Greetings again Pipripi,
I have previously suggested that you ignore the detail contained in the prophets concerning Jerusalem during the 1000 years, for example Isaiah 2:1,2,3,4 and Zechariah 14:16,17,18,19. The Bible says that Satan will be bound for the 1000 years, so the SDA view here is incorrect. I consider that you take what is symbolic and figurative in Revelation chapters 20-22 and claim that this is literal, and ignore or rather reject what is stated in the prophets, or take these as symbolic only, or what would have happened to Israel if they did not reject Jesus as the Messiah. For me to answer you properly, or discuss this, you need to clarify what you suggest has happened and is happening in the heavenly realm. You asked the following question before:
And my answer was:
Could I ask, and I could be wrong here, but I have some hint that the SDAs have a different view of what Psalm 110:1 teaches, and that somehow Jesus was not seated at God's right hand, but somehow stuck in the Holy Place in the Temple in heaven, and then only moved to the Most Holy Place in 1844 to cleanse the Sanctuary. Please correct me or clarify.
On another aspect, you claim that the New Jerusalem floating down from heaven is literal, but how literal do you really envisage this? I remember seeing a picture of a city with walls surrounded by clouds gradually coming down from heaven. I tried to recall where I saw this, but my best guess now is that it was when I attended a SDA lecture about 20 years ago, and it was one of the slides given by the young woman who was the visiting preacher for the evening, after they advertised the Prophetic Code. I took down my SDA carton from the top of the bookshelf, and there is a similar picture on page 755 of the SDA book ""The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation" by Uriah Smith 1944. The picture shows a vision of a wall and a central gate (not 12 gates) and behind the wall many buildings that look like Middle East type buildings and other architecture with domes and spires, and I should imagine that this is the SDA depiction of the many "mansions" of John 14:1-3
Let us look at the Scripture description of this New Jerusalem and see whether you agree with the details and whether it is literal or not. I will highlight a few features and make a few comments:
Revelation 21:9–27 (KJV): 9 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 shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 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: 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
The Lamb's wife is described as a great city and this descends from heaven. Is this literal or figurative? Quote
