Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. Then I saw a
new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth
passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
Heaven in
Scripture has a variety of meanings, including 1) the atmosphere, 2)
the interstellar vastness of outer space, and 3) the place of the
throne of God, which includes the Crystal
Sea and the four living creatures
seen in preceding chapters. In the creation account of Genesis
Chapter One, the sun, moon and stars are interestingly subordinate to
the creation of planet earth (Genesis 1:2, 14-18). This verse records
the re-creation (making new) of not only the earth, but also the
universe as well, along with humanity.
The sea in
Scripture may refer to a body of water such as the oceans of earth,
but it is also used symbolically for the nations and tribes that have
filled this planet (Revelation 17:15). It is consistent with the
context of these verses that the sea of nations will no longer be
needed. Those who live will only have one affiliation we will
belong to our King, the Lord Jesus Christ. We may outwardly differ,
but we will be one people in Him.
Verse 2. And I saw the
holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made
ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
It is interesting that the bride
of the Lord (Jesus Christ) is both Israel (as a young bride of the
king - Ezekiel 16:7-14) and the church (Revelation 21). This bride
is really the people of God, of all nations and all time. Here, the bride
of the King is viewed symbolically through the imagery of Gods holy
(set apart) city
Its wonderful that this new Jerusalem assures
us that we shall have a secure place to live for all eternity. Yet
even more important is who we shall be with Jesus Christ, and how we
ourselves will be made ready.
Notice that it is not any act of our own that makes us ready for Him.
Just like a bride (is)
adorned for her husband, so we are
being changed inside, made ready for our Lord.
Verse 3. And I heard a
loud voice from the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is
among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people,
and God Himself will be among them
We caught just a glimpse of the tabernacle of
this verse previously (in Revelation 11:19) The
temple of God was opened in heaven, and
the ark of His covenant was seen
Its important to see that
CHRIST is the High
Priest of the good things to come,
(and He has the) greater and more
perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation
(Hebrews 9:11). The true tabernacle of God (the tent of meeting with
mankind) never was on this earth at all.
In the Old Testament, the tabernacle
(tent) of God (seen in places like Exodus 25, 33:7 & many other
places) was often in view of the people, but at the same time separate
from them. Only some of the people could enter it, and only under
certain conditions. We can see this difficulty expressed clearly in
Hebrews Chapters 8 and 9. Only a few could enter and not very often.
What we have needed all our lives is not on this earth at all We
need to look to the Lord.
Verse 4. and He will
wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any
death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the
first things have passed away.
Isnt this verse wonderful! Isaiah caught a
glimpse of this time when he said of the Lord, He
will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears
from all faces (Isaiah 25:8). Death will be gone forever!
There will no longer be any need for mourning. Crying will be absent
from Gods people. The pain that affects our lives so deeply will be
no more. Best of all, He who loves us will be with us.
You WANT the things of this verse to end! The
chief complaints about God have been that He allows death and the
resultant mourning that accompanies it, along with tears and pain.
And yet, look at this verse: All the trouble of life is temporary in
every way. The dead will live and mourning will be gone, along with
tears and all kinds of pain soon. Instead of being angry with the
Lord, TRUST in Him and you will be a part of all that is good
forever!
Verse 5. And He who
sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He
said, Write, for these words are faithful and true.
The interesting thing is that He (Jesus Christ)
HAS made all things new inside of His people. We see that in places
like Ephesians 2:6, where we discover that He HAS raised
us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in
Christ Jesus
This is also reflected in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed
away, behold, all things have become new.
We just dont see these things outwardly as yet,
but we do find His love growing in our hearts, and KNOW that His words are faithful and true. He is making
all things new, which is both an occurrence (when we receive
Christ Jesus as Savior), a process that is growing with us, and
finally an event that is yet future to us all. Everyone wants a
second chance (to be made new). Heres your opportunity TRUST in
the Lord Jesus Christ. He is indeed faithful
and true.
Verse 6. Then He said
to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and
the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the
water of life without cost.
Alpha is the
first letter and omega is the last
letter of the Greek alphabet, and the message is that God is the
beginning and the ending of all things. Jesus is the Creator, He is
first in everything. This can be seen in places like John 1:3 All
things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that
was made. Of Him it is said, You,
Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the
heavens are the work of Your Hands (Hebrews 1:10). As stated
in these verses, He is also the omega,
the end, the culmination of all that is.
