October 21, 2014 Revelation Chapter 21

Revelation Chapter 21

Originally posted Tuesday January 6, 2009

Revelation, Chapter 21:1-8, A New Heaven and a New Earth

Chapter 20 saw the end of Satan, the two beasts and personified Death and Hades, both abodes of the dead. In a first resurrection were the martyrs who had been executed for their resistance to the worship of the image of the beast. They ruled the earth with Christ for a thousand years as priests of God and of Christ.  Their status as martyrs means they do not stand before the throne in the final judgment. They are already assured of eternal life. In a second resurrection all who had died were raised to be judged according to their deeds - godly and/or ungodly, having the mark of the beast or of God. Although John does not elaborate on who these dead are, his use of "the dead" can be taken as all the dead from the beginning of human history. This would be consistent with Paul's comments in Rom. 1:18-2:16 where he writes of the time before and after the giving of the Law. The judgment of the dead results in either eternal life with God or eternal death in the lake of fire with Satan et al. This is what John calls the "second death" for those who had died physically, were raised in the resurrected and were judged as having the mark of the beast. Their names were not in the book of life.

As we begin the final visions we should note that only the dead have been judged. The earth is still populated with the living, both Christian and pagan worshippers: worshippers of God and worshippers of the beast. We are yet to learn what becomes of them. So far we have seen the Messianic age of Christ's one thousand year reign. The early church understood there would be a transfer of power from Christ to God - although this power will be shared. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:24-26 "Then comes the end, when [Christ] hands over the [messianic] kingdom to God after [Christ] has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power; for [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death."

John's vision includes a new heaven and a new earth with a new holy city of Jerusalem "coming down out of heaven from God" who has "made all things new" (Isa. 65:17-18). The New Jerusalem is not simply a new version of the old city. Now it is adorned as a bride for her husband in fulfillment of 19:7, where the marriage of the Lamb has come. Based on this verse and 21:9-10, we know that the bride is the church consisting of "those who conquer" the beast by their abiding faith in Christ. The church and the New Jerusalem are now one. With the New Jerusalem is the presence of God who will dwell amid God's people, taking away their sorrow and pain, for "Death will be no more" (Isa. 25:8, 66:22). But not all will share this New Jerusalem and be eternally in God's presence. John lists those who will be shut out from the New Jerusalem and confined in the lake of fire. This is not a new grouping. They are presented in the second resurrection of 20:15 and will suffer the second death because their names are not in the Book of Life. They did not conquer but submitted to and bore the mark of the beast, now expanded beyond the worship of idols to a number of other grievous sins (vs.8).

Revelation, Chapter 21:9-27, Vision of the New Jerusalem

John is "carried away" by an angel to a great, high mountain where he saw "the bride, the wife of the Lamb" (Ezek. 40:1-2). From that vantage point John sees Jerusalem descending (again?) out of heaven from God (vs.2). John presents a spectacular visual description of the adorned Jerusalem. It has "the glory of God (Ezek.1:28, 43:1-20) and a jewel-like radiance, a high wall with twelve gates - three opening to each of the four cardinal points of the compass. At each of the gates are stationed twelve angels matching the names of the twelve tribes of Israel which are inscribed on the gates. The city wall has twelve foundations. On each is inscribed the names of the twelve apostles of Jesus (Eph. 2:19-20). (We note here the position of the apostles as the foundation of the City of God.) The city, its foundations, gates, wall and streets are a dizzying combination of precious jewels and pure gold not as adornments but as the materials from which they are built (Isa. 54:11-12).  

After describing the city the angel gives John a gold measuring rod to measure the city. its gates and walls (Zech. 2:1-2). As we would expect, the measurements of the city are as spectacular as her appearance. The footprint of the city is 2,250,000 square miles and 1,500 miles high, a perfect cube as was the Sanctuary of the original Jerusalem Temple. The wall around the city is approximately 172 feet high based on the longest Roman cubit.

Unlike the old City this New Jerusalem has no Sanctuary, for the divine presence of God and the Lamb make the entire city a Sanctuary. Thus the city is lit by the glory of God and its lamp is the Lamb and it has no need for celestial lighting (Isa. 24:23, 60:1-2, 19; Ezek. 1:28). John describes the City of God in which God is present as a city that is always open and its ever present light will guide the nations and welcome the kings and people who bring the glory and honor (wealth) of the nations, not to the beast but to God (Isa. 60:11, 20; Zech. 8:20-21).

The New Jerusalem, the Sanctuary which is God and the Lamb, will always be open to those who are guided by the light of God's presence. But there is no access given to anything unclean or anyone who practices a false religion - idol worship, which is apart from God (Isa. 35:8). Only those whose name is in the Lamb's Book of Life may enter (Dan. 12:1).