Artist's rendering of the original "City of David"
at the time of Solomon, approximately 950 B.C.-- the extent of Jerusalem at that time. Viewed from the Mount of
Olives. Solomon's Temple on Mt Moriah is in upper far right corner. (Source unknown.) |
Here are some of the more prominent scriptures that speak of the destiny
of Jerusalem and Israel, beginning with Isaiah's prophecy in the
8th century B.C. through the return of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Messiah, King of Israel, King of Kings and King
of the nations in glory and power and the New Jerusalem at "the end of the age". I (the webmaster) have
presented these scriptures as I have below, with most of them yet to be fulfilled. I do recognize that others in
the Body of Christ share other opinions about the fulfillment of scriptures. Note that the Land of Canaan/Israel
is usually just referred to in this article as "the Land".
This entire project began with a question in our church regarding the
future of Jerusalem in God's plan.
God's Word speaks of the earthly and heavenly city of Jerusalem in over
1000 verses through the Old and New Testaments.
Jerusalem is referred to by over 30 other names in
the Bible including. Salem, Moriah, Jebus, the place which the LORD your God shall choose, Zion, Mt Zion, Stronghold
of Zion, City of David, Ariel, Holy Hill, Holy Mount, Bloody City, Harlot, Holy City, The City of Righteousness,
The Faithful City, Throne of the LORD, the LORD our righteousness, City of the Great King, City of God, City of
our God, City of the LORD, The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth, the LORD is there, Great City,
City of Truth, Sodom and Egypt, the place where our Lord was crucified, Beloved City. The Lord also says that she
"shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." (Is. 62) In Revelation, "the
city of my God which is new Jerusalem" and "the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," is described in chapter 21.
The first mention of Jerusalem in the central mountains of what was called Canaan is in Gen. 14:18
when Melchizedek, king of Salem and "priest of God Most High", blessed Abraham, approximately 2000 B.C.
(Salem -- related to Heb. shalom meaning peace -- was known as "Jerusalem" (Heb. Yerushalayim) by the
time of Joshua around 1300 BC. Likely from Heb. yir meaning "city" and shalayim probably meaning "peace"
(plural)). God later commanded Abraham to go to Mount Moriah, a hill adjacent to and slightly North of Salem where
Solomon's temple would later be built, and sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to him. God spared Isaac, and there Abraham
sacrificed a provided ram to God in Isaac's place. Gen. 22.
God refers in various ways to Jerusalem either directly
or indirectly from Genesis to Exodus, though not by the name Jerusalem. It is first called Jerusalem in the book
of Joshua, and he conquers it briefly around 1300 B.C. 300 years later, David, after becoming king of Israel, finally
conquers and takes Jerusalem permanently from the Jebusites. The original Jerusalem conquered and rebuilt by King
David, now in modern-day Israel called "the City of David" (and by the Arabs, Silwan), is a high hill
in the Judean mountains of about 12 acres surrounded by other higher hills.
David makes Jerusalem the eternal capital of his
/ God's kingdom, and calls it the City of David. (2 Samuel 5 & 1 Chron. 11) Mt. Moriah, the hill a few hundred yards North (top right corner of painting),
is the place God later revealed to David as the place of God's House. David ordered the temple of God to be built
there by his son Solomon on the basis of that revelation. (1 Chron. 21,22).
The original "City of David"
in modern-day Jerusalem
is a very small, yet is the most important area just outside of the "Old City"
of Jerusalem. (Note that in this author's opinion
the linked Wikipedia article is biased and incomplete, but still contains helpful information.) The City of David
is where most of the action relating to Jerusalem took place until Hezekiah greatly expanded the city and then
Herod expanded it further to much of what is now known as the "Old City".
(The "Old City" of Jerusalem is actually a very small part (220 acres) of the entire modern-day city
of Jerusalem. So in modern-day Israel there is the original "City of David" and the much larger "Old
City" of Jerusalem all within the much larger modern-day city of Jerusalem.)
From the time of Melchizedek, king/priest of Salem (about
2000 B.C.), through the time of David's capture of the city from the Jebusites (about 1000 B.C.) and the building
of Solomon's temple until the departure of God's glory from the city in Ezekiel (Ezek 11:22-23)
(about 570 B.C.), Jerusalem/Moriah was God's place of dwelling. Jerusalem continues to be in the focus of God's
plan from before the appearing and sacrifice of Christ/Messiah outside the city to the coming down from heaven
of the New Jerusalem in Revelation (Rev. 21).