If you are going to have a happy ending for
your life, it will be because you have placed your trust in the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is your Creator and He is the One who determines
what happens to you both in life and in eternity. Notice that He
brings satisfaction to every one who thirsts.
Are you thirsty, deep in your soul? The truth is that ALL people
have such thirst. You will only be satisfied in Him.
Verse 7. He who
overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will
be My son.
Throughout most of history, only the eldest son
could inherit the family name and any fortune that might be attached
to it. The other sons were expected to join the military or enter the
ministry. Daughters were to marry or enter some kind of religious
order. But that system is not the way things are in the kingdom of
God.
There is neither male
nor female in His kingdom, for you
are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). ALL of His
people are heirs according to the promise
of God (Galatians 3:29). Do you want to be significant and have a
special life? TRUST in the Lord Jesus Christ and He will be yours,
along with having a good purpose beyond your wildest dreams. You will
be His beloved son because of His love for you.
Verse 8. But for the
cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral
persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be
in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.
To continue to be selfish and not believe in
Jesus Christ is cowardly, because at the center of your being,
underneath the fear expressed in your denial of Him, you know the
truth that He is exactly who Scripture says He is. Those who reject
Him tend to become sexually immoral, in thought and in deed. Those
who reject Jesus are liars, kidding even themselves much like a
magician (sorcerer) plays tricks on the mind of his audience.
To reject the Lord is to become an idolater,
substituting a religious idea of your own in place of the power of the
living God. His way is easy to understand: He loves you and gave His
Son for you (John 3:16). When the Lord came to earth, 2000 years ago,
He came as our Savior, not as our Judge (John 3:17). As to those who
reject the free gift of the Son of God, He WILL be their Judge when He
returns. Unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire, which
is the second and more terrible death.
Verse 9. Then one of
the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last
plagues came and spoke with me, saying, Come here, I will show you
the bride, the wife of the Lamb.
The seven angels who
had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues were
introduced in Revelation Chapter 15 and described in more detail in
Revelation 16. Intense pressure will be applied to mankind through
them, so that any who are as yet incredibly still undecided about the
Son of God, will be forced to choose. Many who reject the easy way
of simply trusting in Jesus, will be offered the hard way through
suffering that is carefully designed to lead us to faith in the Lord.
In this verse and the ones to follow, we see and
meet the bride, the wife
of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Previously, the bride
was glimpsed in Revelation 21:2, as the holy
city, called the New Jerusalem.
The bride is not only figurative of
the church, as suggested in this verse and in Revelation 21:2, but it
also speaks of Israel (Ezekiel 16:8-14). The bride
consists of people who have faith in God. Jesus is the bridegroom
(John 3:29 & context).
Verse 10. And he
carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed
me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
You can only see (understand) the things of God
with the help of the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit indwells those
who place their trust in God the Son (Romans 8:11 & context). John
the Apostle, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, was now carried in
the Spirit and enabled to see the holy
city, also called Jerusalem,
which was described in verse 9 as the bride
of Jesus Christ, a symbolic, actual reference to the people of God.
If we are the bride
(verse 9), we are also the city
(verse 10). The Holy Spirit is using rich imagery to help us
understand who we are in Christ, underscoring how very special Gods
people are to Him. His people, collectively and individually, are
also referred to as His temple in
places like 1 Corinthians 6:19. Jesus said that He had a mansion
(dwelling place) for His disciples (John 14:2-3). These verses show
that not only do we HAVE a place, but we also ARE that place, created
in the power and love of God.
Verse 11. having the
glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone
of crystal-clear jasper.
We of this world have no glory
at all. Kings, other dignitaries and the rest of us carry the
illusion of grandeur, but it is a comparatively pathetic imitation of
the glory of God. The people of God are seen in these verses as
reflecting HIS glory. To have His glory is to reflect Him. The brilliance,
the light of this verse is Gods holiness, more beautiful than a
perfectly cut stone of crystal-clear jasper.
Like a diamond of unimagined perfection.
When we give ourselves to the Lord, He accepts us
and reciprocates by commencing a process of placing Himself, His
character, into those who trust in Him - He gives them His Holy
Spirit. You may feel ordinary in every way (and all of us are
ordinary), but to receive the Lord is to become, from an eternal
perspective beautiful in His sight.
