No Temple Needed

    Joseph Bromehead's "Jerusalem My Happy Home," at first glance, paints a gorgeous picture of Jerusalem.  A picture that seems perfect, euphoric, and utopian.  This city has flora more beautiful than that found in the ancient Garden of Eden, and it is a place where labors have an end.  Bromehead certainly believes this place exists, but this place is not found on Earth.  I believe our narrator is describing New Jerusalem found in heaven.  This place is described vividly towards the end of the Revelation of John in the New Testament.  Bromehead wonders when he will be able to experience the "streets of shining gold (Revelation 21:21)," the "pearly gates (Revelation 21:21)," and "heaven built walls (Revelation 21:19)."

    The description of New Jerusalem is the culmination of John's prophetic dream.  He sees this perfect place, described by Bromehead, as the place where Christ "weds his bride" and is unified with the people that believe in him (Revelation 21:2).  The people become are now "one flesh" with Christ and completley unified with him, acheiving the main hope of the Christian faith (Ephesians 5:31).  Another major aspect of John's vision of New Jerusalem is that there is no temple there.  "I did not see a temple in the city because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" (Revelation 21:22).  God now lives in New Jerusalem with his people, so there is no reason to have the temple as a direct access point to the heavens. The people are already there, and they can access God as they would a neighbor

    Bromehead's ultimate hope is that he would be "prepared" by his God to look upon the deity and "adore" him.  The entire Christian tradition relies on the return of our Savior, and that upon his return, we would all be prepared to look upon him adoringly and have him accept us into his new, perfect city.  Bromehead is not anticipating that a visit to earthly Jerusalem will cause him to be able to rest from his labors in joy and peace.  He knows this isn't a possible outcome on Earth with sin present, but his life relies on the hope that his labors would have an end among the Lord in His beautiful new Jerusalem.