The Spiritual City of God Restored

I had a vision of a castle, with a city surrounding it, suspended just above a mountain in a layer of clouds. The mountain and the city were enshrouded/surrounded by darkness (the mountain and city were black in color in the vision...but it feels more like a presence than a color). I had the feeling that the city would soon touch down onto the mountain...its resting place.

This vision was fulfilled in Jesus' day before God's spiritual city was destroyed and the people taken captive to Babylonish religion and now it is about to be restored as promised. This city and mountain are "heavenly", not physical, for they cannot "be touched". (Heb.12:18} For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them; (20) for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; (21) and so fearful was the appearance, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

As in Jesus' day spiritual Zion was the firstborn church, meaning "called out ones", so in our day will God call out of Babylon a firstborn. "The things that have been are the things that shall be". The coming "castle" of David's dominion, which is Christ in the body of his "firstborn",, or first-fruits, will soon be established in God's capitol city on the mountain representing His kingdom on earth (see also "Throne on Mt. Zion" below). As in Jesus' day, it will be shrouded in darkness to the world and seen by few of God's people who have only earthly eyes to see. This is a place of safety from the invading beast kingdom. (Eze.34:22) therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. (23) And I will set up one (corporate) shepherd (the man-child) over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. (24) And I, Jehovah, will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it. (25) And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness (tribulation), and sleep in the woods. (26) And I will make them and the places round about my hill (of Zion) a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing. (27) And the tree of the field (God's people) shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have broken the bars of their yoke (free from bondage to the flesh), and have delivered them out of the hand of those that made bondmen of them (their carnal man). (28) And they shall no more be a prey to the nations,neither shall the beasts of the earth devour them (safe from the beast); but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.

In my quiet time I felt impressed of the Spirit to read Isaiah 62:11 which says, "Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him". I had the whole passage underlined so I read the whole passage...10-12 which reads... "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 an ensign for the peoples. Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken".

Just as Jesus did in His day, He will do through the first-fruits in our day. He will make the path to the spiritual City of God, called "the spirits of just men made perfect", plain and the stones of stumbling will be removed through the teaching of the pure unleavened bread of the Word. Then many more will travel the holy road from spiritual Babylon to the "daughter of Zion". She is called the "daughter" because she is the firstborn of original New Testament Zion in Jesus' day.

I felt the need to agree with my Father to walk through the gate so in my mind I imagined a gate in front of me that was opened. It was dark on the other side and I was a little afraid of the darkness but I determined to walk through the gate anyway.

We cannot walk by sight for we have never been this way before. The way is enshrouded in darkness to the natural man. Jesus said, "I am the way". After two millennia of apostasy, to walk in His steps is to be the first-fruits who will show the multitudes "the way" to enter Zion. Through the faith of "Praise" we must enter the "gates" of the fullness of "Salvation" where we will find safety and peace. (Isa.60:18) Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. {19} The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Notice that when we walk in the City of God our light is no longer to be the light of the natural man but the light of God, which only the spiritual man knows.

As I stepped through the gate I went into a free fall. I was not afraid at all...I had given myself completely over to my Father. As I fell I felt peace and I felt a fullness that I can't explain. I extended out my arms and as I did they turned into wings and I became an eagle.

To enter that city through faith is to overcome the earthly, natural forces, which cause man to gravitate towards the world and its ways.

I flew to the top portion of a mountain and there I found a nest with eggs in it. I was told to 'sit and nurture the eggs', so I sat. I felt unqualified to do so, but I was completely satisfied in knowing that it was all about Him, NOT me. He was in control. I think the best way to explain how I felt was that it was probably kind of how Moses felt when the Lord told him he was to speak to and lead the Israelites through the desert...

To be an overcomer by God's grace of all that is earthly now is to be prepared to birth others into Zion in the time to come.

Throne on Mount Zion

Jeremiah tells us of a spiritual capital city and throne for spiritual Israel, the church. (Jer.3:12) Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel... In this text God is commanding His backslidden people to come out of Babylon in the north. For God's people to live in Babylon instead of Zion was a type of the backslidden state of bondage to the harlot that the church has been in for almost 2000 years. Jeremiah cries for God's people to come out from among them. (14) Return, O backsliding children, saith Jehovah; for I am a husband unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. Notice that at first only a first-fruits bride is taken from among the backslidden multitudes and joined with her "husband" on His throne in Zion. When this happens all of the New Jerusalem is the throne for the Bride to sit in. (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. Notice that after the bride sits in her throne "all the nations" (Hebrew: Gentiles) of the elect church will be gathered out of Babylon to submit to their true spiritual capitol city, the New Jerusalem.