Verse 12. It had a
great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve
angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the
twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.
The city of God, the holy
Jerusalem (verse 10), is not only a literal place, but it is
also a representation of the people of God. In verse 1, the events
unfolding in this chapter were described as a new
heaven and a new earth. At the present time, Gods people
have been given a new nature through faith in Jesus Christ, but the
old nature unfortunately continues to function alongside the new.
These verses, in Revelation Chapters 21 and 22,
look forward to a time when the old nature will be done away. Gods
people with Gods holiness in and through them, is shown protected by
a great and high wall, with twelve
secure gates and twelve mighty angels assigned to watch over you and
me. And lest WE forget, God does NOT forget that our redemption came
through the twelve tribes of Israel, a fact and a people never to be
forgotten for all eternity.
Verse 13. There were
three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates
on the south and three gates on the west.
Two important realities are shown in this verse:
1) The city (the people of God) will be utterly symmetrical. At the
present time, everything we are, all that we see, is slightly out of
kilter. Individual people, human affairs, governments, the solar
system, the universe all is imperfect. The universe is
mathematically wonderful, and yet stars explode. People can be kind,
merciful, thoughtful, and yet murderous toward others in thought and
deed, all at the same time.
2) The city, Gods people, will be (and they
already are) utterly secure, as suggested by this verse. These are
strong gates, maintained by Almighty God for the good of all His
people. There is a need in all of us to be safe. You can never
achieve the total safety you want until your heart is at rest within
the love offered in Christ Jesus. Come into His city
and be safe forever!
Verse 14. And the wall
of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve
names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
We saw in verse 12 that the works of God through
the people of the nation Israel, will never be forgotten ever! We
are also to remember the works that were done through twelve men seen
in the gospel accounts, known as the apostles of the Lord they will
also be remembered. These men and others suffered greatly for their
testimony about the Lord. The words they spoke, the words they have
written, will never be forgotten.
When we read the Word of God, we find historical,
flesh-and-blood people, who struggled and found faith in God. The
Bible itself CAN be read and ignored, but it faithfully records these
men and the work God did through them, giving US faith through their
words and experience, bringing salvation when we heed the words of men
like Peter, John and Matthew. Does God remember what you have done?
Does He recall the service you have performed for Him? Yes, He does.
Verse 15. The one who
spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its
gates and its wall.
God KNOWS His city, His people, which He is about
to reveal further in the measurements that follow. He already KNOWS
the results to be found by the angel who is doing the measuring He
is REVEALING all this information like a proud father talks about a
beloved child. We see the reality of Gods people, carefully
presented in the symbolic form of this city,
and we see the care with which it is (they are) maintained.
It can be measured (therefore it is a real
place), and it (Gods people) will be found to be perfect, for God
will make it so. Note the precious stones and metals of which
everything consists. God intends for us to be eternally delighted and
at rest from all want, all need, all concerns forevermore.
Verse 16. The city is
laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he
measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and
width and height are equal.
This city,
which is a metaphor for not only the place of Gods people, but also
the people themselves, is quite large. God portrays care in measuring
the city, just as He did in its
creation. It is said that if the people of God number in the
billions, each one will have a comfortable area of about 40-square
miles assigned to them. There will be plenty of SPACE, plenty of ROOM
in eternity. We will not be crowded. And yet, there will also be
ample fellowship with the Lord and with His people. We will always
have more than we could ask or think.
The city is a cube, 1,377 miles wide, deep and
high. Taking the metaphor that the city is not only a place, but also
a people, it is noted that we are many. Even though the way to God
is narrow (Matthew 7:14) and His
people are comparatively few in any generation, still there are many,
and yet at the same time, we are offered more than ample space, plenty
of room. Eternity is designed to be PERFECT for you and me.
Verse 17. And he
measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements,
which are also angelic measurements.
The angel who had been one
of the seven angels who had the seven bowls (verse 9) as seen
previously in Chapters 15 and 16, has continued to reveal the bride
(verse 9), also known as the great city
(verse 10) to the Apostle John. Now we are shown the walls that
protect the city. They are 44 cubits high (216 feet), which is very
tall indeed. John, who lived in a time of walled cities, would have
recognized that God is offering safety to His people. Note that the
angelic beings designed to serve and protect, understand us They
know the nuances of our languages and even are familiar with our
systems of measurement.
