Bible dictionary: The new Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem will have the form of a pyramid about 1200 miles high. Its basis will be square. Rev 21/16. It is not the construction of the men. It descends from the heaven Rev 21/2. It will be the dwelling place of God and His bride. There we shall reign. See Lord's Prayer. Bridegroom. Angel. Archangel. Baptism. Fall of Adam.

The law will come out of the New-Jerusalem Micah 4/1-2. The name of the Town of my God and the New-Jerusalem Rev 3/12. John saw the Holy City, the New-Jerusalem Rev 21/1-5.

NEW TESTAMENT.

It is the set of Books concerning the life of Jesus-Christ, of his apostles and the beginnings of the Church.

The New-Testament is composed of the four Gospels.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John.

It is the life and ministry of Jesus-Christ.

Then come the Acts of the Apostles. It is the Genesis of the True Church, the missionary trips of Paul. Then are the letters of Paul destined to the Church which was a Community Church. See Church. There are also the letters of James, Peter, John and Jude. The New Testament ends with the book of the Apocalypse. (It is the book of the revelation.)

NICODEMUS. N.T.

He was a Jewish religious leader at the time of Jesus-Christ. He came to Jesus-Christ at night Jn 3/1-21. He took the defense of Jesus-Christ in face of the pharisians Jn 7/50-53; He gave spices to bury the Lord Jesus-Christ Jn 19/39-40.

NICOLAISM. N.T.

The Nicolaitans are the premice of the false church of Jesus-Christ which appeared in the first age of the Church. See Church. The true disciples of Jesus-Christ of the age of Ephesus hated the work of the Nicolaitans Rev 2/2. ''Nicolaitan'' comes from two words: Nikaos, meaning ''conquer'' and Laos, meaning ''the laymen''.

There were thus, since the beginning of the history of the Church, people who, by exercising their authority, sought to conquer the laymen. The Nicolaitans initially had a work which they completed. Then this work, in the course of history became a doctrine which still exists today. This team of people have seized the power. They have conquered the laymen, thus becoming the professionnals of religion.

They still teach today that we should surrender to their authority. The problem is that their authority is not based on the Word of God.

They are those who claim that besides their church, there is no salvation. They claim to be the only church of Jesus-Christ. They also say that they have the full-Gospel... In short, they are all these groups of more or less importance which want to guide the people without having as a base the Holy Word of God.

Please be careful then, for if in the beginning of the history of the Church, this was only the work of the Nicolaitans, it became a doctrine and even the norm.

Now, I believe that we all need to be guided. But It is the Lord Jesus-Christ who is our Good sheperd. The Good sheperd has placed in His Church men who work faithfully according to the Word of God and help the faithful to do well. If a pastor (A sheperd) guides you according to the Word, there is no problem, for it is then the Holy Spirit which has the direction of everything. Heb 13/7.

The Nicolaitans did not guide the people according to the Word. They have seized authority, they have taken all the spiritual power in their hands. And some have reached a point where they now have Holy Fathers who stand between the people and God. They returned to the religious system of Aaron. See Aaron. These clerics have wanted the preeminence, then they took control. They made the people obey them. The work of the Nicolaitans was the beginning of what was called later ''the apostolic succession''. They finally claimed that, in order to belong to Christ, we should belong to their church. The spirit of the antechrist started to manifest there.

Remember that Paul announced that these Nicolaitans would come. Acts 20/28-30.

There have always been Christians to resist this evil spirit. But after a few generations, we realize that this evil spirit comes to dwell in these new groups who had first protested. Therefore, today, the order of God is ''Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins neither participate in her plagues.'' Rev 18/4.

NINEVEH.

It was the capital of Assyria. It was also an immense commercial centre on the left bank of the Tigris river. Nineveh fell and was completely destroyed by the Medes and the Babylonians toward 612 BC.

The king Sancherib was living in Nineveh 2 Kg 19/36. Jonah is sent by the Lord to call the town to repentance Jon 1/1-2. 3/1-4. The people of Nineveh repent Jon 3/5-10.

Jesus-Christ gave Nineveh as an example of repentance Matt 12/41.

NOAH. O.T.

Noah's father was named Lemec. Noah is the tenth patriarch since Adam. Gn 5/29-31. He was a preacher of justice facing a generation as perverse as that of the 21st century. Matt 24/37-38. Lk 17/26-27. 1 Pt 3/20. 2 Pt 2/5.

