Jerusalem is a City–Not a Person

The WMSCOG erroneously believes that the city of Jerusalem described in Revelation 21 is a person. However, the “holy city Jerusalem” is a city–not a person as Hebrews 12:22 clearly explains when it says (emphasis added):

No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem

We can use Hebrews 12:22, or read the rest of chapter 21 in Revelation to dispense with any silly notions that “heavenly Jerusalem” refers to anything other than an actual city.

The WMSCOG references many verses in the Bible which talk about “mothers”, one of which is Revelation 21:9-10 which reads:

9
One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

Here, are two interesting phrases used to refer to the same thing:

• “the bride, the wife of the Lamb”
• “the holy city Jerusalem”

Also, note again, that right there in Revelation 21:10, it says “holy city Jerusalem”.

One might assert “but it says, ‘coming down out of heaven from God’? How can a city do that?” Well, how do you think?

It’s a metaphor for the Church. Scripture is replete with explanation.

The (figurative) bride of the Lamb (Christ) is the holy city Jerusalem (a metaphor for the church). The liner note on my Bible says:

“9 [21:9-22:5] Symbolic descriptions of the new Jerusalem, the church. Most of the images are borrowed from Ezekial 40-48. The bride, the wife of the Lamb: the church (Rev 21:2), the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10); cf 2 Cor 11:2.”

Christ always referred to His relationship with His church in terms of a marriage.

Just for good measure, let’s check out 2 Cor 11:2 which was in the liner note there for Rev 21:10:

For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

That’s Paul, talking to the church at Corinth. And look, there’s even a liner note on this verse too. It says:

Paul gives us a sudden glimpse of the theological values that are at stake. The jealousy of God: the perspective is that of the covenant, described in imagery of love and marriage, as in the prophets; cf 1 Cor 10:22. I betrothed you: Paul, like a father (cf 2 Cor 12:14), betroths the community to Christ as his bride (cf Eph 5:21-33) and will present her to him at his second coming. Cf Matthew 25:1-13 and the nuptial imagery in Rev 21.

Ephesians 5:21-33 is quite clear. Paul even comes right out in verse 32 and says directly that the church is the bride of Christ:

… I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Now, perhaps these liner notes aren’t in the Bibles the WMSCOG is using, and maybe they missed Ephesians 5:21-33, because they believe that the “bride” described in Revelation 21 is a literal bride and that the “holy city Jerusalem” is a human being named Zang Gil-Jah. They might point out here something like Galations 4:26 which reads:

But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.

Alright, so let us for a moment here pretend that there are not 2000 years of Christian understanding concerning the “heavenly Jerusalem”, and let us also forget about all of the evidence we have read in Holy Scripture in support of Jerusalem being a city. Now, the term “mother” can still be used to describe something other than a literal human being–especially when referring to a spiritual relationship. Moreover, here it is being used to describe something other than a literal person, which reading the rest of that same passage explains.

By not finishing the chapter, I guess one might miss that the holy city Jerusalem is a city? When we read Scripture in its entirety instead of just a few select verses, it can be a real eye opener. Here, let us demonstrate that the holy city Jerusalem is indeed a city and not a person. Here is Revelation 21:10 and the verses after it that you didn’t get a chance to read. [Emphasis below is added]

9
One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
11
It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.
12
It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, (the names) of the twelve tribes of the Israelites.
13
There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west.
14
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15
12 The one who spoke to me held a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16
The city was square, its length the same as (also) its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles in length and width and height.
17
He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used.
18
15 The wall was constructed of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass.
19
The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every precious stone; the first course of stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20
the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.
22
16 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.
23
17 The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.
24
The nations will walk by its light, 18 and to it the kings of the earth will bring their treasure.
25
During the day its gates will never be shut, and there will be no night there.
26
The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there,
27
but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

I’ve stopped emphasizing because there’s just too much. It’s plain as day that Revelation 21 is talking about a city, and not a human being.

Alright, so it’s overwhelmingly obvious that the “new Jerusalem” or the “heavenly Jerusalem” or the “holy city Jerusalem” or whatever other name the WMSCOG uses, refers to a literal city (the church in the Kingdom of Heaven), and not a person.

The reason I like this proof so much is that it’s easy for you to remember. If someone brings up Revelation 21:9-10. All you have to do is read the rest of this chapter in their own Bible to show them that Jerusalem refers to a real city. That’s why it’s so good.

You could also skip right to Hebrews 12:22 which clearly states “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”.

Not only is this a powerful refutation of the WMSCOG‘s misinterpretation of Revelation 21:9-10, but it’s located immediately afterward so you don’t have to remember where it’s at. Here’s a handy saying I’ve come up with to help you remember when to use this one: “a bride at 21, reads till the end”

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