Thursday, November 11, 2010

NEW JERUSALEM

In this Blogsite we show that New Jerusalem is 1364 miles wide and the same in height. In the Scofield Study Bible, a Furlong is listed as 600 feet. This is the number we used to establish the size, however, other reliable sources show a Furlong as 660 feet, so, if this is correct, New Jerusalem is approximately 1500 miles wide and tall. Thus, our maps in this Blogsite may need to show New Jerusalem slightly larger.

However, many Bible students have concluded that New Jerusalem is 375 miles square. John wrote that he saw the Angel measure the City. "And the lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: And he measured the City with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal" (Rev.21:16). John doesn't say whether the angel measured the circumference around the City, or the distance across the City. However, when we look at the eight countries prophesied by Ezekiel, the 1500 mile squared fits best. However, for those insisting on 375 miles squared, we certainly accept this also. This Author believed and taught 375 miles until recently, We ask our readers to continue reading here as we explain.

John, in Revelation, gives the only Scriptural information about New Jerusalem. We'll look at what John saw in a moment, but first let's establish the events in which we see the Holy City. If the Reader has not yet read our Blogsite, "Gog and Magog," you may want do so after reading this Site. There we show from Scripture how Satan is, "Loosed from his prison (Bottomless Pit)" at the end of the thousand years, after which he, "Goes out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to BATTLE; the number of whom is as the sands of the sea" (Rev.20:7-8). Pre-Trib says it is Old Jerusalem that Satan and his army, "encompasses."  When all of the Bible evidence is examined carefully, it is clear that New Jerusalem is the Holy City John saw in vision.  It also becomes clear that Satan's army will not be a group of men living at the end of a Millennial Kingdom, but rather, all of the Unsaved Lost People who've ever lived on Planet Earth. They will be resurrected in the Second Resurrection at the same time Satan is loosed. Every person who's name was NOT written in the Book of Life at Christ's Second Coming a thousand years earlier will be in Satan's Army at the end of the Millennium!

It is commonly taught that there'll be mortals and sinners in a Millennial Kingdom here on earth for a thousand years. Again, if we assemble all Bible information about what happens after Christ's Second Coming, it becomes clear that the Kingdom of God will have NO Mortals and No Sinners.  For proof of this, see our Blogsite, "Satan's Millennial Kingdom." Paul wrote, "Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God" (1Cor.15:50). Add to this what Jesus said about mortals and sinners not being in His Kingdom, and it is clear that the popular view needs to be reviewed.

Let's look now what the Bible tells us about New Jerusalem on earth and where it will locate after it, "comes down from God out of heaven" (Rev.21:2). John hints when he mentions Gog and Magog, but Ezekiel names Gog and Magog, plus 7 more Nations! By comparing Ezekiel and John's Revelation, those 8 nations help us establish several facts about New Jerusalem and the Great White Throne Judgment. John saw several things happen at the end of the thousand Years. Following are 5 events John saw that are directly related to our study.
1- New Jerusalem Descends
"And I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband" (Rev.21:2)!

2- Wicked Dead Resurrected
"And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell (Hades) delivered up the dead that were in them" (Rev.20:13).

3- Satan Loosed
"And when the thousand years were expired (finished), Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle, the number of whom is as the sands of the sea" (Rev.20:7-8)!  

4- Wicked Assembled Around New Jerusalem
"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints about, and the Beloved City; and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them" (Rev.20:9). Notice that Satan and his army, "Encompassed the Beloved City," but there's no battle! Something happens between the time they, "Encompass the City" and the time when, "Fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them." Note that every un-saved person that has ever lived is encircling New Jerusalem! At the top of this Blogsite is a Map with a square showing the size and location of New Jerusalem.  Note also the Nations surrounding Israel at the time Ezekiel wrote his prophecy. Notice that the walls of New Jerusalem run through 8 nations. Ezekiel gave the names of each and every one of those nations:
Magog - Meshech - Tubal - Persia - Ethiopia - Libya - Gomer - Togarmah.

5- Great White Throne Judgment
In a moment we will see that New Jerusalem is a City 1364 miles square, represented on the map at the top of this Site. Thus, if Satan's army, "the number of whom is as the sands of the sea," is assembled around New Jerusalem, they will be located on land that once made up these 8 nations. The words, "Gog and Magog" are only mentioned together twice in Scripture - Ezekiel and Revelation. Putting the two accounts together will reveal the truth about Satan and his army. Notice, "Gog" is missing in the list of Nations above. Gog does not represent a Nation. Gog is the, "Chief Prince," thus in John's and Ezekiel's vision, Gog is Satan! Ezekiel records it like this: "And the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ez.38:1-2). Meshech and Magog are now part of Turkey. In Verses 5 and 6, Ezekiel adds the other 5 nations making up Satan's army. Those nations are "Persia (now Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer (now part of Turkey) Togarmah (Also part of Turkey). Again, see Blogsite, "Gog and Magog" if these details are unclear. Now we get into the revelation of why only 8 Nations are mentioned, when, in fact, If Satan goes to the, "The Nations in the 4 quarters of the Earth" and, "Gathers them to Battle" (Rev.20:8), why does Ezekiel only mention 8 nations? There are presently 192 Nations in the world, according to the United Nations. As we've seen, these 8 nations will be where the wicked will assemble when the Great White Throne Judgment occurs. 
     Of course Satan and his Army are no match for God Almighty, thus there is no battle, but the wicked are assembled around New Jerusalem, caught in the very act of attempting to overthrow God Himself! This is Judgment Day and the wicked CANNOT plead innocent!

