JEAN'S BIBLE STUDY
| KJV WEB
| Endtime Prophecy
| Parallel Gospels
Page Numbers | Plywood Canoe
OT Commentary | Books
Contact | Gospel Tract

REVELATION CHAPTER 21 KJV WEB See previous page Rev 21,1-27 (34d) Gift of God >> Believer owns everything >> New creation belongs to us – We have learned valuable lessons about evil that would have been impossible without Satan opening Pandora’s box. Without him Jesus would not glow as brightly or have as much meaning that He does. Through Satan's evil we now know that greed, lust and pride, lead to stealing, killing and destroying. Throughout eternity we will use these lessons, so in the future if God creates someone greater than ourselves, we need not be jealous of them, as God created man above the angels. (34h) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> The blessed First Resurrection (50m) Judgment >> Sequence of Rev elations >> God puts away sin and glorifies the Church >> The new heaven and the new earth – God will demolish this present creation and build a new heavens and a new earth and establish the New Jerusalem upon it. There will be no nighttime in heaven, defined as the New Jerusalem, though there will be nighttime on the new earth. It will have a sun as it has now, and the earth will rotate on its axis giving day and night as it does now. Evening will fall on the holy city, but it will never see night, because Christ will be its light, and He will shine perpetually. There will be sun, moon, stars and galaxies, yet they will be based on completely different principles that will not allow anything to wear-out. For example, we will no longer need to eat to replenish the resurrected body, though eating will remain a pastime, especially during festivals and celebrations, which will be a common practice in the Kingdom of Heaven, as it was for Old Testament Israel that used ceremonies and festivals to mark important dates and events. With the resurrected body, there will be dramatic changes regarding biology and chemistry, such as there won’t be any latrines in heaven, for it says, “nothing unclean… shall ever come into [the New Jerusalem]” (v27). See also: New heavens and new earth; 224c (140b) Temple >> Temple made without hands >> Hiding place >> Worshipping God in His temple (224c) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> Describing the kingdom after he makes all things new >> Description of the new creation – Many people are confused about this world and the curse under which it suffers. We observe nature being violent, selfish and hostile, and many assume the creation accurately reflects the nature of its Creator. On the contrary, this creation reflects the nature of Satan. Consequently, they use the violence observed in this creation in their argument against God, but ironically it reflects their own nature. It is often difficult to explain to someone that this present creation is under a curse and is at war with itself, being an accurate reflection of its Maker's absence. God has removed Himself from this creation; His presence does not exist in living things, except that He lives in His children's hearts, but the new creation will accurately reflect the nature of God billions of light-years into space. Science reports that we are alive and the cells that constitute our bodies are also alive, but the elements that constitute our cells are inert. This will not be true with the new creation. His presence will be found within the very substance of creation, and for this reason the new heavens and the new earth will be alive in ways that are incomprehensible to us now. With all our strength of heart we can scarcely grasp the life of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the believer, much less comprehend a living universe. God will be pleased to dwell in it as he dwells in us. See also: New heavens and new earth; Rev 21,1-8; 212b Rev 21,1-8 (212b) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> He is the Creator >> The creation glorifies God >> God created all things through Christ – The Bible credits Jesus with working with His Father to create the current universe in which we are now living (Col 1,13-17), and since we are seated next to Christ at His right-hand, we will be His witnesses when He creates the new heaven and the new earth, our eternal home. This suggests that when God creates the new heavens and the new earth, He will do it through our faith, for we will be with Him, and without the people's faith He can do nothing (Lk 8-48). When God goes to create this final masterpiece, it stands to reason that He will ask us for some design input, since we are His sons and daughters, but before God gives us an opportunity to contribute, we must overcome pride and the desire to be worshipped, and overcome the temptation to seek the glory of man. See also: New heavens and new earth; Rev 21,1-5; 238f KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21,1-5 (238f) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The kingdom is transferred to the Church >> New creation >> The new creation is our spiritual composition – God will create a new heavens and a new earth, and He will bring down the holy city from heaven and establish it on the new earth. Question: where was the New Jerusalem when God was destroying the old creation and building a new one in its place? It must have been separate from the creation, above it, though the New Jerusalem is a creation in itself. It exists in the spiritual realm, which is a dimension that is beyond our grasp, though our essence is a spirit. The fact that the New Jerusalem descended to the new earth suggests that the new creation will be made of the same stuff, meaning the new creation will be just as spiritual as it is physical, and we will inherit these attributes in the First Resurrection (Rom 8,20-23). The Bible teaches that the body of Christ is the Church, and now John is saying that the bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem (224e, 225k), meaning the people and the city are one (Rev 3-12). See also: The city of God, New heavens and new earth; 246d (246d) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> The true tabernacle – The new earth that God will create will not have the same dimensions