Apostolic Study Bible

[Lafon]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

"The Holy City" refers to Jerusalem

Neh 11:1 The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.

Isa 52:1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean

Oh, how I already knew you would respond in such a manner. But ..... I take no pleasure in informing you that, just as those who were responsible for the commentary in the UPCI KJV Apostolic Study Bible, you're WRONG!

The error is truly "fundamental," and so simple I find it rather strange that some of the most educated people (those with PhDs, etc attached to their names) seemed to miss it completely. It involves the small word "the." Do you get it?

The English word "the" is a superlative pronoun, and is used to refer to a specific person, place, or thing! That's elementary "stuff"!

When, in the words of Matthew 27:53 we read "THE Holy City," it means just that. Matthew was not just referring to any city, but a very specific city, "THE Holy City." And you believe that Jerusalem was such a city during the days our Lord's feet trod its streets? Not quite!

Although God had chosen it as a "holy" place where His name was to be exalted, however, when He "visited" it in the person of "the" Christ child, it had become an extremely corrupt place. In fact, so much so that we are told in Revelation 11:8 that it was known "spiritually" as "Sodom and Egypt," places that are associated with evil and wickedness.

So seguidordejesus' question remains unanswered, "So what is THE holy city?" Well, here's the Bible answer ....

Seeing that neither of the gospel accounts discloses what happened to the resurrected saints, we must determine their destiny. Paul the apostle gives us that information in the words of Ephesians 4:8, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."

Therefore doesn't common logic and reasoning allow one to conclude that when these resurrected saints "appeared unto many," this could ONLY have transpired in "the holy city" that is located in the heavens, and NOT the corrupted earthly city of Jerusalem? Likewise, should one not also conclude that this is why Matthew never penned anything about them after they were resurrected? Even Josephus, the noted Jewish historian, never mentioned this event in his writings.

But wait! There's even more to substantiate this conclusion. When John (the Revelator) was given visions of things within "the holy city," please note that which he saw under the altar there:

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled"
(Revelation 6:9-11, KJV).

You guessed it! THESE are those of whom Matthew wrote about, for our Lord took them with Him when He ascended to "THE holy city" and placed them there, where they must await the ending of the present age, at which time, they together with the souls of the righteous dead who will also be resurrected at the soon coming glorious appearance of our Lord. At that time we ALL will be given a "new" heavenly body. The reason these MUST wait, is clearly revealed in the words of Hebrews 11:40, to wit, "that they without us should not be made perfect."

Do you still hold to a belief that Matthew was referring to "THE" city of Jerusalem, an earthly locale that even the language of the sacred Writ calls "Sodom and Egypt"? Please don't misunderstand me ... God will again cleanse and sanctify the earthly city of Jerusalem, for it will be from there that He will rule the entire earth in peace and righteousness for 1,000 years!