Study inRevelation

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New HeavenAnd New Earth

Chap 21v1-22v5Presentation 14

The New Creation [20v1-8]We are told that the first heaven and the first earth are passed away. The foundations of the earth have been subject to God’s purifying fire. Every trace of sin’s vandalism including pain and death have been removed.

A new universe is born. The Greek text indicates this is a ‘new’ but not an ‘other’ world. It is a rejuvenated universe in which nature comes into its own. All of its potential, that had for so long remained dormant, now finds full and glorious expression.

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The New Creation [20v1-8]

The sea, symbolising a restlessness that is the product of sin, ‘is no more’. There is a shalom, a peace, a harmonious whole once again in the totality of the universe.

John sees what is described as a new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. It is called new to distinguish it from the earthly Palestinian city. It is described as holy for it is undefiled by sin and consecrated to God. It is the church of Christ [Isa. 26:1 Ps. 48].

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The New Creation [20v1-8]When we think of a city we think of a place of residence, large numbers of inhabitants, safety, security, social intercourse and beauty, all of which are characteristics of the church. This city comes from God who is its architect. He has provided the plans and also the material [through the death of Christ] for its costly construction.

The church is now ‘ready’ to be presented to Christ for she has been purified and is now without spot or blemish. The eschatological element of her salvation is now in place.

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The New Creation [20v1-8]The whole goal and purpose of salvation is described in v3 ff. The intimacy of the communion described far outstrips that which was lost by Adam who before the fall had walked with God in the garden in the cool of the day. In v4 the state of bliss is expressed in terms of our human life now cataloguing the reversal of the results of the fall. In God’s new creation there is a continuous supply of life giving water i.e. eternal life cf. Ps. 36:8, Joel 3:18, Zech. 14:8 Jn. 4:10. The overcomer, the one who is faithful to the end, will enjoy the provision of God and be owned by God as belonging.

In contrast, v8 describes those who sought to serve sin rather than God, they experience a different environment and relationship.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]One of the seven angels speaks to John and carries him away in the Spirit to a high mountain to view the bride of Christ. John sees the church, the new Jerusalem not only coming down from heaven but radiant, possessing the glory of God.

The glory of God is his character and the purpose of salvation is to conform his redeemed people into the image of his Son, cf. 1 Jn 3:2. ‘when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is’ The city of God has twelve gates cf. Ezek. 48:30-34 symbolising abundant access.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]Each gate bears the name of one of the tribes of Israel, while the twelve foundations upon which the walls rest bear the names of the apostles, thus stressing the continuity of the NT. church with God’s OT. people.

John was told to measure the temple in 11.1 however, this city is measured by an angel cf. Ezek.40-41 Zech. 2:1-5. The purpose of measuring here is to indicate the enormous size and perfect symmetry of the eternal dwelling place of God’s people. The inner sanctuary of Solomon’s temple [1 Kings 6:20], like this city, was also a perfect cube.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]The sizes given here indicate that the writer is struggling to express by symbols the vastness and the splendour of the New Jerusalem. The city is said to be made of pure gold but also it has the transparency of glass enabling it to transmit the glory of God in the form of light without any hindrance. The foundations are adorned with precious stones [the names of some are hard to identify with any exactness]. Precious stones in any language speak of beauty and worth! There is no temple in the New Jerusalem because it has been replaced by a greater reality, ‘the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb’ cf. 2 Cor 6:16.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]The amazing interrelationship between God and his people is seen in the idea of the church being the temple indwelt by God and of God being the temple indwelt by his people cf. [Jn. 14:23]. In the scriptures there is a constant interplay between God dwelling in us and us in him Jn. 15:4-7, 17:23 Acts 17:24-29.

Note that there is no need for sun or moon in the city because it is illuminated by the glory of God. John’s aim is not to chart a cosmological change but to find language and imagery that will describe the glory that shines out from the presence of God and the Lamb.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]

John is able to say there will be no night there for the idea of darkness is unthinkable where the uncreated light of God’s eternal glory rests [cf. Ex 14:20]. The nations are said to walk in the light of God’s glory and that the kings of the earth will bring their glory into the city cf. Isa. 60.