Yet it (the earthly city) is the city which "kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to [her]",
"How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings,
and ye would not!," cried out Jesus near the city before it crucified him (Mat. 23:37-39)
Hence, "they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21)
But let us continue with our condensed history. Solomon's reign from
Jerusalem over Israel was between 900 and 800 B.C. The kingdom
split between Israel in the North and Judah in the South after Solomon. Around 590 B.C. (about 400 years later)
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquered and eventually destroyed Jerusalem and took most of the Jews throughout
the Land to Babylon as prophesied by Moses (Deut. 28,
Lev. 26) and the later prophets,
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The captivity in Babylon would last 70 years, as the LORD declared through Jeremiah, on account of the people's
wickedness and rebellion against him and his laws and so that the Land should enjoy its sabbaths. But God promised
that he would raise up and cause a future, Persian king by the name of Cyrus, and other subsequent kings, to issue
decrees that the Jews return to their Land and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple (See Lev 26, Isa 44; 2 Chron 36
and others).
After 70 years of the captivity, Cyrus of Persia and subsequent kings
issued those decrees. Beginning with the decree and command of
Cyrus, king of Persia around 530 B.C., groups of the Babylonian Jewish exiles began returning to the Land and rebuilding
the temple and the city (2 Chron. 36, Ezra 1)
as prophesied by Isaiah, Jeremiah and others. Several groups, as recorded in the book of Ezra the high priest,
then Ezra himself with a large group, and soon thereafter Nehemiah, returned to the Land to continue rebuilding.
Ezra began the rebuilding of the temple and Nehemiah the city of David/Jerusalem. (See Ezra,
Nehemiah, Haggai and
Zechariah.)
The same prophets as well as others also speak of a far greater dispersion
and restoration of the "outcasts of Israel" (including
gentiles) from many
nations and from "the four corners of the earth," far greater than the Babylonian exile. (e.g. Isaiah 11:11-16) I have quoted
those prophecies and promises which refer to the first exile and restoration -- Babylonian -- and those which refer
to the greater exile and restoration. In the first century, Rome enslaved, exiled and scattered the Jews throughout
the Roman and other empires. The largest waves of Jews to begin returning to the Land from this dispersion began
in the 1800s.
All Hebrew prophecy ultimately points toward God's promised "messiah"
(meaning "anointed one") and culminates, according to the Hebrew prophets, in the appearing and universal
reign of Messiah / the Anointed One in glory and power whom we believe to be Jesus Christ/Messiah, the Son of God.
(Either in two consecutive reigns, first earthly and then eternally over a "new heaven and earth" or
eternally over one new heaven and earth. (c.f. Dan. 2,7-9;
Zech. 12-14, Mat. 24;
Mark 13; Rev. 19-22
and others.)
While most of the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" do not
recognize their Messiah yet, God is opening the eyes of many worldwide and in the Land and granting them saving
faith in Jesus in numbers not seen since the recording of the book of Acts. Yet we know that it is only the "remnant"
or "a third", who will be saved as seen in the above passages. In the meantime, Jerusalem will be "trodden
down of the gentiles until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled", Lk. 21:24.
As you will see in the following scriptures, God restores his people
to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel -- not for their sake, for
they are a stubborn, rebellious, idolatrous, and unfaithful people -- but for his own name's sake and for the sake
of his covenant and promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deut. 9:4-29, 31:27, Judges 2:16-3:7, Jer. 17:23) -- To
make his name known to Israel and the nations -- to fulfill the covenant he made to the fathers. Jehovah God (or
Yah'weh in Hebrew) keeps his covenant and the word he gave to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David and to his
Son Jesus Christ the son of David, so that they, Israel, shall
be his people and he their God. This is God's purpose for ALL
who are his elect, both Jew and Gentile. Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew), the Son of David, the Son of God, will save
all who have been given to him that all might serve and worship him "and so ALL Israel shall be saved"
(Rom 11:26).
Those of us belonging to "spiritual" Israel (Rom 9-11),
who are Jews inwardly (Rom 2:28,29)
of the seed of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ have come unto heavenly
Jerusalem which "hath foundations, whose builder and maker
is God", "the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven." Earthly Jerusalem,
as God deals with it and the nations, is a "shadow", an earthly representation of the spiritual, heavenly
City. (Heb. 11:8-10; 12:22,23; Rev. 21-22:1-5)
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the
other by a freewoman.
