The New Jerusalem

“Holy city.” “Holy sanctuary.” “Land of peace.” “City of refuge.” “Place of safety.” “Glory of the Lord.” “Everlasting light.” “Power of heaven.” “Walls [of] Salvation.” “The city of the Lord.” “The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”  All of these are descriptions of the New Jerusalem to be built up in the last days, coming from D&C 45, Ether 13, 3 Nephi 21, and Isaiah 60.  Putting the combined image painted by these different sections of scriptures, we get a glorious view of what the New Jerusalem, Zion, will be like when built up in the last days.  It is to be a literal city where the Saints will dwell and be protected from the violence of the world all around them.  D&C 45 promises that the wicked will be afraid of it, saying, “Let us not go up to battle against Zion.”  Isaiah tells us that “violence shall no more be heard in thy land” and that the sun and moon will no longer be needed because “the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light.”  From Ether we learn that those who are at the New Jerusalem will “no more be confounded” and they will be those “whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb.”  From him we also learn that part of the city will “come down out of heaven.”  From the Savior in 3 Nephi 21 we read this powerful promise: “I will also be in their midst.”  I think that we really have no idea how grand and glorious the Zion of our God will be when the day comes that the Lord will establish it.  Our duty now is to build Zion where we live, but this is all in preparation for that great day when we will be called to build “The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”