Revelation 22 - Conclusion

Above image from https://duaineallensblogs.wordpress.com/2014/03/

The question that arises with this chapter is when is all this taking place - during the 1000 year millennium or after? There seems to a difference of opinion amongst Bible scholars on that question. But, careful reading of this chapter seems to indicate we're still on the earth (though the new earth) and Jerusalem (though the new Jerusalem), not in heaven (where we, the body of Christ, are seated) and there are indications of time (seasons), yet in eternity, there is no time or seasons! In eternity, God is "all in all" according to 1 Corinthians 15:28. The question is simple - is heaven the new earth and new Jerusalem?  Are the paradise of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43),  Paul's third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), heavenly places - epouranios (Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12) and the new heaven (Revelation 22:1) all the same?

In Revelation 21, John saw an entirely new heaven and earth which replaced the first heaven and earth. John also saw the New Jerusalem, descending from heaven as a bride for the Lamb. The first five verses of this chapter should really be considered as the conclusion of John’s detailed tour of the New Jerusalem.

Here is paradise regained. What man lost in Genesis is regained by the Lamb. In the Garden of Eden was a river which flowed through the garden and a tree of life. So here, we see both a river of the waters of life and a tree of life. One thing is noticeably different however. Here there is no tree of the knowledge of good and evil for here there is no possibility of invasion and rebellion again. God alone will be man's life and his source of the knowledge of good. So, is this chapter about heaven?

We’ve been looking at a time that is as close to perfection as this earth will have ever seen since the fall of mankind – a time called ‘The Messianic Kingdom’. That is, the Kingdom of the Messiah – Earth’s golden age. It will be the first time since Adam and Eve dwelt in peace in the Garden that righteousness will prevail on this planet.

(1) AND the angel showed me a pure river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

• River:
• This same river with its trees bearing a different fruit every month and leaves with healing power is described in Ezekiel 47:1 & 12 as flowing from under the south side of the Temple in the Holy City, now called Yahweh Shammah (The Lord is there), in Israel (Ezekiel 48:35). This tells us that we’re back on Earth, admiring the crystal clear river flowing through the Holy City. According to Zechariah 14:4-8, this river will suddenly begin flowing on the day of the Lord’s return. It will flow south toward the valley formed by a giant earthquake that will split the Mount of Olives from east to west. Once there, it will fill the valley, flowing to the Mediterranean in the west and the Dead Sea in the east. Its healing waters freshen the Dead Sea and fish from the Mediterranean will now swim there in abundance. (Ezekiel 47:9-10)
  • Psalm 46:4-5: A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed. God will protect it at the break of day.
  • Ezekiel 47:9-10: There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows. Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.
  • Ezekiel 47:12: All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."
  • Ezekiel 48:35: “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The LORD Is There.’ ”
  • Zechariah 14:4-8: On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all his holy ones with him. On that day the sources of light will no longer shine, yet there will be continuous day! Only the LORD knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light. On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter.
• The river symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Jesus said on one occasion of those who believe in him, "If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." (John 7:38). John comments, "(When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" (John 7:39).
• Water of life:
• This is the fountain of the water of life which God promised to the thirsty in the previous chapter. Its ultimate source is God Himself, for it proceeds from His throne.
• Jesus told the woman at the well if she drank of the water He gave her, she would never thirst again, John 4:14. This is the "water" He was talking about here. This "water" springs up into ever lasting life.
• John 4:12-14: And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."
• Revelation 21:6: And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega -- the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge!
• Throne of God and of the Lamb:
• Jesus rules from the Davidic throne during the Millennial Kingdom until the last enemy, death, is destroyed (Revelation 20:14+). Then, He delivers the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-26) and the throne of David merges with the heavenly throne of the Father (Revelation 22:3+) and both the Father and the Son continue to rule forever.
  • 1 Corinthians 15:24-26: After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

(2) coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

• Tree of life:
• We now come to the end of the Scripture, yet we find ourselves back with the tree of life - a complete circle showing the unity of the Scripture. The tree upon which Jesus was crucified is now tree of life for all who trust in His redeeming work.
• 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV): Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
• Genesis 2:9: And the LORD God planted all sorts of trees in the garden -- beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. At the center of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• Genesis 3:22-24: Then the LORD God said, "The people have become as we are, knowing everything, both good and evil. What if they eat the fruit of the tree of life? Then they will live forever!" So the LORD God banished Adam and his wife from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After banishing them from the garden, the LORD God stationed mighty angelic beings to the east of Eden. And a flaming sword flashed back and forth, guarding the way to the tree of life.
• Revelation 2:7: "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God."
• Revelation 22:14: Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
• Twelve crops of fruit ... each month:
• This reference to time confirms that John was not talking about eternity, which by definition is the absence of time. This also implies that we're still in the 1000 year Millennium:
  • Ezekiel 47:12: All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."
• Medicine to heal the nations:
• Why would healing be necessary in eternity? What is the meaning of the healing leaves? What is their purpose?
• There should be nothing left to cure if this takes place in eternity where God lives!
  • Isaiah 57:15: The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant heart

(3) No longer will anything be cursed. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.

• Cursed:
• Many of the curses in the Old Testament were in response to sin and served a corrective purpose. In the eternal state, there is no more sin and therefore no more need for correction by God.
• Servants:
• Who are the "servants"? The answer is in the first verse of Revelation: "This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him concerning the events that will happen soon. An angel was sent to God's servant John so that John could share the revelation with God's other servants."

(4) And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.

