Bible Study With Jairus

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 4 Part 1 God is Our Rock

The Rock, this work is perfect, for all his ways are perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

What does it mean that God is our rock? For many of us, when we speak of God as our rack, we are simply repeating what we have heard others saying. However, it is a completely different thing to experience this for ourselves in our own lives. Let me illustrate by sharing an experience from my life. When I was saved in 2002, I began to witness to my parents and share the gospel with them. But my mom was very committed to Buddhism and idol worship, and my father was a strong atheist. In our country, it is not easy to witness to family members. In fact, many people are even persecuted for sharing the gospel. Even in America, a so-called Christian country, it is not easy to bring back a prodigal son or daughter.

For ten years, my wife and I struggled with infertility. This made things worse. My mom told me she would not believe in Jesus, since she had not seen God answering our prayer to bless us with a baby. I didn’t know what to say, but I just kept trusting in the verse that says, “the one who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 9:33). This verse is quoting Isaiah 28:16, which says, “whoever relies on it [the precious cornerstone] will never be stricken with panic” (NIV). I simply told my mom that I would continue to trust my God.

In 2016, God told me I would have a baby that year. I told my mom about this promise, but she did not believe it. When the promise was fulfilled, my mom was shocked. She was so amazed by this miracle that she decided to believe in Jesus’ name and get baptized. Because of my experience, I can say from experience that God is my rock. He is the rock of my salvation.

Why and how can Moses say that God is a rock? What was his experience with God being a rock? The Bible tells us that Moses told his father-in-law, Jethro, about the mighty acts of God. However, this did not happen right away. When Moses originally left his father-in-law to go back to Egypt, he took his wife and son with him. But later, they went back to be with Jethro. Perhaps Moses’ wife, sons, and father-in-law doubted God’s power to deliver them from Egypt. If not, why would his wife and sons have gone back to be with their family instead of going with Moses to Egypt?

However, after God successfully delivered the Israelites from Egypt, Jethro brought Moses’ wife and sons to meet him. Then Moses told his father-in-law what God had done to miraculously free them from Egypt. At that point, Jethro believed in Jehovah and offered sacrifices to God.

Do you think it was easy for Moses to witness to his father-in-law, a Midianite priest who worshiped a foreign God? Was it easy for Jethro to accept Jehovah as the real God, the Rock? No. Even Moses’s own brother and sister despised him. However, God’s mighty acts performed through Moses helped his family believe.

The promise of God always starts from a tiny seed. But this seed will grow into a miracle if we keep believing God’s promise and steward it well. As a result, we will have a powerful testimony of God being our rock.

Not only did Jethro place his trust in Jehovah, but an entire group of Midianites also went on the journey of faith to the Promised Land. One of their descendants is Jael, who later killed Sisera. Witnessing to your family members and bringing back the prodigals is not easy. But if you keep trusting him, you will be able to testify that God is your Rock. He who trusts in him WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME!

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord

For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;   ascribe greatness to our God!

We trust that when we call, others will answer.

We have confidence that we will get a response when we call the names of many different people and even animals. But we often neglect the fact that when we call on the name of the Lord, we will get the reality of the Lord’s presence.

In Genesis, we see that in the third generation of human existence, during the lifetime of Enosh, people began to call on the name of the LORD (Genesis 4:26). The name “Jesus” means “God is our salvation.” If we call on the name of Jesus, we will get the salvation of God.

Moses knows this fact from personal experience. He also expects the Israelites to have a proper response to the name of God. For example, if a herald announced that a great king was approaching, people would kneel and give them honor. In the same way, Moses expects that when he proclaims the name of the Lord, the Israelites will respond by “ascribing greatness to our God.” When we proclaim the name of the Lord, we will bring God’s greatness into our awareness.

As humans, we experience the personal presence of God through his acts. If we have never experienced the miraculous acts of God, it is difficult to associate the name of the Lord with the greatness of God. When Abraham first built an altar between Bethel and Ai and called on the name of God, he did not fully understand God’s greatness. He immediately went down to Egypt and almost sold his wife. God was faithful to save Abraham from the Egyptians, even though Abraham was not faithful. Then Abraham returned to the same altar, offered sacrifices, and once again called on the name of God. His experience of God’s power in Egypt deepened His understanding of God’s faithfulness. It helped him understand what it truly meant to call on the name of God. This is why he again called on the name of the Lord to ascribe greatness to his God.

This is one reason that God revealed Himself to Moses as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” God gave Moses similar experiences that helped him understand God’s greatness in the same way as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did. Before Moses went to Egypt, he did not tell his father-in-law what he was about to do in Egypt. Moses only told him about God’s greatness after God rescued His people from Egypt and brought them through the Red Sea. When Moses declared God’s mighty deeds and his awesome wonders to Jethro, he ascribed greatness to the Lord. He accepted Jehovah as his God and offered sacrifices to God right on the spot. This is another example of Moses declaring the name of the Lord and others ascribing greatness to Him.

Many Christians today cannot connect the name of God with the greatness of God. If we proclaim the name of the Lord, they don’t react by ascribing greatness to the Lord. Why? Because they need to experience God through his acts and deeds. Why don’t we have these experiences? Because we haven’t asked for them. The Bible says, “Ask, it shall be given to you.” Why don’t we ask for these experiences? Because experiencing God’s power may cost us something, so we often avoid it.

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 2 The Law is like Rain

May my teaching drop as the rain,

To help you understand this verse, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the four pictures that Moses points in this verse. He likens his words to rain, dews, raindrops, and showers to water the plants and provide for human life on earth.

First, please imagine you are watching rain drizzling against a windowpane, falling from the sky, and gently dropping to the ground. Second, please imagine drops of dew on the grass when you walk out of your house in the morning. Thirdly please imagine raindrops on a bush or plant. You can see the drops that still linger on the tip of a blade of grass or on the leaves of a water lily. Fourth, please imagine gentle showers falling on your garden so you don’t need to water them.

In this verse, Moses painted a picture of the law as a nourishing dew or a gentle, life-giving shower. He did not liken his words to storms, floods, typhoons, or tsunamis.  But in the later portion of this chapter, Moses warned the Israelites about the chastisement that would come upon them if they didn’t heed his gentle words. If they rejected the gentle rainfall of his word, they would experience the flood of condemnation. The law brings life, but if you disobey the law, it becomes a curse and a source of condemnation.

The Law first teaches and admonishes before correcting and disciplining. A good parent will speak gently at first, but will later discipline the child if they don’t obey. In the same way, the law protects and teaches us when we are spiritually immature (Galatians 3:24). Paul made it clear the law is good, but the person who cannot follow the law is the problem. Is the mother wrong to discipline her child? Most of the time, it is the children who are in the wrong.

Ultimately, Moses reminded the Israelites that God would one day have compassion on His people. After their time of discipline was over, God would again have compassion on them. No punishment or chastisement or anything else can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:38-39).  Moses did not mention Jesus’s name in this passage, but he alludes to the coming Savior. The Apostle John said, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 ESV).

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 1 Heaven and Earth are awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,   and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.”

We often say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In Deuteronomy 32, God gives the people of Israel a poem filled with pictorial language. Understanding pictorial language will help us grasp the prophetic and poetic language of the Bible. Since many of God’s truths are from the spiritual realm, a picture or metaphor can help us understand them. For example, the imagery of the heavens and earth listening to Moses’ words gives us a powerful picture that helps us understand God’s hidden plan.

Deuteronomy 32 is a poem God gave through Moses to remind the Israelites of three important truths:

Why is God punishing the Israelites, the nation he calls his “firstborn son”? First, the Bible tells us that God the father disciplines his sons and daughters, just like earthly fathers discipline their children out of love (Hebrews 12:6-7).

But why did Moses command the heaven and earth to listen to his warnings to the Israelites?  Because this poem was not just for the Israelites. God had a hidden plan to redeem all of creation. One day, His son would come to earth as an Israelite. He would accomplish redemption through His death on the cross and resurrection. In this way, he would “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). God’s plan is clearly revealed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8. All of creation is eagerly waiting for God’s sons to receive freedom and glory so the creation can also be set free from corruption (Romans 8:18-25).

