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Revelation 21
By: Rich Puckett
Revelation 21: (v. 1-8) A new heaven, and new earth: the new Jerusalem where God dwells, and banishes all sorrow from his people.
(v. 9-21) Its heavenly origin, glory, and secure defence.
(v. 22-27) Its perfect happiness, as enlightened with the presence of God and the Lamb, and in the free access of multitudes, made holy.
A new heaven, and new earth: the new Jerusalem where God dwells, and banishes all sorrow from his people
(Rev 21:1 KJV) 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.
The future happy and flourishing state of the church
Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Isa 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
Isa 65:19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
2 Pet 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2 Pet 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
As I said in earlier studies, I believe that the plan of Jesus dying was not until Isa. Yet I do believe that the plan of a new heaven was almost from the beginning. I have always thought that the most important things to consider here are the reason for a new heaven and new earth and how that relates to us. Consider this, there was a war in heaven, God had created a world the one we live in. How is he going to keep that from happening again? The reason it cannot happen again is because of the conditions of entrance into the new heaven and earth.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
1 Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 Pet 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1 Pet 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
In conjunction with the consummation of the ages and the return of Christ, all things will be "restored" to their original perfection as in the Garden of Eden. This is a reference to the kingdom or millennial era (cf. Rom. 8:19-22).
Here is the key to the success of why the new heaven and earth will not have the same down falls as before. You cannot enter in unless you have been born again and this means to be converted. To be of the spirit and not of the flesh.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
The new heaven is made for those whose names are written in the book of life, who's names are in that book? Those that have born again by his Spirit, filled with his Spirit and are now sons of God. Also keep in mind sin, Satan is no longer present or his followers for they have been cast into the lake of fire. I don't think we shall see them or miss them. Some worry about missing lost loved ones. Well if they have not been born of the Spirit they are not a part of the family of God. You won't have to worry, you won't miss them or even know them any longer. For I think the mind will be pure and cleaned and memory of the old world gone for ever.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
vv. 21:1-22:5) There are clearly three "heavens" to which the Scriptures allude: (1) the firmament (Gen. 1:8), referring to the earth's atmosphere; (2) the stellar universe in its expanse (Ps. 19:1); and (3) the unique dwelling place of God (Heb. 4:14). The latter place, an actual location prepared for God's people, is in view in the remaining chapters of the Apocalypse. John 14 describes clearly a real place uniquely prepared for believers. Heaven is viewed as a place where God will always be with His people (v. 3), a place void of sorrow, death, pain, and other exigencies of life in this dispensation (v. 4), a place of pristine and immaculate beauty (vv. 9-26), a place free from sin or defilement (v. 27), a condition of perpetual life (22:1, 2), and the province of God's eternal reign (22:5). Strange notions of heaven often distort the beauty of this Christian doctrine. Heaven is a place of ceaseless activity and meaningful responsibility, without the limitations of the space-time-mortality continuum. Christians will reign forever (22:5), which involves activity and responsibility.
Rev 21:1: Verses 1-8. The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other; the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. The old world, with all its troubles and tumults, will have passed away. There will be no sea; this aptly represents freedom from conflicting passions, temptations, troubles, changes, and alarms; from whatever can divide or interrupt the communion of saints. This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, the church triumphant. Its blessedness came wholly from God, and depends on him. The presence of God with his people in heaven, will not be interrupt as it is on earth, he will dwell with them continually. All effects of former trouble shall be done away. They have often been in tears, by reason of sin, of affliction, of the calamities of the church; but no signs, no remembrance of former sorrows shall remain. Christ makes all things new. If we are willing and desirous that the gracious Redeemer should make all things new in order hearts and nature, he will make all things new in respect of our situation, till he has brought us to enjoy complete happiness. See the certainty of the promise. God gives his titles, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, as a pledge for the full performance. Sensual and sinful pleasures are muddy and poisoned waters; and the best earthly comforts are like the scanty supplies of a cistern; when idolized, they become broken cisterns, and yield only vexation. But the joys which Christ imparts are like waters springing from a fountain, pure, refreshing, abundant, and eternal. The sanctifying consolations of the Holy Spirit prepare for heavenly happiness; they are streams which flow for us in the wilderness. The fearful durst not meet the difficulties of religion, their slavish fear came from their unbelief; but those who were so dastardly as not to dare to take up the cross of Christ, were yet so desperate as to run into abominable wickedness. The agonies and terrors of the first death will lead to the far greater terrors and agonies of eternal death.