• See his face:
• God's bond-servants "will see His face"; they will enjoy personal, intimate fellowship with Him.
• Psalms 17:15: Because I am righteous, I will see you. When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.
• Matthew 5:8: God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
• Hebrews 12:14: Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
• 1 John 3:2: Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
• Adam and Eve's sin broke their fellowship with God, they hid from Him and could no longer see him:
• Genesis 3:8: When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the God among the trees.
• This vision of God was withheld from Moses (Exodus 33:20, 23).
• Exodus 33:20, 23: But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” ... Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”
• Spurgeon:
• "By which I understand two things: first, that they shall literally and physically, with their risen bodies, actually look into the face of Jesus; and secondly, that spiritually their mental faculties shall be enlarged, so that they shall he enabled to look into the very heart, and soul, and character of Christ, so as to understand him, his work, his love, his all in all, as they never understood him before." "It is the chief blessing of heaven, the cream of heaven, the heaven of heaven, that the saints shall there see Jesus." "To look into the face of Christ signifies to be well acquainted with his person, his office, his character, his work. So the saints in heaven shall have more knowledge of Christ than the most advanced below. As one has said, the babe in Christ admitted to heaven discovers more of Christ in a single hour than is known by all the divines of the assemblies of the church on earth."
• As early as the book of Job, it has been the hope and dream of the redeemed to see God firsthand:
• Job 19:25-27: "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!"
• Written on their foreheads:
• This may be an allusion to the inscription on the crown on the high priest's forehead, "holy to the Lord":
• Exodus 28:36-38: “Next make a medallion of pure gold, and engrave it like a seal with these words: Holy to the lord. Attach the medallion with a blue cord to the front of Aaron’s turban, where it must remain. Aaron must wear it on his forehead so he may take on himself any guilt of the people of Israel when they consecrate their sacred offerings. He must always wear it on his forehead so the Lord will accept the people.
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  Above image from http://www.templeinstitute.org/tzitz-gallery.htm
• His name was written on the forehead of the 144,000 Jews of the Tribulation:
• Revelation 14:1: Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
• In a similar way, the Beast worshipers received the mark of the Beast as an indication of their identity with the Beast:
• Revelation 13:16: He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.

(5) And there will be no night there -- no need for lamps or sun -- for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

• No night:
• Revelation 21:22-25: I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there.
• Isaiah 60:19-20: “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For he will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.
• Sun:
• Does this mean there is no more sun? Does the new earth not rotate around the sun (or moon)? The text doesn't say.
• Reign forever:
• Erdman: "As the Bible opens with the story of 'Paradise Lost,' so it here closes with the story of 'Paradise Regained.'" We see the return of Paradise in the ideas of a river, a tree of life, revocation of the curse, intimacy restored, and reigning resumed. It is a perfect consummation (from www.enduringword.com/commentaries/6622.htm):
• No more curse
• Perfect Restoration
• Throne in their midst
• Perfect Administration
• Servants shall serve
• Perfect Subordination
• Shall see His face
• Perfect Transformation
• Name on foreheads
• Perfect Identification
• God is the light
• Perfect Illumination
• Reigning forever
• Perfect Exultation

(6) THEN the angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true: 'The Lord God, who tells his prophets what the future holds, has sent his angel to tell you what will happen soon.'"

• THEN:
• This is the end of the "New Jerusalem" description. Verses 1-5 really belong with chapter 21. Beginning in Verse 6, we get in the "epilogue" of Revelation where we get some wrap up comments on the whole book.

(7) "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the prophecy written in this scroll."

• Soon:
• John is told not to seal the words of the prophecy of this book, “for the time is near" (Revelation 22:10). Jesus is coming quickly with each man’s reward (Revelation 22:12). His coming is imminent - there are no preconditions on His return for the church at the Rapture nor for His return as a thief upon an unsuspecting world in the Day of the Lord (1Thessalonians 5:2).
• Morgan: "The word soon in the ancient Greek isn't exactly the same as our word for 'soon.' The word 'soon' might with accuracy be rendered 'suddenly.'"

(8) I, John, am the one who saw and heard all these things. And when I saw and heard these things, I fell down to worship the angel who showed them to me.

(9) But again he said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this scroll. Worship God!"

• Again ... don't worship me:
• See Revelation 19:10 where John made this same mistake.
• Seiss: "If it was wrong to worship this glorious heavenly messenger, in and through whom came forth the very voice of Jesus, how can it be right to worship and pray to the Virgin Mary, to whom is assigned no such dignity or office? The impulse and intention may be devout and good; but it is a great mistake."

(10) Then he instructed me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words you have written, for the time is near.

• Do not seal:
• Daniel was told to “keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4). The book of Revelation is very heavily dependent upon the book of Daniel. In a very real sense, the book of Revelation completes the revelation which was originally given to Daniel.
• A lot of what Daniel wrote was not understood to the people of his time era. It involved things that were future to Daniel, but also included past historical events to us.
• The Roman church sealed up not only this book but the entire Bible until the Reformation forced it to finally allow its poor, deceived members to discover what God wrote rather than what men in expensive, showy array told them it said. Of course, the Roman church insists that only the church can interpret the Bible.
• Earlier in Revelation 10:4, the apostle had been told not to reveal what the seven peals of thunder had said. God does not reveal everything to us.
• Revelation 10:4: When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But a voice from heaven called to me: "Keep secret what the seven thunders said. Do not write it down."

(11) Let the one who is doing wrong continue to do wrong; the one who is vile, continue to be vile; the one who is good, continue to do good; and the one who is holy, continue in holiness."

• Continue:
• This parallels the day when the door was shut to the ark. When the door was shut, there was no further grace opportunity left. The floods came destroying and demolishing everything of the first world order. Now the same is going to happen on an eternal scale. The consequences of both belief and unbelief will be forever settled. There will be no ability to change one’s position.
• Robertson: "It is the hopelessness of the final state of the wicked which is here pictured. The states of both the evil and the good are now fixed forever. There is no word here about a 'second chance' hereafter."
• Walvoord: "If the warnings of this book are not sufficient, there is no more that God has to say."

(12) "See, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds.

• Coming soon:
• Jesus will return to this Earth suddenly, at a time that catches most folks by surprise. The word translated "soon" here and verse 7 above and verse 20 below is the Greek word tachu. It has the flavor of suddenness or quickness rather than near in time. His return might not be today, but it will be sudden.
• My reward:
• Isaiah 40:10: Yes, the Sovereign is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.
• Isaiah 62:11: He has sent this message to every land: “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.’”