We will not need literal walls in eternity
because God Himself will fill that city and He will protect us. He
Himself is our wall, our fortress and our safety forever. This city
and its walls are not only literal, but they are also a wonderful
picture (a parable) of things that will come. It is probable that
we cannot presently understand eternity because we are merely human,
but we can comprehend how SAFE we will be, and that is the message of
this verse.
Verse 18. The material
of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
Jasper, a
mineral which is a variety of chalcedony,
was the last precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest of
Israel (Exodus 28:20, 39:13) and it is here listed first in the
description of the holy citys wall.
The city itself is described as being like pure, clear gold. This city
is beautiful from the outside and it will be lovely within,
breathtaking to all who see it.
As discussed previously (Revelation 21:9-10 &
context), this city is descriptive
not only of the PLACE called New Jerusalem,
but it also reveals the people who will live in that city. None who
live there will ever find fault with the way they look or with what
they have. The reality is that we will be made beautiful INSIDE,
which means we will not be preoccupied with ourselves anymore. Filled
with love for God and others, there will be no flaw in Gods people.
Verse 19. The
foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of
precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second,
sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
We know that each one of the beautiful foundation
stones under the walls of the holy city called New
Jerusalem, represents one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:14). Their lives, which from a human
perspective were flawed like everybody elses, were perfect and
beautiful in the sight of God. They trusted in the Son, the King of
glory, received His grace, His righteousness, and are like the
foundation stones of those who have faith in the Lord.
The wall of the
city is made of jasper
(verse 18) and the first foundation of that wall is jasper
also. The second foundation is made of sapphire,
seen in Aarons breastplate (Exodus 28:18) and in this verse. Chalcedony
has a number of varieties, including agate, carnelian, chrysoprase,
flint, jasper and sardonyx. An enormous emerald
will be in this foundation and an emerald
was also carefully placed into the high priests breastplate. The
high priests garments are prophetic of the work of Christ in and
through His church.
Verse 20. the fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth,
beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh,
jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
Sardonyx is
merely an onyx layered with red sard or carnelian and is seen as part
of the high priests breastplate in Exodus 28:20. Sardius
is a variety of chalcedony and is seen in Exodus 28:17. Chrysolite
is a yellow-green variety of the mineral olivine. Beryl
was the tenth stone of Aarons breastplate and is the eighth among the
foundations of the holy city. Topaz,
a quartz-like mineral, is also seen in Exodus 28:17.
Cyrysoprase may
be the green form of chalcedony, sometimes called green jasper. Jacinth,
the seventh stone in Aarons breastplate, is actually ligure. And
finally amethyst is the purple form
of quartz, which is seen in Exodus 28:19. All of these stones are
very beautiful, which clearly speaks of not only the beauty of the
place where Gods people will be, but also the splendor of Gods love
which will be lavished upon His people forever.
Verse 21. And the
twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single
pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent
glass.
It is, of course, humanly IMpossible to
reasonably imagine a pearl that is the size of the gateway into a
city. But we need to finally see that with
God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Part of what it
means to trust in God, is to recognize that He can do ANYTHING.
Another part is to understand that He has GOOD in store for you and
me. Trust in Him and you will LIKE the outcome of your life, both now
and in eternity.
There will be twelve of these pearl gates.
Again, the number twelve should remind us of the twelve tribes of
Israel and the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. God intervened in
history through the nation Israel, setting a stage for the subsequent
arrival of Jesus into the world, and the appointment of those who
would be entrusted with His Holy Spirit; enabling them to tell the
whole earth of the love of God expressed so completely and beautifully
in Christ Jesus.
Verse 22. I saw no
temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its
temple.
Many have misunderstood the Lord, thinking that
we must continually be involved in the creation of buildings and the
forming of organizations. His ultimate aim for us all is no
buildings and no human organizations. HE is our temple. HE is our
place of worship. HE is our doctrinal system of understanding. He is
our all in all. And incredibly WE become Gods temple
when we let Him into our hearts and lives (1 Corinthians 6:19). No
temple in eternity just His people.
