"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
(Revelation 21:2)
This Jerusalem is called 'new' in contradistinction to the earthly, Palestinian Jerusalem. It is called "holy" because it is separate from sin and thoroughly consecrated to God. This new and holy Jerusalem is very clearly the Church the Lord Jesus Christ, as is also plainly evident from the fact that it is here and elsewhere called the bride, the wife of the Lamb (Is. 54:5; Eph. 5:32). Even in the Old Testament the church is represented under the symbolism of a city (Is. 26:1; Ps. 48). A city calls to our mind the concept of a permanent residence, a great number of inhabitants, safety and security, fellowship and beauty. With respect to all of these characteristics the church- in principle even today, in perfection, is like a city. We read that John saw this Holy City coming down out of heaven from God. This, too, is true with respect to both the ideal church of the present and the church of the future. It is always born from above. It is always the result of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 11:10,16; 12:22).
(William Hendriksen)
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