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 (v.9)
21.9 Now the name of the wife of the Lamb is given. Many people consider the church to be the wife of the Lamb since, they say, there cannot be a literal New Jerusalem in the future. Many are the proofs, however, that the New Jerusalem is a literal new city [on future Mars]:
(1) At that time the church as we know it today no longer exists, for she now becomes only a part of all the redeemed.
(2) Being a book of revelation, its chapters 2 and 3 plainly point out the churches quite clearly and specifically; why then should the New Jerusalem mentioned in chapter 21 of this same book be something other than the clearly stated and specifically mentioned New Jerusalem?
(3) According to 3.12 the New Jerusalem is what the church hopes for. If New Jerusalem is indeed the church, how could the church hope for the church? It would be senseless and illogical.
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 (3.12).
(4) In 19.7-13 the New Jerusalem is seen as the bride whereas the church is a guest [we are sojourners], thus showing that the church is not New Jerusalem.
Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright [and] pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God. And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteous he doth judge and make war. And his eyes [are] a flame of fire, and upon his head [are] many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. And he [is] arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God (19.7-13).
(5) How can there be no new city in the new heaven and the new earth? Where will people stay if they come to worship God? Did not our Lord expressly say that “in my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14.2)?
(6) If the woman mentioned in 12.1 refers to Jerusalem and the great harlot cited in 17.1 points to the city of Rome, how can the wife of the Lamb spoken of in 21.9 not be a reference to an actual city?
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with (see Gen. 37.9-10; sun, moon and the stars are all spoken together) the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (12.1). And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters (17.1). 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 (21.9).
(7) After the blowing of the seventh trumpet the kingdom has arrived and the mystery is fulfilled. Since New Jerusalem subsists in the new heaven and the new earth, it cannot be considered a mystery, and therefore it must be literal.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever (11.15).
(8) At the time of chapter 17 when John sees Babylon, he cannot cease wondering because it is a mystery which must be explained by an angel to him. Here, though, John is not amazed at all, neither does he need an angel to interpret to him. Hence what is here before us must be an actual city.
And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel (Rev. 17.7a).
(9) People deem the wife of the Lamb to be the church because they adopt a totally spiritual view of eternity. Who knows, though, but what in the new heaven and the new earth everything is real and substantial? If God chose to use gold and silver in the building of Solomon’s temple, why can there not be gold and silver in the building by God of a new city in the new heaven and the new earth?
And the street of the city [was] pure gold (21.21).
(10) Since many at that time are to be resurrected bodily, that is, they are to have a spiritual body, will they not need a place to stay?
(11) Here we are told the structure, dimensions, and materials of the city of New Jerusalem. These can hardly be applied to the church.
(12) 21.27 plainly implies that many will enter the city. If the city is the church which is itself made up of people, how can people enter into people? Furthermore, 21.25 says that the gates of the city are not shut by day. How can this fact be something related to the church?
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life (v.27).
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there (v.25).
(13) Here in 21.9 the wife of the Lamb is shown to John. Now if the wife of the Lamb is a mystery and the New Jerusalem is an explanation, how can an explanation not be taken literally?
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 (v.9).
(14) The New Jerusalem is contrasted with the Old Jerusalem. As Old Jerusalem is a literal city, so New Jerusalem must also be a literal city. It therefore cannot be taken as the church.
(15) Galatians 4 distinctly tells us that “the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother” (v.26). This Jerusalem is quite different from the church, so Paul says it is our (that is, the church’s) mother. Thus we cannot maintain that New Jerusalem is the church.
(16) Hebrews 11 says that Abraham “looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (v.10). The New Jerusalem is a true city with foundations. Did Abraham look for the church? He could not have known the church at his time.
(17) Hebrews 12.22 mentions the heavenly Jerusalem and the innumerable hosts of angels. Verse 23 of the same chapter speaks of the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (this means the church), speaks also of God who is the Judge of all, and of spirits of just men made perfect (the saints of old). There are altogether five classes enumerated here; namely, (1) God, (2) angels, (3) saints of the Old Testament time, (4) the church, and (5) the heavenly Jerusalem. The church and the heavenly Jerusalem are listed separately, therefore they cannot be the same.
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 (Heb. 12.22). To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect (v.23).
