March 6: THE MOST HOLY HEAVENLY CITY

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22

The unbelieving Jewish readers of John’s day would have scoffed at this statement. For centuries, the entire Jewish economy had centered upon the temple and its activities, the original purpose being to illustrate the Plan of Salvation. But sadly, it had been drained of its true purpose. Only some 20 years earlier, the Romans had pulverized Jerusalem and toppled the temple. Not one stone was left upon another, exactly as Jesus had prophesied (Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6). Yet they still believed that humiliating the Romans and gaining earthly dominance would be the culmination of the divine plan.

A thousand years earlier, around 957BC, the work of building Solomon’s Temple was completed. And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built (1 Kings 6:7). Solomon’s Temple rose from the foundation up in quiet reverence, and is lauded in the historical record as one of the most beautiful structures ever built. As construction was carried out, the people were being well taught of the holiness of the Lord.

The beauty inside of the wilderness Tabernacle had also been exquisite, having been made according to the instructions given to Moses by the LORD. The Savior’s Plan of Salvation mapped out the Way into the Most Holy Place, where the presence of the LORD was manifested.

We have seen the description of the New Jerusalem as a cube (Revelation 21:16) which echoes the dimensions of the Most Holy Place of the portable Tabernacle and the stationary Temple. Therefore, the entire Heavenly City is Most Holy. No longer is there a need for a place of sacrifice along with all the accoutrements of cleansing from sin and training in righteousness. The Lord God Almighty and His Lamb have accomplished everything that the temple illustrated. In summary, the terrible curse of sin, along with sin itself, has been completely done away with. The entire horrific experience for people, for the watching universe, and for God Himself — is over and done with. The LORD has made an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. (Nahum 1:9) What a glorious eternity awaits those who love the Lord!

At the coming of Christ, His faithful who have died will be raised to life and given glorious, incorruptible bodies. At that same time, His faithful living ones will also receive incorruptible bodies. Together these will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and taken to their new home in the Heavenly City. The enormous city, a Most Holy Place, will be the dwelling of the Lord with all of His people (see 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; John 14:3; Hebrews 11:40)

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? 1 Corinthians 15:54-55