The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

Chapter 49: Rev. 21:9-22:5
The New Jerusalem
"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 show thee the Bride,
the Lamb's Wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having
the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper
stone, clear as crystal."--Rev. 21:9-11.
We have in the above language and in that which follows in verses 12-27; 22:1-5, a
continuation and more complete description in symbol of the Holy City, the New
Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem, as we have seen, is a symbol of the heavenly government
of the Millennial Age. It is here called by the revealing angel, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife,
because of the close relationship that exists in this Divine government between Christ and
His overcoming saints. Just as a bride shares all the dignities and honors of her husband,
so does the Church in glory share with Christ the same. We have also portrayed in symbol
in these verses the New Jerusalem government's relationship with the inhabitants of the
new-earth order, and the powerful as well as helpful influence for eternal good that it will
exert over them. The various characteristics of this relationship and blessed influence are
portrayed in most glowing and striking symbols.
This vision of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is evidently designed to be viewed in
contrast with that of another--a wicked city, symbolical Babylon, which St. John had
previously seen in vision reigning over the kingdoms of the earth. A striking similarity in
the two visions is that St. John is invited in both instances by one of the same seven angels
to behold the view: "Come, I will show thee the judgment of that great harlot [Babylon the
Great] who sits on many waters" (Rev. 17:1); "Come, I will show thee the Bride, the Wife of
the Lamb."--Rev. 21:9.
It is quite certain that the reasonable and Scriptural method of interpreting the first vision,
that of Babylon the wicked city, will be the reasonable and Scriptural one of interpreting
and understanding that of the New Jerusalem, the Holy City. It is our understanding that
Babylon the Great is properly interpreted symbolically and that it represents the civil and
religious hierarchy of the Papacy, which for long centuries has exercised a powerful, evil,
and controlling influence over thousands of millions of earth's peoples. In contrast with
this we are enabled to see from the description that the New Jerusalem must represent an
all-powerful religious government that will exercise a most blessed and lasting influence
for good over earth's people of the new order when it comes into power. It is very evident
that these two cities do not reign contemporaneously; to the contrary, the New Jerusalem's
gracious and righteous rule is exercised after the symbolic Babylon has disappeared from
view, after it has been destroyed, and like a great millstone has been cast into the symbolic
sea of anarchy to be found no more forever.--Rev. 18:21.