New Jerusalem, our hope!

Hebrews 12:22-24

22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,23To 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,24And to Jehoshua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

With so much emphasis on earthly Jerusalem by much of the church including the Hebrew roots and Messianic Jews, it's often forgotten that we as new covenant believers are not to look to it at all. Infact, we are told by the author of Hebrews that we come unto the heavenly Jerusalem which is the real and only city of the living God Jehovah. Much of the book of Hebrews contrasts the old covenant worship system of earthly Jerusalem with the far better new covenant worship system which we are told is headqaurtered in New Jerusalem in heaven.

We are told in Hebrews that the true tabernacle is in heaven where the only legitimate High Priest operates His ministry. That High Priest is Jehoshua of the order of Melchizedek. The membership roll call of the church of the firstborn Son of God is in New Jerusalem. Verse 18 says "ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched" which is an obvious reference to the old covenant and earthly Jerusalem. In verse 24 we are told to look to Jehoshua who is the mediator of the new covenant which is signified by the sprinlling of His blood on the mercyseat in heaven and speaks better things than any of the sacrifices of the old testament.

Hebrews 13:12-14

12Wherefore Jehoshua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

The author of Hebrews exhorts the believers to come forth spiritually out of earthly Jerusalem and it's outdated worship system and bear the reproach of Messiah who suffered without the gate of the Jersusalem temple. The author of Hebrews wants the brethren to leave the old covenant worship system and come unto New Jerusalem and the far superior new covenant. Infact, he says that we have no continuing city here (earthly Jerusalem) but we seek one to come (heavenly Jerusalem). The heavenly Jerusalem is what the Son of God promised the believers who overcome, He never promised them earthly Jerusalem:

Revelation 3:12

"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."

It is crystal clear that Jehoshua promises us New Jerusalem which will come down out of heaven to the earth after His second advent. If earthly Jerusalem was to be the home of the saints after Jehoshua's return then why doesn't He mention that as the city they will inherit if they overcome? It's quite simple, because earthly Jerusalem has no significance for the saints as we are told we have no continuing city here on earth but we seek one to come which Jehoshua clearly says is New Jerusalem in heaven.

Galatians 4:25-26

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Paul says that earthly Jerusalem is in bondage along with her children who are still stuck in the old covenant which he eqautes to Hagar and is represented by mount Sinai. Paul says that New Jerusalem which is in heaven is free and is our mother. New Jerusalem represents the liberty we have in Messiah (Galatians 5;1) whereas earthly Jerusalem represents the yoke of the old covenant which tends towards bondage. Why is it that so many Christians and Hebrew roots folks are obessed and/or focused on earthly Jerusalem? Because they have been decieved !