Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
They passed away during (or just after) the Great White Throne Judgement. Was it a huge Nuclear Fission reaction?! Was it all ‘de-created’; did it cease to exist?
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Did God create exactly the same Heaven and Earth as He did the first time? It was ‘very good’….
Is there large bodies of water on the new Earth (no more sea)? There really wouldn’t be a need for them, necessarily…
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This city is currently being prepared in the 3rd Heaven and at this juncture will travel down to the new Earth and somehow attach itself to her. It will undoubtedly be located where Jerusalem would have been located on the new Earth. Jesus Christ has been preparing it (Jn 14) for 2000 years; He spent 6 days creating the entire Universe! This holy city is His Bride’s “adornment”; the Bride are people, not a city; the Bride is the Church of the Firstborn… all the true members of the Lord’s churches; the New Jerusalem is what the Bride will be adorned with…gold, silver, precious stones… She will wear this forever; she will reside in the New Jerusalem forever…with her Groom.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
God the Father and the Son (and Holy Spirit) will be forever living with mankind (tabernacle) in the NJ! They will forever leave the 3rd Heaven (I assume); it will be vacated for this new location. This is the point in time in which there will be no more sorrow, crying, pain, nor death. Just think of the sadness at the Great White Throne Judgement! How could you never cry again if you could remember your dear sister, brother, father, mother, child, being cast into the Lake of Fire??!!! God will, I believe, take away this memory from our minds. We will never, ever cry again after this point; but prior to that there will be crying…even in Heaven.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
All things new: A new Heaven; a new Earth; a New Jerusalem; we are a new Creature with new life; it is a new beginning…forever!
The Alpha and Omega (first and last Greek letters) is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. More will be said on this ‘water of life’ in chapter 22. What purpose will it serve? Does it give ‘special life’? How does it relate to the ‘Tree of Life’? Does everyone have access to this water?
Does this refer to all Christians, or just certain ones who have ‘overcometh’? It could very well be that since all the saved will have Him as their God and shall be His son, that they each will inherit all things. Overcometh through the blood of the Lamb? Overcometh as did some in those 7 churches of Asia? Verse 8 seems to clarify in the contrast between the lost versus the saved. Inheriting all things may just be a generalized statement; for, not all will be in the same position and have the same priviledges nor the same rewards. But, all will be there in the new earth, with Jesus, forever.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
This is a look back as to what happened at the Great White Throne Judgement. These were sinners that did not get saved from the condemnation of their sins (Hell). We previously talked about the Lake of Fire; it is described as a lake that literally is burning with fire and brimstone. This second death is eternal ‘separation’ from God in this place of suffering.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
The Bride of Christ is a Scriptural entity (it’s not figurative). She is the Lamb’s (Jesus’) Wife. I firmly believe that John was shown the Lamb’s wife here. She obviously has a lot to do with the New Jerusalem. Some might say that the Bride is the actual city itself…but this doesn’t make logical or scriptural sense. The city surely wouldn’t be who Jesus Christ will be married to! He surely didn’t die for a city made of Gold! That city is only the ‘adornment’ of the Bride, the church of the Firstborn. It’s like saying ‘come, let me show you my church,’ and you show them where the church congregates at; or ‘come, let me show you my fancy sports car’, and you show them a beautiful garage where that car is housed at. It appears that the NJ will attach itself (somehow) to this great and high mountain top… probably the highest point on the new earth. Though, there are 12 gates for entering it; maybe each gate is at a high mountain top… or maybe there are stairs that go down to the earth… or maybe the base of the NJ sets on the earth in a footprint of 1500 x 1500 miles square…
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
▪ This wall is over 200 ft. high (17); why make it so high?! How tall will the beings be there? 7 ft tall ? Noone could get
over this wall, for sure (unless they can fly). The current city of Jerusalem, and the O.T. description of it, show a
large wall surrounding it; it’s purpose was not for looks but to keep people out (not in); I would assume that is the
same function for the NJ’s wall. Also, the wall would be 6000 miles long (square perimeter)(16); similar to the great
wall of China and our Mexican border wall; again, the purpose is fairly obvious. Why have a wall? What is a wall’s
purpose? Who is God ‘keeping out’? It’s the ‘nations that are walking in the light of the New Jerusalem’ that won’t be
allowed into her.
▪ What are the function of gates? Well, to control who goes in (and out). They will remain open, but that doesn’t
mean anyone can come into the city as they please. Israel kept her gates open all day long, but did not let in
‘enemies’, lepers, etc.. keep people out, but to allow certain to pass through at certain times.