But the Israelites didn’t know God’s hidden plan to redeem all of creation. As spiritual infants, they were prone to worship idols, like a sheep who is prone to wander from its shepherd. The Israelites needed to be disciplined so they would remain holy, set apart to God until the promised Messiah would be born through the tribe of Israel. This plan was about the Jew—but it was not only about the Jew. It was about bringing many sons to glory through Jesus Christ so that all creation could be freed from bondage. That is why Moses called heaven and earth to hear this poem addressed to the Israelites. The whole creation was longing for the birth of Jesus Christ to redeem them! Is it too much to say Moses was pointing to Jesus Christ in this chapter? Not at all! Jesus made it clear to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that all the writings of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets point to His death and resurrection!

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (part 3)  Overcoming the Second Death

In Revelation, 20, we see that only a small group of believers has the privilege of reigning with the Lord for a thousand years. Among believers, there are those who overcome and those who do not. The believers who overcome share in the first resurrection and are rewarded by reigning with the Lord for a thousand years in the millennial kingdom. After they overcome, the second death has no power over them (20:6).

We are all children of God, but not every child can overcome and become a king. Though all people are created equal by God, yet we are born into unequal circumstances because we grow up in different countries and families. For instance, I was born into a poor farming family in China, and my daughter was born into a middle-class family in America. Both of us are equal in God’s eyes, because we were made in His image. However, our starting points in life are not the same. She started her life journey much farther ahead than I did. Similarly, according to the truth of the Bible, there is no hierarchy among believers, yet there are differences in the degree of life to which they can attain. I believe that those who started out behind have a more difficult time overcoming spiritually.

What will happen to believers who do not overcome? Will they have another opportunity to overcome in the future? The Bible does not explicitly answer this question. Personally, I believe they will have this opportunity. However, one thing is certain: those who do not share in the first resurrection may still be subject to the second death.

Sister Lai Wangxiulan has written several books and testimonies about her visions. She shares that God told her that disobedient Christians are held in certain valleys, where they study the Bible and are urged to repent. If they repent, they will proceed to Paradise; if not, they will be sent to the Lake of Fire. If this revelation is true, then both sinning Christians and those who have not accepted the Lord may have the opportunity to learn about God and repent. If they choose to repent, they can avoid the second death. This second death is eternal death in “the lake of fire” (20:14).

In Matthew 25, Jesus discusses the judgment of the sheep and goats. The Lord said that the people who treated believers kindly (sheep) would enter the kingdom prepared for them by the Father from the foundation of the world. Meanwhile, the people who treated God’s children poorly (goats) would be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:33-41). We are uncertain whether this judgment of the nations takes place during the millennial kingdom or at the Great White Throne. My personal understanding is that it occurs at the Great White Throne judgment. If this judgment took place during the millennial kingdom, then it would be impossible to have a rebellion at the end of the thousand years. Therefore, it must take place at the Great White Throne judgment.

So, how can a person avoid the second death? I believe there are three possible ways to avoid eternal punishment.

Christians Who Overcome Today Will Reign with the Lord in the Millennial Kingdom

Who are the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1? Are they merely Jews who have been chosen and sealed with the seal of the living God (Revelation 7:4)? My understanding is that the 144,000 sealed from the twelve tribes are those whom God has chosen to be saved and to be spared from certain disasters. This term may also refer to those who overcome.

In Revelation 14, God specifically states that the 144,000 are “redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4). If they are the firstfruits, then they may represent the first group of overcomers. If there are firstfruits, then there are also later fruits, which suggests that other believers may have an opportunity to overcome later on.

It is also possible that this term refers to the saints who appear in glory with the Lord Jesus at His return. They will reign with Christ for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death.  The Book of Jude says, "It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him'" (Jude 1:14-15). This reveals that those who come with the Lord will execute judgment with Him upon sinners. This aligns with the scene described in Revelation regarding the coming of the millennial kingdom.

Revelation 20:4 says, "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.  Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Note that several groups of people are mentioned here. The first group consists of those to whom the authority to judge was given. This group is not explicitly described as martyrs, so it may include believers who have overcome throughout the ages. The structure of the verse, in which the first and second parts of the verse begin with the words, "I saw," indicates that John is seeing different groups of people. These individuals, as overcomers, will receive the future reward of reigning with the Lord in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death.

To those of us who are still facing the daily pressures and temptations of present life, these promises may sound like fairy tales. They may seem like a distant and unrealistic dream. However, if God opens our spiritual eyes, we will realize how glorious these promises truly are. Moreover, this passage reminds us that our current life is our only opportunity—or at least our best opportunity—to overcome. The suffering and trials we experience in this life are excellent opportunities for us to achieve victory. Suffering is often grace in disguise. If we can embrace the hardships and trials of this life, break free from the corruption caused by worldly desires, and partake more and more in the divine nature, we will be filled with the life of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4). In doing so, we will escape the second death, become the firstfruits of God’s redemption, and potentially have the opportunity to reign with the Lord for a thousand years in the future. May God open the eyes of each and every one of us.

Christians Who Do Not Overcome on Earth May Have the Opportunity to Repent in the Afterlife, But They Will Endure Much Suffering

Will some people have the opportunity to repent in the afterlife? Will Christians continue to grow, mature, and learn? Will there be an intermediary period after death in which people’s final fate is still undecided? These have always been controversial questions. This controversy is illustrated in the multiple interpretations of the parable of the ten virgins. In this parable, five virgins run out of oil and are excluded from the wedding feast. Some denominations teach that these five virgins were never saved, while others believe they were Christians who lacked spiritual oil. In other words, they were saved but not overcomers. In this view, Christians can still repent after death. In the afterlife, immature Christians are disciplined in darkness until they repent.

I believe that both the Catholic and Protestant traditions have embraced extreme positions on this issue. On the one hand, the Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of purgatory, which led to the sale of indulgences. On the other hand, Protestantism rejects the existence of Purgatory and denies the possibility of post-death discipline for believers. Both extremes have led to erroneous teachings. The teachings of the Catholic church led believers to purchase indulgences to get their loved ones out of Purgatory. Protestants were concerned that corrupt clergy were charging excessive amounts for indulgences, so they overcorrected by denying Purgatory altogether. However, this led Protestants to believe that they will automatically go to heaven through faith in Christ. As a result, they sometimes see no need for spiritual growth, learning, and repentance in this life. Both extremes can lead to unhelpful distortions of the truth.

I believe that after believers enter eternity, they will have the opportunity to continue learning and repenting. If there is sin that was not dealt with while alive, it will not be simply erased upon entering eternity. Instead, they must continue to repent and be filled with Christ’s life.

The blood of Christ has cleansed us from sin once and for all; this is an indisputable fact. However, we need to continually apply the blood of Jesus Christ and His salvation to our experiences. The former frees us from the second death, which is the Lake of Fire; the latter helps us grow in holiness. When we believe in Jesus and accept His cleansing blood as payment for our sins, we are saved. We become God’s children, and no one can snatch us out of God’s hand. Even when we occasionally give in to sin and transgressions, we do not lose our salvation or need to be saved again. The common teaching that we can lose our salvation has instilled fear in many believers throughout history, but I believe this view is incorrect.

However, if a believer willfully sins after receiving the knowledge of salvation, I believe this is a totally different situation. We cannot bind God by our understanding of His word. He is alive, and His word is alive. We cannot decide who goes to hell and who does not based on our own human interpretation of God’s word. Instead, the living God will decide each person’s eternal destiny based on His own just character. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “It is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (6:6). And in verse 8, it says, "but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned." From these scriptures, we see that God will punish people who have tasted His words yet refuse to repent from their deliberate sin and rebellion. When these people allow thorns and thistles to grow in their lives, they will be burned. We cannot take salvation lightly or ignore God's sanctification.

I believe that some people who do not overcome in this life will receive discipline and come to repentance in the afterlife. However, this will not be an easy process. The Bible says these people must pass through much suffering. Suffering and discipline will be the means of repentance that frees them from the harm of the second death.

It is delusional to believe that we can indulge in the pleasures of sin in this life and yet escape all suffering in the life to come. The Bible says that our works will be tested by fire, and “if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15). People who live an irresponsible life on earth will experience suffering in the life to come.

