Re: Revelation 21
Doug
in article <QPudnUZFAqrXpGnX...@giganews.com>:
> Text: Revelation 21
>
> Exegesis:
>
> 3. The things which shall be hereafter (4-22)
> D. New Heavens and Earth (21)
> E. New Jerusalem (21-22)
>
>
> Just after the events of the millennial kingdom and Great White Throne
> judgment, John saw the eternal state. Chapter 21 describes the new
> heavens, earth, and Jerusalem.
>
> D. New Heavens and Earth (21)
>
> First, John saw the new heavens and earth. Since "the first heaven and
> the first earth were passed away", this seems to refer to an entirely
> new creation. This is supported by other statements, such as chapter 20,
> where, at the presence of Christ's face, the heavens and earth "fled
> away", and there was "no more place found for them". The word "new", can
> mean both newly made and new in character.
>
> Very little is said about the heavens and earth themselves. One new
> aspect will be that there is no sea.
The "sea" can be interpreted by referring to other scriptures.
Rev. 17:15
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore
sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Isa. 57:20
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt.
The nations are to be "converted."
Isa. 60:5
"the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee"
> Very few other passages in the
> Bible describe the eternal state,
Several commentators relate Isa. 60 to Rev. 21. R.A. Torrey wrote in
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, Note to Isa. 60:11:
http://www.studylight.org/com/tsk/view.cgi?book=isa&chapter=060
<quote>
The subject of this chapter, says Bp. Lowth, is the great increase and
flourishing state of the church of God, by the conversion and accession
of the heathen nations to it; which is set forth in such ample and
exalted terms, as plainly shew that the full completion of this prophecy
is reserved for future times. This subject is displayed in the most
splendid colors, under a great variety of images highly poetical,
designed to give a general idea of the glories of that perfect state of
the church of God, which we are taught to expect in the latter times;
when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, and the Jews shall be
converted and gathered from their dispersions, and "the kingdom of this
world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ."
</quote>
> and those which do, often mix
> descriptions of the millennial kingdom with the new heavens and earth.
Maybe the allusions you see to an earthly kingdom should be interpreted,
as the NT authors did.
> It is common, though, in prophecy, to foresee future events as though
> they occur at the same time, or out of their true order in time.
>
> E. New Jerusalem (21-22)
>
> In much more detail, John describes what he saw of New Jerusalem. In
> contrast to the most recent picture of "Sodom" (11:8), New Jerusalem
> will be "holy". This name is also given in Matthew 4:5, and 27:53. As a
> bride adorned for her husband, so New Jerusalem will reflect the beauty
> of costly gems and purest gold.
>
> Interestingly, this new place will descend out of heaven. Nothing is
> said, here about it being created. This may imply that the city was
> already in existence, and that it was simply lowered to earth. In John
> 14:2, Christ said, "I go to prepare a place for you". Perhaps New
> Jerusalem is the city Christ has been building.
Yes, Peter said believers are "built up a spiritual house."
1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ.
>
> New Jerusalem will include the presence of God. In the past, God
> tabernacled with the nation Israel, then indwelt believers. Here again,
> God's tabernacle will be with men. He will "dwell with them". They shall
> be His people, and He Himself will be with them, and be their God.
>
> Another new facet of this creation is the absence of "death, sorrow,
> crying, or pain. God "shall wipe away all tears", and men will be free
> from any kind of suffering, "for the former things are passed away".
> Christ says "I make all tings new".
>
> This summary seems to mark the completion of God's new creation. Christ
> declares Himself the Alpha and Omega (first and last letters of the
> Greek alphabet), which may describe His eternal nature as the "beginning
> and the end".
>
> Interestingly, Revelation seems to show the completion of the divine
> program much in the same way Genesis introduced it. In Genesis 1:1, God
> created the earth. In Revelation 21:1, He makes a new heaven and earth.