but will be much larger than our current earth. We know that the holy city New Jerusalem will descend from heaven upon the earth. It will be a 1500-mile cube, meaning it will be 1500 miles high. The highest mountain on earth is only 5 miles (Mt Everest). From space the earth appears to have a smooth surface, though it has hills and mountains, but something 1500 miles high would appear as an obvious knob. This means the new earth that God will one day create will be much larger than the current earth, so that even with the New Jerusalem resting on its surface, it will still look smooth from space. That would require the new earth to be approximately 300 times bigger than our current earth, making its radius over a million miles deep and having a circumference of over six million miles! The circumference of our current earth is only 21,000 miles, quite small by comparison. See also: The city of God, New heavens and new earth; Rev 21-1,2; 221i (Alternate theory; Rev 21,22-27; 231i) Rev 21-1,2 (221i) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> God hides his divinity from man’s corruption >> The Kingdom of God is from another realm -- These verses go with verses 7&8. Heaven is defined as the New Jerusalem. Although it too is a creation of God, it is separate from this present universe, residing in the spiritual realm. God created the universe from the vantage point of the New Jerusalem and when He destroys this creation and builds a new one in its place, He will do it from the same vantage. Currently Jesus is living with His Father in the New Jerusalem, which transcends this present creation. Consider the process of backing up and restoring a computer operating system. The technician cannot delete the software while he is using it, but he must use a different drive and operating system from which he can backup and restore the software. In the same way, God cannot destroy this present universe and build a new one in its place while He and His people inhabit it. He must step back and dwell in a different realm from the one He wishes to restore, and He will use the New Jerusalem to do this, which is the city of God, our hometown. See also: The city of God; Rev 21,9-27; 231j / New heavens and new earth; Rev 21-6; 44a (224e) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> The joyful kingdom >> The marriage supper of the lamb -- These verses go with verses 9-27 (231j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> We are the body of His kingdom -- These verses go with verses 9-27. We talk about the Kingdom of God because this is what is coming. Currently, it doesn’t seem that it is coming; people have been waiting for millennia for His kingdom, not just the last 2000 years but 1500 years before that, ever since Moses promised a man like him to rise among the people (Deuteronomy 18,15-19). Man has been waiting 3500 years for His kingdom to come; that is more than half the time man has existed on the earth. The kingdom that is coming is a big deal, in that Jesus Christ will be king of the earth. There will be other kings, but they will be subject to Him, and there will be peace for a thousand years. For this reason man has longed for His kingdom to come; in fact Jesus incorporated it into the Lord’s Prayer, that we should pray for His kingdom to come every day. We long for His kingdom because of the glory and the majesty and the dominion and the authority that He will have. Then it says that after the thousand years is complete, he will destroy this present universe and create a new heavens, and He will establish His kingdom on the new earth, and he will reign forever and ever. So, the Millennium is the first thousand years of His eternal kingdom. Now we know why the Millennium is a big deal; when Jesus sits on His glorious throne at the beginning of the Millennium, His eternal reign will have begun. He will begin His reign in this temporal realm, before He makes all things new. Presently, that which is born must die; cars are made, and they rust, wear out and are shipped to the junkyard. All things get old and quit working, including living things; this is called entropy. This force in the universe exists because of God’s absence. God is present with those who believe in Him; He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in their hearts, so He is present in that respect, yet God divested some aspect of Himself from this creation after Lucifer fell into sin. Maybe it was His Spirit, or maybe it was some other aspect of Himself that we are unaware exists, pulled away from the creation, and coming to replace the void was entropy, so that God would never consider establishing His eternal kingdom on this present earth, because it is cursed. The earth underneath His kingdom would crumble; rather, He will establish His kingdom on the new earth, and He will provide a foundation for His kingdom that will never crumble but will remain forever and ever. See also: We can bury a time capsule and retrieve it in the Millennium; Rev 20,1-6; 245i Rev 21-1 (26c) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is separation from God’s presence -- This verse goes with verse 4. The phrase “passed away” is what we say when someone dies, suggesting that the first heaven and the first earth died. We live in a mortal body that is part of the curse, and everyone is destined to die. This present creation has been subjected to the curse, but if God gave Adam and Eve the earth only, and then they sinned, why is the entire universe cursed? Answer: we are suffering under the curse that God imposed on Lucifer. When he trespassed on God’s throne, God cursed him and everything that belonged to him, which included the entire universe, in that God had given Lucifer the entire creation as his inheritance. Consequently, the curse we see is not the result of man sinning; Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden into a world that was already cursed, which was why God needed to make a garden in the first place. We have all heard it said a hundred times that God cursed the earth because of Adam’s sin, but that is not true. Go back to Genesis and look at it again. It essentially says that because of Adam’s sin the earth will bear only thorns and thistles