New Jerusalem in Genesis and Revelation
The Bible is a complete book presenting God and His eternal purpose. The Glorious Church by Watchman Nee helps us to see how what is presented at the beginning of the Bible corresponds to its conclusion.
The last two chapters of Revelation correspond with the first three chapters of Genesis. God created the heaven and the earth in Genesis, and the new heaven and the new earth are in the last two chapters of Revelation. In both Genesis and Revelation there is the tree of life, a river flowing out, gold, pearl, and…precious stones. In Genesis 2 Eve was Adam’s wife. In Revelation 21 the Lamb’s wife is the New Jerusalem, and God’s eternal purpose is fulfilled in this woman. In Genesis 3 man’s fall was followed by death, sickness, suffering, and the curse. But, when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, there is no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Genesis 1 through 3 and Revelation 21 and 22 face each other at the two ends of the expanse of time.*
God created man in His image (Gen. 1:26) so that He could gain a corporate expression of Himself and a bride for Christ. The fulfillment is clearly seen in Revelation 21 with New Jerusalem “having the glory of God” (v. 11) and being “the wife of the Lamb” Jesus Christ (v. 9).
God’s purpose is accomplished by His life. It is portrayed by the tree of life in Genesis 2 and the reality is Christ, our life (Col. 3:4), coming in resurrection to live in us based on the redemption He accomplished through His death on the cross. Christ as the resurrection brings us to New Jerusalem.
* From chapter 5 The Glorious Church by Watchman Nee, published and © by Living Stream Ministry, available at www.ministrybooks.org/books.cfm and www.livingstream.com/en/the-church/8012401-glorious-church-the.html. The quote here is the second paragraph of chapter 5, slightly shortened.
For more on these aspects of New Jerusalem, see the posts in
The Garden of Eden and New Jerusalem
Man was Created in God’s Image to Express God
Tagged Christ our life, death nullified, garden of Eden, Genesis, precious stones, pure gold, redemption for life, resurrection, Rev. 21–22, river of life, tree of life
Posted by Don on April 15, 2022