> In Genesis, God created the sun. Here, there will be no need of the sun
> (v23). In Genesis, night is established. In Revelation, there will be no
> night (22:5). In Genesis, God created the seas. The new creation will
> have no sea (21:1). The curse appears in Genesis 3:14-17. There is no
> curse in the eternal state (22:3). Death began in Genesis, but here,
> there will be no more death (21:4). Man was driven from paradise
> (Genesis 3:24), but will now be restored (22:14). Sorrow and pain began
> in Genesis (3:17), but there will be no tears or pain in New
> Jerusalem(21:4). Christ is the "beginning and the end".
>
> God promises that whoever overcomes shall inherit all things, including
> a close relationship with God, which is likened to that of a son.
> Although this applies to all saints, it may be especially motivating to
> those who will endure the Great Tribulation.
>
> In contrast to the old, the new creation will not include the fearful,
> unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters,
> or liars. These will "have their part in the lake which burneth with
> fire and brimstone, which is the second death". This does not imply that
> one's works will merit the eternal state. Rather, it describes the
> nature of the people whom God has not saved, as opposed to those He has.
>
> John next saw a more detailed view of the New Jerusalem. The angel which
> showed it, referred to it as "the bride, the Lamb's wife. In the Old
> Testament, Israel was likened to the wife of Jehovah. The New Testament
> declares the church the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:27; 2 Corinthians
> 11:2, etc.). Here, however, New Jerusalem is also called the bride of
> Christ.
>
> What John saw, was a city which reflected "the glory of God".
Actually, John describes the church, under the figure of a city.
Isa. 60:2
behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the
people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen
upon thee.
Isa. 60:7 says "I will glorify the house of my glory."
> As His
> image was described by gems (chapter 4), so this city looks like "a
> stone most precious", "clear as crystal".
Isa. 60:17
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for
wood brass, and for stones iron.
> Various descriptions are given
> as to the appearance and dimensions of New Jerusalem.
>
> First, it had a "wall great and high".
Isa. 60:18, "thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise."
> This is later measured at 144
> cubits, which is about 216 feet tall. There were twelve gates (three on
> each wall), each one with an angel to guard it, and the name of one of
> the twelve tribes of Israel.
The name Judah means "praise," so John probably extended what Isaiah said.
> In addition, there were twelve foundations,
> in which were the names of the "twelve apostles of the Lamb".
>
> An angel measured the length, width and height of the city, using a
> golden rod, but the measurements were given in human measurements. It
> was about 1,500 miles long, wide and high. Various shapes have been
> suggested. Given these dimensions, it is apparently something like a
> giant cube, or pyramid.
>
> To describe the beauty and brilliance of the city, the text likens them
> to various precious stones and pure gold. The wall was like jasper
> (clear), and the city itself was "pure gold, like unto clear glass".
Gregory K. Beale wrote:
<quote>
Some interpret 21:10-22:5 as a literal description of an actual physical
city. But this is highly improbable since "the bride of the Lamb" (v 10),
that is, the eternal community of the redeemed (so 21:2, 10), is equated
with the detailed layout of the city in 21:11-22:5: "I will show you the
bride, the wife of the Lamb,... and he showed me the holy city,
Jerusalem" (21:9-10).
</quote>
[The book of Revelation: a commentary on the Greek text, Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing, 1999, p. 1062:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=HjKUiljUwcUC]
>
> The foundations of the wall were "garnished with all manner of precious
> stones". The first was jasper (clear); the second sapphire (perhaps
> blue, like a diamond); the third chalcedony (sky blue, with other colors
> running through it?); the fourth and emerald (bright green); the fifth,
> sardonyx (red and white); the sixth, sardius (reddish); the seventh,
> chrysolite (transparent gold); eighth, beryl (sea green); the ninth, a
> topaz (transparent yellow-green); the tenth, a chrysoprasus (some shade
> of green); the eleventh, a jacinth (violet); the twelfth, an amethyst
> (purple).
>
> There were twelve gates, each one made of a single pearl. The street of
> the city was made of a pure, transparent gold, like glass.
Isa. 60:17
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for
wood brass, and for stones iron.