Consistently Show Kindness to God's Children: Care for Even the Least of His Followers

Although God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), the reality is that not everyone has the opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. Unfortunately, some people will never hear the gospel. But as Paul stated, their conscience acts as their guide. Paul said, “To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:7). The Israelites, living under the law, will be judged according to the law (Romans 2:12). However, the situation is different for Gentiles who do not know the law (let alone the gospel). Paul says, “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Romans 2:14-15). From this passage, as well as the passage about the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, it seems that some people may be granted eternal life because they follow the guidance of their conscience in how they live. However, if people do evil (which not only includes mistreating Christians, but also harming God's creation), they may not enter God's Kingdom. Paul says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These are clearly people who do not follow their conscience or the law of the spirit. They cannot inherit the Kingdom of God—unless they believe in Christ and repent. Revelation 21:8 more explicitly states, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Revelation 21:27 also mentions, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." These are the people outside the city mentioned in Revelation 22:15: "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." This is likely referring to the Lake of Fire. In the Old Testament, the last chapter of Isaiah also describes a similar scenario regarding the end times. Isaiah 66:22-24 says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." Not only will the Lake of Fire still exist in the new heavens and the new earth, but believers will periodically go out to view the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against God and who are suffering in the Lake of Fire. I do not know what my feelings will be at that time, but this passage says that all flesh will abhor them. We may end up loving what God loves and hating what God hates.

It is evident that those who follow their conscience and treat others kindly will ultimately receive God's reward and escape the second death. On the other hand, those who live in sin without repentance will face the consequences of the second death. The Bible does not give a definitive answer about whether people will have a chance to repent after death. Personally, I have had some prophetic dreams in which my unsaved relatives were given an opportunity to hear the Gospel and study the Scriptures in the afterlife. I believe it’s possible that God did not immediately cast them into the Lake of Fire. Even if such a possibility exists, I believe it is reserved for those who did not have a chance to hear the Gospel and repent in this life. However, no one should allow this possibility to create apathy in this life. We should not ignore the importance of repentance in this life by assuming there will be another chance to repent in the afterlife. Instead, we should embrace the possibility that God’s grace for our loved ones may extend beyond this life.

Conclusion

The second death is the ultimate and final type of death, characterized by eternal suffering in the Lake of Fire. In His justice and love, God gives different people opportunities to receive eternal life. Those who hear the Gospel and accept it will not only be saved but will also have the opportunity to overcome and be victorious. After their victory, they will not only escape the second death but may also have the chance to reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years. Because of God's justice, people who have not heard the Gospel may still have a chance to hear it in the afterlife. God will judge them according to their conscience. I believe that people who treat God's elect and His creation with kindness will be allowed to enter the eternal kingdom.

Everyone has the opportunity for salvation, and everyone has the chance for victory. Our salvation is freely given, as long as we accept the cleansing of Jesus Christ’s blood by faith. However, victory requires spiritual growth and the willingness to pay a cost. If we are willing to pay that cost, our reward will far exceed anything we can imagine. I hope that all people will seize the opportunity in this life not only to believe in the Lord but also to overcome. For those who are less fortunate, including relatives who have passed away without hearing the Gospel, do not lose hope. God's justice will not allow a good soul to enter hell. Not only have I personally seen in prophetic dreams that deceased relatives can continue to hear the Gospel and read the Bible in the afterlife, but the same idea is confirmed by the testimonies of many prophets. There are also many scriptures which suggest that individuals will be judged by their conscience, indicating that these individuals may still have a chance. However, we do not teach or encourage people to reject the Gospel in this life or to indulge in sin based on the assumption that there will be another chance. We can never be sure that we will have another chance—especially for those who hear the Gospel in this life and still reject it. So we should take every opportunity we have to trust in Christ and apply His resurrection power to our lives.

God's End Time Plan/End Time Prophecy Part 1 - Jesus told me he will be back when the New Jerusalem is built up.

Why do I think the Lord's return is not imminent? In this first reflection, I will share my understanding of God's end times plans. I believe God has a heart for worldwide revival, but it will take longer than we thought. We are living the last days, but we don't know when Jesus will return. Is it possible that it is still several hundred years away?

In 2004, two years after trusting Christ as Savior, I had an encounter with Jesus in a revival meeting. The leaders of the revival meeting were encouraging believers to dedicate their lives to God, but I was not willing. I did not believe Jesus’ second coming was true. But finally, I knelt down to pray, “Jesus, if you reveal yourself to me and help me understand your second coming, I will dedicate my life to you.” That very night, I had a dream. In the dream, two people were fighting for access to my heart. I believe it was the Lord fighting against Satan. One of them was stronger and he took my heart. I physically felt the pain of this person grabbing my heart. The next day, I no longer struggled to dedicate myself to the Lord. Instead, I did it willingly. During the meeting, I suddenly saw the heavens open. I saw Jesus and heard him saying, “When the body of Christ, the New Jerusalem, is built up, I will come back.”

So many people are talking about the Lord’s imminent return, but my argument is that it is not as imminent as some think. The Lord is longing for the maturity of the Body of Christ so that he can marry a mature bride. But we are far from maturity. It is not we who are waiting for the Lord’s return, but it is the Lord who is waiting for our maturity.

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 5)

The Gemstones of the New Jerusalem Symbolize our Horizontal Fellowship with the Saints, While Israel's Pearls Symbolize our Vertical Fellowship with God

What is the New Jerusalem made of? The walls are made of jasper, the city is made of pure gold, and the twelve gates are made of twelve pearls. Furthermore, the foundations of the city’s walls are adorned with twelve kinds of gemstones (Revelation 21:18-21). Jasper, gold, gemstones, and pearls are the four building materials used in the construction of the New Jerusalem. Since jasper is a type of gemstone, there are essentially three materials: gold, gemstones, and pearls.

Gold symbolizes the nature of God. In the Old Testament, gold was used in the construction of the temple and in the making of the Ark of the Covenant. These examples show that gold represents God’s uncreated nature. The streets of the New Jerusalem are also made of pure gold. I believe that gold represents God’s heavenly purity, which is contrasted with human earthiness. We were created from the dust of the ground, and clay cannot transform into gold. Even though Peter said that our faith, which is tested by fire, will become more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7), we will always be created beings. We can never become as majestic, pure, and powerful as God is. Even when our lives are refined in fire to separate the gold from the rock, we cannot rival God’s holiness. God is pure and holy, like gold. Part of the New Jerusalem is made out of gold, which means that God Himself is an integral part of the city. The throne of God and the Lamb is at the center of the New Jerusalem. The presence of gold in the New Jerusalem reminds us that God is our tabernacle.

The walls and gates of the New Jerusalem are made of various gemstones and pearls. Pearls symbolize our vertical fellowship with God, which is made possible through the wounds of Christ. Like an oyster that secretes a pearly liquid when it is wounded by the piece of sand inside its shell, we are transformed by the suffering of Christ. The pearls represent the twelve tribes of Israel, which reminds us of our vertical fellowship with God and the transformation we undergo after experiencing His salvation.

The gemstones represent the apostles who provide the foundation for our growth in Christ. As we build each other up in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:11), we are built together as living stones that form a part of Christ’s temple (1 Peter 2:5). Christ is the cornerstone that connects both Jews and Gentiles in one holy temple. In the same way, the cross of Christ unites believers with each other and reconciles God and man (Ephesians 2:14-17).

While we have never seen clay turn into gold, we have seen clay transformed into gemstones under high pressure, and we have seen sand turn into pearls after the oyster is wounded. When we personally experience God’s life-saving grace and salvation, we are transformed into individual pearls. And when we are built together with other believers in Christ, we become different kinds of gemstones. Since each believer has undergone a different kind of suffering and transformation, we manifest as different kinds of gemstones. This is why the foundation of the city wall has so many different colors on display.

The New Jerusalem, as God’s dwelling place, is made up of both human and divine building materials. It contains gold, which represents God’s uncreated nature. It also contains gemstones and pearls, which represent the created, yet transformed, human nature. The New Jerusalem is the mutual dwelling place of God and man. It represents Immanuel, God with us.

