REVELATION
Chapters 21 & 22
"Home at Last"
INTRODUCTION:
1. That which is described in these last two chapters are "post millennial,"; that is, it takes place after the 1,000 years reign of Christ on earth.
2. These chapters take us from time into eternity.
3. They describe the eternal state and dwelling place of those of all ages who have trusted in Christ.
4. Apart from these chapters there is little disclosed regarding the eternal state of the blessed.
5. Other texts: Isa. 65:17; 66:22; II Pet. 3:10-13
I. THE NEW CREATION (21:1,2)
A. The Passing of the Old Order (II Pet. 3:10-13; Mt. 24:35)
1. The complete destruction and annihilation of the present is described here.
2. The heavens and the earth shall "be dissolved" (Gr.) for "pass away." (v.10)
3. The elements will melt or "thaw" (Gr.). (vs.10,12)
4. The molecules and atoms that hold all things together will be "loosed" (Gr.) or dissolved. (vs.11,12)
a. As the Lord spoke the creation into existence (Gen. 1,2; Heb. 11:3)
b. So He will speak again and the creation as we now know it will disappear. (cf. Col. 1:16,17)
5. The heavens and the earth will be set ablaze with a "violent consuming heat." (vs.10,12)
6. The old order will be so completely consumed that there will be no remembrance of it. (Isa. 65:17)
7. The dissolution of the old will also bring about:
a. The destruction of the old nature in man
b. The termination of sin which was prevalent in every age including the Millennium. (21:8, 21:27; 22:15)
B. The Presentation of the New Order (21:1,2)
1. It will be a totally new creation. (cf. Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:5)
2. The word for create here is "bara."
a. It is not that things are changed or renovated.
b. It is a totally new creation out of nothing.
c. "In the more than one hundred and twenty Bible occurrences of the word 'create' or its cognates, I find no hint of anything except origination of things. There is no thought of a former creation, changed or cleansed." (Newell)
3. The new order will have no sea. (v.1)
a. Apparently the earth will consist completely of land mass.
b. The only water mentioned is the river that proceeds out from the throne of the Lamb. (22:1)
1) Symbolic of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 7:37-39)
2) If so, it suggests that our lives will be sustained by the Holy Spirit, even as our new man is given life now.
4. The glory and beauty of the City is described as a bride. (v.2)
II. THE NEW CONDITIONS (21:3-8)
A. The Dwelling Place of God (v.3)
1. Suggests full and uninhibited relationship with Him
2. God will "pitch His tent" (Gr.) with the saints. (cf. v.7)
B. The Deliverance of the Saints (v.4)
1. "The emphasis here is on the comfort of God, not on the remorse of the saints." (Walvoord)
2. There is no such Biblical evidence of tears in heaven.
a. Of the tribulation saints in heaven (Rev. 7:17)
b. Of the Kingdom saints (Isa. 25:8; 35:10; 51:11)
c. At the Judgment seat of Christ (I Cor. 4:5)
d. None in heaven (Rev. 21:4)
3. All suffering, tears, sorrow, pain, death are now "passed away"--from the root for "loosed."
C. The Delight of the Saints (v.6) --"It refers to the abundant character of eternal life and the blessings which flow from it and is a fulfillment of the invitation of Isaiah 55:1 as well as that of Christ in John 4:10,13,14." (Walvoord)
