sons that God will bring to the same glory. As the resurrected and ascended Son of God who had already lived as perfect man, He could direct the work to perfect all those who draw near to God through Him. The many sons brought to the same glory as the Lord Jesus Christ is also the glorious church.
In the same way there was a first Adam and a first Eve, there is also the second Man and the second woman. The second Man is the Lord Jesus Christ and the second woman is pictured in this woman of Eph. 5:26, Rev. 19, and Rev. 21. The woman in Rev. 12 is also a fulfillment of Eve but is different than what we see of the woman in these other pictures.
In Rev. 12 the woman is not the perfected bride of Christ but gives birth to the man-child, who is the overcomers who make up the New Jerusalem. REV 12:5 And she gave birth to a son, a male {child}, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. REV 2:26 ‘And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; REV 2:27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received {authority} from My Father; In addition to the overcomers there are also the two remnants that will be saved out of the great tribulation. This woman is then seen no more.
Then we need to ask how this first woman, Eve, is a foreshadowing of the perfected bride of Christ, the wife of the Lamb, in Rev. 21? For this we need to understand God’s stated purpose for the original creation. It was to have a man and a woman to rule over the earth and everything on the earth. They were to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. They were to guard the earth and subdue the enemies of God on the earth and to rule over the earth for God and under God’s sovereignty. Man had dominion over all things but not over himself. God still had dominion over the man and the woman. Man had no control over God and was granted free will to either live under the sovereignty of God or to live independently from God. All this has a direct application to us and to the church in every generation.
Jesus Christ, as the second man, begins a whole new race of mankind. He has become the first perfected man as God’s only begotten Son, but He is the first born of many sons which He will bring to glory. Now God is preparing a wife for His Son. She is the engaged bride for Christ. However, in her preparation and perfection she is also pictured as the “overcomers”. All who have been “saved” are also betrothed to Christ. They still must be presented as a pure virgin to Christ. 2CO 11:2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you {as} a pure virgin. She also must grow up in all things into Christ and be transformed into the same image as Christ in order to be presented to Christ as His glorious bride. 2CO 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. In other words: she must be fully perfected. All are called but not all will be chosen because not all will submit to the sanctifying work of God. 2PE 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 2PE 1:11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Most are only interested in solving their own eternal problems by forgiveness of sins and are not interested in fulfilling God’s eternal purpose that was established before the foundation of the world and before man fell. Since much of the church has focused upon the forgiveness of sins and God’s salvation from Hell it has failed to focus upon “why” God has saved us. We must make clear that the final purpose of God’s great salvation is the glorious presentation of the perfected church to Jesus Christ. 1PE 1:5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1PE 1:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. The primary salvation from Hell through the forgiveness of sins is preached as the total package of “salvation”.
2 TIM 1:9] who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
HEB 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; HEB 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; HEB 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives. “ HEB 12:7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom {his} father does not discipline? HEB 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. HEB 12:9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? HEB 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He {disciplines us} for {our} good, that we may share His holiness. HEB 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
The imputed righteousness that comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ declares us righteous until God works experiential righteousness into our lives through the discipline of God. Some will not endure or submit to God’s correction and therefore they are not trained by the discipline and will suffer eternal loss. This doesn’t mean they will loose their primary salvation but they will certainly suffer loss in regard to their final salvation, God’s eternal purpose and the New Jerusalem. If we are to SHARE God’s holiness it requires that we submit to the discipline of God. The counterfeit “holiness” designed by man to imitate some concept of “holiness” is fruitless and certainly a waste of time. However, it gives those who submit to it a fleshly confidence that they are “holy” because they have conformed to some earthy standard that has nothing to do with SHARING God’s holiness.
When we study the New Jerusalem we see the reality of God’s subjective work in us conforming us to His own image. The New Jerusalem does not come to that perfection simply because the believer has participated in the primary salvation, which is just the entrance into the grace of God. God’s grace includes the severe discipline of God and the rest of God’s transforming work. The picture is seen in the precious stones that make up the New Jerusalem.
The study of the New Jerusalem is the study of God’s eternal purpose in fulfillment. Genesis 1 & 2 is God’s eternal purpose in prophesy. Adam and Eve are prophetic and speak of Christ and His bride and later His wife. The bride is first seen in reality in REV 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”REV 19:8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright {and} clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. REV 19:9 And he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.”
