The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Heavenly Jerusalem, #17

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. (II Samuel 23:16)

"Zion," the army of Christ's conquerors, is being formed today. You can be a conqueror, a victorious saint. You may be required to go outside the camp of respectability and approval and follow Christ with the same devotion that the mighty men showed toward David.

We can observe both Zion and Jerusalem at the conclusion of the thousand-year Kingdom Age:

And they [Satan and the nations of the earth] went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God from heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9)

"The camp [fortress] of the saints"; "and the beloved city."

The "fortress of the saints" is Zion. The "beloved city" is Jerusalem.

Eden was an unwalled Paradise. The inevitable occurred: the enemy entered and created chaos.

The new Jerusalem will be walled.

The new Jerusalem will be defended by "Zion," by the believers who have chosen to be victorious saints during their pilgrimage on the earth. The "wall" of the new Jerusalem is being created now in their personalities.

It appears most of the Lord's people of today are "unwalled." There is little or no spiritual resistance in their personalities. They are unable to resist severe, prolonged testing. They are unwilling to make the total effort necessary to overcome the world.

They trust that when they die physically they will go to a place of peace and joy in the spirit realm. They are not pressing toward a victorious resurrection. They are hoping only for acceptance in the regions of spiritual light.

There is a remnant who are determined to follow the Lord now no matter where He leads them or what it costs them. It is they who will walk in white with Christ during the thousand-year Kingdom Age. They are able to rule. They are "Zion" and the law of the Kingdom of God will proceed from them; for the law, and the strength of character to enforce the law, is being formed in them today.

He who overcomes will rule with Christ at His appearing and the appearing of His Kingdom.

The eternal Tabernacle of God will be established on the new earth. It is coming in three stages: first, in Jesus of Nazareth, the Prophet, Priest, King, and Lamb of God; second, in Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, surrounded by His mighty men and dwelling in them; and third, in the holy city, the new Jerusalem, the Wife of the Lamb, the glorified Church.

The end result will be a new heaven, and a new earth that is filled with righteous government. On the new earth will be the nations of the saved. Ruling the nations of the saved will be the new Jerusalem, which is God in Christ in the saints. The entire creation of God will be governed from the new Jerusalem.

To be continued.