(13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

• This passage makes three sets of claims about The Lord. They aren’t just repetitive thoughts. He is:
  1. the Alpha and Omega.
  2. the Beginning and the End.
  3. the First and the Last.
• Spurgeon: "Preach orthodoxy, or any form of doxy; if you have left out Christ, there is no manna from heaven, no water from the rock, no refuge from the storm, no healing for the sick, no life for the dead. If you leave out Christ, you have left the sun out of the day, and the moon out of the night, you have left the waters out of the sea, and the foods out of the river, you have left the harvest out of the year, the soul out of the body, you have left joy out of heaven, yea, you have robbed all of its all. There is no gospel worth thinking of, much less worth proclaiming in Jehovah's name, if Jesus be forgotten."
• The Alpha and the Omega:
• Variations on the phrase Alpha and Omega have autographed God’s greatest work from the beginning. The first letter of the Greek alphabet is Alpha and the last is Omega. It’s like saying, “From A to Z” in English. The Hebrew equivalents are Aleph and Tau. These two letters appear un-translated in a couple of interesting places in the Hebrew Scripture. One is in Genesis 1:1 right after the phrase “In the beginning God …” making the Hebrew version read, “In the beginning God, the Aleph and the Tau, created the Heavens and the Earth.” You have to get a Hebrew interlinear Bible to find it but it’s there. The other place is in Zechariah 12:10 where the Hebrew reads, “They will look upon me, the Aleph and the Tau, the one they have pierced …” It’s a prophecy of Israel finally recognizing the true identity of the Messiah at the End of the Age.
• The First and the Last
• The word translated first is protos and means the foremost or best. We get our word "prototype" from protos. And last comes from eschatos - meaning farthest or uttermost. The term eschatology (the study of the end times) originates here. He is the prototype, against whom all will be compared (Romans 8:29), the uttermost or perfect example of the race, (Hebrews 1:3).
• The title the First and the Last is also irrefutable proof that Jesus is Yahweh, the LORD: I, the LORD, the First and the Last. I alone am he. (Isaiah 41:4)
• The beginning and the End:
• The Greek word translated beginning is arche and denotes an order of time, place or rank. End comes from telos, which means the ultimate result or purpose; the upper limit. And so Jesus is the first in order of time, place and rank (Colossians 1:18), and represents the ultimate result or purpose of man; to be one with God (John 17:20-23). And so He was there before the beginning and will be there after the end.

(14) Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.

• Gates of the city:
  • This shows we're still looking at the New Jerusalem and seem to still be in the Millennium
• Eat the fruit:
  • Jesus said to the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:7): To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.”. Evidently, access to the tree of life is the same as salvatio.

(15) Outside the city are the dogs -- the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.

• Outside:
• The Greek word for "outside" (Greek - exo) can also mean "without." In Matthew 13:47-48, it is translated as, "away": “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away.
• As in Revelation 21:8, where are listed "cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars," all "outside" the holy city here whose fate or final destiny is "in the fiery lake of burning sulfur."
• The Commentary on the Whole Bible by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, states: "As all the filth of the old Jerusalem was carried outside the walls and burnt there, so nothing defiled shall enter the heavenly city, but be burnt outside."
• They are contrasted with those who have washed their robes, and CAN go through the gates of the city. Other references to the Greek word "exo" include: Jesus' mother and brothers being outside the door as he's teaching, Jesus going outside of the city, Peter being outside the temple during Jesus' trial, later going "out" into the porch, Jesus leading the blind man out of town, the servants in the parable killing the heir and taking him outside the vineyard, the donkey Jesus rode on being outside the house, the people being outside the Holy of Holies when Zechariah the eventual father of the Baptist went inside to burn incense, etc.
• Those who commit the sins, as described in Revelation 22:15, as a way of life, without a willingness to repent, will be "outside" or "without" or "away from" the holy city. Many Scriptures show that those people will not inherit or enter the Kingdom (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; and Ephesians 5:5). Please note that the lists of sins, as set forth in 1 Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians, are very similar to the sins mentioned in Revelation 21:8 and 22:15, including sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, and murders. All these lists address the same kind of people.
• Mounce: "The verse does not intend to teach that in the eternal state all manner of wicked men will be living just outside the heavenly city. It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present."
• Christ said in Luke 13:28: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.
• Moffat translates Revelation 22:15 in this way: "Begone, you dogs, you sorcerers, you vicious creatures, you murderers, you idolaters, you who love and practice falsehood, every one of you." Other translations render the Greek word "exo"; i.e., "outside" or "without," as "excluded." Those who refuse to repent will be EXCLUDED from access to the Kingdom of God and the holy city. They will be in the lake of fire which is the second and final death, from which there is no resurrection back to life.
• Neither this verse nor Revelation 21:8 say that these evil-doers are at this point cast into the lake of fire - that is future after the millennium At this point, they are simply not allowed into the New Jerusalem.
• Matthew 8:12: But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
• Matthew 13:42,50: And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ... throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Matthew 22:13: Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• Matthew 24:51: and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Matthew 25:30: Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
• Luke 13:28: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.
• Dogs:
• The first time blatantly impure sinners were called dogs is in Deuteronomy 23:18 (Price of a dog refers to the income of male homosexual prostitutes):
  • Deuteronomy 23:18 (KJV): You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
• Psalms 22:20: Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs.
• Matthew 7:6: “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.
• Matthew 15:21-28: Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the DOGS.” She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs [puppies] are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
• Philippians 3:2: Watch out for those dogs, those wicked men and their evil deeds, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.
• 2 Peter 2:22: They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”
• Sorcerers:
• Sorcerers are those who practice occult or witchcraft. Greek pharmakos is the root of the English word pharmacy - drugs often accompany those practices.
• Sexually immoral:
• The reason "sexually immoral" is singled out is it is a word-picture of failing to keep a commitment to God. Marriage is a vow of commitment. Our relationship to God is also a vow of commitment. To turn from marriage or to live a lifestyle with lots of sexual partners is a similar in concept of breaking a vow to a single person relationship.

(16) "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star."

• I, Jesus:
• The combination "I, Jesus" occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Jesus used it here to stress that He is the real author of this book and that it is His message:
  • Revelation 1:1: This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John,
• Source of David and the heir to his throne
• Jesus was the ancestor of David, "the root" as well as "the descendant of David" (cf. Isaiah 11:1). Consequently, He fulfills all the prophecies concerning David's family. Jesus also called Himself "the bright morning star" that was prophesied to come the second time. As the appearance of the morning star heralds the dawn of each new day on earth, so the Second Coming will herald the dawn of a new day in history. He is the brightest of all personal stars, just as the morning star is the brightest physical star in the sky. He is the "Star" that, in fulfillment of Balaam's prophecy, would "come forth from Jacob" (Numbers 24:17).
• The phrase root and offspring of David recalls a Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 11:1-3 (Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot -- yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will never judge by appearance, false evidence, or hearsay.).
• Isaiah 11:1: Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
• Matthew 1:1: This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
• Matthew 9:27: After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”
• Matthew 15:22,30: A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” ... Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
• Matthew 21:15: The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. 
• Mark 12:35-37: Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘The said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.
• John 7:42: For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”
• 2 Timothy 2:8: Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.
• Churches:
• This is the first mention of the church (ἐκκλεσία [ekklesia] ) since the letters to the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 3:22+). We believe this is another indication of the pretribulational Rapture of the Church. The church will be excluded from the events of the Tribulation and so is not mentioned after chapter 3 until now.
• Bright Morning Star:
• Numbers 24:17: I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.
• Isaiah 14:12: “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.
• Some modern versions incorrectly translate the Hebrew in Isaiah 14:12 giving Satan the title Morning Star. When first translated into Latin, the Hebrew word “heylel” became Lucifer, or light bearer, and that’s how the name originated. Heylel literally means shining one, but its intent is boastful or proud, calling attention to ones self. The entire Hebrew phrase in Isaiah 14:12 is Heylel ben Shachar and means Shining One, Son of the Dawn. Our Lord Jesus is the one and only Bright Morning Star.
• Luke 1:78: Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
• 2 Peter 1:19: Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
• Revelation 2:28: They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!

