Tag: Jerusalem

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New Jerusalem vs “old” Jerusalem

The purpose of this blog is to comment on Zion in the last days, also called the New Jerusalem. In doing this I do not ignore the Holy Jerusalem currently existing in Israel and the important role that it plays in the last days. The “old” Jerusalem serves as one of two great capitals on earth throughout the 1000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Every scriptural prophecy regarding Jerusalem is to be fulfilled. The Jewish people will build a great temple there, become very prosperous, “begin” to believe in Jesus, and will continue to defeat their enemies. The essential difference is that Jews gather to Jerusalem in the Middle East and the rest of the House of Israel gathers initially to the New Jerusalem in America. The two Jerusalem’s become united, politically, after Armageddon. The New Jerusalem is explicitly mentioned1 by John the Revelator as coming down from God out of heaven2. Many assume that the “new” Jerusalem is just the old Jerusalem with a make-over. However, Ether, as quoted by Moroni in the Book of Mormon, explains it clearly3 – they are two separate places.

Temple attending Latter-day Saints recognize the significance of the “new name” that John4 (and Isaiah5) mention. It is connected with entering6 into the New Jerusalem and the presence of the LORD.

 

 

References

1Revelation 3:12


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.

2Revelation 21:2 – 3


2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

3Ether 13:2 – 5


2 … the words of Ether; for he truly told them of all things, … and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, …
3 And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.
4 Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land.
5 And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel.

4Revelation 3:12


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.

5Isaiah 62:1 – 3


1 FOR Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

6DC Section 130:11


11 And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word.

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Gathering to Zion: Judah, Levi, Benjamin

In Latter-day Saint parlance “Jews” means Judah, Levi, and part of Benjamin. In our day the Jews gather and prosper in “Old” Jerusalem. Of course this has been going on for some time already. It was started by Orson Hyde, an Latter-day Apostle of the lineage of Judah, who first dedicated the Holy Land for the return of the Jews in 1841. The current Jewish state is destined to overcome their current enemies and prosper. They will rebuild the Temple. They begin to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, and this also has been happening for a number of years but will not be mainstream in Judaism until after Jesus the Messiah returns to Jerusalem again – after the final conflict of Armageddon. Eventually there are two great capitals, two Zions, that are united in belief and who look to Jesus Christ as their Savior and King on the earth. Meanwhile, to those Gentiles who profess to believe in Christ, the Lord Jesus has this word for them: quit your whining, have a little appreciation, and get with the program. OK, those are my words. Here are the actual words of Jesus Christ, a great declaration. No plainer words were ever spoken: Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 29
1 BUT behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel; 2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; 3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. 4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles? 5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people. 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? 7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? 8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. 9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. 10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. 11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written. 12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it. 13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. 14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.
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