782. 由神那里从天而降的新耶路撒冷 (启示录 21章) 表示新教会, 原因在于, 耶路撒冷是迦南地的都城, 圣殿和祭祀的圣坛就在那里, 并且一年三次在那里举行拜神仪式, 届时全地的所有男子都要参加; 还因为主就在耶路撒冷, 在它的圣殿中施行教导, 后来也是在那里荣耀了祂的人性。 这就是为何“耶路撒冷”表教会的原因。 “耶路撒冷”表教会, 这一点从旧约中关于主建立新教会的预言显而易见, 因为它在预言中被称为“耶路撒冷”。

只需引用经文本身, 拥有内在理智者就能明白, “耶路撒冷”表教会。 经文如下:

看哪, 我造新天新地, 从前的事不再被记念。 看哪, 我造耶路撒冷为人所喜, 造其中的居民为人所乐; 我必因耶路撒冷欢喜, 因我的百姓快乐。 那时, 豺狼必与羊羔同食; 在我圣山的遍处, 它们都不伤人, 不害物。 (以赛亚65:17-19, 25)

我因锡安必不静默, 为耶路撒冷必不息声, 直到他的公义如光辉发出, 他的救恩如明灯发亮。 那时, 列国必见你的公义, 列王必见你的荣耀。 你必得新名的称呼, 是耶和华亲口所起的。 你在耶和华的手中要作为华冠, 在你神的掌上必作为王冕。 耶和华喜悦你, 你的地将要婚嫁。 看哪, 你的拯救者来到; 看哪, 他的赏赐在他那里; 人必称他们为圣民, 为耶和华的赎民; 你也必称为被眷顾不撇弃的城。 (以赛亚书62:1-4, 11-12)

锡安啊, 兴起! 兴起! 披上你的能力。 圣城耶路撒冷啊, 穿上你华美的衣服! 因为从今以后, 未受割礼, 不洁净的, 必不再进入你中间。 耶路撒冷啊, 要抖下尘土, 起来坐在位上! 到那日, 我的百姓必知道我的名, 因为说这话的就是我; 看哪, 是我! 耶和华安慰了他的百姓, 救赎了耶路撒冷。 (以赛亚52:1-2, 6, 9)

锡安的女子啊, 应当歌唱! 耶路撒冷的女子啊, 应当满心欢喜快乐! 以色列的王耶和华在你中间, 你必不再惧怕灾祸; 他必因你欢欣喜乐, 默然爱你, 且因你喜乐欢唱; 我必使你们在地上的万民中有名声, 得称赞。 (西番雅书3:14-17, 20)

你的救赎主耶和华如此说, 耶路撒冷必有人居住。 (以赛亚44:24, 26)

耶和华如此说: 我必回到锡安, 住在耶路撒冷中; 耶路撒冷必称为真理的城, 耶和华的山必称为圣山。 (撒迦利亚书8:3, 20-23)

那时你们就知道我是耶和华你们的神, 且又住在锡安我的圣山, 耶路撒冷必成为圣; 到那日, 大山要滴甜酒, 小山要流奶子。 耶路撒冷必存到万代。 (约珥书3:17-21)

到那日, 耶和华发生的苗必华美尊荣, 地的出产必为以色列逃脱的人显为荣华茂盛。 主以公义的灵, 和焚烧的灵, 将锡安女子的污秽洗去, 又将耶路撒冷中杀人的血除净, 那时, 剩在锡安留在耶路撒冷的, 必称在耶路撒冷生命册上记名的为圣。 (以赛亚4:2-3, 4)

末后的日子, 耶和华殿的山必坚立, 超乎诸山; 因为训诲必出于锡安, 耶和华的言语必出于耶路撒冷。 (弥迦书4:1-2, 8)

那时, 人必称耶路撒冷为耶和华的宝座, 万国必到耶路撒冷, 在耶和华立名的地方聚集; 他们必不再随从自己顽梗的恶心行事。 (耶利米书3:17)

你要看锡安──我们守圣节的城; 你的眼必见耶路撒冷为安静的居所, 为不挪移的帐幕; 橛子永不拔出; 绳索一根也不折断。 (以赛亚33:20) (还有别处, 见于以赛亚书24:23; 37:32; 66:10-14;撒迦利亚书12:3, 6-10; 14:8, 11-12, 21; 玛拉基书3:4; 诗篇122:1-7; 137:4-6)

在此, “耶路撒冷”表主即将建立的教会, 并非指犹太人所居住的耶路撒冷, 这一点从引用的经文所描述的细节明显可知。 例如, 耶和华神要造新天新地, 那时, 也要造耶路撒冷, 她必作为华冠和王冕; 她必被称为圣和真理的城, 耶和华的宝座, 安静的居所, 为不挪移的帐幕。 还说, 豺狼必与羊羔同食; 大山要滴甜酒, 小山要流奶子, 它必存到万代等等。 论及她的百姓则说, 他们圣洁, 每个人都被记在生命册上, 被称为耶和华所救赎的。 此外, 所有这些经文都在阐述主的到来, 尤其祂的第二次降临, 届时会有如此处所描述的耶路撒冷; 因为之前她没有婚嫁, 即没有成为新娘和羔羊的妻, 如在启示录中所描述的新耶路撒冷那样。