The Literal and Symbolic Meaning of Eternal Dwellings

The descriptions of the New Jerusalem can be confusing at first glance. Is the New Jerusalem a literal city with literal houses? Or is it a completely metaphorical place that represents our bodies, our relationships, or other types of spiritual realities? I believe it is both.

The New Jerusalem is both material and physical, literal and metaphorical. Both aspects are equally real and valid. Today, the spiritual world is invisible to us. As a result, it seems less real. People often think that the visible, material world is the real one, and the unseen spiritual world is false. This is because their spiritual eyes have not been opened. The Bible tells us that the visible world is not the true reality; it is just a shadow. The invisible spiritual world is the true reality (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Let’s look at an example of how the New Jerusalem is both literal and metaphorical. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that we will one day lay aside our earthly tents and receive a house from God. This house is not made by human hands, but is eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1). In this passage, Paul is clearly talking about laying aside our physical bodies and receiving spiritual resurrected bodies. Paul says, “For indeed in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). Paul is saying that we long to be free from the limitations of the flesh and to put on the dwelling from heaven, which likely includes a spiritual body. In this passage, the word “house” means “resurrection body.”

However, God will also give us literal houses, or dwelling places, in heaven. Jesus mentions that His Father’s house has many rooms, and he is preparing a place for us (John 14:2). I believe that this is also true. In addition to having individual resurrected bodies and garments, we will also have houses to live in, and a city in which to reside—the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is our eternal dwelling which descends from God out of heaven. It is our house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. In the past, I was taught to doubt the existence of material houses in heaven. However, in a vision, God showed me the house of a saint in heaven. Now, I believe that when people go to heaven, they will have material houses. However, the material things in heaven surpass our current understanding of material things. For example, after the Lord’s resurrection, He could not only pass through walls but also eat fish, demonstrating that His resurrected body transcends our comprehension.

Furthermore, the idea of clothing is also used in several ways. Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Since we know that the church is the bride of Christ, the Lamb’s wife, we can conclude that the New Jerusalem represents believers. The New Jerusalem is our collective dwelling place, and it is also adorned with spiritual clothing. Here on earth, we may think we are clothed, but we are actually naked and exposed before God. The Bible tells us, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). In heaven, we will put on heavenly clothing and be fully prepared as Christ’s bride. In this passage, the idea of clothing is used metaphorically to describe the beauty of the city and the adornment of Christ’s bride. However, the idea of clothing is also used in a literal way as God describes the clothing of individual believers (Revelation 7:9).

The New Jerusalem is not only a spiritual building but also a material one. Revelation 21 clearly reveals that the city and streets of the New Jerusalem are made of pure gold. The walls are made of jasper, the gates are made of pearls, and the foundation of the city walls is made of various precious stones. These beautiful materials should not be seen merely as metaphors but as real, tangible materials. However, these tangible materials may also be alive in a sense that we do not currently understand. Therefore, the construction of the New Jerusalem may be an organic unity of both physical and spiritual building materials.

The Pearly Gates Symbolize Our Vertical, Personal Experience of God’s Salvation

According to Revelation 21:12, the twelve gates of the city are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. I believe that the twelve gates not only represent Israel, but by extension, Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). Salvation came through Jesus Christ, a descendent of Israel. The Israelite Torah points forward to the coming of Christ, and Christ is the fulfillment of the law and prophets (Romans 10:4). As a result, the twelve pearly gates certainly symbolize Christ. Salvation is only found in Christ, but God chose to bring his salvation through the twelve tribes of Israel.

Salvation comes from the Israelites. Salvation was made possible through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who became an Israelite. Without the Israelites, there would be no Jesus, and without Jesus, there would be no salvation. Therefore, the twelve gates, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolize the collective human connection with God in a vertical sense.

Let me share another metaphor that helps me understand the relationship between Israel and our salvation to Christ. The Israelites are like the physical cables that bring internet signals into your home. The signal is then decoded in a modem and router. They turn the signal into a wireless connection. Finally, the signal is received by hardware on the phone or computer that interprets the signal. Without any of these elements, it would be impossible to connect to the internet.

In a similar way, Israel is like the cable that brings the signal into the home. Christ is like the router and modem that translates the Israelite heritage into a form that all of us can accept. But we need personal faith (like the hardware and software on a device) to receive the signal Christ brings. Through the connection of faith, we can connect with Christ, and through Christ, we connect with God.

Without the Israelites, it would be impossible to connect with Christ and God, just like it would be impossible to connect to the internet without a physical cable. This is what Paul is referring to when he talks about the blessing of Abraham: “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). Today, as Gentiles, we receive the blessing of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

In the construction of the New Jerusalem, God continues to remind us that the history and heritage of Israel were necessary for our salvation. They are the gate, or portal, into the presence of God. The twelve pearly gates of the New Jerusalem, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel, are the way we enter God's holy city.

The Pearly Gates and Gemstones Symbolize Transformation

The twelve gates are twelve pearls (21:21). Pearls are formed when a piece of sand becomes stuck inside an oyster shell. The oyster is wounded by the sand and begins to secrete a substance called mother-of-pearl that coats the sand and transforms it into a pearl. Similarly, when the Lord Jesus was wounded on the cross, he secreted life-giving fluids that not only provided forgiveness for our sins but also opened the way for transformation. Through his death, we can be transformed into something brand-new, like pearls.

The Bible reminds us that Jesus was literally pierced for our salvation. Quoting an Old Testament passage, the Apostle John says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced” (John 19:37, cf. Zechariah 12:10, 13:6). Christ was pierced by His own countrymen, and one day those who pierced Him will look upon Him with sadness and grief. But there will be some who will look on Him with faith, just as the Israelites looked upon the bronze serpent lifted by Moses to receive salvation (John 3:14).

The Israelites were not the only ones responsible for piercing Jesus. Every person is responsible for nailing Christ to the cross. Our sins caused His wounds. However, His precious blood flowed forth from His wounded body, cleansing us from our sins and transforming us into pearls. Pearls represent the transformation of sinners into saints.

The twelve tribes of the Old Testament will eventually be transformed into individual pearls. We, as individual sinners, will be transformed into pearls after undergoing personal salvation and spiritual renewal. Even though there is a collective sense to this renewal, it is also a very personal story between God and the individual. No one else can write our story for us. Each of us must come to God personally through Christ, our mediator.

Similarly, gemstones are also the result of transformation. Under specific conditions, certain types of minerals can be transformed into gemstones. For example, clay can be transformed into garnet through intense heat and pressure. Similarly, we humans, who are made of dust (1 Corinthians 15:47-57), can be transformed into gemstones through intense pressure and fiery trials. The difficulties, sufferings and trials we face will ultimately change us into gemstones for the new Jerusalem, God's building.

Gemstones Also Symbolize Our Fellowship with Other Saints in Christ

Not only are we transformed on a personal level, but we are also built together collectively as living stones in God’s holy temple (1 Peter 2:4-5). We need to join with other believers to become the large gemstones that will form the foundation of the city walls. We are built upon the Lord Jesus, who is the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22), the foundation stone (Isaiah 28:16), and the top stone (Zechariah 4:7-9). He connects Gentiles and Jews—all believers—and builds them into a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. In addition to experiencing personal salvation, we must also allow God to build us together into the New Jerusalem.

God's will for us is not merely for individuals to be saved, but for us to be built together to become a holy city that displays His wisdom, greatness, and glory to the universe. The New Jerusalem is God's ultimate expression of these qualities. God’s life not only saves us, but it also transforms us into various types of gemstones. These gemstones include jasper, sapphire, chalcedony emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst—twelve types of gemstones in total. As we experience God’s many-colored grace (1 Peter 4:10), we join with other believers to become a beautiful spectrum of gemstones in the walls of the New Jerusalem.

Fellowship with God and with Saints is the Most Important Aspect of Eternity

What will we do for all of eternity? Aside from enjoying the various blessings that God has prepared for us, we will spend a great deal of time drawing closer to God and having more fellowship with Him. Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How can we be perfect as the Father is perfect? It will require an eternity of continuously drawing near to the Lord, being filled with God's holy nature, and being perfectly transformed into His image.