(17) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let each one who hears them say, "Come." Let the thirsty ones come -- anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge.

• The bride:
• Revelation 21:2,9: And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ... Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
• Come:
• The invitation to come is an urgent command, for the day will arrive when it is too late to come. Now is the day of grace. Walvoord: "A similar invitation is extended in Isaiah 55:1":
• Isaiah 55:1-7: "Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink -- even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk -- it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
• John 7:38: "If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within."
• Spurgeon: "All the prophets of the Bible, all the apostles of the Bible, all the threatenings of the Bible, all the promises of the Bible, gather themselves up, and focus themselves into this one burning ray, 'Come to Jesus. Come, and take the water of life freely.'"
• Anyone who wants to:
• Spurgeon: "But mark thee, sinner, it says, 'whosoever.' What a big word that is! Whosoever! There is no standard height here. It is of any height and any size. Little sinners, big sinners, black sinners, fair sinners, sinners double dyed, old sinners, aggravated sinners, sinners who have committed every crime in the whole catalogue, - whosoever."
• Without charge:
• A final reminder that the price for our salvation has already been paid. It costs us nothing, but it cost Jesus Christ everything to give Himself for us.

(18) And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book.

• Walvoord: "What a solemn warning this is to critics who have tampered with this book and other portions of Scripture in arrogant self-confidence that they are equipped intellectually and spiritually to determine what is true and what is not true in the Word of God."
• Seiss: “O, my friends, it is a fearful thing to suppress or stultify the word of God, and above all ‘the words of the prophecy of this Book.’ To put forth for truth what is not the truth,— denounce as error, condemn, repudiate, or emasculate what God himself hath set his seal to as his mind and purpose, is one of those high crimes, not only against God, but against the souls of men, which cannot go unpunished.”

(19) And if anyone removes any of the words of this prophetic book, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

(20) He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

• Mounce: "At the very close of the book is the confession that the answers to the problems of life do not lie in man's ability to create a better world but in the return of the One whose sovereign power controls the course of human affairs."

(21) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

The characteristics delineated by Dr. Pentecost in his book, Things to Come:

• A life of fellowship with Him. (1 Corinthians 13:12) (1 John 3:2) (Revelation 22:4)
• A life of rest. (Revelation 14:13)
• A life of knowledge. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• A life of holiness. (Revelation 21:27)
• A life of joy. (Revelation 21:4)
• A life of service. (Revelation 22:3)
• A life of abundance. (Revelation 21:6)
• A life of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17) (Colossians 3:4)
• A life of worship. (Revelation 19:1)

NOTES:

• Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
• Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-of-revelation-references.html
• Index to our other Revelation studies is at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/index-to-book-of-revelation.html
• Index to all our studies is at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/

Revelation 21

Above image from https://duaineallensblogs.wordpress.com/2014/03/

(1) THEN I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.

• As we read this chapter, ask yourself what your eternal destiny is. Is it on the new earth? Is it in the New Jerusalem? Is it in heaven? If I am PRESENTLY seated in heaven, am I going to be moved to the earth or Jerusalem or am I going to stay in heaven?
  • Ephesians 2:6: For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus
  • Philippians 3:20: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
• THEN:
• We are no longer in the Millennial Kingdom: there is no more sin, death, sea or Temple.
• Moffatt: "From the smoke and pain and heat, it is a relief to pass into the clear, clean atmosphere of the eternal morning where the breath of heaven is sweet and the vast city of God sparkles like a diamond in the radiance of his presence."
• David Guzik: "We can say that Revelation chapter 21 begins a new section of the Book of Revelation: Jesus, the Lord of the Churches (Revelation 1:1 to 3:22) Jesus, the Lion over the nations (Revelation 4:1 to 20:15) Jesus, the Lamb among believers (Revelation 21:1 to 22:21) The new perspective of this last section is glorious."
• Barnhouse: "In this chapter, we see that the history of time is finished; the history of eternity is about to begin."
• New heaven is the atmospheric heaven around and above the earth and probably include the physical universe. But, nothing is said that they seventh heaven (paradise) is changed.
• New earth will be a perfect environment similar to that of the Garden of Eden.
• New heaven and a new earth:
• The "new earth" and "new heaven" will come into existence after the Millennium and the Great White Throne judgment.
• This chapter brings us full circle, to the beginning of the Bible again and to the Garden of Eden.
• J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse: Lectures on the Book of Revelation: "An earth which no longer smarts and smokes under the curse of sin,—an earth which needs no more to be torn with hooks and irons to make it yield its fruits,—an earth where thorns and thistles no longer infest the ground, nor serpents hiss among the flowers, nor savage beasts lay in ambush to devour,—an earth whose sod is never cut with graves, whose soil is never moistened with tears or saturated with human blood, whose fields are never blasted with unpropitious seasons, whose atmosphere never gives wings to the seeds of plague and death, whose ways are never lined with funeral processions, or blocked up with armed men on their way to war,—an earth whose hills ever flow with salvation, and whose valleys know only the sweetness of Jehovah’s smiles,—an earth from end to end, and from center to utmost verge, clothed with the eternal blessedness of Paradise Restored."
• Isaiah 65:17: "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth -- so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
• Isaiah 66:22: "As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear," says the LORD.
• 2 Peter 3:13: But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.
• Old heaven and the old earth had disappeared:
• The present creation, including the millennial period, is subject to a curse. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, the law of entropy, says this present universe is running down. It is all decaying; losing its energy; growing cold. But in the new heavens and the new earth, that law is reversed.
• Psalm 102:25-26: In ages past you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Even they will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment, and they will fade away.
• Isaiah 51:6: Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth beneath. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!"
• Matthew 24:35: Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever."
• Hebrews 1:10-12: And, "Lord, in the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Even they will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will roll them up like an old coat. They will fade away like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will never grow old."
• 2 Peter 3:10-12: But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along -- the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames.
• Sea was gone - below are two opposing views on this:
• William Newton, Lectures on the First Two Visions of the Book of Daniel: "When our Lord tells us, that just before his second coming, there shall be "distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;" we see, precisely, what is meant. It is not the literal, but the prophetic, sea of which He is speaking. There shall then be a fearfully excited and tempestuous state of the nations of the earth. The mass of the nations will be lashed into fury by the stormy winds of popular commotion. Revolution shall pull down thrones, and undermine governments. Passions shall shake them. Fear and dread will take hold upon them. . . . So, too, when of the times of the Messiah, it is announced, that "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea;" the meaning is equally plain. It is a prophetic declaration. There shall be, no more, a troubled and stormy state of the nations. No more the breaking forth of the winds of passion. Violence and destruction shall be heard no more. All shall be peace, in the perfect reign of the Prince of Peace."
• A unique distinction of this new earth will be that the vast oceans of water that now cover three fourths of the world's surface will not be included, leaving much more habitable land for the population of the redeemed. This obviously requires complete changes in the physical laws - absence of the oceans would completely change weather patterns, there would be no rain and the earth would not habitable without more profound changes.

