SONSHIP.012

Fretwell@aol.com (Fretwell@aol.com)
Thu, 23 Dec 1999 11:14:27 EST



        
                              TNE NEW JERUSALEM
                                  THE BRIDE
                               THE LAMB'S WIFE
                
                     We have done ourselves much harm, and waded out into  a 
                vast  swamp of confusion by failing to recognize the 
difference  in 
                the meanings of words and names of places in the Bible.
                
                     One  classic  case in point is the word  "Jerusalem".   
It  is 
                used  over 800 times in the Bible, and MOST OF THE  TIMES  it 
                is  referring  to a bunch of bricks, mortar, houses, etc. in  
a  geo-
                graphic location.
                
                     BUT  NOT  IN EVERY CASE.  AND  THESE  EXCEP-
                TIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
                
                     Example:   The ancient city of Babylon was destroyed,  
but 
                its  splendor was such that it was known world-wide at  that  
time.  
                "Babylon"  has  been used as a type of other things and  
places  in 
                the  Bible,  where the name is used, to denote  a  WORLD  
WIDE  
                SYSTEM OF  BUSINESS  (AND  RELIGION).  Babylon was the 
                FIRST   SEGMENT  OF  A  FOUR-PART  GENTILE   WORLD  
                KINGDOM.   It  was named by the Lord, "Thou art this  head  
of 
                gold."  Dan 2:3
                
                     The  WORSHIP  OF  GOLD had its roots  in  that  ancient 
                city.   The  use of gold as a standard medium of exchange  
has  its 
                roots in Babylon.
                
                     THE  ANCIENT  CITY  OF  JERUSALEM  BECAME  A 
                SYMBOL  OF THE WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD.    IN   A 
                SENSE, THE NAME REPRESENTED THE HEBREW PEOPLE.
                
                     Because  of this symbolism, and because of  our  
ignorance 
                of  what the Scriptures are trying to tell us, we have  
developed  a 
                teaching  about the purposes of God which is very  
misleading,  to 
                say  the  least.   We  have, inadvertantly,  destroyed  the  
faith  of 
                millions,  and  directed  the  attention  of  millions  more  
to  what 
                should be treated as "last-year's bird nest".
                
                     There  are a few of the over 800 times "Jerusalem" is  
used 
                in  the Bible which would, if we were not so steeped in the  
wrong 
                teaching,  direct  us  to  the REAL  PLAN  AND  PURPOSE  OF 
                GOD.
                
                     IN  THESE FEW MENTIONS OF THE  NAME  "JERU-
                SALEM"  WE CAN FIND A TRUE READING OF  THE  SPIR-
                ITUAL  COMPASS.  We can get a proper "bearing" on  the  plan 
                and purposes of God.
                
                     The   REAL   JERUSALEM  for  today  is   the   ENTIRE 
                CHRISTIAN   COMMUNITY.    (This  includes   whoever,   and 
                wherever,  ALL  WHO  CALL  UPON  THE  NAME  OF   THE 
                LORD.)   God does not recognize our denominational  system.   
It 
                bothers Him, and He does not like it-- not even a little bit.
                
                     THE  ENTIRE  CHRISTIAN  COMMUNITY  IS  WHAT 
                WILL BE  RECOGNIZED  AS THE  THE  BRIDE,  THE  LAMB'S 
                WIFE--  AFTER THE LORD DOES WHAT HE IS  PLANNING 
                TO  DO  IN HER MIDST.     SHE IS PREGNANT,  AND  THE    
                 "DUE  DATE" IS APPROACHING.      SHE IS  (RIGHT  NOW) 
                THE  "CITY  OF GOD"-- THE CITY WHICH  COMES  DOWN 
                OUT  OF  HEAVEN--  WILL  BECOME  THE  "CITY  FOUR-
                SQUARE."
                
                     A    MUCH    SMALLER    COMPANY    OF    PEOPLE 
                (OVERCOMERS)   WILL  COME  OUT  OF  HER,   TO   RULE 
                (FEED, NOURISH) ALL NATIONS WITH A ROD OF IRON.
                
                     Geographic  Jerusalem  is not acceptable to the  Lord.   
He 
                has  His  own  City "which hath foundations"  with  which  He 
 is 
                working now.  "Not built with hands."
                
                     Here  are  a  few scriptures to read,  which  deal  with 
 the 
                subject.
                
                     Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,  
and 
                answereth  to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with  
her 
                children. 
                
                     Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, 
which 
                is the mother of us all. 
                
                     Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto 
                the  city  of  the  living God, the heavenly  Jerusalem,  and 
 to  an 
                innumerable company of angels, 
                
                     Revelation  3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a  
pillar 
                in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I  
will 
                write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city  
of 
                my  God,  [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh  down  out  
of 
                heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. 
                
                     Revelation  21:2  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,   
new 
                Jerusalem,  coming down from God out of heaven, prepared  as  
a 
                bride adorned for her husband. 
                
                     Revelation  21:9 And there came unto me one of the  
seven 
                angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last 
plagues, and 
                talked  with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee  the  
bride, 
                the Lamb's wife. 
                
                     Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to 
a 
                great  and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the  
holy 
                Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 
                
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