The wife is seen in reality following the Millennium. 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.” REV 21:10 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, REV 21:11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
In order to see the perfection of the New Jerusalem it is necessary to distinguish between the “bride” and the “wife”. In the natural, bride is for a day while wife is for the rest of your life. The wedding feast is for a day but the routine of marriage goes on the rest of your life. The wedding feast is seen in Rev. 19 while the wife appears in Rev. 21 following the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. There appears to be 1000 years between the bride and the wife. It is obvious that the natural example can only be limitedly used to explain spiritual things. However, if we add the bible concept that 1000 years is as one day everything thing corresponds well. The wedding feast is for 1000 years in earth’s time which is only a day in heaven’s time.
One conclusion from this is that the wife is still being prepared for eternity during the millennium. She has on her pure white and beautiful garments in Rev. 19, which were woven by her righteous acts, but we do not yet see the perfection of the wife, which is the New Jerusalem, until we see her in Rev. 21. Since this follows the marriage feast, which lasts for 1000 years, we presume there is still additional preparation during the millennium.
When we understand the tremendous glory and beauty and perfection of the New Jerusalem, which is the sanctified, glorified, consecrated and perfected church, we wonder how she got that way since most do not resemble that perfection by the time they leave this earth. However, the beautiful and pure white linen garments, which are the righteous acts of the saints, can be understood. This seems to be acceptable to Jesus for His bride but to fulfill God’s eternal purpose, the perfection of Rev. 21 is necessary.
Now we should see the necessity of searching for understanding of what the beauty, perfection and glory of the New Jerusalem really means. Since the Tabernacle of Moses is a picture for us of the Tabernacle of God, we can gain some insight into the uniqueness of the Most Holy Place which corresponds to the New Jerusalem. The Bible say that the way into the Holiest was not known while the earthly and temporary tabernacle stood. This is also true of the various temples that followed which were served by the priesthood after the order of Aaron, an earthly priesthood which was temporary. The Tabernacle of God, which is eternal, is served by the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, which is the only eternal priesthood.
What does that mean to us? Since the way into the Holiest was only made for us after Calvary, we understand that the New Jerusalem is reserved for the New Covenant saint that has overcome and come to the perfection of that city. REV 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, ( The New Jerusalem) and I will be his God and he will be My son. The simple conclusion that we can draw from that is that those who do not overcome will not inherit the New Jerusalem. They may still inherit the New Earth or possibly the New Heaven by simply believing and participating in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and being faithful. The Old Testament saints will be accepted into the New Earth or possibly into the New Heaven by their faith and expectation of the sacrifice of their Messiah as was depicted in the sacrifices of the Old Covenants. However, their cleansing was limited to the blood of bulls and goats which could not take away sin but could make them acceptable to God by faith.
For example; John the Baptist was one of the greatest of the old Testament saints but the least in the Kingdom of God (The New Jerusalem) is greater than he. MAT 11:11 “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen {anyone} greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The word here that is translated “least” is the word “mikros” and means small or little and has reference to rank or influence. Those who have qualified for the New Jerusalem will have a higher rank than John the Baptist who has qualified for the highest rank of those in the New Heaven. John was born of woman but was not born again by God because he died before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Those who have qualified for the New Earth will walk in the light that is proceeding from the New Jerusalem. REV 21:23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp {is} the Lamb. REV 21:24 And the nations ( those who are saved) shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it. The kings who are reigning on the New Earth are those who have been faithful over few things and have been appointed to rule over sections of the New Earth but will actually have their citizenship in the New Jerusalem. Therefore, they can enter into that realm.
REV 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Much of the church is not aware of the great blessing it will be to enter into that great city of God that even Abraham was seeking when he left Ur of the Caldeans. HEB 11:9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign {land}, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; HEB 11:10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. HEB 11:39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, HEB 11:40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
This New Jerusalem, that has the glory of God, is made up of the sanctified, consecrated, perfected, overcoming sons of God that have grown from just being children of God to become the mature sons of God. Even though the children of God are part of the great family of God they will not qualify as the bride of Christ. REV 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. Of course the children of God are “saved” and will participate in the glory of the New Earth or possibly the glory of New Heaven but still have not qualified for the New Jerusalem. In order to understand the maturity and perfection that is indicated by the term “son” and “bride” it is necessary to see the maturity and perfection of the New Jerusalem. This will take “sonship” out of the abstract and bring it into reality of the many sons that are brought into His own Glory and perfected as the wife of the Lamb.