It was always made clear that Pure
and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted
from the world (James 1:27). Too often God has called His
people to have the verse in James imprinted in their acts and in their
souls, but they miss the HEART of His leading in our lives. If He
calls you to erect a building, then build one, but let the purpose be
to help others and promote holiness among Gods people.
Verse 23. And the city
has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of
God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
This verse helps us understand Genesis 1:3 and
16. There was light for the world
in Genesis 1:3, but no sun existed in relation to that light
until Genesis 1:16. We see Sol, the star we call the sun, as
necessary for life, but it is only a secondary, temporary source of
illumination and warmth. The properties necessary for photosynthesis
were occurring without a sun, for we see plant life emerge suddenly
and bountifully in Genesis 1:11-12. In that context, what is the light
of Genesis 1:3?
As we see in this verse in the Book of
Revelation, it was the glory of God!
The lamp we really need, to find our way and to understand, is the Lamb,
Jesus Christ. Poets and other romantics look to the moon as an
inspiration for love, but we should look to the Lord, for He is the
source of all love, all life. We shall walk in the light of our God
and can do so right now, for His Holy Spirit is the key to receiving
His love, His life. We shall walk in the light of our God, and can do
so right now, for the Holy Spirit is given to all who trust in the Son
of God.
Verse 24. The nations
will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their
glory into it.
This verse speaks of a time when the people of
all nations on earth will look to the Lord for everything! Even the
kings, the leaders of those nations will recognize that all the glory
people think they have, is actually on loan to humanity for a time.
The light we need in order to live
our lives is found in Gods glory. Our own attempts to see without
Him, will end in disaster (Isaiah 50:9-10).
Are you curious? Do you want to understand? Look to the Lord! To
have light, to see in Scripture,
often means to understand. The nations
and the kings of this verse are
actually doing something we all should do walking in the light that
GOD provides. There is much MIS-information in this world that is
confusing to all. Jesus is the truth
(John 14:6) and you can TRUST in Him.Verse 25. In the
daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be
closed;
Darkness in
Scripture often refers to evil thoughts and actions that occur when
the person(s) involved think no one is looking. They are performing works
of darkness (Romans 13:12) which harm the ones who are the
victims of those works, and
ultimately such actions will destroy those who perform those kind of
deeds. But here in these verses we see a time when darkness
will be no more.
John starts this verse in Revelation with the
phrase, In the daytime, but then he
understands or recalls that there will be no
night in the City of God, New Jerusalem. Therefore, the pearl
gates into the city will never be closed.
This reveals that there will be NO NEED for the gates to be closed,
for there will NEVER be a threat that would endanger the city. The city
is the bride of Jesus Christ (the
people of God), as seen in verse 2 and forward. When you trust in the
Lord, it is always daytime inside,
and youre SAFE in Him!
Verse 26. and they
will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;
This verse speaks of reflected glory.
The individuals and nations that fill this earth have no glory at all,
except that which is loaned to us through the grace of God. The
teacher cannot teach, the leader cant lead, and neither can the
artist create anything! Except that God acts through us all. Are
you strong? Wise? Are you capable in some way? Bring the glory to
God, for He is the source of all that is good in your life and mine.
Honor! Where is the honor
in this world? Is your word good? Can people trust you? If they
know your word is good, will they take advantage of you, thinking that
you are weak because of your honesty? GOD is honorable, just and
true. He is also strong. All can trust Him and His people will
become like Him. If someone does take advantage of you, dont worry
God will make it right. Bring HIM the glory and you will find honor
forever.
Verse 27. and nothing
unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever
come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's
book of life.
This verse reflects one key reason why glory and
honor (verse 20) are a part of the future for those who trust in the
Lord: Those who commit the offensive, unclean
acts that are so prevalent in this world will be gone! Lies fill
this world to the extent that most people dont know WHAT to believe!
Abomination is rife in humanity
unspeakable acts are committed all the time. But at the time of this
verse, such thoughts and actions will not be found!
At the point of the Lords choosing (and it will
be very soon), those who do and say such things will be no more. In
Philippians 4:3, those
written in the Lambs book of life
are associated with the gospel (good
news) about the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look to the Lord, your
future will be filled with clean thoughts, justice, honesty, love and
peace. Do you want life to be GOOD for you? Then TRUST in the Lord!
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