In addition to fellowship with God, we will also spend time in fellowship with the saints. We will continue building one another up for all of eternity! Even here on earth, we are richly blessed when we gather with other believers for fellowship and mutual encouragement. As we learn from each other’s stories and testimonies, experience each other’s love, and build each other up, we gain a richer experience of God’s many-colored work in their individual lives, which is a very beautiful thing. The fellowship we experience here on earth will be even richer when we reach the New Jerusalem.

Conclusion: We Must Strive to Experience Salvation and Edification

Today, every Christian must strive to experience God's salvation and edification. The word edification comes from a Latin word that means “to build.” We must not only seek to experience personal salvation (a vertical relationship with God), but we must also seek to be built together with other believers (horizontal relationships with other believers). In this way, we will be built together into the New Jerusalem. Only when we continuously experience vertical fellowship with God and horizontal edification with the saints can we “be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). This is the ultimate goal of the New Jerusalem—being filled with all the fullness of God.

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 6)

What Preparations Do We Need to Make to Enter the New Jerusalem?

What preparations do we need to make to enter the New Jerusalem? First, we must be filled with the life of Christ internally, and second, we must manifest the righteous deeds of Christ externally.

In Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. This is only possible because the bride is prepared for her Heavenly Husband. The Bible clearly states that the New Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9). The Bible also says that the bride must be spotless (Ephesians 5:27). To prepare for her Bridegroom, the bride is clothed in fine linen, which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). When this happens, the New Jerusalem (the bride) can descend from heaven.

The New Jerusalem does not need the light of the sun or the moon, for it is illuminated by the glory of God, and the Lamb is its lamp (Revelation 21:23). God’s life dwells within the city, and his light radiates outward, just like our inward purity manifests in outward righteousness. When we are saved by faith, we become the external manifestation of God's righteousness. Jesus Christ redeems our hearts at the moment of salvation, forgiving our sins because of His righteousness. As He continues to sanctify us, we begin to manifest His righteousness outwardly. What is true on the inside becomes visible on the outside. Not only are we justified positionally, but we are also filled with God’s righteousness dispositionally. Like the New Jerusalem, we manifest God’s glory outwardly. The New Jerusalem is absolutely not just a city descending from heaven; it is also a picture of the mature bride of Christ, whose righteousness is visible externally and not only internally. If it is true that the New Jerusalem cannot descend from heaven until the body of Christ becomes mature, we must seize every opportunity to mature spiritually to hasten the coming of the New Jerusalem.

Our Outer Lives Must Match Our Inner Lives: Justification by Faith and Clothed in Fine Linen

We often say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This saying reminds us that what is inside the book is more important than the cover. Similarly, we often say that we should avoid judging people by external appearance—height, weight, clothing, etc. We are told that these external differences are not essential to the inner life. Instead, what matters is character and inner qualities.

However, I believe we do need to pay attention to appearance and image. When buying a book, customers will judge a book by its cover. And as humans, our external appearance has a big impact on the way we are perceived. As the Chinese saying goes, “Clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse.” This means that an individual’s clothing does have an impact. A well-groomed appearance not only improves a person’s outward image and presentation, but it also reflects the person’s internal character. A person with a sloppy appearance is probably irresponsible on the inside, while a person who takes good care of their physical appearance is probably well-mannered and diligent on the inside, too.

Similarly, the bride of Christ will be clothed in pure white linen. This linen is not only her literal clothing, but it also represents the righteous deeds of the saints. The white linen is the outward manifestation of God's righteousness in the lives of the saints. In addition, the old heaven and old earth can be compared to a dirty garment that is taken off and cast aside (Hebrews 1:12). Following this train of thought, the new heaven and new earth are like a beautiful, new garment for the bride of Christ. Peter says that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and new earth (2 Peter 3:13). This righteousness is seen in the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is an elegant bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. She is filled with the righteousness of God and Christ on the inside and outwardly expresses His righteousness for all to see.

When we are invited to a formal event like a wedding, we should not wear casual jeans and flip flops. If we do, we will feel extremely awkward and wish we could disappear into the ground. In the same way, we cannot enter the marriage feast of Christ without a formal wedding garment. Even if we force our way in, we will be cast out for being dressed inappropriately. This is clearly explained in Jesus' parable in Matthew 22:11-13.

Just like a person’s external image and presentation reflects their internal qualities, the bride of Christ needs to have an external righteousness that matches her internal justification. External defilement is a manifestation of internal impurity, as Jesus stated in Matthew 15:11-20. Those whose spiritual garments are defiled cannot be part of the New Jerusalem.

If God has chosen us to be part of the New Jerusalem, our personal immaturity as Christians will delay the maturity of the body of Christ, thereby delaying the descent of the New Jerusalem from heaven. If the bride of Christ (synonymous with the Church, the body of Christ, and the New Jerusalem) is not filled with God’s light within and God’s righteousness without, then the New Heaven and New Earth will not descend from heaven, and this age will not come to an end. Every saved Christian is a part of the bride of Christ. We each need to manifest God’s righteousness in our lives so that we are prepared to meet our heavenly Bridegroom.

After Salvation, Victory Is Still Needed to Be Fully Prepared to Enter the New Jerusalem

When will the New Jerusalem be fully prepared for her heavenly husband? Is it when the number of Christians reaches a certain number of completion? Let’s look at some passages that seem to point in this direction.

Clearly, completed numbers are important to God. However, these completed numbers do not necessarily mean that everyone gets to be in the New Jerusalem, just like not every football player gets to be a part of professional football teams. However, a large number of Christians is required in order to produce a smaller number of highly-qualified Christian overcomers, just like a large number of football fans is required to produce a smaller number of excellent players. In the United States, a large base of football fans creates widespread interest in the sport. As a result, many students practice, train, and compete, and champions are produced. The wide base of football fans produces a great number of candidates for the team, but only a few excellent players are chosen. In the same way, I believe that the total number of Christians must reach a certain number in order to create enough high-quality overcomers to form the foundational group for the New Jerusalem. When this number is reached, there will be enough overcomers to create the New Jerusalem.

I believe that the believers who enter the New Jerusalem are the firstfruits, those who reached maturity and victory most quickly. Perhaps there will be other believers who will dwell in darkness, in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13). Revelation 21:24 clearly makes a distinction between people who live in the city and those who visit: “By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” This indicates that some people, including the kings of the earth, do not dwell in the New Jerusalem. However, they will walk by its light and “bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations” (21:26). Since these kings are allowed to enter the city, they must be considered good, because “nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (21:27).

This absolutely does not mean there is a class distinction among God's chosen people—not at all. Every person has an equal opportunity to enter the New Jerusalem, but not every Christian takes hold of these opportunities or achieves victory in their spiritual life. In the letters to the seven churches, Jesus pointed out the trials each church would face, and described the rewards they would receive if they overcame the challenges. The churches each faced unique trials and were promised unique rewards. However, there was a common theme in all these promises: those who overcame would become part of the New Jerusalem.

One reason for the degeneration of the churches in Europe and America is the overemphasis on evangelism and neglect of discipleship. This leads to an increase in the number of Christians, but a lack of adequate teaching and maturity. Many Western churches do not emphasize the importance of suffering, overcoming trials, and the discipline of the Holy Spirit. These teachings are not well-received in the Western world, but they are indispensable to spiritual growth. In order to experience deep revival, build up the church, and prepare for the New Jerusalem, the church must reach spiritual maturity through the discipline of the Holy Spirit and suffering.

The New Jerusalem, Abraham, and the Great Cloud of Witnesses Are Waiting for Our Maturity to Enter the City

In Revelation 21, we learn that the New Jerusalem not only includes New Testament believers represented by the apostles whose names are written on the foundation, but also Old Testament saints represented by the names of the twelve tribes written on the gates of the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is a city made up of saints from both the Old and New Testaments. They are witnesses of faith and vessels of God's glory, displaying God's glory, authority, and power in the world and throughout the universe.

However, these believers are waiting for today’s believers to mature so that they can all become part of the city at the same time. In Hebrews 11, God says that Old Testament saints are like runners in a relay race, continuously setting an example of faith for those who follow them. These Old Testament overcomers “all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). The passage mentions that Abraham chose to live in tents “because he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Apart from this verse, the Bible does not tell us anything about Abraham’s vision of this future city. However, I believe this city is the New Jerusalem.

