This
chapter describes the New Jerusalem following the Millennium and the final
judgment. Heaven
and earth are replaced by a new heaven and a new earth. Everything is now cleansed from all sin and
is ready for God’s people. Everything is
made new! Earth had been the domain of
Satan and now is purified so God can come down to the new earth. It will be like the Garden of Eden.
John
saw a new heaven and a new earth. The 1st
earth and the 1st heaven were now gone. Even the sea was gone. 2
Peter 3:13 says the earth will be destroyed by fire. It will be consumed, destroyed, and
completely forgotten. Why then do we try
to build riches of houses, cars, large bank accounts? Nothing on earth is going to survive this
fire.
Then
John saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. This city is called holy because everyone who
in it is holy. It is Christ’s
Kingdom. John heard a loud voice saying,
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live
with them. They will be his people, and
God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old
order of things has passed away.” – Rev.
21:1-4
New
Jerusalem comes down from heaven to us just like Jesus came down to earth to
us. God desires to dwell with us ever
since the garden. With the New Jerusalem
God will be with us continually and believers will literally see Him as He
is. All sin will be gone and all tears,
pain, sorrow, fear, and death will be removed.
God repairs creation and re-creates it for His children. There will be eternal life there for all
believers. God’s dwelling with His
people is His grand plan of redemption, which He has stated throughout the
Bible.
How
much time do you spend with Him each day? He wants to be with you all day long every
day.
What in
your life needs to pass away?
John
was told by God to write these words because they are trustworthy and true. God said, “I am
making everything new!” – Rev.
21:5 Everything that He said will
happen. Then He said, “It is done. I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring
of the water of life.” – Rev.
21:6 God has completed His final
work. He completed creation in
Genesis. He completed His work on the
cross. Now His has completed His plan
for renewing creation. His plan is
complete. He leaves nothing unfinished.
Alpha
and Omega is the A to Z in the Greek alphabet meaning He is the first and the
last. The water of life is free. People today are thirsting for so many things
that won’t give them fulfillment – like money possessions and even
relationships. Only Jesus can give you
satisfaction to never thirst for anything again. All you need to do is ask God to deepen your
thirst for Him. Then He will fill your
life with satisfaction and joy.
The
overcomers will inherit all this, but the unbelieving have their place in the
fiery lake, the 2nd death.
(Rev. 21:7-8) There are 2 kinds of
people – believers and unbelievers. They
experience 2 different lifestyles on earth and go to 2 different eternal
destinies. Believers go to eternal life. Unbelievers will experience the 2nd
death - the lake of fire, because they are vile, murderers, sexually immoral,
practice magic arts, idolaters, and liars as described in verse 8. Those whose lives are characterized by such
things are evidence they are not saved and will not enter the heavenly city. All who prefer sin to Jesus Christ are
assured of the 2nd death.
How can
we be overcomers? If you
have belief, faith and trust in Jesus, you have overcome the temptations of the
world. Your inheritance of eternal life
is sure. The promise of eternal
fellowship with God is the believer’s reason for living and motive for
witnessing to others. Accepting Him is
the most important thing you will ever do.
We all
will have eternal life, but where will you spend it?
Then
one of the 7 angels who had the 7 bowls of plagues called John to come and he
would show him the wife of the Lamb. At
this point the marriage had already taken place. John was carried away in the Spirit to a
mountain where he saw the Holy City of Jerusalem coming down from heaven. I am sure John had a hard time describing
what he saw with human words. He said it
shone with the glory of God. It had
brilliance like precious jewels, clear as crystal. It had a high wall with 12 gates with 12
angels at the gates. On the gates were
written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Three gates were on the east, three on the north, three on the south and
three on the west. The city wall had 12
foundations with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. (Rev. 21:9-14) The Lamb’s
wife is described as the new city of Jerusalem.
This is where the bride of Christ, the church will live forever.
This
world is not our home. Our home is in
heaven. There is nothing like going
home. There is no place like home. There is a peace, joy, rest, tranquility, and
a sense of belonging. The best part is
that Jesus will be there with us. That
is what heaven will be like. John gives
us a beautiful description of our heavenly home.
The
city was laid out in a square, as long as it was wide. It measured 12,000 stadia in length, wide,
and high. Its wall was 144 cubits thick
and made of jasper. The city was made of
pure gold as pure as glass. The
foundations of the walls were decorated with all kinds of precious stones –
jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl,
topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst.
The 12 gates were pearls. The
streets were pure gold like transparent glass.
(Rev. 21:15-21)
Who is
serving as the foundation in your life?
The
number 12 is considered a perfect number indicating completeness and symbolizes
God’s power and authority. There are 12
tribes of Israel, 12 apostles, Jacob had 12 sons, the woman in chapter 12 wears
a crown with 12 stars, the Holy City has 12 gates with 12 angels, and 12
precious stones mentioned here. The 144,000
we saw sealed in chapter 12 is 12,000 cubed.
A stadia or furlong is about 1,200 miles in length. The city then is approximately 1,200 miles
times 12,000 on each of its 4 sides so there is plenty of room for billions of
God’s people who are not limited by gravity.
I love how the Bible ties everything together in a neat bow. God leaves nothing to chance or coincidence.
I
looked up what all these precious stones were:
Jasper
= Diamond
Sapphire
= Brilliant blue stone
Chalcedony
= Sky blue with colored stripes
Emerald
= Bright green stone
Sardonyx
= 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
Precious
stones like these are highly treasured and sought after. God treasures His people. We are precious to Him and He seeks after
us.
John
didn’t see a temple, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its
temple. It didn’t need the sun or the moon
for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp. It’s never nighttime. The Lord’s glory will illuminated the
city. This city is full of the glory of
God. At no time will be gates be closed,
because there will be no enemy to enter.
Nothing impure will ever enter it, only those whose names are written in
the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev. 21:22-27)
What is
your source of light?
How are
you letting the light of Jesus shine in your life?
This is
not a city that we can really understand.
Even John probably had a hard time describing it in human language. The city is very large, because it would have
to be since it is a place for all of God’s people. It will be the center of the new earth and a
place where the Lord will be the King over all nations. He has already dealt with the unholy and only
clean and good will exist there.
Do you
want to live there? I sure do. It will be a place of rest, a place of
complete security, a place of refreshment for God’s people, a place without
fear, a place of true worship, and a place of joy and holiness. God will provide security and stability and
lavish provisions for His people. We
will enjoy its beauty and unity with other believers for eternity. We will walk in His presence. We will have unending fellowship with
Jesus. Hallelujah!
Why
would anyone want to miss out of this?
Will I
see you there?
John’s
revelation says eternity is real! Believers
will go to an eternal heaven forever, but unbelievers will go to eternal
punishment forever.
Next
week we will study Revelation 22. Hope to see you here.
__________________________________________
If you
have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share
this post with the buttons below.
You can also join this site by clicking on the blue button at the top left "Join this site" or you can "Subscribe by Email". If you follow by email, you will receive an email every time there is a new post