(Rev 21:2 KJV) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This is most often thought of as the capital of the new earth made for us. I am amazed when I think of the beauty of this place and to think that we shall live there. There is no place on this earth in times present or past that will even come close
to matching what God has made for us. Not even the Garden of Eden could compare with beauty and perfect place of happiness made for us.
(Rev 21:3 KJV) 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.
No longer will it just be him in the spirit but he shall be with us in his body.
(Rev 21:4 KJV) 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.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
A place of no more tears, death has been destroyed, no sorrow, no crying, no pain of any kind because all the former things exist no more. This is why I say the Old World is passed from our minds and hearts and old desires exist no more, we are truly in paradise.
(Rev 21:5 KJV) 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.
(Rev 21:6 KJV) 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.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
When Jesus died on the cross the old was finished and a new promise was given, here God says it is done, the old is gone and new promise if full filled. Now we drink of the fountain of life freely.
(Rev 21:7 KJV) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
In earlier studies I said that all the things promised in the letters to the churches were for everyone that made it. This is plain to me if you overcome and you make it to this new earth then you inherit all things. The robe, the crown, the new name all of these things are yours, its your promise from God. I cannot see any place in this book where he takes away a few of the things and you only receive in part the promise, its all or nothing.
(Rev 21:8 KJV) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the 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.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I am not going to break down each of these because I think that murder and whoremongers and sorcerers are plain. Let me say this that today many are going to fortune tellers and witch craft is rampant today, it is sin, it will keep many out of heaven, not because I say so but because it says so here in the bible. You cannot be a good witch, in Gods eyes.
fearful, When we come to God we no longer can serve him in fear of the world. This is not talking about fear we have of failing God but rather fear of the world and fear of the person God. We serve God because we love him and he loves us, we can approach him because he is our father. And we do not fear the world or Satan. Often men fall so short because they fear people and thus do not live the life they should for God. Preachers often fail to preach and teach his word the way they know his Spirit tells them to because of fear of being fired. Husbands and wives often fail to go to church, raise the kids according to his word for fear of the spouse leaving them. People don't take a stand against sin and allow things to happen in the schools and communities because they fear the people. Take heed, he says the fearful won't make it in!
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Tim 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Unbelieving This is the opposite of faith. A unbeliever cannot be saved. Faith is knowing, I know who Jesus is, I Know my sins are forgiven, I know he will heal the sick, I know. Doubt and unbelief is a lack of trust, you can't say I trust God and still have a unbelieving heart.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
abominable, Doing works that deny Christ in us is being abominable. We are the light of the world, our whole goal is to win others to Jesus, if we say we love him but our works deny him then you will not make it in.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
1 Pet 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Lev 11:43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
Lev 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Lev 18:30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
Job 15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
Psa 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
abominable adj 1: unequivocally detestable; "abominable treatment of prisoners"; "detestable vices"; "execrable crimes"; "consequences odious to those you govern"- Edmund Burke [syn: detestable, execrable, odious] 2: exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste"; "abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting"; "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room" [syn: atrocious, awful, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable]
all liars People who do not tell the truth will not be there. People who say they love God but do not follow his will or do his works or show his love is called a lair. I think here is where many will fall, they say they love God and love others but the works say otherwise. You cannot say you love someone and not care about them as a person or a soul. Caring is love how much you care says how much love you have
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
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li·ar (l
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Its heavenly origin, glory, and secure defence
(Rev 21:9 KJV) 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.