III. THE NEW CONSTRUCTION (21:9-21)
A. A City That Descends (v.10) cf. 21:2
1. A city now in its preparation for descent (Jn. 14:2)
2. It will alight on the new earth.
B. A City That Declares (v.11)
1. The glory of God
2. Depicted in the construction of the city of precious metals and stones.
3. There is no human possibility of grasping its magni- ficence.
C. A City of Dimension (21:15-17) --"F. W. Boreham has thought it worth his while to give careful consideration to this very matter, and I feel confident many will want to have for permanent keeping what he has said as he tells the story of an Australian engineer by the name of Tammas, one of his parishioners, with whom he was talking: "Did you ever think about the size of the city?" he asked. And without waiting for a reply he proceeded to reveal the significance of his statistics. "Man, it's amazing; it's astounding; it beats everything I ever heard of! John says that each of the walls of the city measures twelve thousand furlongs. Now, if you work that out" - he bent closely over his notebook - "it will give you an area of 2,250,000 square miles! Did you ever hear the like of that? The only city foursquare that I ever saw was Adelaide in South Australia. The ship that brought me out from the old country called in there for a couple of days, and I thought it a fine city. But, as you know, very well, the city of Adelaide covers only one square mile. Each of the four sides is a mile long. London covers an area of 140 square miles. But this city--the City Foursquare! It is 2,250,000 times as big as Adelaide. It is 15,000 times as big as London! It is twenty times as big as all New Zealand! It is ten times as big as Germany, and ten times as big as France! It is forty times as big as all England! It is ever so much bigger than India! Why, it's an enormous continent in itself. I had no idea of it until I went into the figures with my blue pencil here." He would allow no comment at this stage. "Wait a minute," he pleaded, as Gavin turned to ask a question, "wait a minute." I've been going into the matter of population, and it's even more wonderful still. Look at this! Working it out on the basis of the number of people to the square mile in the city of Lon- don, the population of the City Foursquare comes out at a hundred thousand millions--seventy times the present population of the globe!" (From: "The Biblical Doctrine of Heaven" by Wilbur Smith)
IV. THE NEW COMMUNION (21:22-22:7)
A. No Structure (v.22)
1. The old tabernacle and temple were restrictive in their approach to God, especially the Holy of Holies.
a. Entered only with sin offerings--no longer needed
b. Entered only by the High Priest--no longer a need for a mediator
2. In heaven, the saints will have full and unhindered access to the presence of God - He is the Temple.
B. No Sun (v.23) --The earth will be lightened by the Light of Christ. (Jn. 1:9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; Mal. 4:2)
C. No Security (v.25)
1. The gates of the cities of the ancient middle east were always closed at night.
2. The gates of the Heavenly City will never be closed because:
a. There is no night there.
b. There are no enemies there.
3. The City will provide a haven of safety, finally, for all the saints who have suffered the terrors of the old earth.
D. No Sickness (22:2) --"Rather than specifically meaning 'healing,' it should be understood as health giving (therapeian)...in other words, the leaves of the tree promote the enjoyment of life in the New Jerusalem, and are not for correcting ills which do not exist." (Walvoord)
E. No Scourge (v.3)
1. The curse was prevalent throughout human history beginning with Adam and through the Millennium.
2. In Heaven the curse is completely lifted.
a. Satan is gone.
b. Demons are gone.
c. The old nature is gone.
F. No Slothfulness (v.3)
1. "This is a picture of blessedness in service rather than of arduous toil." (Walvoord)
2. Continuous service - "no night there" (21:25; 22:5)
3. What could be more enjoyable?
4. As a part of our service, we will reign with Him for eternity. (Over what and how, we do not know.)
V. THE NEW CHALLENGE (22:8-17) (The scene shifts back to John and the earth and relates how we are to prepare ourselves for His coming and our heavenly future.)
A. Our Praise (v.9)
B. Our Profession (v.11)
C. Our Performance (v.12)
D. Our Perseverance (v.14)
E. Our Preservation (vs.18,19) (Directed at the unbelieving scoffers, and not believers)
CONCLUSION:
1. God's final call (v.17)
2. God finally comes. (vs.20,21)
"THE JERUSALEM THAT IS ABOVE"
Jerusalem the golden,
With milk and honey blest,
Beneath thy contemplation
Sink heart and voice opprest:
I know not, O I know not
What social joys are there;
What radiancy of glory,
What light beyond compare!
For thee, O dear dear country,
Mine eyes their vigils keep;
For very love, beholding
Thy happy name, they weep:
The mention of thy glory
Is unction to the breast,
And medicine in sickness,
And love, and life, and rest.
O one, O only mansion!
O Paradise of joy,
When tears are ever banished,
And smiles have no alloy!
The cross is all thy splendor,
The Crucified thy praise;
His laud and benediction
Thy ransomed people raise.
O sweet and blessed country,
The home of God's elect!
O sweet and blessed country
That eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us
To that dear land of rest,
Who art, with God the Father
And Spirit, ever blest.
Bernard of Cluny--12th century
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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