The New Jerusalem

Genesis 1, 2, 3 Genesis 1, 2, 3

Genesis Revelation 1, 2, 3 20, 21, 22 Genesis Revelation 1, 2, 3 20, 21, 22

Revelation 20 to 22 contains eight portraits of the true Kingdom, just as we have seen that chapters 12, 13 and 17 contain repeated descriptions of the false Kingdom -- Anti-Christ's…This repetition of the same things from different standpoints, and with other details, is a principle which applies especially to this last book of the Bible. A failure to recognize this, is, we think one of the reasons why so many of those who study this book, fail to get sense from it. The portion of Scripture we are about to consider, is frequently read as though it were one connected narrative, instead of several repetitions of the first statement....

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

This brings the glory side of this glorious Millennial Age to view. The former heaven and earth and sea passed away entirely, and the new are fully inaugurated at the opening of this scene. The new heavens (the spiritual dominion of Christ) and the new earth, (the reconstructed condition of society) being now established; as a matter of course there will be no more sea -- people unrestrained. The New Jerusalem coming down from God to earth, hereafter to be God's dwelling place, is a beautiful representation of the church as a kingdom or government over the earth. This brings the glory side of this glorious Millennial Age to view. The former heaven and earth and sea passed away entirely, and the new are fully inaugurated at the opening of this scene. The new heavens (the spiritual dominion of Christ) and the new earth, (the reconstructed condition of society) being now established; as a matter of course there will be no more sea -- people unrestrained. The New Jerusalem coming down from God to earth, hereafter to be God's dwelling place, is a beautiful representation of the church as a kingdom or government over the earth.

And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21: 2

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. Revelation 21:9-10

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Revelation 21:9-10

Revelation 17:1,2 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:3

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: Revelation 17:4

Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4, 5

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:4, 5

The wiping away of tears implies a gradual work, such as we see will be the process of that glorious time. Man will not be exempt from every weakness and trial and difficulty at the beginning, but if he will conform to the laws of the Kingdom, all cause for distress will gradually pass away, as restitution blessings will lift him out of death into perfect life.

The whole work of the Millennial age is summed up in few words, and we are brought to its culmination in the declaration, “There shall be no more death; neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” What a glorious sun-burst of blessing is in these words! R The whole work of the Millennial age is summed up in few words, and we are brought to its culmination in the declaration, “There shall be no more death; neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” What a glorious sun-burst of blessing is in these words! R. 2832

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:6-8

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:6-8

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:6-8

BookendsBookends

BookendsBookends “It is finished” - John 19:30 Finished = teleo Strong’s #5055 complete, discharge, pay, perform “It is finished” - John 19:30 Finished = teleo Strong’s #5055 complete, discharge, pay, perform

BookendsBookends “It is finished” - John 19:30 Finished = teleo Strong’s #5055 complete, discharge, pay, perform “It is done” - Revelation 21:6 Done = ginomai Strong’s #1096 be brought to pass, become, continue “It is finished” - John 19:30 Finished = teleo Strong’s #5055 complete, discharge, pay, perform “It is done” - Revelation 21:6 Done = ginomai Strong’s #1096 be brought to pass, become, continue

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. Revelation 21:9-10

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Revelation 21:9-10

Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Rev. 21:11

And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: Revelation 21:12

On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. Revelation 21:13

We have already seen, that when God's kingdom (dominion) is established on earth, mankind will be brought into harmony with it, and the literal earthly city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt upon her old heaps, and will again become the great city of earth and Israel (the children of Abraham according to the flesh), as God promised -- the channel through which a blessing will flow to all the nations of earth, from the spiritual seed -- Christ.

And when we read that it has gates in every direction, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed thereon, it seems in perfect accord, to show Israel's position as channels, gateways, by which the world may approach to the heavenly government, and through which may come the blessings to mankind. At the gates were twelve messengers (angels). This would seem to teach that Israel will in due time be the messengers to communicate the Love and Knowledge of the Lord to all creatures. R. 330

From Rev. 21:12 we learn that the gates or entrances of the city, which are twelve in number, are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. This is in harmony with what we have learned of the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God, that the ancient worthies from the various tribes of Israel, selected during the Jewish age, will be the visible representatives of the heavenly Kingdom in the earth, through whose instrumentality the nations may enter into the blessings of the Kingdom. R. 1353

