Revelation Study

Revelation Study - Chapter 21

THE GLORIOUS CITY DESCRIBED

Introduction To The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1-5 "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. 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. 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. 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."

The term "new heaven and a new earth" is not talking about a new creation of earthly things, but a remaking of the spiritual order. The New Testament order taking the place of the Old Testament order. The new heaven and earth contained the New Jerusalem. It was not ascending into heaven but descending and taking its place on earth. It cannot be the hereafter; it is the here and now. "The tabernacle of God is with men." We have trouble with that because all tears will be wiped away, death will be no more, sorrow and heartache will be gone. But remember, we are dealing with spiritual, figurative matters not actual, physical things. Remember the statement of Paul in Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" He was not saying that there would not be trials and tribulations accompanied by pain, tears and on occasions, death. But he was talking of the blessed relationship we have in Christ Jesus. All spiritual blessings are in contrast to tears, pain, death. And, of course, those who die in the Lord, will have the actuality of these things. We "walk in newness of life" in Christ. The relationship of chapters 20 and 21 will continue on into eternity.

Vs 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."

The water of life is available to those who will come and take of it. This cannot be the hereafter. It is now.

Vs 7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Remember that statement is made to all the seven churches and blessings are pronounced on all who will overcome.

Vs 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."

These are the ones we read of in the great judgment scene. They will end up with Satan and his cohorts. But notice, this too is in the future. The New Jerusalem, the church is in the overcoming period now.

Vss 9-14 "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, 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."

A few years back, a preacher introduced a movement calling for "a million for Manhattan." This was in regard to his desires to build a building in New York city, he said, " that will impress" the people of the world who pass by this location on fifth avenue. That sounds like the people of Babel. If we were to build a building magnificent enough to impress people, what would they be converted to? A magnificent edifice. But the spiritual building we read of here, ought to impress people because its spiritual embellishments set it apart from all others.

Vss 15-21 "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. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 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."

Every one of these descriptive words have been interpreted to mean some specific but to me it just continues with the description of the greatest city known to man, the New Jerusalem, the church of the living God. 1400 cubic miles. Enough for all the overcomers and probably then some.

We might notice that it has twelve gates. This does not indicate that there are 12 ways to enter the holy city. These gates are all identical (pearly gates) and the only ones who can enter are the ones who have overcome the world. We sing many songs about the "streets" of gold ignoring the fact that there is only one street there and all who enter walk on that one street. It is that which was described by Isaiah as "the way of holiness" where no unclean thing walks.

Vss 22-27 "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."

Comparing it with the physical temple, John said he saw nothing like that which was at Jerusalem. God and His Son are the temple. (Hebrews 13:10) "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." It needs no natural or artificial lights for God and His Son are the lights. Its chapel is open at all hours. No one is there that will blemish that magnificent cathedral.