The New Jerusalem includes saints of all ages, including the overcomers of both the Old and New Testament. Since this city includes the overcomers of all ages, they cannot receive what they hope for without the addition of the overcomers of today. “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). What is the “better thing” that God has prepared for us? It must be the New Jerusalem. When today’s believers mature to the point that they can become a part of the New Jerusalem, then all those who have died in faith throughout history will also become part of this city.

Conclusion: We Urgently Need the Growth of Life and the Manifestation of Righteous Deeds

In the letter to the church in Laodicea, God makes the following promise to the overcomers: “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name” (Revelation 3:12). This is the Lord’s promise to individual overcomers. When a person experiences this type of victory, the name of the New Jerusalem is written on him or her and they become a part of the manifestation of the New Jerusalem.

By the time we reach Revelation 21, the church as a whole has overcome, or at least a group of overcomers has emerged. The bride is now prepared to meet her husband, Jesus. The preparation of these overcomers brings about the descent of the New Jerusalem. As each believer is filled with the life of Jesus Christ and God on the inside, they will manifest the righteousness of God on the outside. Only then will they become victorious overcomers who manifest God’s purpose in Christ for the universe.

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 4)

The New Jerusalem: An Ever-Expanding Dwelling Place of God

Throughout the Bible, God dwells with His people in a tabernacle or temple that mirrors a heavenly reality. In the Old Testament, God asked Moses to build the tabernacle according to the pattern God showed him on the mountain (Hebrews 8:5). Similarly, when David gave his son Solomon instructions for building the temple, he told him, “Every part of this plan was given to me in writing from the hand of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:19, NLT). The word “tabernacle” is also found in some translations of the book of John, describing how Jesus Christ became human and lived among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The concept of God dwelling with man finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Jerusalem, a place where God and humanity dwell with one another.

The entire New Jerusalem is essentially an expanded version of the Old Testament tabernacle and temple. Its glory surpasses even the grandeur of Solomon’s temple. The Apostle John, when describing the New Jerusalem, said, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). Just like the priests could enter the tabernacle and approach God’s presence, we can now approach the Father through Jesus Christ, the Lamb.

In the Old Testament, only Moses and the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place. The priesthood was limited to the descendants of Aaron, and God’s intimate presence was reserved for the select few. However, most Israelites could enter the outer court. I believe the same concept applies to the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate Holy of Holies, where God dwells with humanity. Therefore, I believe that the New Jerusalem is made up of overcomers, mature believers who have attained a level of intimacy with God that matches the Most Holy Place.

However, other believers may not have reached this level of spiritual growth, and they will remain in the Holy Place or the Outer Court. These believers have a lower level of maturity. I believe that if these individuals continue to learn and grow, they can still become a part of the New Jerusalem. Those in the Outer Court and the Holy Place will still have the opportunity to attain a higher level of spiritual maturity so they can enter the Most Holy Place.

For this reason, I believe that the size of the New Jerusalem (described in Revelation 21) is not fixed. Instead, it will continually expand in size as new believers join the city as living stones. When the angel measured the city, its length, width, and height were each twelve thousand stadia, and the width of its walls was one hundred forty-four cubits. These dimensions are not only literal, but also represent spiritual dimensions.

When we read and interpret this description of the New Jerusalem, we are often limited by our natural and physical understanding. However, if we can relate the New Jerusalem to the idea of God’s dwelling place (the tabernacle and the temple), it will help us gain a deeper understanding of it. The tabernacle built by Moses in the Old Testament was smaller than the temple built by Solomon, and the temple was smaller than the New Jerusalem. The dimensions of God’s dwelling place were constantly expanding. In the same way, I believe the New Jerusalem will expand as more and more believers join it.

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ and the wife of the Lamb; wouldn't its dimensions continue to grow throughout eternity? Would God deprive those who lack maturity—who are not yet spiritually mature enough to enter the Most Holy Place—from continuing to mature so they can enter the Most Holy Place? I personally believe this does not align with God's nature. God longs for our continual spiritual maturity. We need an eternity to be conformed to the image of Christ and be perfected like our Heavenly Father. Therefore, I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed. Perhaps God continues to measure the New Jerusalem repeatedly. Each time he measures it, He will find that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem have changed as more and more mature believers have been added to the city.

The New Jerusalem is the Tabernacle Where God Dwells with Humanity

Both the tabernacle and the temple contained the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. These three areas symbolize the different levels of intimacy between man and God. In the Outer Court, members of the Israelite community could come and offer sacrifices on the bronze altar with the help of the priests. In the New Testament, the bronze altar reminds us of the precious blood of Christ that removes our sins. However, many Christians who have been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus have not yet experienced deep sanctification of the soul or renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1). In the same way, many Old Testament Israelites could not enter the Holy Place, despite offering their sacrifices in the outer court.

Only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to serve as priests and enter the Holy Place. The descendants of Kohath were initially allowed to carry and tend to the furnishings of the tabernacle in the Holy Place, but they could not serve as priests. The Kohathites were jealous of the other Levites who had the privilege of priesthood. Because of their greed and envy, the Kohathites faced severe punishment. Why did God forbid them from entering the Holy Place? Because they were not holy enough. God did occasionally make exceptions to the rules for those who were holy enough. For example, even though Ephraimites were not allowed to serve as priests, Samuel (a descendant of Ephraim) was able to approach God as a priest because of his Nazarite vow. In the New Testament, all Christians are allowed to be part of God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). I believe that if the Kohathites had lived a life of holiness and contentment, God may have allowed them to serve as priests as well.

Let us briefly review the furnishings in the Holy Place:

Within the Most Holy Place, there was:

These elements symbolize deeper fellowship and relationship with God. We will not elaborate on these symbols here any further, but you can refer to my other articles on the Old Testament for more details.

Since the Bible clearly states that both Moses' tabernacle and Solomon's temple were built according to the heavenly pattern, and both the tabernacle and the temple include the Most Holy Place, Holy Place, and Outer Court, it logically follows that the heavenly tabernacle must also have these divisions. Revelation 21:22-23 makes it clear that the New Jerusalem represents the Most Holy Place because there is no temple in the city; God and the Lamb are its temple. Moreover, the city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. These words remind us of the Most Holy Place. In the tabernacle, the Most Holy Place had no natural light. It was illuminated by the light of the golden lampstand from the Holy Place. In heaven, the Lamb is the lamp of the city. This can remind us of the lamplight entering the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. It can also remind us of how the golden altar of incense could be included either in the Holy Place or Most Holy Place.

The Holy Place represents our soul, and the Most Holy Place represents our spirit. When our soul is fully immersed in God's Spirit, it becomes like the Most Holy Place. However, our bodies still need to be glorified. The New Jerusalem reminds us of the glorified body, since it represents the body of Christ and the bride of the Lamb  and displays God's glory throughout the universe. I believe the New Jerusalem may be the dwelling place of God and of people whose souls, spirits, and bodies are completely sanctified.

However, there are still walls separating the New Jerusalem from the outer realms. Outside the city are the nations that will walk by the light of the city, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it (Revelation 21:24). From this verse, it appears that the nations live outside the city, and only the kings can enter. The verse does not mention that all the people of the nations can enter the city. While verse 26 mentions, "they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations," there is no explicit indication that all the people of the nations can enter. Nevertheless, this realm in which the nations are illuminated by God’s glory and bring their offerings into the city may represent the Holy Place.

So, is there an Outer Court? Surely there must be. Verse 27 says, "Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false." Isaiah 66:24 says that in the New Heavens and New Earth, worshipers will go out of the city to witness the corpses of those who have rebelled against God and are experiencing the torment of unquenchable fire and undying worms (Isaiah 66:24). This, of course, includes those in the Lake of Fire who cannot enter the city. But does the Outer Court also include those who are in darkness, weeping and gnashing their teeth (Matthew 8:12)? I believe it does. Many sinful Christians, even those allowed into God's kingdom after the Great White Throne Judgment, may not have entirely rid themselves of sin in their spiritual lives. Therefore, they may still need to learn the lessons of the Outer Court and experience repentance and cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. Revelation 22:2 says that the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations. These nations still need healing, and perhaps they represent those living in the Outer Court.