without farming the land, and it described the earth as such before God made man (Gen 2-5). What the book of Genesis doesn’t say is that something happened between the creation of the universe and the creation of man; Satan transgressed and God cursed the universe, including the earth by removing Himself from it. Had Adam not sinned, God would have wanted Adam to extend the borders of the garden according to the needs of his growing family to overtake the curse (Gen 1-28). As it is, though, when Adam sinned, He kicked man out of the garden and into Satan’s curse to eat by the sweat of his brow, suggesting that man’s transgression was the same as Lucifer’s. We are suffering the consequences of Satan’s rebellion, because of our own rebellion, for man’s sin is no different from Satan’s sin. Although Satan pursued God’s throne, and all Adam wanted was to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, yet what Adam did would eventually lead to what Lucifer did, because rebellion is rebellion. Much as we want to deny it, man is no better than demons in his unregenerate state. We relate to the devil in the most intimate of ways by our very nature, and this is why God did not create a separate hell for man, but will throw rebellious man into the same hell with the devil. See also: Adam and Eve; Rev 21-6; 254h / Satan lied to Adam and Eve; Act 28,3-6; 157j (170f) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Temporary >> Whatever is temporary will perish KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21-2 (133e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> The temple of God is holy -- This verse goes with verse 10 Rev 21-3 (104h) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart shall see God >> Shall see the Father >> God is in our presence – “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men.” This has been a long time coming; God’s vision of living and dwelling among His people is finally coming to fruition. Now that we will be living with God, does that mean we no longer need faith? What did Paul say? “Why does one also hope for what he sees” (Rom 8-24)? However, faith and love are one and the same, just as the Father and the Son are one. 1Jn 4-8 says “God is love.” Since faith and love are essentially the same, God the Father must also be as much faith as He is love. This suggests that God is literally composed of faith; that is, He exists through faith, and He will continue asking faith from His people, because we are His offspring. If faith and love are one and the same, and if heaven is the central headquarters of love, then dwelling with God, seeing Him face to face, still requires faith. We know about the Father because Jesus came and showed Him to us in Himself, and we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, but the Bible doesn’t say anything about the actual nature of the Father. We know about the trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that they are three in one, meaning they are identical in some ways, allowing Jesus to say, “he who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14-9), but look at the difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In some ways they have absolutely nothing in common. They hold separate offices and do things that the other can’t. For example, the Holy Spirit can't sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world and Jesus can't reveal the truth to us (Mat 16-17). The only thing they have in common is that they are both in submission to the Father, and they are in absolute agreement with the truth. Based on the difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the Father must be equidistant from the other two in His most essential characteristic. Although Jesus said in Jn 4-24 that God is Spirit, He must be more than that. The Father must also have a human quality like Jesus. The Holy Spirit emanates from the Father; therefore, we conclude that the Father has both the qualities of the Son and the Holy Sprit, but He must also possess a third essential quality that the other two don’t have to make Him a distinct member of the Trinity. 1Jn 1-5 says, "God is light." Light is often emitted from an energy source, so we could say that God is pure energy greater than the sum of the entire universe, but He is more than that; He is a person. Fortunately, we know "who" He is in Christ (Heb 1-3), but what is He? God is Light, the origin of Truth, and for this reason we will always need faith to believe in Him. See also: Composition of the Father; Jn 14-23; 252a / Trinity; Mat 17-5; 79j Rev 21-4 (26c) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is separation from God’s presence -- This verse goes with verse 1 (39k) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death >> Jesus defeated the law of sin (119i) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Curse of sin is broken >> Curse of death is broken – Does that mean no one will smash his finger or fall off a ledge? No, it means that if they do, it won’t hurt them. Perhaps just inside the Pearly Gates there is a table with a hammer available for anyone who wants to try out his new body and hit his thumb with the hammer to see that it doesn't hurt. (125e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Joy >> Joy is the result of partaking of the Holy Spirit >> Joy of the revelation of Jesus Christ (170i) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Temporary >> All suffering is temporary – “The first things have passed away.” Death died. All suffering is temporary and heaven is forever, and eternal life promises joy and gladness; why then are we unwilling to go there until the last minute, and why are we unwilling to suffer now to receive a better resurrection (Heb 11-35)? Our idea of temporary suffering is ten seconds, making years of suffering in this life seem like an eternity. God never thinks in temporal terms; He has lived forever in the past, and He will live forever in the future. He has eternity in mind in all His plans, and fortunately we are included in His plans. He wants to use us in this world to communicate the gospel to those who are perishing that some may be saved. Since His plan opposes the world, it causes suffering, but it will