July 19, 2021

All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.  Ezekiel 48:35

Ezekiel’s prophecy closes with a description of the City of Double Peace, or “Dual Peace shall be taught” which is the meaning of the name Jerusalem. We are surrounded daily by painful reminders of the current fallenness of this world. But how often do we recognize that God, who sees everything that is going on, feels pain far beyond what we can imagine. He is love, and the greatness of His love is matched by a great severity of pain over the lost condition of countless souls, as well as the hurts that the enemy directs toward God’s faithful ones. Our God is at work day-in-and-day-out doing the hard work of saving souls. The Psalm writer must have had an idea of the pain in God’s heart—and also His divine restraint and patience in dealing with the stubborn humans He created. Perhaps the dual nature of the peace to come refers to God’s peace along with ours!

Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6

The heavenly city, the dwelling place of God, will come to rest upon the earth following the thousand-year period which is inaugurated by the second advent of Jesus, when all of the redeemed from every age are gathered to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Jesus will appear to take His “bride” to the glorious heavenly city: the New Jerusalem! This is the place of which He speaks in John 14:2-3. At the end of the thousand years, the earthly site upon which the heavenly city will settle is leveled and prepared by Jesus Himself:

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. Zechariah 14:4 (see also Ezekiel 11:23, Revelation 21:2)

The elders (Hebrews 11:2) of the Old Testament understood that, ultimately, the Holy City built by God is to be the capital city of His eternal kingdom. By faith [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:9-10

We, too, await that indescribably beautiful city! If our hearts belong to the Lord, then our citizenship is already in His city. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20) He is the only source of true peace. This world claims to give peace, but it is a false peace that is extremely fragile. If your peace is easily disturbed, it may be a sign that the “peace” you were experiencing is rooted in worldliness. Take your “disturbed peace” as a loving prompt from the Savior to wholeheartedly return to Him!

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27