Two Jerusalems
ROBERT J. MATTHEWS
AND THE NEW JERUSALEM
"The
New Jerusalem is mentioned in the Book of Revelation but it does not define
where that New Jerusalem will be. It
does say it will be in the last days, associated with the Millennium, but you
get the idea, from reading the Bible only that the New Jerusalem is the old
Jerusalem rebuilt and made new again. I
like Ether 13:5-6 where a clarification is given concerning of this:
5. And he
spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi
should come (that is, Jerusalem in the Middle East) —after it should be
destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it
could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but
it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should
be built unto the house of Israel—(Jacob's name was changed to Israel)
6. And that a New Jerusalem should be
built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which
things there has been a type.
Then
concerning this type, we are told in
3rd Nephi 20:22, (Jesus is speaking):
22. And
behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant
which I made with your father Jacob;
and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst
of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.
So that
covenant was made to Jacob, father of the Twelve Tribes. We don't always realize that the New
Jerusalem has been known from way back in Old Testament times.
The Bible
indicates there will be a New Jerusalem but it does not define it. The Book of Mormon indicates in 3rd Nephi,
just read and in Ether 13, also just read, that it will be in America, but it
takes the Doctrine and Covenants to define it little by little, until D&C
57:3 which reads:
3. And thus
saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the
place which is now called Independence (Missouri) is the center place; and a
spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the
courthouse. (That's a geography lesson of the highest order).
We all know
this beautiful hymn, The Holy City, which is sung
at Easter and Christmas. (Recently sung by the tenor Stanford Olsen at Pres.
Monson's birthday celebration at the Conference Center) It is a wonderful song, but it wasn't written
by a Latter-day Saint. If you listen to
the lyrics it talks about the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of
heaven, joined with the Jerusalem in the Middle East. I like the song and particularly the melody
but can't accept the doctrine, because
it doesn't make two Jerusalem's."(From a BYU panel discussion on the
Book of Ether)
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