While this eternal city of God is a great mystery, we have been given several facts about it. First: It is Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle of God. Second: It is the place of the throne of God. Third: It is the Inheritance of the overcomers. Fourth: It is the bride, the wife of the Lamb. Fifth: It is the place of the glory of God. Sixth: It is transparent, pure gold, with all kinds of precious stones and pearls. Seventh: It has no temple because the Lord God, the Almighty and the Lamb as it’s temple. Eighth: It will be the source of Light for the New Heaven and the New Earth. Ninth: It will be the dwelling place of those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Tenth: The River of Life will flow from the throne of God that is located in the city. Eleventh: The Bondservants will serve Him there and see His face. Twelfth: The Lord God Himself will illuminate the bondservants, therefore they will need no other light.
In addition to these facts we see that the New Jerusalem, which is the wife of the Lamb, will descend out of heaven from God. The city has twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Each gate was a single pearl. It has twelve foundation stones and on them are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Also nothing unclean shall ever enter into that city. The standard for the measure of the city is a gold measuring rod. The city is 1500 miles by 1500 miles by 1500 miles. The city has perpetual daylight and there will be no night there. The city is the location of the Tree of Life that bears 12 kinds of fruit. The bondservants shall rule forever and forever from the New Jerusalem.
The New Jerusalem is the masterpiece of all of God’s creation. This city will stand out as the wisdom and genius of God’s finest workmanship. However, this workmanship may not be visible for all to see. ISA 4:4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, ISA 4:5 then the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. ISA 4:6 And there will be a shelter to {give} shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. God’s manifested glory will be hidden by a cloud but the city will be like the sun shinning in it’s brightness and the source of this tremendous light will be the Lord God and the Lamb. It appears that the nations of the New Earth will be able to see this great light but not the details of the city. The heavenly Mt. Zion will be in the New Jerusalem. HEB 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, HEB 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, HEB 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than {the blood} of Abel.
Mt. Zion was the place of the throne of David and Jesus will sit upon the throne Of heaven, the heavenly Mt. Zion.
ISA 4:3 And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-- everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.
Those who are recorded for life in Jerusalem will have their name in the “Lamb’s book of life”. This is different than the other books or “the book of life”. REV 21:26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; REV 21:27 and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. REV 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is {the book} of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. REV 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. The minimum requirement to escape the lake of fire is to have your name written in the book of life. The minimum requirement to have your citizenship in the New Jerusalem is to have your name in the “Lamb’s book of life”. That means those who are totally given to the Lamb and belong to Him and therefore belong to the New Jerusalem.
ISA 2:2 Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. ISA 2:3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ISA 2:4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. While this is surely speaking about the Millennial reign of Christ and an earthly kingdom, there may also be a fulfillment in the eternal Kingdom.
ISA 60:10 “And foreigners ( Gentiles) will build up your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor I have had compassion on you. ISA 60:11 “And your gates will be open continually; They will not be closed day or night, So that {men} may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their kings led in procession. ISA 60:12 “For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined. ISA 60:13 “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, The juniper, the box tree, and the cypress together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I shall make the place of My feet glorious. ISA 60:14 “And the sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. ISA 60:15 “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated With no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation.
ISA 54:11 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, Behold, I will set your stones in antimony, And your foundations I will lay in sapphires. ISA 54:12 “Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies, And your gates of crystal, And your entire wall of precious stones. ISA 54:13 “And all your sons will be taught of the Lord; And the well-being of your sons will be great. ISA 54:14 “In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And from terror, for it will not come near you. ISA 54:15 “If anyone fiercely assails {you} it will not be from Me. Whoever assails you will fall because of you. ISA 54:16 “Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, And brings out a weapon for its work; And I have created the destroyer to ruin. ISA 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.
Precious stones express beauty, magnificence, purity, clarity, strength and harmony with God’s character and His person. The great afflictions that have been common for the servants of God have an eternal benefit because that is how God is producing all these precious stones, crystal and transparent gold for the New Jerusalem, the city of God.
ISA 33:14 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? “ ISA 33:15 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; ISA 33:16 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. ISA 33:18 Your heart will meditate on terror: “Where is he who counts? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?” ISA 33:19 You will no longer see a fierce people, A people of unintelligible speech which no one comprehends, Of a stammering tongue which no one understands. ISA 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes shall see Jerusalem an undisturbed habitation, A tent which shall not be folded, Its stakes shall never be pulled up Nor any of its cords be torn apart. ( This tent is eternal) ISA 33:21 But there the majestic {One,} the Lord, shall be for us A place of rivers {and} wide canals, On which no boat with oars shall go, And on which no mighty ship shall pass-- ISA 33:22 For the Lord is our judge, The Lord is our lawgiver, The Lord is our king; He will save us--
When Israel was confronted with the presence of God at Mt. Sinai they were terrified and could not go up the mountain. HEB 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; HEB 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire. The question is this; Who can live in that consuming fire and who can live in the continual burnings. Certainly not sinners or those who are unclean, immoral, thieves or liars. Those who can live in the everlasting burnings will also see the King in all His beauty and majesty. It will be those who are experientially righteous and those who actually live the Christian life.