The gates of the city remain open because of the eternal security of God’s people cf. Isa. 60:11

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]The angel now shows John in 22:1 a sparkling river which flows from the heavenly throne cf. Ezek. 47:1-12. In eternity God’s people will live at the source of a life-giving stream which flows from the very presence of God.

On either side of this river there lies the tree of life which bears fruit continuously and not seasonally and the leaves of this tree bring healing to the nations. For tree of life see Gen. 2:9 and 3:22 and Ezek. 47:12 The picture is of eternal life marked by shalom, free from suffering and division.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]The life that God provides for his people in eternity has a quality of bliss that we can hardly begin to imagine. Evil is banished and God’s people find perfect forms in which to worship him. God’s people will see his face cf. Ex. 33:20,23. for the face of Christ reveals the face of the Father cf. Jn. 14:9 2 Cor. 4:6.

The fact that God’s people will have his name on their foreheads does not suggest some disfiguring tattoo but the imprint of all that the name represents.

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The New Jerusalem [21:9- 22:5]

Both the heavenly host and redeemed mankind will see when looking at a believer, what Luther described in a different context as ‘a little Christ’. There will be ‘no darkness there’.

Whether we view darkness as that which belongs to the natural creation or as spiritual outer darkness brought about when men experience the total exclusion from God and his blessings of grace, the experience of the people of God in eternity is that of an abiding in continuous light!

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Epilogue [22:6-11]

In this epilogue an angel attests to the genuineness of the revelation John had witnessed. The visions he had seen of things to come are not only ‘trustworthy and true’ but that they must ‘soon take place’. Throughout the NT. the coming of Christ is viewed as imminent and the early church lived in the light of that. It is of course imminent in as much as the purpose of God is settled and certain. Nothing can hinder it. The blessing of those who ‘keep the words of the prophecy’ refers not simply to believing and guarding the truth they contain but living out their lives in the light of it.

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Epilogue [22:6-11]John is told, not to seal up the words of the prophecy. He is not to keep quiet about what he has seen and heard. He is not to reason, as some preachers have down the years, that ‘this material is too unsettling and too difficult to expound to my congregation’.

Verse 11 is very sobering and it indicates that mans’ habitual responses to God produce character which in turn produce a destiny. Men reap the consequences of the kind of lives they lead. In v12 The Lord Jesus confirms the imminence of his return and the inevitability of his judgement cf. Jer. 17:10, Rom. 2:6, 1Pet. 1:17

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Epilogue [22:6-11]

A blessing is pronounced on those who wash their robes cf. 7:14 where the term describes those who have remained faithful in their commitment to and trust in Christ. Eternal life in the presence of God is their reward.

In contrast those who have, in this life, turned their backs upon God’s provision of salvation are described as being ‘outside’. This outer darkness is the habitation of those who have refused the light.

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Epilogue [22:6-11]

In the light of all that has been taught and as the teaching breaks in upon the minds and hearts of God’s people who ‘hear’ one can expect to find a growing longing for the coming of Christ to wind up this present evil age.

It is impossible to read v17 without seeing the arms of Christ reaching out to men and women in need and providing for them from his fullness, not only in time but throughout eternity.

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Epilogue [22:6-11]

A sober warning is then given against tampering with the message. We must not limit this warning, to those who might engage in textual distortion, though that is clearly in view. The warning applies equally to those who hear this message and who wilfully distort or dilute the thrust of what is being taught in relation to their own lives. cf. Deut. 4:2 12:32 Prov. 30:5-6.

When the LXX [Greek translation of the OT scriptures] was completed in the 3rd century B.C. a curse was ordered to be pronounced according to the custom upon any who sought to tamper with the text.

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Epilogue [22:6-11]

This last book in the scriptures is brought to an end not only with the affirmation of its central theme that a victorious Christ is coming soon but with John’s responsive longing for his return. A longing that should be found in the heart of all of God’s people. ‘Amen. Come Lord Jesus!’

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