Jerusalem
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The Eternal Age will be governed from Jerusalem, not from Paris, London, or Washington, D.C. Jerusalem is the only city God has chosen as the capital of the world.
The foreknowledge and election of God are demonstrated and emphasized here. God does not change. His gifts and calling are without repentance. The Hebrew Prophets revealed that the blessing of God is on Jerusalem and will continue to be on Jerusalem throughout eternity.
The moment King David installed himself in the Jebusite city of Jerusalem—from that moment the capital city of the eternal Kingdom was established. David chose Zion, part of Jerusalem, to be his headquarters and the resting place of the Ark of the Testimony.
We Christians have been occupied for so long with the heavenly, spiritual dimension of the Kingdom of God that it is difficult for us to keep in mind that there is an earthly, physical dimension of the Kingdom.
When we travel to the earthly city of Jerusalem and place our hand on the wall of the old city it helps us grasp the physical dimension of the Kingdom.
The reason Satan hates and fears the Jews as he does is that Satan understands it is through Israel that his earthly empire will be destroyed. Satan is not concerned about the Christians' desire to "go to Heaven." Satan came from Heaven in the first place. Satan is interested in the earth. He understands that Christ will sit on the Throne of David in Jerusalem and govern the whole earth from there.
It is helpful for us to realize that the various aspects of Judaism, such as the priesthood, the Tabernacle, and the Temple, were ordained of God. But the elements of the Christian religion, the pews, steeples, organs, cathedrals, never were ordained of God. They are human responses to our spiritual calling.
The heavenly Jerusalem of the Christians is the spiritual dimension of the Kingdom of God. Jerusalem on the earth is the physical dimension of the Kingdom of God.
When the Lord Jesus appears, the glorified saints of the heavenly Jerusalem will come back into the physical world and govern the nations of saved peoples of the earth. The Jerusalem of the thousand-year period will be the earthly Jerusalem; but its King will be Jesus and its princes will be from Heaven. The Apostles of the Lamb will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30).
Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)
The principle of convergence is of the greatest importance. The question often is raised of the relationship between physical Israel and Israel after the Spirit, including the Israelites after the Spirit (Christians) who by race are Jews.
The answer is there will be a converging of spiritual Israel and natural Israel such that natural Israel becomes an integral part of spiritual Israel. All Israel will be saved. Revival is coming to physical Israel.
The only true Israeli is the Israeli by promise. There are descendants of Abraham by flesh and by promise. Isaac is an example of these. There are descendants of Abraham by flesh alone. Esau is an example of these. There are descendants of Abraham by promise alone. The converted Gentile is an example of these.
The Church started out with the descendants of Abraham by flesh and promise. After the Day of Pentecost there were descendants by flesh and promise, such as the Apostle Paul, and also descendants by promise alone, such as Cornelius. In the last days the promise of God will return to the children of the flesh so they will become descendants of Abraham by flesh and by promise.
True Israel, the olive tree, consists of the descendants by promise whether or not they also are children of the flesh. True Israel is composed of the foreknown—the elect of God. The children of flesh alone are not true Israel. All Israel will be saved in the last days because true Israel will enter the city of Jerusalem and the nation will be born again "at once." The Spirit of God will be poured on Jerusalem. Salvation will come to the earthly Jerusalem.
After the thousand-year period has come to an end, the earth and heaven that we know will pass away. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. Then the entire new Jerusalem, not just the firstfruits, will descend from the new heaven and find its eternal rest on a high mountain of the new earth.
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