Ἱεροσόλυμα

Detailed Definition

• 1denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants
• 2metaphorically "the city of god founded by christ", now wearing the form of the church, but after christ's return to put on the form of the perfected messianic kingdom
• 3"the jerusalem that now is", with its present religious institutions, i.e., the mosaic system, so designated from its primary external location
• 4"jerusalem that is above", that is existing in heaven, according to the pattern of which the earthly jerusalem was supposed to be built
• 5"the heavenly jerusalem", that is the heavenly abode of god, christ, the angels, saints of the old and new testament periods and those christians that are alive at christ's return
• 6"the new jerusalem", a splendid visible city to be let down from heaven after the renovation of the world, the future abode of the blessed