The scripture for today, April 26 (4/26), is Galatians 4:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.”
There is more confusion on the “new Jerusalem” than you might think. Well, let’s ask God.
What is “the Jerusalem that is above”? Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
Aha! We learn two things. The New Jerusalem already exists. And the New Jerusalem is sometimes called our mother and sometimes the Bride of Christ!
So, what is the Bride of Christ? Ephesians 5:25,27 says, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy…and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” How exciting! The New Jerusalem which is the Bride of Christ is the Church – all of us.
What else can we learn about the New Jerusalem? Well, the foundation of the New Jerusalem is the apostles. Revelation says it and Ephesians 2:20 says it.
Hmmm. This is getting more interesting all the time. Okay, let’s look at the 12 gates leading into the church; they are the 12 tribes of Israel, Judaism where all the prophecies of Jesus are found.
Always check out the symbolism in the Bible. It deepens your spiritual understanding. Like the Walls of Salvation around the New Jerusalem insurmountably high. The River of Life and Tree of Life are there in the New Jerusalem, the church.
Can you imagine on the final day when the church arrives in heaven and we are all arrayed in sinless white and are rushing into the arms of our groom, our Jesus?
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