There are 3 gates on each side of the city; this would possibly be 1 gate every 500 miles. An angel guards each of
these gates. Checks for the name written on the forehead. Only a special group will be allowed in (possibly at least
the kings of these righteous nations that live on the Earth, the Tribulational martyrs, and the Bride of Christ).
▪ Now, a more difficult scenario to ponder is the names on these gates; each one of the 12 tribes of Israel. This
symbolizes (at least) that the O.T. Jews would have some significance in who is allowed in the New Jerusalem. It may
be that true, faithful Jewish saints of this pedigree would be living in the city; or they will be allowed entrance.
▪ The wall represents the foundation of the churches we have today, based on the 12 apostles; thus the keeping people
out involves a segregation of true church members and the rest…to some degree. Probably teaches that these
faithful church members are priviledged to be in the city and others are not and are kept out by the walls.
This city with its huge walls and scarcely positioned gates speaks of a design to guard against just anyone and
everyone coming on in her. It speaks of segregation. It will be a priviledge to enter the city; and oh what a
priviledge to live there!
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
This city, especially the walls, are totally exhillarating; they are beautiful. The ‘pearly gates’ are present; each gate is one huge pearl. Transparent gold streets, and the city itself; transparent because they are at different levels, I assume.
The city measures 1500 x 1500 x 1500 miles cubed. For the math on this: 12,000 furlongs; 1 furlong = 220 yards = 660 ft.; 660 ft. x 12,000 = 7,920,000 ft. 7,920,000 ft divided by 5280 ft/mile = 1500 miles.
It’s base, or ground floor would measure 2.25 million square miles, which is enough by itself to house all the peoples of the earth right now; but, there are probably many many floors, sections, areas.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
No temple: There will be no housed area where God will abode…where His throne will be within. The whole New Jerusalem is potentially ‘the temple’; or, better, there is no segregation of holy vs. not so holy, thus the saint can worship God anywhere within the city…he doesn’t have to be in a certain ‘temple’ location.
No need of the sun or moon: the light for the NJ and the earth comes from the glory of God. It appears that there will, however, still be a sun and a moon, with stars –
Ps 148:3-6 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
This light immenating from the Lamb would have to be quite bright to light up a whole 1500 mile cube! Could you actually look upon Him with an mortal eye? No. It will be bright enough to shine on the new Earth where the righteous nations can walk by it. But, what about those on the other side of the earth? Does the light ‘bend’ around to that side? Is there electromagnetic shields that reflect the light back there? Is the earth actually round? Maybe they only live on one side of the earth.
Isa 60:19-20 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Here is another group of people listed: the nations. Who make up this group? Is it everybody that is saved? Where do they come from? According to Mt 25:31-35, these nations are made up of those saved folk that were part of righteous nations that befriended Israel; these nations existed during the Millennium, and apparently continue with their identity into the eternal state. Will America be around for eternity?….
These nations will be exisitng on the new Earth, and I assume that their citizens will live on the new Earth (vice in the New Jerusalem). These nations will be walking (living) in the light from the glorious New Jerusalem. Each nation will have a king; and the king will have the priviledge of bringing gifts (glory) into ‘it’, the New Jerusalem, to give to the King, Jesus Christ. They apparently will have access anytime (v. 25); however, it appears that the rest of the citizens of those nations will not have the priviledge of enterring through its gates (spaced out every 500 miles possibly, attached with a 200 ft wall that totally surrounds the 1500 mile squared base of the city)! This seems to fit well with a ‘compartmentalized’, or ‘segregated’, ‘Heaven’. The ‘gates never being shut’ doesn’t imply that anyone can go in or out as they please; it just means that there will be access to the NJ at anytime, for there is no night there. The angel at each gate will be only allowing entrance by those priviledged to do so.
The context of verse 27 clearly is what has just been mentioned in the preceeding verses: it deals with these nations on the earth and the holy city, the New Jerusalem. And, thus, nothing (and no-one) shall enter the holy city that defileth, worketh abomination, or maketh a lie (and probably all the ‘gross sins’ mentioned in the New Testament). These might be referring to ‘carnal’ saints; those that were truly saved, but did not live holy lives, but rather led very carnal lives.
The Bible just was talking about ‘gates’ and the kings going from the Earth into the New Jerusalem. And now it is explaining that nothing wicked will enter into it. This all is speaking of ‘segregation’; different priviledges for different groups of saints…for eternity.