The mountain of Zion represents the true kingdom of God, the true church, whereas the New Jerusalem Bride sits on top of Mt. Zion because she is over the rest of the church in the throne. It was revealed to Pastor Shelley that "The Throne of God, the Throne Room, His true Presence is on top of Mt. Zion". As spiritual Jews, the Church, is called to grow up out of the "falsehood" of religion and enter into the Mt. Zion of "a pure heart", "truth", and holiness. (Ps.24:3) Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in his holy place? (4) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood... (15:1) Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart... Notice that the church enters "into" the hill of Zion, however the King, His Bride and His throne are "upon" the hill of Zion. (Ps.2:6) Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

This spiritual Mt. Zion and its city are not physical and cannot be touched by carnal man. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched... When the church was full of apostolic teaching and the Holy Spirit they submitted to the spiritual city of God. (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Notice that "mount Zion" and "heavenly Jerusalem" are called the "church of the firstborn". Church is from the Greek word "ekklesia" meaning "called out ones". "The firstborn" in Paul's day were being called out of Babylonish religion to this holy mountain and city as we are today. Shortly after this verse was written the church was taken captive to Babylon, having been led astray by the wolves into all sorts of sectarian, religious bondages. A first fruits company is coming back to Zion in these days.

The church's position on earth is in the spiritual, heavenly, New Jerusalem. However, our position is what is given to us at the cross and not necessarily what we have attained to on earth. For instance; "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ" but we are told "this is the will of God, even your sanctification...that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor". What we are given at the cross is ours to manifest by faith or to reject. Like the early church, we are born at the foot of Mt. Zion but are quickly led away captive by the lies of Babylonish religion. (Ps.58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Instead of climbing the mountain and entering the throne room of the authority of God we go astray. (Isa.53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way... The reason we are hesitant to climb the mountain is because it is holy and represents death to the flesh. (Ex.19:12)... Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death. Moses as the man-child climbed the mountain and heard the Word directly from God, which spiritually put him to death. (Ex.20:19) And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die. God was weak to the weak in that He put His Word in flesh. Moses as the man-child climbed the mountain and became a pure vessel to bring the Word of God to His people. If we humbly turn and submit to the pure Word from the mountain we will have His throne authority. (Rev.3:21) He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne...

Notice once again what Paul said. (Heb.12:22,23) ye are come unto... the heavenly Jerusalem... the spirits of just men made perfect. Clearly, while we are in the old body on earth only our spiritual man is being perfected into "the heavenly Jerusalem". We manifest the "New Jerusalem" here as our spirit and soul are born of the Spirit. John said that the city "cometh down out of heaven" in his day as the saints overcame sin. (Rev.3:12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. The word "cometh" here is spoken to the church in John's day. It is present tense in the ancient manuscripts, the Received Text, and the numeric pattern. Only the King James falsely translates it "shall come". The New Jerusalem bride "cometh down out of heaven" now in spirit and soul as it becomes born of the bread of the Word. Jesus said: (Jn.6:33) For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world... Notice that both the "New Jerusalem" and the "bread of God" "cometh down out of heaven". (51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. As each saint is being born out of heaven by consuming Jesus, the Word, the holy city is coming down. (Jn.3:3) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew (Greek: "from above"), he cannot see the kingdom of God.

As long as the "New Jerusalem" is only manifested in spirit and soul it is invisible to the creation, which only sees the outer man. (Rom.8:19)... the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. "Revealing" here in the Greek means the "uncovering". This means the New Jerusalem sons are here but hidden. The full revealing of the sons is seen at "the redemption of our body" (23). We are now being born from above, first spirit, then soul, and then body at the end. The bride with her new body will be seen by the creation as they are "coming down out of heaven" with Jesus at the end of the day of the Lord. (Rev.21:9) Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. The bride will manifestly be the "holy city Jerusalem", which the whole church was given by position in Christ when He was resurrected. Sadly, many are selling their birthright by walking after the flesh.

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