But he who was [born] of the bondwoman was born [according to] the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which [corresponds]
to bondage, which is Hagar.
For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem
which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us
all. (KJV) Gal. 4:22-26
Even now we are told:
But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
To 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,
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than
that of Abel.
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more
shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. (KJV) Heb 12:22-25
Regarding God's sovereign hand on unbelieving Israel, see Mat 23:37-39; Luke 21:24-31;1 Rom 1-3,9-11; 1 Cor 10:18;
Rev 1:7. Keep
in mind that the word "Israel" in the Old Testament usually refers first to the physical/covenant seed
or descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then ultimately to the spiritual/promised seed wherever they are, in
the Land itself (Gen. 13:14,15; Ex. 13:5; Lev. 20:24,
etc.) and those "out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation" (Rev 5:9). Ultimately the "seed"
of Abraham refers to Christ/Messiah (Gal. 3:16). (As to the physical "natural" seed, there is detailed
scientific research on Jewish lineage -- see Wikipedia article on Jews, genetic studies,
keeping in mind that God is also able to "raise up from these stones children of Abraham".) God speaks
to and of both forms of "Israel" in the Bible, ultimately all culminating in one Israel of God consisting
of neither Jew nor Gentile but one "new man" in Christ (Eph 2) -- where a true Jew is one who is a Jew
inwardly by circumcision of the heart (Rom 2:25-29).
Paul refers to Israel in both forms in Rom. 1-3 and 9-11, ending up with one Israel of God as God continues to
graft the remnant of Israel back into their own olive tree which is Christ/Messiah.
John Owen, a Puritan theologian in the 1600s, mentions the restoration
of the Jews to the Land and to their Messiah according to his study of the scriptures. He
wrote on this at a time when such thinking regarding the Jews and the literal fulfillment of Old and New Testament
scriptures under the Covenant (which ultimately includes Jerusalem) would have appeared impossible.
Owen writes,
[The Jews] shall return to their own land; they shall enjoy it for
a quiet and everlasting possession, their adversaries being destroyed; they shall also be filled with the light
and knowledge of the will and worship of God, so as to be a guide
and blessing to the residue of the Gentiles who seek after the Lord, and perhaps, shall be entrusted with great
empire and rule in the world. The most of these are foretold
concerning them, not only in their own prophetic writings, but also by the divine writers of sundry books of the
New Testament. But
all this we say must come to pass, when the veil shall be taken from their eyes, and when they shall look on him
whom they have pierced, and when they joyfully receive him whom they have sinfully rejected for so many generations....
When they shall receive, acknowledge, and believe in that Messiah who
came to them so long time since, whom their fathers wickedly slew,
and hanged on a tree, and whom they have since no less wickedly rejected; and when by his Spirit and grace they
shall be turned from ungodliness, and shall have their eyes opened to see the mystery of the grace, wisdom and
love of God in the blood of his Son; then shall they obtain mercy
from the God of their forefathers, and returning again to their land,
"Jerusalem shall be inhabited again, even in Jerusalem." John
Owen (1670)
An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Second Edition, Volume
1, published in Edinburgh in 1812. Quotes are from pages 443-444 and 454-455.
(Emphasis and italics are mine.)
Notes on highlighting -- italics, bold and underline. Rather than merely quoting relevant Scripture verses concerning Jerusalem's
and Israel's destiny, I have included surrounding text to try and keep the context of the relevant scriptures.
The more relevant a verse or passage is to Jerusalem or to Jerusalem's destiny, the more highlighting I have done
on that verse or passage. The weakest highlight I use is italics. The strongest highlight for relevancy to Jerusalem's and Israel's destiny
is italics, bold, underlined. I have avoided commenting as much as possible to allow for the reader
to come to his/her own conclusions. All scripture is from the KJV or NKJV unless otherwise noted.
Isaiah 4 (Approx 700 BC)
4:2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and
glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.
3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion,
and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:
4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem
from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke
by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for
a covert from storm and from rain.
Isaiah 11
11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem
of Jesse, and a Branch [Heb: Netzer] shall grow out of
his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel
and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight
of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and
he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall
lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the [viper's] den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which
shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And
it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant
of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria,
and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the
islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations,
and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of
the earth.
The "islands of the sea" v11,12 usually
referred to distant lands at that time, eg Is. 41:5; 49:1; 66:19).
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries
of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines
toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and
the children of Ammon shall obey them.
15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake
his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 40
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her
warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all
her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath
spoken it.
