Chapter 11: The City

I then stood upon another mountain looking out over a city. The glory of this city was beyond anything I had seen or imagined before. While every building and home was unique and beautiful, each fit into a breathtaking, overall symmetry with one another and the surrounding fields, mountains and bodies of water. It was almost as if the city grew like a plant instead of being built. I felt that I was looking at something that had been built by a race that had not fallen and had walked in the righteousness and purity of Adam and Eve in the beginning.

One feature that stood out was the large amount of glass windows in each structure or dwelling. This glass was so clear and clean, and the windows and doors were so situated that I sensed that I was not only welcome in each dwelling, but invited. It was also as if nothing was hidden, and there was no danger of anything being stolen. Then I looked at the people in the city. They seemed familiar, but at the same time I knew that I had never met anyone like them. They were like I imagined Adam to be before the fall. The eyes of each one shone with what seemed to be almost total comprehension, an intellectual depth far beyond even the most brilliant person I had ever known. I knew this to be the result of an order and peace that was completely free of confusion or doubt, or maybe the confusion of doubt. There was no ambition because each one was so confident and had so much joy in who they were and what they were doing. Because everyone here was free, they were also completely open. Poverty or sickness seemed incomprehensible.

I looked at the streets in this city. There were many major highways in the center all going in the same direction, and many smaller roads connected these great highways. As I looked at one of the largest of the highways, knowledge was imparted to me about the truth of holiness. I looked at another highway and knew the truth about healing. As I looked at another, I began to understand things about judgment. Looking at each street, I understood a different truth. I then realized that each highway was a path to that truth. The people walking and living on each one seemed to reflect the truth of that highway.

My attention turned to the many streets connecting the highways. As I looked at each of these, I felt an impartation of a fruit of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace or patience. These came as feelings instead of the understanding that came when I looked at the highways.

I noticed that while some of these streets were connected to every highway, some of the highways only had one or two streets connected to them. For example, I could only get to the Highway of Holiness by walking on the street of Love. I could only get to the Highway of Judgment by walking on the streets of Love or Joy. However, the Highway of Grace was joined by all of the streets. To get on any of the Highways of Truth, I had to walk on a street named after a fruit of the Spirit.

People were walking on the highways and streets, while some were sitting on the edges of them. Some were in the houses on a street or highway, and others were building houses on them. Those living in the houses were constantly serving food and drink to those who were walking or sitting. I then noticed that there were no restaurants, hotels or hospitals in the city. I quickly understood that none of these were needed because every home was a center of hospitality and healing.

Almost every home was open to the travelers. Those that were not open were used for special purposes, such as study or long-term healing. I wondered why anyone would even need healing here, but later I would be shown the reason. Even so, I could not imagine a more wonderful place for this great ministry of hospitality, helps or healing, even those being built on the Highway of Judgment, which seemed to be the place of the most activity. Because of this, even the Highway of Judgment was appealing. It was apparent that every street was not only safe, but was more desirable than any other road or highway I had ever seen, even in theme parks. This city was far more glorious than any utopia of which philosophers could conceive.

My attention was drawn back to the Highway of Judgment. It seemed to have been the least traveled highway, but now was becoming much more active. I then saw that this was because the other streets and highways all flowed toward this one. However, even though the Highway of Judgment was becoming the center of activity, people still seemed hesitant to enter it.

As I looked toward the end of the highway, I could see that the road was on a steady incline, and there was a high mountain at the end which was enveloped in a subtle, but profound, glory. I knew that if people could see the end of this road, there would have been far more traveling on them. I then realized that I was drawn to this road because it had the same feeling to it as the Great Hall of Judgment. I knew that this was the road that led to knowing the Lord as the Righteous Judge.

The Bond Of Peace

I wondered if this city was heaven or the New Jerusalem. Then I observed that even though these people were of stature far beyond any I had seen on earth, they did not have the glory or stature of those in even the lowest positions in the Hall of Judgment. I was wondering about this when I felt Wisdom standing next to me again.