From our study of these scriptures, we see that the New Heaven and New Earth still seemingly have three parts: the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. The New Jerusalem, which I believe represents the Most Holy Place, is only one part of the New Heaven and New Earth. Outside of the New Jerusalem are other realms that represent the Holy Place and the Outer Court.

God’s Measurements and Counting in the Bible Are Constantly Changing, Symbolizing the Spiritual Condition of People

Several times throughout the Bible, God counts His people or measures His temple. For example, when Jacob and his family first entered Egypt, God reported that there were 70 individuals who left Canaan. Later, when God commanded Moses to take another census during the Exodus, he counted 600,000 Israelite men. Including women and children, the number of Israelites may have been close to 3 million. After enduring four hundred years of suffering, the Israelites had increased in number and in spiritual stature, becoming a great army of God.

When God counts His people, it is a way to show His faithfulness in taking care of His people. However, when David conducted a census of the people, God punished him. Why? Because only God is allowed to count and measure our spiritual stature. David’s action was driven by pride and self-glory, and God saw it as a great evil.

In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, God sent an angel to measure the temple. Ezekiel 40 mentions that the angel’s appearance was like bronze, and he held a linen cord and measuring rod to measure the temple of God. There are many details here that we cannot cover in full. However, it’s important to understand that these measurements were a symbolic way to assess the spiritual condition of the Israelites. Through the measurements, God exposed the Israelites’ idol worship. The purpose of this measurement was to help the Israelites see and be ashamed of their spiritual condition. It also provided them with a pattern for building the temple of God. God told Ezekiel, "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and they shall measure the plan. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement…." (Ezekiel 43:10-11).

Similarly, in Revelation, the Apostle John was instructed to measure the temple. He was given a measuring rod and asked to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worshiped in the temple (Revelation 11:1). He was not allowed to measure the outer court, since it had been given to the Gentiles to be trampled. In Revelation 21, the angel speaking to John took a golden measuring rod and measured the city, its gates, and its walls. The Bible then provides the dimensions of the city and the walls.

I believe that by measuring the temple, God was evaluating the worshipers and the extent of their spiritual growth. Ephesians 2:21 says that in Jesus, “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” I believe that in this passage, the angel is measuring the growth of the spiritual temple. These dimensions symbolize the level of maturity of the spiritual temple and the spiritual stature of believers. In the next section, we will discuss in more detail why I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (the spiritual temple) are not fixed.

The Dimensions of the New Jerusalem May Not Be Fixed

Why do I say that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed? If the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (symbolizing the level of maturity of the body of Christ and the bride of Christ) were fixed, it would mean that God would no longer allow the New Jerusalem to grow and change. This would mean that no additional saints could enter or become part of the New Jerusalem.

I've shared the story of Ni Yongfa before, and I'll use it once again. When Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, a Chinese man named Ni Yongfa was very excited to learn about Christ and trust in Him for salvation. However, he later became very discouraged. He asked Hudson Taylor, "How long have you British known Jesus Christ?" Hudson Taylor replied, "For over 1,400 years." Ni Yongfa became angry and said, "My father spent his entire life searching many religions, including Buddhism and Taoism, hoping to find eternal life. But he never found it and died with regret. You’ve known about Jesus Christ for 1,400 years, and only now are coming to tell us?" I believe that people like Ni Yongfa’s father will continue to enter the New Jerusalem if they enter eternal life through God’s grace and then pursue God with all their strength. My guess is that people may still have a chance to receive the gospel after death. The Bible does not explicitly say this, but some prophetic revelations show that people can still learn about the Bible and receive the gospel after death. In my view, it's hard to imagine that God would discriminate against those saints who didn’t have the opportunity to trust in Christ during their lives on earth, whether they were born in Old Testament times or simply never heard the gospel during New Testament times.

When the New Jerusalem reaches a certain stage, God’s work for this stage will be complete. This completion will usher in the coming of eternity. However, this does not mean that the dimensions will never change in eternity, or that God will no longer measure the dimensions of the New Jerusalem. The size of the New Jerusalem (twelve thousand stadia) is approximately the distance from Los Angeles to Dallas, and this size does not even fill the whole Earth, let alone the entire Universe! God's ultimate goal is that His glory will fill the Earth, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Perhaps one day the entire Earth will become the New Jerusalem. Maybe the Earth will not simply be destroyed but renewed. One day, the old heavens and the old earth will be rolled up like a garment (Hebrews 1:12), but the New Heaven and the New Earth will be unfurled like a new garment.

The New Jerusalem, Living Stones, and the Mutual Indwelling of God and His People

We are God's tabernacle, and God is also our tabernacle. We are a royal priesthood, and we are also living stones being built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). As living stones, we will become the precious stones in the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:11, 18-20). We will also be built into a spiritual house—the New Jerusalem—a dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:22). God is our tabernacle (Revelation 21:22); our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); and we are living stones in the New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God. In the New Jerusalem, God and man will mutually indwell one another. We are God’s tabernacle, and He is our tabernacle. Through Jesus Christ, we can enter into intimate fellowship with God. As Ephesians 2:18 says, "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 3)

Sets of Three in the Book of Revelation: The Work of the Trinity, Three Types of Judgments and Rewards, and Three Times That God Says “It is Finished”

In this devotional, we will look at several sets of three revealed in Revelation and the Bible as a whole. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a threefold work: the Father created the world and planned redemption, Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit completed the work of preparing the bride. By the time we reach Revelation 21, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished. As Christians, we must experience a threefold salvation of our spirit, soul, and body, and humanity will also face three different outcomes.

First, we will look at the Trinity’s three statements that “It is done.” Revelation 21:5-6 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.’” Who is speaking here? My understanding is that it is God the Father. In fact, God says “It is finished” at three key points throughout the Bible.

At this point, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished.

In addition, the book of Revelation describes three outcomes for three different types of people.

These are the three final outcomes for humanity as revealed in Revelation 21. The one who overcomes will inherit all things (Revelation 21:7), including all the blessings of the New Jerusalem and the privilege of drinking from the river of the water of life (21:6).

Where there are overcomers, there must also be those who do not overcome. Although this passage does not specify what will happen to those who do not overcome, we can make some inferences. The Bible clearly states that only the overcomers will inherit all things, implying that those who do not overcome will not have this heritage. I believe some people are saved but do not overcome.

The third group consists of those who have not been saved at all. These people reject God, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (21:8). May all people see God's threefold work and the threefold salvation we need, so that we may all enter eternity and be victorious.

The Words of Revelation 21:6 Might Have Been Spoken by the Father

The New Testament contains very few words spoken directly by God the Father. This has puzzled many Christians. Why does the Father speak so much in the Old Testament, yet He seems so sparing with His words in the New Testament? Hebrews 1 offers an explanation: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Much of what Jesus Christ said and did was based on what He saw the Father say and do (John 12:49). However, Revelation 21:5-7 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” My personal understanding is that these are the words of the Father. He speaks in praise for the completion of the work of the Holy Spirit and declares that the overcomers will become sons of God. Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son of God and our elder brother; we are all sons of God. Therefore, I believe these are the words of the Father, affirming that the work of redemption, deliverance, and maturity has been accomplished, and that we are now able to become His sons.

The Father concludes by saying, “Behold, I am making all things new!” He then says, “It is finished.” Revelation contains this same phrase at least twice, and this may be the final instance. “It is finished” signifies the completion of God's economy and His plan. Then God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

The relationship between the Father and Son will help us understand the Father’s role in the New Testament. The Father is the planner and designer of everything. Hebrews mentions that God is not only the designer and builder of the heavenly city, but of all things (Hebrews 3:4, 11:10).

So what is the role of Jesus Christ? Just like an executive team carries out the will of the board of directors, the Lord Jesus carries out the will of the Father. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He said, “I have come to do the will of my Father. Whatever I see the Father doing, I do likewise. I do not act according to my own will, nor do I speak on my own authority.” While many people do not accurately perceive the Father's will or hear his words, Jesus understood the Father’s will perfectly. In this verse, Jesus was essentially saying, "I have come to fulfill the Father’s will. Whatever the Father says, I say; whatever the Father does not say, I do not say."  This verse helps explain the scarcity of direct communication from the Father in the New Testament. While we seldom hear the Father speaking directly, this does not mean that He is not communicating. In fact, Jesus heard his voice clearly.

