Shalom, DaDad.
DaDad said:
Hi Retrobyter.
I would propose that the New Jerusalem is indeed a heavenly body.
Rev. 21
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; 3 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,[a] and God himself will be with them;[b] 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
If the New Jerusalem landed on earth, then what does it do when the heavens and earth pass away, and the sea is no more? Does it lift off again?
The grand scope is provided in verse 1, and verse 2-5 provides the detail, for this celestial near-earth fly-by, whether in some dimension which we are not currently privy to (more lilkely), or whether in our current time/space continuum. (Please be aware that GOD is not constrained by time, and thus when we are with HIM, neither will we be so constrained.)
With Best Regards,
DD
Hebrews 11:13-16
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly (Greek: epouraniou = "belonging-to-above-the-sky"): wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
KJV
Hebrews 12:18-24
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly (Greek: epouranioo = "belonging-to-above-the-sky") Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
KJV
While it is true that the city is currently being built in space, Greek "
epouranios," "of or pertaining to above the sky," it LANDS HERE on the newly created THIRD EARTH, the NEW EARTH. Also, get your timing right. Notice:
Revelation 21:1-5
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven (Greek: ek tou ouranou = "out of the sky"), prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle (Greek: skeenee = "tent") of God is WITH MEN, and he will dwell WITH THEM, and they shall be his people, and GOD HIMSELF SHALL BE WITH THEM, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
KJV
So, the new heaven (sky) and the new earth come FIRST.
THEN the New Jerusalem descends to the surface of the new earth!
Avraham looked for this city:
Hebrews 11:8-10
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles (Greek: skeenais = "tents") with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations (Greek: themelious = "footings"), whose builder and maker is God.
KJV
Lo and behold, this New Jerusalem HAS such foundations:
Revelation 21:14
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations (Greek: themelious = "footings"), and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
KJV
Thus, there's no contradiction.
This is why it is so important to understand that the word usually translated "heaven," the Greek word "
ouranos," refers to the ATMOSPHERE! It's talking about the "sky" one sees when he looks upward! THIS is the word that is used in 21:1! It's not talking about some new "Heaven" where God dwells; it's talking about a new "SKY," a new ATMOSPHERE! Just as the PLANET needs to be remade, so it's gases need to be remade, after the Fire!
