James,
I only have time to comment on your interpretation of one scripture above, Rev. 21:2.
One has to understand that there are many figurative or symbolic things spoken of in the Bible, and this is one of them.
This is talking about New Jerusalem, which is a symbolic city, not literal, and the verse does not say it comes down to earth, only that it was descending out of heaven.
It is the magnificent spiritual city, composed of 144,000 loyal integrity keepers, resplendent in its holiness and reflecting the very glory of Jehovah. Here is the grand Revelation climax!
In fact, this could not be a literal place on earth, for if you read what it says about the dimensions of it, 12,000 furlongs square, (about 1,380 miles) [2,220 km]) in perimeter, surrounded by a wall 144 cubits, or 210 feet [64 m], in height. No literal city could ever have such measurements. It would cover a territory about 14 times as large as modern Israel, and it would tower almost 350 miles [560 km] into outer space! Revelation was given in signs. So, what do these measurements tell us about heavenly New Jerusalem?
The 144-cubit-high walls remind us that the city is made up of 144,000 spiritually adopted sons of God. The figure 12 that appears in the 12,000-furlong measurement of the city, with the length, breadth, and height being equal, is used figuratively in organizational settings in Bible prophecy. Hence, New Jerusalem is a superbly designed organizational arrangement for accomplishing God’s eternal purpose. New Jerusalem, together with the King Jesus Christ, is Jehovah’s Kingdom organization. Then there is the shape of the city, a perfect cube. In Solomon’s temple, the Most Holy, containing a symbolic representation of Jehovah’s presence, was a perfect cube. (1 Kings 6:19, 20) How fitting, then, that New Jerusalem, illuminated by the glory of Jehovah himself, is seen as a perfect, large-scale cube! All its measurements are perfectly balanced. It is a city without irregularities or defects. Revelation 21:22.
New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, made up of the anointed Christians who remain faithful to death and who are raised to become kings and priests with the glorified Jesus. (Revelation 3:12; 20:6) Just as earthly Jerusalem became the seat of government in ancient Israel, the magnificent New Jerusalem and her Bridegroom make up the government of the new system of things. This is the new heaven. The ‘bride comes down out of heaven,’ not literally, but in the sense of directing attention to the earth. The Lamb’s bride is to be his loyal helpmeet in operating a righteous government over all mankind. A blessing indeed for the new earth!
Gotta go!
Terry