The Father also spoke to other disciples. For example, Peter heard the Father speaking and revealing Christ’s identity. In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?” The disciples replied that many people thought he was Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets. However, Peter declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus told Peter, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17 BSB). The Father revealed this important insight to Peter, and he can reveal his nature to us as well. Jesus said many times that no one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father. The Father reveals to us the Son’s true nature and leads people to believe in the Son.

The Father, who works behind the scenes to design His eternal plans, then holds meetings with the Son and discusses how to execute them. The Bible mentions several such meetings. In Isaiah, we see the members of the Trinity having a meeting and asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah responded, “Here I am. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). In Genesis, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit met together and conferred about creation: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Father created His plan, the Trinity met together to discuss it, and Jesus executed the plan.

What kind of plan is this? In eternity past, God made a plan to extend the eternal fellowship of the Trinity to mankind. In John 17:21, Jesus desires that humans join him in the unity that he already shared with his father: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (NIV). God already had perfect fellowship within the Trinity, but he desired a larger family. He wanted humans to belong to him as his children and as his bride. This is God's great plan. It was hidden within creation but was not revealed for many years.

Most likely, God created angels before he created humans. There may have been quite a bit of time that elapsed between the creation of angels and mankind. However, when God created humans and revealed his plan to include mankind in the fellowship of the trinity, this must have made Satan jealous. Even though God created humans a little lower than angels, He allowed humans to share in God's life and enter into intimate fellowship with God. Though not equal to God, humans could approach God personally. This is something the angels, as ministering spirits, could never do. I believe Satan was shocked and jealous when he learned of God's plan, so he came up with a plan to ruin humankind. Satan turned his back on God and tried to ruin God’s plan by tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When humans sinned, they could no longer enjoy intimate fellowship with a holy God, and God's plan was temporarily ruined. However, God is sovereign, and He did not allow Satan to have the final word. He had a greater plan that included a plan to redeem mankind. God foresaw the fall of humanity, so He planned that the Son, Jesus Christ, would become flesh and remove our sins on the cross, bringing us back to God. This is the work that Jesus Christ completed. After Jesus Christ completed this work, He ascended to heaven, and the plan of redemption was finished.

When the Lord Jesus was crucified, He said, "It is finished," meaning that the work the Father entrusted to Him was complete. After the completion of the work the Father gave Him, He sat down on the throne, in the place of highest authority, and received the name which is above every name in heaven, on earth, and even under the earth. When Jesus ascended to His throne, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus to prepare a bride for the King.

In the Old Testament, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. In the book of Esther, the eunuch anointed Esther with oil and prepared her to meet the king. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit anoints us with the words of the Lord Jesus. These words renew, regenerate, and transform us. The Holy Spirit applies the completed work of the Lord Jesus to our individual lives. Just as the eunuch anointed Esther with oil, we need to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit from the inside out. We need to be cleansed by the water of the Word so we can become a spotless virgin prepared to meet our Bridegroom. This is the work of the Holy Spirit today.

The famous South African pastor, Andrew Murray, said that the work of the Holy Spirit is to apply the completed work of the Lord Jesus on the cross to the life of every believer. He said that when we pray, the indwelling Christ prays to the Christ in heaven. The work of the Holy Spirit in the church today is to sanctify us, make us holy, and transform us so we can become part of the New Jerusalem.

The Holy Spirit Will Certainly Accomplish His Sanctifying Work in the Church

In this passage, the Father is praising the finished work of the Holy Spirit. He had already praised the work of the Son. When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Father does not speak much in the New Testament, but at that moment, He approved of the entire life work of Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, He said, “It is finished.” Although the Bible does not explicitly record the Father saying "It is finished," it is implied by what happened after the crucifixion and resurrection. God the Father exalted Jesus to the highest place, seated Him at His right hand, and gave Him a name which is above every name. These actions demonstrate that God the Father approved of Christ’s work.

Now, the process of sanctifying the church is the work of the Holy Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit applies the word of the Lord Jesus to our hearts so we can be saved. Then, the Holy Spirit sanctifies and renews us, transforming us into part of the New Jerusalem. When the work of the Holy Spirit is complete, the Father says, “It is finished.” At that moment, God's plan has been accomplished through the cooperative work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At this moment in history, the Father’s work of creation has been completed. In addition, the Father has completed his work of planning and preparing for our redemption. Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross, and after that, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name. The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify the church and make it a spotless bride. Today, the Holy Spirit is in the process of finishing this task.

However, in recent times, many people have seen the corruption and weakness of the church and have lost hope, believing that the church has no future. Rather than hoping for the church’s maturity, they simply hope that Jesus comes quickly, rescues the faithful few, and destroys the rest of the world. Many hold to this escapist theology. They believe the church cannot be sanctified, so they simply wait for Jesus to intervene at the end of time.

This is a completely erroneous understanding of the Bible’s teaching and reflects a lack of faith in the Holy Spirit. If this view were true, it would mean that the Father designed the plan of redemption, Jesus completed it on the cross, but now the Holy Spirit is failing in His role. However, the Bible says that the church will ultimately triumph. The Holy Spirit will certainly complete his work of sanctifying, consecrating, and filling us, making us part of the New Jerusalem.

We cannot destroy God’s plan, but we can delay it. The Holy Spirit’s work will not be complete until the church is victorious. If the church does not mature, it will continue to delay the completion of the Holy Spirit’s work. If believers continue to believe the erroneous escapist theology, it will have a significant impact on the church.

For example, believers who have an escapist theology focus only on praying a prayer of salvation and then waiting to go to heaven. They ignore the importance of cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification. This leads to spiritual immaturity and a lack of influence as the church fails to be salt and light in the world. The American church today is a case in point. Although 65% of the population claims to be Christians, the church has had very little impact on society at large. One would expect that if the majority of the population were Christians, these believers would have a positive impact on the media, entertainment, and educational platforms. But instead, we see increasing corruption in those areas. As a result, children in the U.S. are growing up without reverence for God. Has God’s word lost its power in American society and in the church? No. The state of American society does not mean that God’s word has lost its power, but that the church in America has stopped focusing on sanctification.

A simple example is divorce. We recognize that there are many reasons for divorce, and that God allows divorce in cases of adultery and domestic violence. However, many divorces happen because individuals are unwilling to accept the difficulty and spiritual growth involved in marriage. Furthermore, many divorces are due to adultery, which is a sin and a reflection of the lack of sanctification among believers. God’s word clearly states that what God has joined together, no man should separate (Matthew 19:6). However, many churches do not teach sanctification to believers. If the church continues to believe that these things don’t matter—that all that matters is praying the sinner’s prayer and going to heaven—it will continue to lose its influence in society.

I believe that this escapist mentality is a grave misunderstanding. In heaven, there will likely be continued discipline that will help us escape from the corruption that comes from lust so we can partake in God’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The lack of teaching on such truths in the American church has led to a general tendency toward sin among believers.

Conclusion: We Must Continually Pursue Holiness to Overcome

The book of Hebrews says, "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). This shows that holiness is of great importance. Certainly, we experience a degree of holiness when we believe in Jesus for salvation. But we must also attain a greater level of holiness so we can become a part of the bride who is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure. If the bride is not prepared and does not wear fine linen, bright and pure, then Jesus Christ will not return and will not marry the bride.

The work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be completed, and the Holy Spirit will finish the work of sanctification in His bride, the church. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring individuals to repentance, cleanse us, sanctify our souls, and renew our minds. One day, He will also give life to our mortal bodies. On the collective side, the Holy Spirit will transform us from sinners into children of God, and ultimately into the bride of Christ. We will then become part of God’s holy temple, built together as living stones in the New Jerusalem.

The triune work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit corresponds with the threefold salvation of the spirit, soul, and body. We not only need to be filled with God's righteousness on the inside (soul and spirit), but also manifest God's righteous deeds externally (body). These righteous deeds are symbolized by fine linen. When we reach maturity, we will become part of the New Jerusalem and live as Christ’s bride for all of eternity.