Revelation 21:1-27 INTRODUCTION We have now seen the final end of Satan and his three generals. We have witnessed the fate of persecuting governments; the fate of false religions and false spiritual teachers; the fate of immoral activity; the fate of Satan himself; AND the fate of all participants... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea._ A. John now turns his attention in a new direction. He sees a new heaven and earth. This is not, as some religions teach, a renewed, rebuilt earth. Some believe that th... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband._ A. It is clear that this is not a literal city. It is adorned ready for a wedding. The terms “holy city” and “New Jerusalem” describe the church. B. Hebrews 12:22-2... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God._ A. The tabernacle is another reference to the church that is, to faithful Christians. B. As the t... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”_ A. Heaven is often described by what is NOT in heaven. God will remove the “former things”. The list includes: Tears... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who th... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”_ A. Those who have not overcome are listed here. Like other lists of sins (Galatians 5:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”_ A. We now meet one of the angels that poured out the bowls of the wrath of God. He now invites John to see the brid... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,_ A. John was taken to a great and high mountain. The church is so widespread that you need a high vantage point to take it in. B. The phrase... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal._ A. The church, the true and faithful church, has the glory of God. The church was planned and built by God. B. The church was designed to spread the light of the gospel. (Ephesians 2:10)... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 12Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:_ 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west A. T... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb._ A. The city has 12 foundations. The church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. (Ephesians 2:19-20) B. The gates were labeled with the names of the 12 tribes o... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall._ A. The angel who was serving as John’s guide asked him to measure the city, the gates and the wall. B. The measurements are made with a golden reed. The measurements are figurative and not to be taken as... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal._ A. The city is a cube. The three dimensions are equal. The length, width and depth are the same. B. The measur... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel._ A. Since the height of the wall is described in the previous verse, it is clear that this verse is measuring the thickness of the wall. B. The wall is 144 cubits thick. This... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass._ A. The wall is of jasper (perhaps diamond) and the city is pure gold. B. The gold is so pure that it is clear like glass. In our understanding of the terms clear as glass and pure gold are not synonyms.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass._ A. The gates on which are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are now described. B. The 12 gates are made of 12 pearls. Each gate was one pearl. C.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple._ A. Under the Law of Moses the tabernacle, and later the temple, represented the presence of God. B. Now, the presence of God is in the hearts of his people. (2 Corinthians 6:16-17) God has promised to dwell wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light._ A. The church in not dependant on external light sources. God is the light. The sun is not needed to shine. We do not need stars or the moon. B. God’s glory lights up or... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it._ A. People from all nations shall flow into the church. (Isaiah 2:2) B. The church is the body of the saved. Kings cannot bring their glory and power into heaven for... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there)._ A. The church is a pure place. It is safe from sin. There is no darkness of sin allowed in the church. Those in the church have been forgiven and died to a life of sin. B. Walled cities always closed their gates at ni... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it._ A. This opportunity to become a citizen in the holy city is open to people of all nations. It is not limited to one race, nation or language. B. Peter said that in every nation if one believes and obeys God is accepted into... [ Continue Reading ]
_ 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life._ A. The church must remain pure. We must not allow sin or anything that defiles us to enter our lives. B. We must purge out the old leaven.... [ Continue Reading ]