(2) And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.

• New Jerusalem:
  • Ask yourself, who is going to occupy New Jerusalem! Are the members of the body of Christ who are presently seated in heaven? How about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua, Moses, David, John the Baptist, Paul, Peter? What about Adam and Job? Do not just assume that we're going to be in the New Jerusalem or the New Earth.
• Galatians 4:25-26: And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery. But Sarah, the free woman, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. And she is our mother.
• Hebrews 11:8-10, 16, 12:22-24, 13:14: It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith -- for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. ... But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them. ... No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did. ... For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.
  • To whom was Hebrews written? The answer should be self-evident!
• Revelation 3:12: All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write my God's name on them, and they will be citizens in the city of my God -- the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And they will have my new name inscribed upon them.
• Coming down from God out of heaven:
• It is not Heaven itself - it comes down "out of Heaven."
• Some suggest that the New Jerusalem will be a satellite orbiting the present earth during the Millennium, and then, when God creates the new earth, it will descend out of heaven and rest on the surface of the new earth. Others believe that the New Jerusalem will be on the new earth. The text does not say the New Jerusalem will come down to the new earth, only that John saw it "coming down from God out of heaven".
• It does not say the holy city will actually touch the earth. It might just remain in orbit. From the earth, it may look like a jeweled moon in the sky. It may cast different colors and light shows on the earth from the light within her and from the light reflected or refracted from the sun and moon through her twelve foundational colors that are studded with all types of precious stones.
• Like a beautiful bride:
• When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac (a type of Christ), he said to go back to the land where Abraham was born and find a wife from among Abraham's own family members. This story is a prophetic picture of the Father's plan to find and prepare a Bride for His son, Yeshua (Jesus). The question becomes that if Abraham represents the Father and Isaac represents the Son, then is the Father trying to tell us that He will be taking His Bride from His own family? Does this mean that not all believers will be in the Bride? Could this be why there are wedding guests and a Bride that shows up at the marriage supper of the Lamb? The question is, are you the Bride or a wedding guest?
• Note that it says "LIKE" a beautiful bride, not that it IS the bride!
• This new city is called both a city and a woman, just as the false bride, Babylon the Great, was both a city and a woman - a harlot.
• Most churches in Christendom teach that the Church is the “bride of Christ.” In the Old Testament, Israel is identified as the “wife” of God.
• Sir Robert Anderson wrote: "Is the Church the Bride of Christ? Let us begin by correcting our terminology. In the Patmos visions, we read of "The Bride, the Lamb’s wife", but "the Bride of Christ" is unknown to Scripture ... With the close of the Baptist’s ministry, both the Bride and the Lamb disappear from the New Testament until we reach the Patmos visions. In Revelation 21, the angel summoning the Seer to behold "the Bride" the Lamb’s wife, and he showed him "the Holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God". The twelve gates of the city bear the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, and on the twelve foundations are "the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" ... it is the city for which Abraham looked ... These apostles of the Bride are not the apostles who were given after the Ascension for the building up of the Body of Christ - the apostles of this Christian dispensation, chief among whom was Paul. They are the twelve apostles of the Lord’s earthly ministry to Israel, who shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ (Matthew 19:28)."
• Since the book is primarily about Israel and reads like the Old Testament, one has to assume that is what it is. The bride of Revelation 19 and 21 is Israel, not the Church, the body of Christ. Israel had both an earthly and a heavenly calling. They were called out from among the nations of the earth and given earthly promises, e.g., a kingdom and preeminence among the nations. But they had a heavenly calling also, described in Hebrews 3:1 that began with Abraham, see Hebrews 11:8-10 below. Abraham anticipated a heavenly city. How much he knew of it, we do not know. But he looked for a heavenly city and he new Jerusalem of Revelation 21 was that city. God’s promises to the Church are wholly heavenly, not earthly (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6; Philippians 3:20). Paul taught that the Church was the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18, 24). This revelation was one of the “secrets” (musterion) the glorified Lord revealed to Paul alone. Paul was the only writer of Scripture who taught that the Church was the body of Christ. He declared that before him this truth was not known (Ephesians 3:3-7). So, is the Church the bride of Christ or is it the Body of Christ - it can't be both!
• In Ephesians 5:22-33, Paul argued that as a husband is the head of a wife, Christ is the head of the Church. This fit with Paul’s teaching that the Church is the body of Christ with Christ Himself as the Head (Colossians 1:18). Paul noted that husbands should love their wives as their own bodies (verse 28) because no one ever hated his own flesh (verse 29). One nourishes his body and cherishes it (verse 29). It is this nourishing and care of a husband for his own body that Paul used to make the analogy regarding Christ’s care for His Church, i.e., His body (verses 29-30). Paul declared this was a great “secret” (musterion) but that he spoke with reference to Christ and His Church (verse 32). Since the Church is the body of Christ it means that if Christ is the bridegroom we are part of His groomsmanship. Thus, we are of the bridegroom, not the bride! Wife and bride are titles that belong to Israel not the Church. Our title is “the body of Christ.” As the body, we are of the bridegroom, not the bride. John wrote that the New Jerusalem was “like a bride" not that it was the bride. During the Church Age, in which God is forming the “body of Christ” there is no “Jew or Gentile” just as Paul wrote. But God works one plan at a time. When the body of Christ came into existence, Israel was set aside (see Romans 11). When the body of Christ is complete, God will remove it from the earth and finish his dealings with Israel (Romans 11:25-27). During that period, God will fulfill His promises to the nation which culminate in the kingdom of God on earth. In the kingdom, the New Covenant will be enacted and God will fulfill His promises to Israel. Since the Church is a heavenly people, our destiny is involved in the New Heavens rather than the New Earth.
• Hebrews 3:1: And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are bound for heaven, think about this Jesus whom we declare to be God's Messenger and High Priest.
• Hebrews 11:8-10: It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith -- for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
• Ephesians 1:3: How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.
• Ephesians 1:22-23: And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence.
• Ephesians 2:6: For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus.
• Ephesians 3:3-7: As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus. By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
• Philippians 3:20: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
• Colossians 1:18, 24: Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything. ... I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am completing what remains of Christ's sufferings for his body, the church.
• References in the Old Testament of Israel as a wife:
  • Isaiah 54:4-8: "Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, for your Creator will be your husband. The LORD Almighty is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth. For the LORD has called you back from your grief -- as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband," says your God. "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will take you back. In a moment of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.
  • Isaiah 62:1-5: Because I love Zion, because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch. The nations will see your righteousness. Kings will be blinded by your glory. And the LORD will give you a new name. The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see -- a splendid crown in the hands of God. Never again will you be called the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God's Delight and the Bride of God, for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his own. Your children will care for you with joy, O Jerusalem, just as a young man cares for his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
  • Jeremiah 3:14: "Return home, you wayward children," says the LORD, "for I am your husband. I will bring you again to the land of Israel -- one from here and two from there, from wherever you are scattered.
  • Jeremiah 31:31-33: "The day will come," says the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the LORD. "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the LORD. "I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
  • Hosea 2:14-20: "But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her out into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt." "In that coming day," says the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband' instead of 'my master.' O Israel, I will cause you to forget your images of Baal; even their names will no longer be spoken. At that time I will make a covenant with all the wild animals and the birds and the animals that scurry along the ground so that they will not harm you. I will remove all weapons of war from the land, all swords and bows, so you can live unafraid in peace and safety. I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as LORD."

