Heaven On Earth - Part 2

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: And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates, twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 21: 9 - 12).

Here we see again the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. There were twelve gates with twelve angels with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. This is not something we have to strive for or wait until death to enter; we're there now. (You may have to read that a couple of times to get past what others have said about it - but that's OK. I'll wait.)

The number twelve is a governmental number - there were 12 Old Testament patriarchs and 12 New Testament apostles. The government is upon His (Jesus') shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), and that government is the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is within us, and that it is righteousness, peace, and joy.

So we see that this heavenly kingdom is being established in our hearts. This is a present day reality. To understand this we have to fight past the view given to us by the dispensationalists that everything good God has done is either in the past or in the future, which leaves us with nothing for the present. God is eternal, and you and I are as much a part of His plans as Moses, Elijah, David, Matthew, John, Paul, and so forth.

This is so wonderful to contemplate and even more wonderful to be a part of! We have contemplated heaven as a place for us to dwell. The new Jerusalem is for Jesus - that place in our spirits where He can gain entrance through those gates, and where He can have a habitation. God Himself is taking up residence in our hearts! What could be more wonderful than that?

King Jesus, enter in to our hearts and be at home there! We offer up our lives to you, to be your dwelling place, your habitation in the earth.