ISA 65:13 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry. Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty. Behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame. ISA 65:14 “Behold, My servants shall shout joyfully with a glad heart, But you shall cry out with a heavy heart, And you shall wail with a broken spirit. ISA 65:15 “And you will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones, And the Lord God will slay you. But My servants will be called by another name. ISA 65:16 “Because he who is blessed in the earth Shall be blessed by the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My sight! ISA 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. ISA 65:18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem {for} rejoicing, And her people {for} gladness. ISA 65:19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
This is not speaking of the earthly kingdom during the millennium so therefore must be speaking of the eternal Kingdom and the bondservants, who are overcomers, of Rev. 22. It is at this time that the servants of God will receive a new name. REV 2:17 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give {some} of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’
ISA 56:3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from His people.” Neither let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” ISA 56:4 For thus says the Lord, “To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, ISA 56:5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, And a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off. ISA 56:6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And holds fast My covenant; ISA 56:7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. “
Both the “foreigner and the eunuch” who are fully consecrated will be given new names and will dwell within His walls and be brought to His holy mountain, Mt. Zion.
REV 3:12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. It is obvious that this is only applied to those who overcome.
ISA 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, And her salvation like a torch that is burning. ISA 62:2 And the nations will see your righteousness, And all kings your glory; And you will be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will designate. ISA 62:3 You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ISA 62:4 It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,” Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”; But you will be called, “My delight is in her,” And your land, “Married”; For the Lord delights in you, And {to Him} your land will be married. ISA 62:5 For {as} a young man marries a virgin, {So} your sons will marry you; And {as} the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, {So} your God will rejoice over you. All this seems so incredible but God has prepared so much for those who love Him and keep His covenant that the human mind cannot take it all in.
1TI 6:15 which He will bring about at the proper time-- He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; 1TI 6:16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him {be} honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Only those who are truly experiential light can dwell in His unapproachable light. Light may dwell with light but no darkness can dwell with His light. In Him is no darkness at all.
PSA 15:1 (A Psalm of David.) O Lord, who may abide in Thy tent? Who may dwell on Thy holy hill? PSA 15:2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. PSA 15:3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; PSA 15:4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt, and does not change; PSA 15:5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
It is clear that to dwell in God’s presence much more is required that to just believe something about Jesus or just have your sins forgiven. God must work righteousness into our lives so that we can live in integrity and holiness and even control our tongue.
The New Jerusalem is the “bride” the “wife” of the Lamb. There are several Old Testament scriptures that speak prophetically of this “bride”. The bride is always spoken of as “one” because it is only “two” that can become “one”. Christ and His wife. He is not marrying five virgins or 60 queens. He is not made one with 80 concubines.
SOL 6:8 “There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, And (Virgins) maidens without number; SOL 6:9 {But} my dove, my perfect one, is unique: (ONE) She is her mother’s only { daughter;} She is the pure {child} of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, (PLURAL) The queens and the concubines {also,} and they praised her, {saying,} SOL 6:10 ‘Who is this that grows like the dawn, As beautiful as the full moon, As pure as the sun, As awesome as an army with banners?’ This “DOVE” is the Kings betrothed and will become His bride and wife. The multitude of virgins, queens and concubines all have a relationship with the bridegroom but are not the bride. They will be guests at the wedding feast of the Lamb.
PSA 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom. PSA 45:7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows. PSA 45:8 All Thy garments are {fragrant with} myrrh and aloes {and} cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad. ( All this is speaking of the Lord Jesus) PSA 45:9 Kings’ daughters are among Thy noble ladies; (PLURAL) At Thy right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. (SINGULAR) PSA 45:10 Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house; PSA 45:11 Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.
PSA 45:13 The King’s daughter (THE BRIDE) is all glorious within; (SINGULAR) Her clothing is interwoven with gold. PSA 45:14 She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, (PLURAL) Will be brought to Thee. (THE KING) PSA 45:15 They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace. Even though they will be permitted in the King’s palace they will not be the bride. “They” are identified as “virgins” who are companions of the bride. “THEY” will be invited guests. The bride will wear her beautiful garments but she is distinguished by being “all glorious within”. A great subjective work has taken place to prepare her for this eternal moment for the “glorious presentation”.