“These are the same people who you saw in My army,” He began. “The city and the army are the same. My coming leaders have had visions of both My army and My city. I am building both, and I will use the leaders I am now preparing to complete what I began generations ago. My generals will become master-builders for My city, and My master builders will also become generals. These are the same.

“One day, the army will no longer be needed, but this city will last forever. You must prepare the army for its present battles, but build all that you build for the future.

“There is a future for the earth. After My judgments have come, it will be a glorious future. I am about to show My people the future so that the future will be in their hearts. As Solomon wrote, ‘Everything God does will remain forever.’ As My people become like Me, they will build that which will last. They will do all that they do with a peace for the present times and a vision for the future. The city that I am building to last forever is built on truth in the hearts of men. My truth will endure, and those who walk in truth will leave fruit that will remain.

“I am coming to earth in My people as Wisdom to build My city. The knowledge of truth will fill My city, but wisdom will build it. The wisdom that is coming upon My builders will cause the world to marvel at My city even more than it marveled at the city that Solomon built. Men have worshiped their own wisdom since they first ate of the Tree of Knowledge. The world’s wisdom is about to pale before My wisdom which I will reveal through My city. Then those who worship any other wisdom will be ashamed. All that Solomon did was a prophecy of what I am about to build.

“In all that you have seen of the city that I AM building, I have only given you a superficial glimpse. From time to time, you will be shown more, but for now you must see one thing. What did you notice the most about this city?”

“The one thing that stood out the most to me was the harmony. Everything in the city fit so perfectly together, and the whole city fit so perfectly in its environment,” I responded.

“The perfect bond of peace is love,” the Lord continued. “In My city, there will be unity. In all that I created, there was harmony. All things fit together in Me. Everything that I AM doing in the earth is to restore the original harmony between My Father and His creation and among all creatures. When mankind lives in harmony with Me, the earth will be in harmony with Him, and there will be no more earthquakes, floods or storms. I came to bring peace on earth.”

As He spoke, I knew I was looking into the future, just as I had looked when I viewed the army. I also knew that what He had said about building with peace in the present and a vision for the future was also essential for the harmony I saw. Time was also a part of His creation within which we had to fit. Wisdom then turned me so that I looked directly into His eyes and said, “I love My creation. I love the beasts of the field and the fish of the sea. I will restore all things as they were intended to be, but I must first restore mankind. I did not come just to redeem, but to restore. To be a part of My ministry of restoration you must not just see others as they are, but as they are to become. Like Ezekiel, you must see in even the driest bones an exceedingly great army. You must prophesy life to the bones until they become the army that I have called them to be. Then My army will march. When My army marches, it will restore—not destroy. It will fight evil, but it will also build the city of righteousness.

“All of the treasures of the earth cannot weigh in the balance with the value of a single soul. I am building My city in the hearts of men, with the hearts of men. Those who keep the great wisdom— the knowledge of the eternal treasures—Will be used to build My city. You will know My builders by this wisdom—they do not set their minds on earthly things, but on the treasures of heaven. Because of this, the world will bring its wealth to My city just as they did in the times of Solomon.

“I AM about to release My wise master builders. You must walk with them, and they must all walk together. Each of the highways and streets that you saw in this city will begin as a fortress of truth in the earth. Each fortress will stand against the powers of darkness, and those powers will not be able to stand against them. Each will be like a mountain, with rivers flowing from it to water the earth. Each will be a city of refuge and a haven for all who seek Me. No weapon that is formed against them will prosper, and no weapon that I give to them will fail.”

The Lord’s Builders

As Wisdom spoke, my eyes were opened to see the most beautiful valley I had ever seen. The mountains forming the valley and the valley, itself, were more green than any green I could remember having seen. The rocks were like fortresses made of silver; the trees were perfect and full. There was a river in the middle fed by streams flowing from every mountain around it. The water sparkled with a blue that was the bluest tint I had ever seen and beautifully matched the sky. Every blade of grass was perfect. The valley was filled with many kinds of animals which all seemed to be the very best of their breed with no diseases or scars. They fit perfectly with the valley and with one another. I had never seen such a desirable place on earth.

