New Jerusalem’s Constitution: God in Us
In Revelation 21:15 John wrote, “he [an angel] who spoke with me had a golden reed as a measure that he might measure the city and its gates and its wall.”
The reed used to measure the city proper is a golden reed. Since gold signifies the divine nature, the word golden here signifies that the measuring of the city, its gates, and its wall is according to the nature of God, according to the divine nature. Anything that does not match the nature of God does not belong to the New Jerusalem….The whole city, with its gates and wall, can pass the measuring and testing of the nature of God; hence, it is qualified to be possessed by God.*
The whole New Jerusalem can pass the testing by God’s nature because the whole city is constituted with God’s nature. The Triune God regenerated us in the resurrection of Christ (1 Peter 1:3), the Spirit renews our soul (Titus 3:5, Rom. 12:2), and He will glorify us (Rom. 8:30).
The whole New Jerusalem is of the Triune God but it is not of God alone; it is of God wrought into all His people. The city is brought forth by being formed with the resurrection life of Christ, just as Eve was formed with the rib taken out of Adam’s side.
In ourselves we cannot pass the test, but thank God that Christ is being formed in us (Gal. 4:19) and we are being conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29)! This brings forth New Jerusalem.
* Life-Study of the New Testament, Conclusion Messages: The Church, the Kingdom, and the New Jerusalem, message 259, p. 2710, by Witness Lee. Published 1998 and © by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California.
Posted by Don on December 9, 2024
https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2024/12/09/new-jerusalems-constitution-god-in-us/