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as
the flower of the field:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is
grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
9 O Zion, that
bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy
voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm
shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom,
and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 60
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of
the Lord is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come
from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea
shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall
come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall
ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
8 "Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?
9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish
will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, To the name of the Lord your
God, And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has glorified you.
10 "The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath
I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you
the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.
13 "The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the
pine, and the box tree together, To beautify the place
of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing
to you, And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you
The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 "Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal
excellence, A joy of many generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am
your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 "Instead of bronze I will bring gold, Instead of iron I will bring silver, Instead of wood, bronze, And
instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness.
18 Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you
shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.
19 "The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But
the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For
the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your
mourning shall be ended.
21 Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit
the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.
22 A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time."
Isaiah 62
62:1 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.
4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land
any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah [My delight], and thy land Beulah [married]: for
the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the
bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall
never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence.
7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make
Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to
be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall
drink it in the courts of my holiness.
10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out
the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation
cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A
city not forsaken.
As with many other similar prophetic passages, this
may refer to earthly Jerusalem and to "Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21),
"a city made without hands" (as in Heb. 11:10,16; 12:22-26; 13:12-14). God may be speaking here, through the prophet, of all believers, Jew and Gentile,
in Jesus the Messiah. He may be speaking here of the "two Jerusalems" (earthly and heavenly) as one in
much of the passage. Paul speaks of both in Gal 4:22-30.
Jesus referred to Himself in John 6:38,
as having come down from heaven to gather His elect. It was a physical as well as spiritual coming in fulfilment
of prophecy. He came in a greater way in power when he sent the Holy Spirit. (See John 14,15, Acts 1,2.)
Isaiah 65
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But
be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people
a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people:
and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more there an infant of [a few]
days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner
being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant,
and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work
of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble;
for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer;
and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The
wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's
meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 66
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye
that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations;
that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to
her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream:
then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of
the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with
fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's
flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they
shall come, and see my glory.
19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul,
and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have
seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering
unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts,
to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith
the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith
the LORD.
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make,
shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another,
and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their
worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Jeremiah (About
627-582 BC. Before, during, and after the first destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians around 586 BC)
3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and
I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for
ever.
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy
ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city,
and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased
in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither
shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done
any more.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the
LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they
walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of
Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance
unto your fathers.
19:1 Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle,
and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;
2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which
is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,
3 And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah,
and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this
place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
4 Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other
gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the
blood of innocents;
5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal,
which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The
valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.
7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem
in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek
their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
8 And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished
and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.
9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat
every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their
lives, shall straiten [distress] them.
10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in
the sight of the men that go with thee.
11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I
break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole* again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. *Rapha': To heal, make healthful (as opposed to shalom, "whole"
or "complete".) However, see 30:17 and others.
12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city
as Tophet:
13 And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of
Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense
unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
14 Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of
the LORD'S house; and said to all the people,
15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her
towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not
hear my words.
Jeremiah 23
5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely:
and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought
up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed
of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall
dwell in their own land.
Jeremiah 30
30:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD:
and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his
loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even
the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck,
and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king,
whom I will raise up unto them.
10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will
save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest,
and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.
11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered
thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether
unpunished.
12 For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound
is grievous.
13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.
14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy,
with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
15 Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy
sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.
16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go
into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.
17 For
I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD;
because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
18 'Behold, I will
restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob; And have compassion on his dwelling places; And the city will be rebuilt
on its ruin, And the palace will stand on its rightful place.(NASB)
19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them,
and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will
punish all that oppress them.
21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will
cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto
me? saith the LORD.
22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon
the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents
of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.
Ezekiel (Approx 600 BC)
11:15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of
thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the
inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.
16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I
have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they
shall come.
17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather
you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the
land of Israel.
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations
thereof from thence.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out
of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I
will be their God.
21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will
recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.
(See Ezekiel 36-39
for the entire prophecy)
Jerusalem a hill/mount among hills in the mountains of Central Israel.
36:1 Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word
of the LORD:
2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours
in possession:
3 Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up
on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of
talkers, and are an infamy of the people:
4 Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord
GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills,
to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate waste [places], and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round
about;
36:6 Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the
mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken
in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:
7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall
bear their shame.
8 But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches,
and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye
shall be tilled and sown:
10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel,
even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the waste [places] shall be builded:
11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall
increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your
beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
12 Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel;
and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them
of men.