(3) I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

• Home: "tabernacle" in the KJV.
• Greek skēnē. Strong's 4633: Phonetic Spelling: (skay-nay'). Short Definition: a tent, tabernacle. Definition: a tent, booth, tabernacle, abode, dwelling, mansion, habitation. The Greek word echoes the Hebrew word shekinah, the physical sign of God's presence among His people (Exodus 40:34-38).
• Live with them:
• Spurgeon: "I do not think the glory of Eden lay in its grassy walks, or in the boughs bending with luscious fruit-but its glory lay in this, that the 'Lord God walked in the garden in the cool of the day.' Here was Adam's highest privilege, that he had companionship with the Most High."
• Genesis 3:8-9 says, “Toward evening they heard the LORD God walking about in the garden, so they hid themselves among the trees. The LORD God called to Adam, "Where are you?" He replied, "I heard you, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked."”
  • This passage gives us the distinct impression that God regularly walked in the garden. He did not visit the Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden to issue commands and edicts, but the garden of Eden was where he fellowshipped with Adam and Eve. This fellowship was mutually enjoyable, but this changed the day Adam and Eve sinned and ate of the forbidden fruit. They were now ashamed before God and God banished them from the garden of Eden and his presence .
• Exodus 29:46: and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD their God."
• Leviticus 26:11: I will live among you, and I will not despise you.
• Ezekiel 48:35: "The distance around the entire city will be six miles. And from that day the name of the city will be 'The LORD Is There.'"
• Zechariah 2:10-11: The LORD says, "Shout and rejoice, O Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you. Many nations will join themselves to the LORD ON THAT DAY, and they, too, will be my people. I will live among you, and you will know that the LORD Almighty sent me to you.
• Zechariah 8:3: And now the LORD says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.
• John 1:14: So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
  • The word "lived" in John 1:14 is "tabernacled."

(4) He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever."

• No more death:
• Isaiah 25:8: He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken!
• Revelation 20:14: And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death -- the lake of fire.
• Seiss, The Apocalypse: Lectures on the Book of Revelation: "Around our churches lie our graveyards, and all the highways are lined with cemeteries and depositories of the dead. We can scarcely open our eyes without seeing the gloomy hearse, the funeral procession, the undertaker’s warehouse, the shop full of mourning goods, or the stonecutter chiseling epitaphs. Every newspaper we pick up has its obituary lists, and every week brings forth its bills of mortality. On the right hand, on the left hand, before us, behind us, around us, beneath us, in all seasons, in all climes, everywhere is death. . . . The time will come when death itself shall die; not by the power of man, not by mortal skill or earthly medicines, but by the great redemption of God."
• No more ... sorrow or crying or pain:
• Walvoord: "There is no just ground for imagining from this text that the saints will shed tears in heaven concerning the failures of their former life on earth. The emphasis here is on the comfort of God, not on the remorse of the saints."
• Revelation 7:17: For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears."

(5) And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."

• The one sitting on the throne:
• God Himself is introduced as speaking.
• Making all things new:
• H. Morris: "Presumably this means not only that everything will be made new, but also that everything will stay then new. The entropy law will be 'repealed.' Nothing will wear out or decay, and no one will age or atrophy anymore."

(6) And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega -- the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge!

• Finished:
  •  It is finished is tetelestai, perfect tense, it has come to an end, been completed, accomplished - just as Jesus said on the cross "It is finished".
  • God's eternal purpose in Jesus is now accomplished. Ephesians 1:10 has been fulfilled: "And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ -- everything in heaven and on earth." At this point, all things have been resolved or summed up in Jesus - it is done!
• The Alpha and the Omega -- the Beginning and the End
• He brackets all of time in this phrase. Everything in between comes from Him.
• Beginning and the end:
• Revelation 1:8: "I am the Alpha and the Omega -- the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One."
• Revelation 2:8: "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who died and is alive:"
• Springs of the water of life:
• In the wilderness wandering, Moses’ struck the rock (representing Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4) from which life-giving waters came forth (Exodus 17:6).
• John 4:10-14: Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."
• John 7:37-38: On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within."
• Revelation 7:17: For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears."
• Without charge:
• Ephesians 2:8-9: God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
• God's offer of salvation is always on the basis of a "free gift" — for only then is it in keeping with GRACE. Those who receive this "water" are those who first feel the "thirst" for it (the longing to know Jesus) and then who "take" it (which they do by faith— believing in Him alone as Savior). The water of life is offered freely; it is "without cost." God's offer of salvation in Christ cannot be bought, earned or merited. It is free!!

