Is the New Jerusalem real and literal?

According to Scripture, the New Jerusalem will be a cube of about 2,200 kilometers or 1,400 miles.  That is massive.  The biggest city of our time doesn’t even come close to that.  Is it possible?  Will there really be a city of that size on the new earth?  

The first thing is, can we trust the information about this big city?  We can, because of the introduction to the book of Revelation, 

‘The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place.  He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw, that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.’  Revelation 1:1-2

Look at the emphasis: 

• ‘The revelation of Jesus Christ.’ 
• ‘God gave Jesus the revelation. ‘
• ‘The angel was sent to John.’
• ‘John testified about the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.‘

One cannot get a more precise definition that God spoke.  We can trust the revelation of Jesus to the hilt.  

• Look at what He promises His people:

‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.’  Revelation 21:1

• The apostle Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, foretold, 

‘But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.’  2 Peter 3:13

• God is adamant that on this ‘New Earth’ there will be a ‘New Jerusalem,’ 

‘I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God….’  Revelation 21:2a

God also has a city on this present earth, 

‘…I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.’  2 Chronicles 6:6

There is an interesting parallel,

• As God has a present earth, He will have a future new earth. 
• As He has an earthly Jerusalem, so He will have a New Jerusalem.  

Question: is a city of that size possible?  Why not?  If God can create the new world, He can create a massive city.  God is not into the ‘small.’  His ‘Garden of Eden’ will be the whole new earth.  His future city will accommodate all His people.  And the best!  We will love our Lord Jesus to bits in His City. 

A divided nation cannot stand.

Looking at the American presidential election in 2020, one is struck by the divisions and hatred.  It is not just a friendly jostling about who will be the next president.  It is serious, often violent and hateful.  

Let us compare countries in this world with God’s eternal Country, the new heaven and earth,

  ‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away….’  Revelation 21:1  

God will be its eternal President.  

Will there be insurrection, dissatisfaction and hostility towards Him as President? No!  God is too wise for that.  He created this natural world for a specific reason.  It is to give all people who ever lived the opportunity to make a decision (on this side of the grave).  While we live we choose to either submit to ‘God the President’ or reject Him.  That decision has eternal consequences as it can never be revoked after death.  One is either part of God’s Kingdom on the new earth or with Satan in his kingdom of burning sulphur.  

This temporary life is an absolutely necessary stage in God’s plans.  Here one decides whom to elect as one’s own personal leader, God or Satan.  Jesus said, 

‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.’  Matthew 12:25  

In God’s eternal Kingdom there will be no divisions.  He knows there are many people who, based on false propaganda, regard Him as bad.  But they can cast their vote now.  God’s Kingdom is eternal and He understands that a divided nation cannot stand.  It would be interesting to see what will happen to America in this ‘civil war.’   Will God’s Word be proved true, or not?   

God takes precautions that His Kingdom is united.  If the people of America don’t give attention to it, things might turn out for the worse for that great country.  One can only pray that  people will understand that God’s Kingdom is the only one that will last eternally. 

Why is ghost hunting so popular?

In the Western World, once the stronghold of the Christian faith, there are lawsuits against anyone who dares to mention or teach the Bible in education facilities.  Teachers and scientists lose their jobs when they do that.  There are many more such attacks against Biblical Faith.  It is a concerted effort to ‘break the chains…and throw off the fetters’¹ of God and His Word, the Bible.    

#  What makes this fight so weird? 

It is so ghostly because the Bible testifies mainly about invisible things: 

• God, with Jesus at His right hand is on His throne in heaven, invisible to the eye or telescopes.  We will only see them in future on the new earth.  
• We cannot see the Holy Spirit.
• The new heaven and earth, the future Utopia, is still in the future. 
• The Kingdom of God is real and exists, but no one can pinpoint it.
• The Bible testifies that there are myriads of invisible angels around us.  Where? 
• An evil fallen angel rules over the world.  We see his efforts in real life, but not him.  
• Evil demons influence people to do Satan’s will but no doctor’s investigation can reveal them.

Conclusion

Why fight against a Book that speaks about invisible personalities and places?  It sounds like a popular hunt against ghosts.  Yet Scripture gives the answer, ‘…what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ ²  The fight is the attempt of God’s enemy to prevent people from the information that will enable them to be part of God’s people.   

Reference

1. Psalm 2:3
2. 2 Corinthians 4:18