I wondered if I was seeing the Garden of Eden, and then I saw a few soldiers in full armor who were surveying the valley. Other soldiers were following each stream to the river, and then following the river to the place where the first soldiers were surveying. At first I did not think that the soldiers fit in this place at all, but for some reason I was quickly at ease with them because I somehow knew they were supposed to be there.

I looked at the soldiers. They were rough and battle-hardened, yet kind and approachable. They were fierce and resolute, yet seemed to be at perfect peace. They were serious and sober, yet full of joy and quick to laugh. I thought that even though war is always terrible, if I had to go to battle, there was no other group of soldiers beside whom I would rather fight.

I noticed their armor which seemed to have been custom made just for them, fitting so perfectly that they moved with a grace as though they were not wearing any armor at all. I could tell that it was both lighter, yet stronger than any I had ever seen. The armor also seemed to be a perfect combination of the colors of the water, mountains and blue sky, which I soon realized was the reflection of these colors in a purity I had never before seen in a reflection. The armor itself was of an “other-worldly” silver, deeper and purer than any silver on earth. As I was wondering who these soldiers were, the Lord began to speak.

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, “He replied. “These are My builders. Each of My houses will be a fortress from which I will send out My armies. Some will go forth as knights to fight for the poor and oppressed, while others will go forth as small companies who will raid the strongholds of the enemy and bring back the spoils. Some will send forth a host to conquer cities over which My truth and righteousness will reign, and others will join with armies from other fortresses to liberate whole nations with My truth, My love and My power.

“These fortresses are not just for the protection of My people, but for mobilizing, training and sending forth My army throughout the earth. The darkest of times will soon come, but My people will not be found hiding. They will go forth to conquer evil with good. They will conquer by not loving their lives even unto death and by loving others more than their own lives. These will be the fearless ones whom I will send forth before I return.

“Even the prophecies of their coming strike terror into the hearts of My enemies. They will have no fear. They will love. Love is more powerful than fear, and their love will break the power of fear that has held mankind in bondage since the beginning. Because they have chosen to die daily, the fear of death has no power over them. This will give them power over every enemy whose power is fear. I was once dead, but now am alive forever, and those who know Me cannot fear death. Therefore, those who know Me will follow Me wherever I go. “Each of My dwelling places will be in a valley like this. It is alive with the life that was in the earth before the fall because here the power of My redemption has brought forth true life again. My dwelling places will only be found where all of My streams flow together into one. My builders will come from every stream, but they will work as one. Just as great houses need different craftsmen, so does My house. Only when they work together can they build My house.

“As you see in these, My builders will have the wisdom to complete the survey before they build. Each of My houses will fit perfectly into the land where they are located, not according to human measurements, but according to Mine. The first skill that My builders develop is the skill of surveying. They must know the land because I designed the land for My people. When you build with My wisdom, what you build will fit perfectly with the land.”

Then I was standing by one of the streams in the valley. I started following it to the top of a mountain. As I got close to the top, I began to hear loud, terrible sounds. When I looked beyond the valley, I could see wars and great earthquakes tearing the earth, and storms and fires that seemed to completely encircle the valley. It was as if I was standing on the border between heaven and hell, looking into hell itself. I somehow knew that all of hell was powerless to encroach on the valley, but the sight was so terrible, I turned to run back into the valley. I then felt Wisdom standing beside me.

“This is where you must live, between the dying and the living. Do not fear, but believe. You have been weak, but now I am with you, so be courageous and strong. Fear must not rule over you—do nothing because of fear. Do what you do because of love, and you will always triumph. Love is the source of courage. Love will prevail in the end. Encourage My builders with these words.”