great white throne in the ethereal firmament during the final judgment, rendering valuable and important service. During the period of earth’s cremation, sanctification, and celestialization, of course they are absent, up in heaven. Now we see them coming down to take possession and forever enjoy this world in its heavenly state. We find here a double signification of “New Jerusalem.” It means the substantial, real city. It also means the members of the bridehood, who inhabit the city. Hence the New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ and the mother of God’s children. (<480425>
Galatians 4:25.) 3. These verses clearly and unmistakably reveal and vividly describe the heavenly state of this world. How people have read their Bibles over and over, and still believe that this earth will be burned up and blotted out of existence, is paradoxical in the extreme; because you have here a positive revelation that God will remake this earth, transforming it into a heavenly world, in which there will be no sorrow, pain, nor tears. Hence you see mortality and probation are out of the question, and heaven’s ineffable glory will shine and shout forever.
7. He that conquereth shall inherit these things, and I will be God unto
Him in a sky-blue conversion? Cowardice, is the answer. Why don’t you seek entire sanctification with all your heart till it comes on you like a sunburst from the throne? Cowardice solves the whole problem. If you are not brave enough to fight a regiment of devils, and brook the contempt of earth and hell, you will never get to heaven. Is it possible you are going to make your bed in hell-fire for sheer cowardice?
9-27. THE CELESTIAL CAPITAL
We now reach the closing scene of this wonderful prophetical panorama.
One of the seven angels having the seven last vials of wrath serves as John’s escort to the summit of a lofty mountain, from whose dizzy apex the illuminated eye takes in a view of this wonderful metropolis
descending out of heaven from God. John’s description, which is doubtless veritable and real, sounds like the wildest hyperbole. The material of the city consists of the most valuable gems that ever decked a monarch’s crown — golden streets, pearly gates, and jasper walls. This wonderful city is a perfect cube, fifteen hundred miles long, wide, and high The material is transparent, so immortal eyes interpenetrate this mighty emporium, unobstructed by intervening streets. We find the apostles and prophets, representative of both dispensations, exceedingly prominent in this city. All this is in glorious harmony with its bridehood identity. We have here the blessed assurance that all whose names are superscribed in the Lamb’s book of life shall have a welcome in this wonderful city. I have seen the important cities of America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. God, in mercy, grant that my feet shall one day tread the golden streets of the New Jerusalem! John calls it the Holy City. Hence you must be holy, if you ever enter it. It is very consolatory to us to know that the city of God will come within the range of distinct visibility from this world. Will it not be on this earth? I do not so understand the revelation. An object fifteen hundred miles long, wide, and high, consisting of the most radiant gems, diamonds, rubies, and all manner of precious stones, radiating and flashing their glorious light through the ethereal void, would certainly be visible at a great distance. Remember, John found it necessary to ascend that lofty mountain in order to see it. What is this city? It is the glorious capital of the heavenly universe, and, of course, the residence of our blessed
Heavenly Father. On what does it stand? It does not stand on anything. It
is itself the center of universal gravitation. Hence it does not need anything on which to rest. During the reign of sin and Satan, it is withdrawn far away from this poor, dark world. After the grand and glorious
restitutionary work of Christ is fully consummated, sin and sinners forever removed, earth and atmosphere gloriously sanctified, and all renovated in the beauty of heavenly investiture, and committed to saints and angels, then the very metropolis of the glory-world comes very nigh, and brightens earth and sky with her unwaning effulgence. Of course, the cremation of the earth will destroy the cities, with all other works of human art. This glorious ethereal metropolis is called the New Jerusalem, in contradistinction to old Jerusalem, which now stands on Mts. Zion, Moriah, Bezetha, and Acra, and is destined to be so magnitudinous, conspicuous, and influential during the millennial ages. Hypothetically, this newly-created celestial world, densely populated with saints and angels, will not build cities; but the countless millions, basking in the glory of unadulterated bliss, amid the grand effulgence of this the real Jerusalem, will enjoy and patronize it as the metropolis of the whole earth.
24. “The nations shall walk through its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.
26. “They shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.” In the glorious and triumphant restitution of God’s saints back to this world, after it shall have been transferred into a beautiful celestial sphere, doubtless the nations will reconstruct their former identities in their reoccupancy of the earth. We see from these Scriptures the beautiful conservatism of all nations to the New Jerusalem, through the onward flight of eternal ages. For “night shall not be there.” This city is the metropolis of the great King, the center of universal gravitation, and the capital of the boundless celestial empire. Of course there will be no night, for God Himself will be there, and He is original light. All other luminaries shine by His command. Not only will this wonderful city, fifteen hundred miles long, wide, and high, be ineffably glorious with the divine
illumination, but the unutterable effulgence will irradiate this and all other celestial worlds with light and glory, forever expelling darkness, and verifying the promise, “Night shall not be here”