Rev 21:9: Verses 9-21. God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heaven as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining in its lustre; glorious in relation to Christ; which shows that the happiness of heaven consists in intercourse with God, and in conformity to him. The change of emblems from a bride to a city, shows that we are only to take general ideas from this description. The wall is for security. Heaven is a safe state; those who are there, are separated and secured from all evils and enemies. This city is vast; here is room for all the people of God. The foundation of the wall; the promise and power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong foundations of the safety and happiness of the church. These foundations are set forth by twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellence of the doctrines of the gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the personal excellences of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven has gates; there is a free admission to all that are sanctified; they shall not find themselves shut out. These gates were all of pearls. Christ is the Pearl of great price, and he is our Way to God. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. The saints in heaven tread gold under foot. The saints are there at rest, yet it is not a state of sleep and idleness; they have communion, not only with God, but with one another. All these glories but faintly represent heaven.
(Rev 21:10 KJV) 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,
(Rev 21:11 KJV) Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
(Rev 21:12 KJV) 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:
(Rev 21:13 KJV) On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
(Rev 21:14 KJV) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(Rev 21:15 KJV) And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
(Rev 21:16 KJV) 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.
foursquare
adj : characterized by firm and unwavering conviction; "a foursquare refusal to yield" n : (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon; "you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides" [syn: square] adv 1: in a square position; "the building stood foursquare" 2: with firmness and conviction; without compromise; "he stood foursquare for religious liberty and toleration"- C.G.Bowers; "dealt straightforwardly with all issues" [syn: squarely, straightforwardly] fur·long (fûr
lông
, -l
ng)
n. Abbr. fur.
(Rev 21:17 KJV) And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
cu·bit
(ky
b
t)(Rev 21:18 KJV) And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
jasper
\Jas"per\, n. [OE. jaspre, jaspe, OF. jaspre, jaspe, F. jaspe, L. iaspis, Gr. ?; cf. Per. yashp, yashf, Ar. yashb, yasb, yasf, Heb. y[=a]shpheh. Cf. Diaper.] (Min.) An opaque, impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow, and other dull colors, breaking with a smooth surface. It admits of a high polish, and is used for vases, seals, snuff boxes, etc. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper. The Egyptian pebble is a brownish yellow jasper.The colors of the foundations of the city are arresting even by mere description. Although interpreters are uncertain about the exact identification and color of each stone mentioned, the following will give an approximation: jasper = green; sapphire = sky blue; chalcedony = green copper silicate; emerald = greenest of all stones; sardonyx = white; sardius = blood red; chrysolite = gold; beryl = sea green; topaz = transparent greenish-gold; chrysoprase = yellow-green; jacinth = violet; amethyst = blue or purple.
(Rev 21:19 KJV) And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
chal·ced·o·ny
also cal·ced·o·ny (k
l-s
dn-
)(Rev 21:20 KJV) The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
(Rev 21:21 KJV) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Its perfect happiness, as enlightened with the presence of God and the Lamb, and in the free access of multitudes, made holy
(Rev 21:22 KJV) And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:22: Verses 22-27. Perfect and direct communion with God, will more than supply the place of gospel institutions. And what words can more full express the union and co-equality of the Son with the Father, in the Godhead? What a dismal world would this be, if it were not for the light of the sun! What is there in heaven that supplies its place? The glory of God lightens that city, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. God in Christ will be an everlasting Fountain of knowledge and joy to the saints in heaven. There is no night, therefore no need of shutting the gates; all is at peace and secure. The whole shows us that we should be more and more led to think of heaven as filled with the glory of God, and enlightened by the presence of the Lord Jesus. Nothing sinful or unclean, idolatrous, or false and deceitful, can enter. All the inhabitants are made perfect in holiness. Now the saints feel a sad mixture of corruption, which hinders them in the service of God, and interrupts their communion with him; but, at their entrance into the holy of holies, they are washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and presented to the Father without spot. None are admitted into heaven who work abominations. It is free from hypocrites, such as make lies. As nothing unclean can enter heaven, let us be stirred up by these glimpses of heavenly things, to use all diligence, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
(Rev 21:23 KJV) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
(Rev 21:24 KJV) And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
(Rev 21:25 KJV) And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
(Rev 21:26 KJV) And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
(Rev 21:27 KJV) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
As in v. 8, all that would defile the city are excluded. No one whose name is not recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life is admitted.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
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