PSA 48:1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. PSA 48:2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion { in} the far north, The city of the great King. PSA 48:3 God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold. PSA 48:8 As we have heard, so have we seen In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish her forever. This is not speaking of the earthly Jerusalem because that will pass away.
The beauty and perfection of the New Jerusalem was spoken about prophetically by the Old Testament prophets but the reality of what they spoke will only be experienced by those who have come to the perfection of that heavenly city so they are permitted to dwell there. The primary work of God “in us” is subjective, to change us from what we are to what we must be in order to meet God’s requirements for His eternal purpose. When the objective work of serving God is the result of His subjective work completed in us, the objective work will also help prepare us for His eternal purpose. God’s ultimate purpose is to have a people who will serve Him and do His will throughout eternity and to rule under His sovereignty and over all the works of His hands.
The significance of His bondservants serving Him should not be misunderstood. REV 22:3 And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, (The New Jerusalem) and His bond-servants shall serve Him; REV 22:4 and they shall see His face, and His name {shall be} on their foreheads. REV 22:5 And there shall no longer be {any} night; and they ( The bondservants) 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 ( The bondservants) shall reign forever and ever. REV 22:6 And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place.
The bondservants hold a unique position in the eternal Kingdom. This is the position that is commonly taught as the inheritance of all who are “saved”. There is a mighty difference between a person who has had their sins forgiven and a bondservant. One problem is that the K.J.V. translated bondservant as servant. Servant is assumed to mean anyone who is born again. In order to understand the significance of what this says it is necessary to investigate the law of the bondservant from the Old Testament. “Diakonos” is translated servant and means one who serves. It is the word we get deacon from. A deacon serves the church. This word in Rev. 22 is “doulos” and is translated as slave, bondslave or bondservant. It comes from a root word that means bound with chains. Paul uses it to refer to being slaves of sin or slaves of righteousness.
The law of the bondservant is found in EXO 21:2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. EXO 21:3 “If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. EXO 21:4 “If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. EXO 21:5 “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ EXO 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.
This law is also found in DEU 15:12 “If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. DEU 15:13 “And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. DEU 15:14 “You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. DEU 15:15 “And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. DEU 15:16 “And it shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; DEU 15:17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also you shall do likewise to your maidservant. DEU 15:18 “It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years {with} double the service of a hired man; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.
When Jesus Christ died on Calvary He purchased each of us off the auction block. Each of us was sold into slavery to sin and were dead in our trespasses. We owed a debt we could not pay and our redeemer paid our redemption price with His own blood. Therefore, we are no longer our own, we have been bought with a price and we are His purchased possession. He has purchased each of us as slaves.
Therefore, according to the law of the slave we must serve Him for six years at twice the labor of a hired man. At the end of six years ( before the 7th year begins) we have the option of taking our freedom in Christ and go out without payment. However, in that six years we have learned to know how the Master treats us and we should understand His provision. We should know if we have fared well and if He has treated us well. Then we also have the option of saying “No! I won’t go free. I love the master and the master’s family. Therefore I will give myself to be a bondservant forever.” Then the master will take you to the doorpost and pierce you ear with an awl and you shall be a bondservant forever.
Once a person became a bondservant He was obligated to the master as long as he lived. There was no law that could then free him. If the master fed him he ate. If the master didn’t feed him he starved and no one could say to the master “what are you doing”?
LUK 17:7 “But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? LUK 17:8 “But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and { properly} clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink’? LUK 17:9 “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? LUK 17:10 “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done {only} that which we ought to have done.’”
This is typical of the bondservant that will serve Him through out eternity. It is the bondservants who will see His face and have His name on their foreheads. These are the bondservants that will have no need of the light of the sun because the Lord God shall illumine them and these bondservants shall rule forever and ever.
To make bondservants saved or unsaved is ignorant. This really has to do with consecration and not just forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins will obligate you to serve God for six years with twice the labor of a hired man before you can be free to do your own thing. Giving yourself to God as a bondservant will obligate you for eternity but that is the blessing of the New Jerusalem.
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; REV 22:4 and they shall see His face, and His name {shall be} on their foreheads. REV 22:5 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.
The eternal priests of God who serve God in the Most Holy place and on the throne of God will be the bondservants. This is the basis of the eternal Kingdom of God. The bondservant will give themselves to do the whole will of God on the earth the same as it is being done in heaven. Not just when it is convenient but as bondservants forever.