The people of his time rejected his message like the majority of the people of this time reject the message of God. The Lord ordered him to build an ark for all his family to get in. He also ordered to bring the animals. Then the earth was destroyed by the waters of the flood so that the wicked be destroyed Gn 6/13-22.

There was thus a place to be saved. Today, there is the Church of Jesus-Christ. See Church. Keys.

Noah entered the ark with his wife, his three sons and their spouses. Gn 6/8. Heb 11/7. 1 Pt 3/20. Covenant with Noah Gn 9/15, 21-25.

NUMBERS. O.T.

The fourth book of the Pentateuch, book of Moses. It is the story of the people of Israel in the Sinai desert till the plains of Moab, just on the border of the land of Canaan. Moses is always referred to as the one who brought the law. But this book brilliantly illustrates that without the faith in the promises of God, the people cannot progres successfully. We then see how God chastises His people when the people disobeys. This book gives us many teaching on the laws of the people of God. Why this name? Because there are many census in this Book. Nb 1-2, 26.

The Ch 1-10 show us the preparations of Israel to leave Sinai. The Ch 11-14 is the march of the people, the sending of the spies on the earth of Canaan. It is also the refusal of Israel to gain possession of the promised land. The Ch 15-19 various laws and events. Ch 20-36 the last year spent in the desert.

OBED. O.T.

Grand-father of the king David. Obed was the son of Ruth and Boaz. See Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse, father of David. Ruth 4/13-17, 21-22.

OBEDIENCE.

To do God's will, is to obey. Noah obeyed God Gn 6/22. Abraham too Gn 22/15-18. The Will to do God's will Ex 24/7. The concern to practice what God wants Deut 6/1-3. To love God and to obey Him go together Deut 30/20. Obedience is better than sacrifices 1 Sam 15/22. Not everyone will enter the Kingdom of God. Only those who do His will can enter Matt 7/21. You should obey God rather than men Acts 5/29. Children should obey their parents Eph 6/1. Col 3/20. (It goes without saying that this commandment cannot be practiced in the degenerated families.)

OFFERING.

It is a gift offered to God.

You are cursed and you frustrate God, deceiving him with the tithings and the offerings Mal 3/9-12. Reconcile with your brother, then come and present your offering Matt 5/23-24.

To give is not enough. We must give with joy having the heart purified 2 Cor 9/7.

OIL.

The Bible generally mentions the olive oil. The olive oil was used in the Temple for anointments, as a combustible for the lamps and also as a food. The oil is the symbol of the Holy Spirit 1 Sam 10/1, 6. 1 Sam 16/13. Is 61/1-3. The jar of oil of the widow is not emptied 1 Kg 17/10-16. Jesus anointed the sick Mk 6/13. The elders anoint the sick with oil and pray Jac 5/13-15. We should have a reserve of oil for our lamp awaiting for the return of Jesus-Christ our divine Spouse Matt 25/1-13. This reserve of oil is somehow like the manna which was found in vases Heb 9/4. It is the oil of the beginning, the oil of the first anointing of which we must have a reserve even if we have received the new anointment Joel 2/23. Mal 4/5-6. (return to the faith and to the life of the first disciples of Jesus-Christ.) See Disciples.

ANOINTMENT

The words Anointed, Christ and Messiah are the same words. See Christ. Messiah. The Eternal has anointed me Is 61/1-3. Anointed to preach the good News Lk 4/16-22. Ac 4/27. Acts 10/38.

Do you know why God has anointed you? He has anointed you so that somehow, you can be the Living Word in your time. 2 Cor 3/2-3.

OLD TESTAMENT.

Most of the books of the Old Testament are written in Hebrew language. Others contain Aramaic. These are all the scriptures from Genesis to the book of Malachi. This book is named this way in contrast with the New Testament which deals with the New Covenant which God made in Jesus-Christ. The Bible thus consists of the Old and New Testament.

OLIVES (MOUNT OF).

It is the Mount situated east of the valley of the Cedron, vis--vis Jerusalem. It is on the Mount of Olives that we find the garden of Gethsemane. Bethania is on the eastern side of the Mount. Matt 24/3. There Jesus-Christ will put His feet when He comes back to reign one thousand years Zach 14/3-4.