> There was no
> temple, because "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of
> it". Also, there will be no sun or moon, because the glory of God and
> the Lamb will light it.
Isa. 60:19-20
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall
the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an
everlasting light, [Rev 21:25] and thy God thy glory.
Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
[Rev 21:23] for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, [Rev 21:23]
and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. [Rev 21:4]
>
> All the nations of those who are saved, will walk in the light of New
> Jerusalem, and the kings of the earth will "bring their glory and honour
> into it.
Isa. 60:5-6
the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee...all they from Sheba
shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth
the praises of the LORD.
> The gates will not be shut by day, and there will be no night.
Isa. 60:11
Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day
nor night.
> There will be no security problems, and nothing which defiles, works
> "abomination", or that makes a lie, will be permitted to enter. New
> Jerusalem will include only those whose names are written in the "Lamb's
> book of life".
Isa. 60:21
Thy people also shall be all righteous.
David Mathewson wrote: "John draws upon Isaiah 60 for several aspects of
his portrayal. Isaiah 60 envisions a time of eschatological restoration
when God's glorious presence will suffuse the land and the people will be
restored to their homeland. The two statements in Rev. 21:23, that 'the
city does not have need of the sun or the moon to illuminate it' and 'for
the glory of God will illuminate it', echo Isaiah's 'the sun shall no
longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light
to you by night' (Isa. 60:19a) and 'the Lord will be your everlasting
light, and your God will be your glory' (Isa. 60:19b) respectively. This
could be understood to mean only that the sun and moon are no longer
necessary, not that they are obliterated. However, given the emphasis on
the removal of the old order (20:11), along with the negation of elements
from the previous creation that cease to exist in the new (21:4; 21:22),
it is probable that John envisions their dissolution here. The allusion
to Isaiah 60 functions as a further rationale for the missing temple in
John's vision (21:22). The light of God's presence so infuses the entire
city that a separate temple is rendered unnecessary.
[Isaiah in the New Testament, Steve Moyise, M. J. J. Menken eds.
Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. p. 206-209:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=yEKfTSCESyMC&pg=PA206]
--
Doug
Ike E 11/05/09
"Doug" <t...@sentex.net> wrote in message
news:J92dnYucDIs_RWjX...@sentex.net...
[snip]
> The "sea" can be interpreted by referring to other scriptures.
>
> Rev. 17:15
> And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore
> sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
>
> Isa. 57:20
> But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose
> waters cast up mire and dirt.
>
> The nations are to be "converted."
>
> Isa. 60:5
> "the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee"
Yes, "sea" (or "waters") = the Gentiles in general, Christians in thesis,
antichristians in antithesis.
And this from the same book that teaches heaven AND hell, which shoots the
hell out of your false doctrines.
Revelation 10 is a thesis on the subject, where "sea" = the Christians,
married to the "earth" = Israel, as witnessed by the "clouds" = the Remnant,
and the "angel" standing on the shore = Paul.
Revelation 13 is an antithesis built around the same model. Dragon = Satan,
beast of the "sea" = the antichrist (false christ), beast of the earth =
anti-Israelite (false prophet).
Oh, by the way, the beginning of 13:1 is not "And I stood upon the shore of
the sea," but "And it [in reference to the dragon already introduced in
chapter 12] stood upon the shore of the sea." Note that John keeps referring
to "the dragon" throughout his discussions of the other two beasts, and
relates them back to "the dragon."
Dragon, reptile of both the earth and sea = Satan
Leviathan, beast of the sea = pseudo-Christ
Behemoth, beast of the earth = pseudo-Israelite
And these PEOPLE will spend eternity in HELL, along with all their
minions...
Rev 20:10-15
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented
day and night for ever and ever.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face
the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the
dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books,
according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire.
How you could POSSIBLY think you could argue your false "no eternal hell"
argument from the book of Revelation is beyond me: It CLEARLY teaches both
eternal heaven and eternal hell, which makes you one of the false teachers
prophesied of all the way back at the beginning of the beginning of Sorrows.
[snip]
Ike