13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations;
14 Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD.
15 Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach
of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith the Lord GOD.
16 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their
doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.
18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith
they had polluted it:
19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way
and according to their doings I judged them.
20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them,
These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among
the heathen, whither ye went.
23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst
of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before
their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries,
and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be
clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I
put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk
in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers;
and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay
no famine upon you.
30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach
of famine among the heathen.
31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in
your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own
ways, O house of Israel.
33 Thus saith
the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell
in the cities, and the waste [places] shall be builded.
34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.
35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate
and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that
I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do
it.
37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be inquired
of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn
feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
37:19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take
the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his [companions], and will put them
with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone,
and will gather them on every side, and bring them into
their own land:
22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains
of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they
shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any
of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their
dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so
shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they
all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments,
and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto
Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children,
and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall
be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the
midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them
for evermore.
38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the
chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
8 After many days thou
shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the
land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and
they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands,
and many people with thee.
39:1 Therefore, thou
son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief
prince of Meshech and Tubal:
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north
parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy
bands, and the people that is with thee:
I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that
I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name
any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
Revelation of John the apostle (90 AD)
(See Ezekiel 36-39)
20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog
and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the
number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed
the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Joel (Date uncertain. Theories range from 835 - 350 BC.)
2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do
great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her
fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the
palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously
with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that
I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young
men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days
will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood,
and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem
shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
3:1 For, behold,
in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into
the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have
scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for
an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of [Philistia]? will ye render me
a recompense? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head;
5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried
into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove
them far from their border.
7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have
sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head:
8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them
to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let
them come up:
10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy
mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the
heathen round about.
13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow;
for their wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16 The LORD
also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but
the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in
Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall
drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and
a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children
of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 But Judah
shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for
the LORD dwelleth in Zion.
Amos
9:8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom,
and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,
saith the LORD.
9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve,
yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I
will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD
that doeth this.
13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall
overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and
all the hills shall melt.
14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel,
and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof;
they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more
be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
Also Zeph. 3:12-20
Zechariah
(Approx. 500 BC)
After Babylonian destruction, at the beginning of the rebuilding of the Temple and the city. God's prophetic
word for the city.
Zech. 2
2:1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.
2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof,
and what is the length thereof.
3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,
4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem
shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round
about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
6 Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the
four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
7 Deliver thyself [Escape, NKJV], O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
9 For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know
that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.
10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for,
lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and
shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent
me unto thee.
12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy
land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.
Zech. 12
12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation
of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
2 Behold,
I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both
against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And
in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be
cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with
astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I
will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and
will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
5 And
the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the
LORD of hosts their God.
6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like
an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round
about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem
shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
7 The
LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the
glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
8 In
that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the
angel of the LORD before them.
9 And
it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
10 And
I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:
and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and
they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,
and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem,
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives
apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart.
Zech. 13
13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die;
but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine
them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they
shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
Zech. 14
14:1 Behold,
the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall
be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem
to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half
of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue [or remnant, NKJV] of the people shall not be cut off
from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against
those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 In
that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount
of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will
move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
[NASB]
5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal:
yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints* with thee. *Lit. holy ones
cf 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; 2 Thess. 1:7-10
6 And
it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be, nor dark:
7 But it shall be one day which shall be known
to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8 And it shall be in that day, that living
waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in
summer and in winter shall it be.
9 And
the LORD shall be king over all the earth:
in that day there shall be one LORD and his name one. cf Rev. 21:22-21:1
10 All
the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited
in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of
the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD
will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon
their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they
shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and
the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts
that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall
even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And
it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the
LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith
the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the
punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S
house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall
be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice
shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in
that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
Here are some of the New Testament scriptures regarding Jerusalem and
Jesus' return.
Matthew 23 (From Jesus about 30 AD)
...
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto
you [Jerusalem v. 37], Ye shall not see me henceforth, till
ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Matthew 24
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings
of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things?
verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of
the end of the world*? Lit "age". Even after His resurrection,
they were still wanting to know, "Lord, wilt
thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
(Acts 1:6) It was not for them "to know the the times or epochs which the Father has put in His own power."
cf Mat 23:31-39
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive
you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the [Gk] Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come
to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations
for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by ' the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) cf 2 Thess 2:3,4
Daniel 11:31 (Approx. 600 BC)
31 And arms shall stand on [the king's] part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength [the
holy place in the Temple], and shall take away the daily sacrifice,
and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
(See the passage
from Daniel for the full context.)
