As referenced in Galatians 4:25-31 Paul reveals that there is an earthly (seen) Jerusalem and a heavenly (unseen) Jerusalem. As Paul taught us in 1 Corinthians 4:18 what we see is temporary and the things we cannot see yet are the eternal things. Paul also writes in Hebrews 13:14 "For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come." With this in mind we have to determine that God has spoken about both of these cities. Since they both have the same name is it possible that we have falsely applied the prophetic teachings about this holy, heavenly city, onto a temporary earthly city that has no future? Since one is temporary and the other is eternal, one can be destroyed and the other remain forever. Here’s a question, what has the earthly city called Jerusalem done for God? Has this city lived up to the meaning of its name; City of Peace? Has this city honored the name of Jesus? John's revelation reveals the spiritual name and future for the earthly city called Jerusalem.
Mystery Babylon
Revelation 18:23
"And the light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore. And the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore.Earthly Jerusalem
Jeremiah 7:34
"Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of (earthly) Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. For the land shall be desolate."
Mystery Babylon
Revelation 18:20
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"Revelation 18:24
"And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."Revelation 19:2
...and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.Earthly Jerusalem
Luke 13:33
"Nevertheless I (Jesus) must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should suffer outside of Jerusalem."Matthew 23:34-38
"Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, "that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the alter. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O (earthly) Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate."
Mystery Babylon
Revelation 17:16,17
"And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.Revelation 18:8
"Therefore her plagues will come in one day-- death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her."Revelation 18:19
Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."Earthly Jerusalem
Luke 21:20-23
"But when you see (earthly) Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people."Luke 21:31-33
"So you, likewise, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you this generation (that sees these things) will by no means pass away till all things are fulfilled. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."
Matthew 24:15-25
"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,'spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. For then there will be great tribulation, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. See, I have told you ahead of time.
Matthew and Mark record these same events found in Luke, with different insight. They proclaim, when you see the abomination that causes desolation, then all believers should depart from earthly Jerusalem. Have we seen the abomination of desolation yet? Has the great tribulation occurred yet? The answer to both of these questions is NO. Since the desolation of earthly Jerusalem is framed between these 2 events I have to believe that its desolation is a future event. According to Jesus the earthly city called Jerusalem (Mystery Babylon) will be a desolation when He returns.
Luke 19:42-44
"If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."Again Jesus has proclaimed that the desolation of Jerusalem would not leave one stone upon another. He said the same thing concerning the temple and that has come to pass. But, there are many of the very stones, walls and structures, Jesus walked among, in the city we can see, that have not been thrown down. There remains a future and complete destruction of this earthly temporary city.
The new covenant of Jesus has promised, His followers, a Holy city and a country in heaven where He is right now. When He returns, after the events He told us we would see, He will gather us together and take us to this unseen place He has promised us.