(7) All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

• All who are victorious = He that overcometh in the KJV:
• In contrast to the free water of life, becoming an "overcomer" is not free. It requires a faithful and persistent walk with Christ in total allegiance to Him. Notice how this overcomer promise is couched in the same terminology as that seen in chapters 2–3. In the earlier chapters, the promise held out to those who "overcome" was not based on simple faith in Christ but faithfulness to Him as a believer. In Revelation 2:10, for example, the believers are exhorted, "Remain faithful even when facing death, and I will give you the crown of life."
• 1 John 5:4-5: For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
• Revelation 2:7: "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God."
• Revelation 2:26-28: "To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
• Revelation 3:12: All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write my God's name on them, and they will be citizens in the city of my God -- the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And they will have my new name inscribed upon them.

(8) But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars -- their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

• Cowards:
• L. Morris: "John is not speaking of natural timidity, but of that cowardice which in the last resort chooses self and safety before Christ."
• The word is used to describe lack of faith (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:40). During the Tribulation, the Beast worshipers took his mark, partly out of fear of losing their lives (Revelation 13:15+). The wicked and lazy servant hid his talent in the ground out of fear rather than investing it for the Lord’s benefit. He was cast into outer darkness (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:21). Those who deny Jesus before men, possibly out of fear, will not be confessed by the Son of Man before God and His angels (Luke 12:8-9). Many of the religious rulers believed in Jesus, but for fear of being put out of the synagogue by the Pharisees, would not confess Him. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:43).
• The Greek word is only used three times in the NT (cf. Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:40).
  • Matthew 8:26: And Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm.
  • Mark 4:40: And he asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?"
  • There was nothing in that context having to do with a believer who repudiated his faith. The real cowards in this book are those who went along with the Beast, accepted his mark, and turned to worshipping him. Many of them probably knew in their hearts that this was not the truth, but they did not have the courage (because of fear of persecution) to stand up to him. But there is no reason to think they ever made a profession for Christ.
• Immoral:
• Greek: pornos - refers to the act of fornication or sexual deviance.
• Practice witchcraft:
• Sorcerers. (Greek pharmakos) highlights the occult and their deceptive practices. It is the occult practices throughout history that are responsible for promoting the satanic human viewpoint as an alternative to truly seeking God.
• 1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons.
• Lake that burns:
  • The contrasts between verses seven and eight are graphic. They represent the age-old concept that there are only two kinds of people with God, believers and unbelievers. They experience two different lifestyles on earth and go to two different eternal destinies. Believers go to "eternal life" while unbelievers experience "the second death," which is the lake of fire.

(9) Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

• Bride:
• At this point, the marriage has already taken place in 19:7 and now is referred to as "The Lamb's Wife".
• Revelation 19:7: Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.

(10) So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

• High mountain:
• In the twenty-fifth year of the Babylonian captivity, Ezekiel was taken to a very high mountain from which he could see what "appeared to be a city” (Ezekiel 40:2). Ezekiel was shown the millennial Jerusalem, not the New Jerusalem as here. Like John, he was attended by an angel with a measuring rod who then measured the city for Ezekiel to record.
  • Ezekiel 40:2: In a vision of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see what appeared to be a city across from me toward the south.

(11) It was filled with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious gem, crystal clear like jasper.

• Glory of God:
• This is the Shekinah, the visible manifestation of God’s presence. Because of His presence, the eternal city has no need for the light of the sun or moon (Revelation 22:5).
• Gem:
• Precious jewels are reflectors. By themselves they give off no light. When a jeweler wants to properly display the true brilliance of a precious gem he will often display it on a piece of black velvet cloth in order to more efficiently reflect the light shining upon the gem. The city, as it should be with believers today, will be but a reflection of the glory of God Himself who inhabits the city.
  • Ephesians 3:10 (KJV): To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold [many faceted] wisdom of God,
• Jasper:
• Because of how jasper (ἰάσπιδι [iaspidi] ) is described by Scripture, some think it is not the jasper we know, but perhaps diamond.

(12) Its walls were broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates.

• Twelve gates:
• The Jerusalem described in Ezekiel 48 is the millennial Jerusalem and is different from this one. It will be the earthly Jerusalem into which any millennial resident can come, but into this Jerusalem, only glorified saints can come. The fact of the gates also indicates there will be free travel in and out of the city.
• Twelve tribes of Israel:
• All of chapter 21 seems to me to have special significance for Israel. The twelve gates have the names of the twelve tribes; the twelve foundations have the names of the twelve Apostles (Paul is not one of the 12), who according to Matthew 19:28 will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel; the fact that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem would not be of significance to the Gentiles, but it would hold great significance for Israel. Israel is special to God.
  • Matthew 19:28: And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

(13) There were three gates on each side -- east, north, south, and west.

• Three gates:
• In Numbers 2, we read of the tribes of Israel on the four sides of the camp. In Ezekiel 48:31-34 we read of the millennial Jerusalem having three gates on each side, one gate for each tribe of Israel.

(14) The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

• Twelve foundation stones:
• Hebrews 11:10: Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
• Ephesians 2:19-22: So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
  • The Body of Christ becomes the temple!
• Twelve apostles:
• Paul did not replace Judas and become the 12th apostle - he was not qualified. He was the apostle to the gentiles to whom was revealed the mystery of God, the plan that God is executing today until the last gentile is saved, at which point, the program with Israel restarts.
  • Acts 1:21-22: "So now we must choose another man to take Judas's place. It must be someone who has been with us all the time that we were with the Lord Jesus -- from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us into heaven. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus' resurrection."
  • Romans 11:13: I am saying all of this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I lay great stress on this,
  • Galatians 2:7-8: They saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the Good News to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter for the benefit of the Jews worked through me for the benefit of the Gentiles.
  • Ephesians 3:1-3: I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles. As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me.
  • 1 Timothy 2:7: And I have been chosen -- this is the absolute truth -- as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles about faith and truth.

(15) The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

• Gold measuring stick:
• The New Jerusalem is measured to highlight its importance to God and indicate its real physical dimensions.
• Previously, John was instructed to measure the Tribulation Temple:
• Revelation 11:1: Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, "Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers.
• Ezekiel was shown the Millennial Temple and told to record the dimensions measured by an angel:
• Ezekiel 48:30-35: "These will be the exits to the city: On the north wall, which is 1 1/2 miles long, there will be three gates, each one named after a tribe of Israel. The first will be named for Reuben, the second for Judah, and the third for Levi. On the east wall, also 1 1/2 miles long, the gates will be named for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan. The south wall, also 1 1/2 miles long, will have gates named for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun. And on the west wall, also 1 1/2 miles long, the gates will be named for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali." "The distance around the entire city will be six miles. And from that day the name of the city will be 'The LORD Is There.'"