先前的教会 (即当今教会) 在但以理书中以“耶路撒冷”来表示, 以下经文描述了它的初期:

你当知道, 当明白, 从出令重新建造耶路撒冷, 直到有受膏君的时候, 必有七个七和六十二个七。 正在艰难的时候, 耶路撒冷城连街带濠都必重新建造。 (但以理书9:25)

以下经文则描述了它的末期:

最后那行毁坏可憎的如飞而来; 并且有忿怒倾在那行毁坏的身上, 直到所定的结局。 (但以理书9:27)

主在马太福音中的话指的就是最后这段经文:

你们看见先知但以理所说的‘那行毁坏可憎的’站在圣地 (读这经的人须要会意)。 (马太福音24:15)

上述经文中的“耶路撒冷”并非表示犹太人所居的耶路撒冷, 这一点从说它已完全丧失, 注定被毁灭的经文可以证实 (如见于耶利米书5:1; 6:6-7; 7:17-34; 8:6-22; 9:10-22; 13:9-10, 14; 14:16; 耶利米哀歌1:8-9, 17; 以西结书4; 5:9-17; 12:8, 19; 15:6-8; 16; 23;马太福音23:37-38; 路加福音19:41-44; 21:20-22; 23:28-30; 除此之外的其它经文) ; 也可从论及“所多玛”的经文看出来 (以赛亚书3:9;耶利米书23:14;以西结书16:46, 48等等)。

100. BRIEF ANALYSIS

The reason the New Church is meant by the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, in Revelation 21, is that Jerusalem was the metropolis of the land of Canaan. The temple and the altar were there; there also sacrifices were offered. Thus, Divine worship itself was performed there, and every male throughout the land was commanded to come to this worship three times a year. A further reason is that the Lord was in Jerusalem and taught in its temple; afterwards glorifying His Human there; thence it is that Jerusalem signifies the Church. That the Church is meant by Jerusalem is clearly evident from the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning a New Church to be established by the Lord, and which is there called Jerusalem.

[2] The following passages only shall be cited, from which anyone possessed of interior reason may see that by Jerusalem is there meant the Church. Let these passages alone be taken from the prophets:

Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered. . . . I will create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy; that I may rejoice over Jerusalem and be joyful over My people. . . Then the wolf and the lamb shall feed together. . . they shall do no evil in all the mountain of My holiness.Isaiah 65:17-19, 25.

For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof goes forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. Then the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. And thou shalt be a crown of beauty.. . and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God... Jehovah shall be well pleased in thee, and thy land shall be married . . . Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him . . . and they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah; and thou shalt be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.Isaiah 62:1-4, 11-12.

Awake! awake! put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy beauty, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem . . . The people shalt know My name in that day, for I am He that doth speak; behold, it is I. . .. Jehovah hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem.Isaiah 52:1-2, 6, 9.

Shout with joy, O daughter of Zion; be glad with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. . .. The King of Israel is in the midst of thee; fear not evil any more . . . He will be glad over thee with joy; He will rest in thy love; He will exult over thee with joyful shouting. . . will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth.Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20.

Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer . . . saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited. Isaiah 44:24, 26.

Thus saith Jehovah, I am returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; whence Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth, and the mountain of Jehovah Zebaoth, the mountain of holiness. Zechariah 8:3.

Then shall ye know that I am Jehovah your God, dwelling in Zion, the mountain of holiness; and Jerusalem shall be holiness... .And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk... and Jerusalem shall abide from generation to generation. Joel 3:17-18, 20.

In that day shall the branch of Jehovah be beauty and glory. . . And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy; everyone that is written unto life in Jerusalem. Isaiah 4:2-3.

In the last days the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the head of the mountains ... for out of Zion shall go forth doctrine, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Micah 4:1-2.

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all nations shall be gathered to Jerusalem because of the name of Jehovah; neither shall they go any more after the confirmation of their own evil heart. Jeremiah 3:17.

Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; let thine eyes see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; the stakes thereof shall never be removed, and the cords thereof shall not be broken. Isaiah 33:20.

Other passages are: Isaiah 24:23; 37:32; 66:10-14; Zechariah 12:3, 6-10; 14:8, 11-12, 21; Malachi 3:2, 4; Psalms 122:1-7; 137:4-6.

[3] That by Jerusalem in the above passages is meant a Church to be established by the Lord, and not the Jerusalem inhabited by the Jews, is plain from every detail of its description therein; as that Jehovah God was about to create a new heaven and a new earth, and Jerusalem also at the same time; that this Jerusalem would be a crown of beauty, and a royal diadem; that it is to be called holiness, and the city of truth, the throne of Jehovah, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; that the wolf and the lamb shall feed together there; that there the mountains shall drop with new wine, and the hills flow with milk; that it should abide from generation to generation; besides many other things respecting the people therein, that they should be holy, all written unto life, and should be called the redeemed of Jehovah.