Matthew 24 (Continued)
16 Then
let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was
not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the [Gk] Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,
and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the
secret chambers; believe it not. cf 2 Thess. 2,
Rev 13
27 For
as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth
mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds
of heaven with power and great glory. cf
Zech 12:9-14:9; Dan 7:9-14; Rev 1:7
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know
that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when
ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall
not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,
not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the
Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would
have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as
ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the
Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his
glory: cf (possibly / or partial fulfillment)
Zech 14:9-16
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Luke 13 (Spoken by Jesus about 30 AD)
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood
under her wings, and ye would not!
35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come
when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Luke 21
...
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,
and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. cf Zech
14:4-9
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know
ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Daniel 11 (Approx. 600 BC)
31 And arms shall stand on [the king's] part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice,
and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
[This event, referred to by Jesus as "the
abomination of desolation" (Mat. 24:15), is accomplished by a king who is exceedingly evil and opposed
to the one true God of Israel. Around 200 BC Antiochus Epiphanes of the Seleucid (Syrian) empire fulfilled this
prophecy. See 1 & 2 Maccabees, and Josephus. Yet Jesus quotes this passage referring to a future fulfillment.
This king is usually considered to be the antichrist of the last days described throughout the New Testament.]
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know
their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by
flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be [helped] with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with
flatteries.
35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even
to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
36 And the king
shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak
marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that
is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers*, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall
magnify himself above all. [*or gods of his fathers]
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour
with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with
glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at
him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with
many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand,
even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of
Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great
fury to destroy, and utterly to take away many.
45 And
he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end,
and none shall help him.
cf Mat.
24:15, 2 Thess. 2.
Acts 1 (About 30 AD)
6 When they therefore
were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their
sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. [He ascended from Mount Olivet (or Bethany? Luke 24:50-52),
and in like manner He will return in "power and great glory." (See Zech. 14:4-9)]
Note:
The concept of double, multiple or increasing fulfullment of prophetic scripture in the old and new testaments
is important in understanding the prophetic scriptures concerning Jerusalem and Messiah's second and final return
in glory and power. Many of the scriptures regarding the destiny of Jerusalem and Christ's return were fulfilled
with the Maccabean and Jewish revolts and subsequent Roman invasions and destruction of Israel's cities and Jerusalem
between 66 to 74 A.D. and 131 to 136 A.D. Many more have yet to be fulfilled completely and/or to be fulfilled
yet for the first time.
Here are three examples of "double fulfillment" of prophetic
scripture in the Old Testament regarding Messiah's first coming, not recognized at the time they were given or
until the time of Jesus Christ as referring to his first coming. These were all fulfilled at or around the time
they were given. They were ultimately and finally fulfilled in the first coming of Christ.
Ps. 22; Is. 7:14 (7:1-25)
& Is 8:3-8; Jer. 31:15 (31:15-26).
Note that there is a growing number of Jewish and Gentile believers in
Jesus in Jerusalem, in the land of Israel and among the nations such has not been seen since the days of Acts.
The yet unbelieving Jews are referred to in the NT in various ways such as "the Jews," "Israelites,"
"the seed of Abraham," "the circumcision," the "natural branches," "Jews by
nature" etc. I (the web manager) believe that their restoration and God's "awakening" of them has
great significance in these last days; especially relating to the purposes and plans of God regarding them and
the soon return of Christ. I believe it is highly significant that God is restoring the remnant of "the house
of Israel" to their Messiah, that he is fufilling the remaining promises and prophecies regarding Messiah
Jesus and his coming, the Jewish people and Jerusalem. All is leading to Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
and his visible return in power and glory to judge his enemies, save his people, and rule in Jerusalem over the
nations and over the whole earth according to the scriptures.
Revelation 11 (About 90 AD)
11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of
God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3 And I will give
power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two oil lamps standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man
will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to
turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make
war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great
city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half,
and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another;
because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet;
and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in
a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were
slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken
to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and
that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name,
small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there
were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 20 (About 90 AD)
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather
them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from
God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 21,22
21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there
was no more sea.
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.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words
are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is
athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
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 show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 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,
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, chrysolyte; 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.
22:1 And he showed
me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve
manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall
serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no lamp, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and
the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the
feet of the angel which showed me these things.
9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and
of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and
maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring
of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto
these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out
of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
