Revelation: Philadelphia, The New Jerusalem
Revelation 3:12c…and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven…
The name of the city is The New Jerusalem.
It is “the” New Jerusalem. There is a Greek definite article in front of “New Jerusalem”. The text literally reads… “the New Jerusalem” in the original Greek. The koine Greek of the New Testament has no indefinite article like we do in English. There are no “a” or “an” in the language. A definite article is a point of emphasis.
At least three times in the book of Revelation, the text refers to the city of New Jerusalem as descending from Heaven. The first is noted in the verse above. Two other references are indicated in Revelation 21, the definitive chapter on the description of New Jerusalem. See Revelation 22 for additional information regarding New Jerusalem. Jesus says the city is a gift from God. The city is a pure, beautiful, stunning bride. This is our eternal home.
Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God…
Galatians 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
The heavenly Jerusalem is called “free” or ἐλεύθερος/eleutheros in Greek. The comparison is to a slave in Galatians 4:25. Strong’s Concordance defines the term as unshackled or unbound. New Jerusalem is liberated and delivered from obligation.
Revelation 3:12d…and my own new name.
Jesus has a name change coming. Christ will have a different name, and it is personal.
Revelation 19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
And that name will be written on the believer as well.
Please listen. Seven times in Revelation, Christ appeals to the churches to listen. This is the sixth time Jesus calls on all the churches to listen. He will appeal once more to the churches collectively to listen. One way or another, we are all running out of time.
Revelation 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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