So, that's the reason Ezekiel saw these 8 nations! It isn't that the citizens of these 8 Nations join Satan and fight against New Jerusalem. Satan's army comes from, "the 4 quarters of the earth" (Rev.20:8). Then John saw, "A Great White Throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the BOOK of LIFE. and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their works" (Rev.20:11-13). Every un-saved person from all time, since Creation, will be standing where those 8 nations once stood!

New Jerusalem is 1364 (or 1500) Miles in EVERY Direction 
The Map at the top is an actual photocopy directly from this Author's New Scofield Reference Bible. We drew the square for illustration purposes. John says New Jerusalem is 1364 (or 1500) miles across. He wrote, "And I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven"  (Rev.21:2). He told its size: "And the City lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth; and he measured the City with a reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height are equal" (Rev.21:16). A furlong is 600 (or 660) feet. 12000 furlongs is 1364 (or1500) miles! Let's look now at the Mount of Olives:

Mount of Olives becomes A GREAT Valley  
Zechariah writes: "His (the Lord's) feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a GREAT VALLEY; and half of the Mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south" (Zech.14:4). A GREAT VALLEY indeed!! A 1364 (or 1500) mile Valley.

Perhaps you've heard that Zechariah is describing Christ's Second Coming at the beginning of the thousand years, but if all Bible evidence is gathered, this event can only be at the end if the Millennium. If the Mount of Olives spreads equally north, south, east, and west, and New Jerusalem settles in that, "GREAT VALLEY" the Map above shows it all!

End of Great White Throne Judgment Day
Scriptural evidence that the Great White Throne Judgment takes place at this exact time and place is far too overwhelming to deny! When the Judgment is finished, the wicked are still standing around the City. Scripture prophesies that there'll be a time when, "EVERY KNEE shall bow, and EVERY TONGUE Shall Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!" This is that time! When Judgment is over, the wicked have nothing more to loose, so, after bowing and admitting their guilt, they pick up where the were before Judgment. They attempt to attack New Jerusalem and, "fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone" (Rev.20:9-10). John describes again this "lake of fire." He said, "Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the Second Death"  (Rev.20:14).

We should stop here and emphasize that this will be a painful and dark day for God Almighty! If God sheds tears, He will on this day. He longs for every one of His creatures to live and enjoy eternity with Him! However, He loves them too much to force them to live in an environment that would make them unhappy. Sadly, some choose death and they made that choice during their lifetimes here on this earth! They chose to stay here on this earth on the day God warns that He is going to completely cleanse it with fire!

"Fire Purifies Earth"
Peter adds detail to John's "Lake of Fire!" "But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and PERDITION (destruction) of ungodly men" (2Pt.3:7). He continues. "The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are in it, shall be BURNED UP" (Vs.10). Here Peter told EXACTLY when and where Hell will be.


Malachi Prophesied: "For behold the day cometh that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall BURN them UP, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch" (Mal.4:1). Malachi adds one more detail so that there can be no doubt as to the final end of the wicked. "And Ye (the Righteous) shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under your feet in the Day that I shall do this, saith the Lord" (Vs.3)!

Planet earth is now clean and pure. The Redeemed witness an awesome and magnificent scene. Jesus brings order out of chaos. Taking the charred remains of this old planet that is once again without form and void, just as it was on Day One of Creation Week, He creates Paradise on top the ashes of Satan, his demons, and the wicked (Mal.4:3; Ez.28:18; Isa.35:7).

New Heaven and New Earth
"And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away" (Rev. 21:1). "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:4). "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things God hath prepared for them that love Him" (1Cor.2:9).

We like to insert pictures in our Blogsites for illustration purposes. We'd like some to illustrate the NEW EARTH, but, as Paul said, "Eye hath not seen," and he is right! Let's be sure we are inside New Jerusalem at Judgment Day so our eyes will see Jesus as He creates our EARTH MADE NEW!!! 

Thank you Dear Reader for your time. May God send His Spirit to help us prepare to meet Jesus at His Soon Coming!!
Your Brother in Christ 
Walter C. Martin Jr. 
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Check Our Other Blogsites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Blogsites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Blogsites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr