Citizenship is sometimes a confusing part of our identity. I have many foreign-born friends and acquaintances. And interestingly, some of my friends of foreign identity were born in Belgium but adamantly identify as Italian. Lyssa and I are Belgian. Don’t you believe me? My identity card says I am. But my passports from England and America both say I am a citizen of those countries respectively.
“When the LORD registers the nations, he will say, ‘They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.’”
Interlude
Psalms 87:6
It looks like I will (or already) have at least one more citizenship. Another close friend, when asked her country of origin, prefers to reply, “I am a European.”
Paul says that you can even be broader and more inclusive if you have faith in Christ.
“In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians. There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that is important.”
Colossians 3:11 New Century Version (NCV)
(The link to Colossians 3:11 is, as I often do, linked to a YouVersion translation comparison page.)
MAIN POINT: Jesus is the New Jerusalem.
To be in Christ is to be linked to a whole pantheon of identities we gain when we are reborn into God’s family. Have you ever seen the official title of the King or Queen of England?
A small excerpt of the coronation text of Charles the Third may shed some light on a similar official expansion of identity we can find concerning Jesus and those under Him.
“our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign”
I have discussed this earlier in previous Psalms but I will try to clarify here, since Psalm 87 points so wonderfully to the nature of our relationship with God and each other when we are reborn into the family of God.
'The people will play flutes and sing,
“The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”'
Abraham was looking for this city that has the source of life in it Hebrews 11:10, 16, 39-40.
The book of Hebrews in the Bible is a wealth of knowledge on this subject, and it peels back layer after layer of meaning to reveal to us Jesus the fulfiller of all the prophecies and promises.
And Paul confirms what we read in Hebrews here:
“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 New Living Translation (NLT)
Like Paul explains in Romans 5, Jesus is the second Adam. All these promises point to Jesus. All the people and relationships in the Old Testament are ways in which God is explaining and revealing who Jesus is.
“Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.”
Romans 5:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
Just think about it, we wait for Jesus to descend in the clouds, to return and how is New Jerusalem described? As coming down. The City is Jesus. He is the source of life and of joy mentioned in verse 7. He is the subject of our songs. We who have been washed in his blood and born into His spirit (John 3:6).
The register of Jerusalem citizens is the same as the Lambs book of life and we can see clearly that there are those in the City (in Christ) and those outside the city (not in Christ) are mentioned again in the last vertices of the Bible.
Revelation 22:19 New Living Translation (NLT)
And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. When you understand this the phrases of Revelation become so much clearer.
“Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.” “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”
Conclusion:
Jesus is the place where the nations gather and they become one in Him and they find in Him their source of joy and life. He is the well that springs up inside us, and He is the one who makes us a city on the hill, and He is the gate by which we enter.
Comments
Post a Comment