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:14

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. Revelation 21:15-17

And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. Revelation 21:15-17

And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. Revelation 21:15-17

12,000 Furlongs

12,000 Furlongs x ,000

“Furlong”“Furlong” Strong’s #4712 stadion Stadium or race course 220 yards Strong’s #4712 stadion Stadium or race course 220 yards

1,500 miles

“Furlong”“Furlong” 12,000 furlongs=1,500 miles=2,640,000 yards One furlong = 220 yards 12,000 furlongs=1,500 miles=2,640,000 yards One furlong = 220 yards

1,500 miles x 5,280 7,920,000 feet

7,920 miles

1,500 miles x 5,280 7,920,000 feet (7,920 x 1,000)

12,000 Furlongs

12,000 x 12,000 = 144,000,000 (144,000 x 1,000) 12,000 x 12,000 = 144,000,000 (144,000 x 1,000)

And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, even the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, even the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:22-26

And the nations (of those who are saved) will walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Revelation 21:22-26

And its gates may not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there.

And they shall bring the glory (and honor) of the nations into it.

This City class, the glorified Church, it is declared will have no need of the sun or the moon. The sun and the moon here are symbolical, the sun signifies the light of this Gospel age; the moon signifies the typically reflected light of the Gospel in the Law and the prophets of the previous dispensation. The glorified Church will have no need of the light which in the present time she so much enjoys through the Word and spirit, and the Law and the prophets. She will have, instead of these, a much more excellent glory, to which the Apostle refers when he says,

“Now [with all the light, privileges and opportunities which we enjoy, both as respects the representations of God through the Law and the prophets, and through the instructions and leadings of the spirit in the present] we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know in part; then we shall know even as we are known.” R “Now [with all the light, privileges and opportunities which we enjoy, both as respects the representations of God through the Law and the prophets, and through the instructions and leadings of the spirit in the present] we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know in part; then we shall know even as we are known.” R. 2833

When this Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth, its blessings of healing, refreshment and life, mental, moral and physical, upon the world of mankind, the nations shall walk in the light of it. (The words “of them that are saved” are not in old MSS. Indeed, it is because they are not saved that they need this special light during the Millennial age, in order to their enlightenment, their salvation, their restitution.) “And the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it.” (The words, “and honor” are not found in old MSS.)

The expressions “nations” and “kings” are not to be understood as signifying that the world of mankind during the Millennial age will be divided into nationalities and kingdoms as at present: the word “nations” here signifies peoples, and is intended to show that all peoples, and not merely the people of Israel, will be thus favored under God's Kingdom. The word “kings” represents those princes or chief ones of the earth who, during the Millennial age, will be the chief representatives of the heavenly, spiritual,

invisible Kingdom of Christ. These princes, as we have already seen, will be Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the faithful prophets of the previous dispensation, who, loving God before the call to the Kingdom and to the Bride class, cannot be of it, but because of their faithfulness will be the princes whom the Lord will establish in all the earth -- first making them perfect individuals, and qualifying them for their office, as a reward for their faithfulness to God in the dark times in which they lived -- their manifestation of love for righteousness and trust in the Omnipotent One.

The bringing of their glory into the city, the Kingdom, signifies their acknowledgment of this heavenly Kingdom, their rendering of tribute of praise, thanks, worship and obedience to it as God's agency. And this rendering of glory to the Kingdom will continue throughout the entire Millennial age...

And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles, or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles, or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Then, in consideration of the fact that this book of symbols, while relating to the future, is addressed to God's consecrated elect Church in the present time, and in view of the fact that this message would be communicated to and more or less understood by those who would seek to make their calling and election sure to a part in the glorious city, the 27th verse is added, declaring that “In nowise shall there enter into it anything common, or he that doeth abomination and falsehood --

but only they who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.” The Lamb's Book of Life we must understand to include those, and only those, who attain to position of joint-heirship with Christ, whose names are written in heaven during this age, and who are faithful to their covenant. What a glorious incentive we have here to faithfulness! What a warning against the slightest sympathy with anything unclean, untrue, or in anywise contrary to the divine standard of holiness! If we appreciate the glorious things of the divine provision for

the Church and for the world, these promises and offers will have their influence upon us, and under their influence we are expected to keep our garments unspotted from the world; to be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; to hate every contamination of the flesh upon our robe of righteousness; and to seek immediately in prayer for the removal of any spot or wrinkle or any such thing from our wedding garment,--that thus we may abide in the Lord’s love, and in the due time be “meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.” R. 2833