12:22

But you have approached: When the Israelites were taken into the Law covenant, they approached and stood before Mount Sinai. There, Jehovah filled them with wonder by means of such physical realities as fire, a dark cloud, and a storm. (De 4:11; Heb 12:18-21; see study note on Heb 12:18.) In contrast, Christians are anointed with holy spirit and are taken into the new covenant. At that time, they figuratively approach and stand before spiritual realities that are far more amazing than anything the Israelites experienced at Mount Sinai. (Heb 12:22-24) The anointed are in awe of such realities long before they go to heaven. Though still on earth, they already stand before Jehovah in a special sense. (Compare Eph 1:3 and study note; 2:6 and study note.) They have a unique position before him because on the basis of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ, they are forgiven of their sins and are declared righteous as God’s sons. (Ro 5:1; 6:7 and study note) Furthermore, like Christians with the earthly hope, these anointed ones approach Jehovah in another sense. They approach him in prayer and worship him with a clean conscience.​—See study note on Heb 4:16.

a Mount Zion: The Hebrew Christians were familiar with Mount Zion, which was in Jerusalem. The Scriptures call Mount Zion, or Zion, Jehovah’s “dwelling place.” (Ps 9:11; 48:2; 76:2; 132:13) Also, David and subsequent kings of Israel ruled from Zion, and David’s kingship pointed forward to the Messianic Kingdom. (Ps 2:6; 110:2) “Mount Zion” is used here to represent the exalted position of “heavenly Jerusalem,” which includes Christ and those who will rule along with him in God’s Kingdom. (See study note on a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem in this verse.) Christians figuratively approach heavenly Mount Zion when they are anointed and receive the wonderful hope of ruling with Christ. (Ro 8:14-17; Re 5:9, 10; 20:6) As they remain faithful during their earthly life, they get ever closer to their heavenly reward. (Php 3:14; compare Ro 13:11.) The apostle John saw in vision the full number of that group standing with the Lamb, Jesus Christ, on this figurative mountain.​—Re 14:1.

a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem: This symbolic city is God’s heavenly Kingdom. In Bible times, cities were often ruled by a king. (Jos 12:9-24) The Kingdom is “the city having real foundations” that Abraham awaited. (Heb 11:10 and study note) Jesus taught his followers to pray for this Kingdom, or government, to come, for by means of it God’s will would take place on earth as in heaven. (Mt 6:10 and study notes) This government is made up of Jesus Christ as King and his 144,000 spirit-anointed corulers.​—Lu 22:28-30; Re 7:4; 14:1, 3.

Jerusalem: Jerusalem was the seat of government in ancient Israel. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the city, when used symbolically, is referred to in three different ways. (1) As used in this verse, “heavenly Jerusalem” includes Christ and his 144,000 anointed corulers. After receiving their heavenly reward, those anointed Christians will rule together with Christ, making up the Messianic Kingdom. (2) At Re 21:2, these corulers as a group are called “the holy city, New Jerusalem, . . . prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” Jesus Christ. Because “New Jerusalem” does not include that “husband,” Jesus, it differs slightly from “heavenly Jerusalem,” which does include Jesus. (3) Paul uses “Jerusalem” in a different sense at Ga 4:26, where he writes about “Jerusalem above” as “our mother.” The context shows that “Jerusalem above” refers to God’s figurative wife, the heavenly part of his organization, which consists of hundreds of millions of faithful spirit creatures. (Isa 54:1, 5; see study note on Ga 4:22 and Media Gallery, “Two Women in a Symbolic Drama.”) Jesus Christ and his spirit-anointed followers are the children of “Jerusalem above.”

myriads of angels: Or “tens of thousands of angels.” Paul here describes a gathering of countless angels before Jehovah’s throne. (See study note on Lu 12:1.) The Greek word for “myriad” (my·ri·asʹ) also appears in connection with angels at Da 7:10 in the Septuagint as well as at Re 5:11.