(16) When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, it was in the form of a cube, for its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles.

• 1,400 or 1,500 miles - literally, "twelve thousand stadii" (twelve thousand furlong in the KJV)
• The dimensions of the city would be equal to the area from the eastern seaboard of the United States to Colorado on one side and from the Canadian border to the southern tip of Florida on the other. In addition to the length and breadth, the city will be fifteen hundred miles high.
• According to Seiss, Lectures, pp. 404-409, it is a city whose base is close to 1500 miles square. It rises 1500 miles into the heavens, never descending all the way to the earth but elevated some distance above it.
• McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom: "The dimensions of the New Jerusalem are admittedly gigantic­­"twelve thousand furlongs" in breadth, and length, and height... What a sight such a city would be, gradually rising toward the sky by the great step­backs of its twelve­jeweled foundations. It is true that this concept would be totally out of proportion with the dimensions of our present earth. But there is to be a "new earth." And if the earth is to be made the eternal dwelling place of Christ and His redeemed people, as the passage suggests, then the earth will become the center of all things. Surely there would be a divine fitness in this, for here the great drama of sin and redemption will have been played out before an awed universe. And in that case, doubtless, the new earth will be so constituted, both as to size and glory, that it will harmonize perfectly with its eternal city."
• Cube:
• The Holy of Holies was located in the westernmost end of the Temple building, being a perfect cube: 20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits.

(17) Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (the angel used a standard human measure).

• 216 feet - (144 cubits - 12x12). A cubit (cubitus [the elbow]) is the measure from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and is generally reckoned at one foot and a half, or eighteen inches; though it appears, from some measurements at the pyramids of Egypt, that the cubit was, at least in some cases, twenty-one inches.

(18) The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.

• Jasper:
• This is the same diamond like stone that was mentioned in verse 11. (Clear as crystal)
• Jasper was the last stone in the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:20; 39:13). It was also one of the stones which was Satan’s covering in the garden of God (Ezekiel 28:13).

(19) The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve gems: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

• 
• Twelve gems:
• On the outside of the breastplate and placed in gold settings were twelve precious stones in four rows of three stones each. On each of the stones was inscribed the name of one of the tribes of Israel, presumably in the order of their births, as was the case with the onyx stones on the shoulders (Exodus 28:10). The order and names of the stones are listed in Exodus 28:17-20.
• Jasper = Diamond
  Sapphire = A brilliant blue stone
  Agate = Sky blue with colored stripes
  Emerald = Bright green stone

(20) the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

• Onyx = Red and white striped stone
  Carnelian = Various shades of Red
  Chrysolite = Transparent gold or yellow
  Beryl = Shades of green, yellow and blue
  Topaz = Yellowish green
  Chrysoprase = Gold tinted green
  Jacinth = Blue or violet colored
  Amethyst = Purple stone

(21) The twelve gates were made of pearls -- each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

• Gold:
• Silver is not mentioned in the city. Silver means redemption and we have already been redeemed.

(22) No temple could be seen in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

• No temple:
• In the New Jerusalem, God is the Temple - the entire city is as the holy of holies of all previous temples.
• Temple:
• Last occurrence of the word "temple".
• Lenski: "On the old earth God had an earthly Sanctuary where Israel could draw near to him, where, however, a veil hung between him and them. When the use for this material Sanctuary was at an end, the Sanctuary and the Lamb were in God's heaven, altogether removed from the old earth. Now the Lord God, the Almighty, is this city's Sanctuary, he and the Lamb. The eternal union is immediate, absolutely complete. The whole city is the Sanctuary."
• Kretzmann: "When we reach the consummation of our hopes in eternal life, we shall no longer be obliged to have any means of grace, the Word and the Sacraments; for we shall see God face to face and shall know Him even as we are known, 1 Corinthians 13:12."

(23) And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.

• No need of sun or moon:
• Isaiah 60:19-20: "No longer will you need the sun or moon to give you light, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and he will be your glory. The sun will never set; the moon will not go down. For the LORD will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.
• John 8:12: Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
• Revelation 22:5: And there will be no night there -- no need for lamps or sun -- for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

(24) The nations of the earth will walk in its light, and the rulers of the world will come and bring their glory to it.

• Nations of the earth:
• The saved of the nations -- Gentile believers. Who are they? Are they the Gentiles saved during the tribulation and/or the millennium?
• Benjamin Douglass, Four Lectures on the Revelation: "With this new heaven and new earth, and new Jerusalem, and all things new, and all old things gone, forever, we have at last the kingdom of God come: that kingdom for which we are commanded to pray, "Thy kingdom come." A preliminary reign of king Jesus is had for one thousand years, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. This he will not fully and finally accomplish, as has been seen, till the millennium is ended, the first Adam's world burned up, and the new heavens and new earth are come."
• These passages seem to indicate that there is a distinction between those who live in the Holy City and the saved that dwell on the new earth.

(25) Its gates never close at the end of day because there is no night.

(26) And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city.

(27) Nothing evil will be allowed to enter -- no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty -- but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

• Nothing evil:
• This Scripture just means that this is a holy city (a place of true worship). There will be no evil of any kind in it. The residents are the redeemed, those washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those who have been made righteous in Christ.
• This does not imply that some outside the city may be refused entry at the gates. The gates remain open at all times because only the redeemed and (now) sinless inhabit the new heaven and new earth. What this phrase is saying is that all who participate in the eternal state are the redeemed who were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that none of the lost will ever enter the city because they have been cast into the Lake of Fire.
• Lamb's Book of Life:
• Revelation 13:8: And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made.
  

Coming up next: Revelation 22: And the angel showed me a pure river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will anything be cursed. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there -- no need for lamps or sun -- for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. Then the angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true: 'The Lord God, who tells his prophets what the future holds, has sent his angel to tell you what will happen soon.'" "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the prophecy written in this scroll."  I, John, am the one who saw and heard all these things. And when I saw and heard these things, I fell down to worship the angel who showed them to me. But again he said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this scroll. Worship God!" Then he instructed me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words you have written, for the time is near.  Let the one who is doing wrong continue to do wrong; the one who is vile, continue to be vile; the one who is good, continue to do good; and the one who is holy, continue in holiness." "See, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs -- the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star."

NOTES:

• Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
• Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-of-revelation-references.html
• Index to our other Revelation studies is at http://revelationofjesustojohn.blogspot.com/2014/03/index-to-book-of-revelation.html
• Index to all our studies is at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/