also bring about salvation for some, along with blessing and glory and honor. Since God never does anything on a temporal basis, His honor and glory that He bestows on us is eternal, but our suffering in this life is temporary. There is no comparison between the temporal with the eternal. Our lifespan is like a drop in the ocean; we cannot concern ourselves with suffering that may be involved in doing His will, because God intends to reward us, and His reward will last forever. Rev 21-5 (102g) Thy kingdom come >> Faithfulness (Loyalty) >> Trustworthy >> Faithfulness (107l) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> hearing from God >> The Bible will lead you to truth >> Thy word is truth KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21,6-8 (98h) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> (Faith à Suffering à Glory) (207j) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Salvation verses >> The generosity of God’s salvation >> Salvation is the gift of God Rev 21-6,7 (30k) Gift of God >> God’s favor qualifies you for heaven (156e) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> You will know them by their endurance Rev 21-6 (44a) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Complete >> It is finished >> Fulfill God’s will – God said “it is finished” a few important times throughout the Scriptures, once on the cross when Jesus finished paying for the sins of mankind, once when He finished pouring His seventh bowl of judgment on the world, and once after He made all things new. He said “it is finished” whenever He ends one thing and starts something new, and the fact that He frequently said this suggests He will say it again. He may have finished His goal, but there is more to come. See also: New heavens and new earth; Rev 21,22-27; 231i (56i) Paradox >> Opposites >> Last is first and the first is last (77a) Thy kingdom come >> Hunger for the essence of God >> Hunger for His righteousness (103f) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Spirit like water >> Cleanses you from the desire to sin (245b) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literal manifestation of Jesus Christ >> Jesus is the manifestation of the Father (248e) Priorities >> God’ s preeminence >> Jesus is first >> Jesus has first place in everything (254h) Trinity >> Holy Spirit’s relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is equal with the Holy Spirit >> Holy Spirit is life >> Spirit of God is the life of Christ – This "spring of the water of life" is synonymous with the Holy Spirit. We should avoid attributing symbolism to it, instead treat it as a literal river for all God’s children to drink. Its headwaters originated from God's throne. There is also a tree of life that one can eat and live forever (Genesis 3-22,23). This tree of life was in the Garden of Eden, and after man sinned, God quickly chased them from the garden before they had a chance to eat its fruit, before the curse became eternal. God did not want their bodies to become immortal but wanted Adam and Eve to die after eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, so Jesus could later die for their sins and redeem them and their children. There was also a river running through the Garden; though it was not the river of life, it may have given the garden a semblance of heaven. This river is essential to heaven, having a special part in making it a heavenly place. See also: Adam and Eve; Rev 21,22-27; 231i Rev 21-7,8 (221i) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> God hides his divinity from man’s corruption >> The Kingdom of God is from another realm -- These verses go with verses 1&2 Rev 21-7 (33b) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Believers are His sons and daughters (35c) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> God’s immeasurable generosity (98ka) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Endurance invites the Holy Spirit into your life >> The salvation of God >> Enduring the wicked is to overcome them – “Overcoming” is a war term, two sides fighting and one overcoming the other, but in this war we don’t throw a single punch. When we look at endtime prophecy as a whole, God didn't have to do much to overcome His enemies; in fact, Jesus taught His children not to fight against evil men on their terms but to trust in God, because wickedness has a way of conquering itself. Overcoming is a matter of endurance by faith, illustrated by the parable of the Ten Virgins. It says their lamps were brightly burning among the five wise virgins, but the lamps of the five foolish virgins were dim and about to die from lack of fuel. Overcoming in this way is a simple matter of maintaining our faith to the end. When we talk about maintaining faith, we are referring to solving problems God’s way, which involves knowing His will and doing it. Doing whatever we want and expecting God to bless us doesn't cut it when the whole world is pressing against us. Jesus said, “Blessed be the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mat 5-5). (206a) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to living in the spirit >> Conditions to partaking in the spirit – Overcoming is the condition of salvation, for if we do not overcome, we will not see heaven. What does it mean to overcome? Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16-33); and 1Jn 5-4 says, “this is the victory that has overcome the world -our faith.” The word “overcome”, then, means to keep the faith. Everyone is tempted to give up the faith; everyone’s circumstances are mixed with toil and tribulation, certain personality and character flaws have followed us our entire lives, and we tire of them. Each person has his own set of strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes our strengths accentuate our weaknesses, adding to our difficulties and concealing our strengths. At times no matter what we do, all we can see is weakness with no reprieve, and this is one of the things God has called us to overcome by faith, and it is by these weaknesses that our faith grows, and it is by our faith that we overcome. We can make our weaknesses work for us or we can let them work against us, depending on our faith. If we want more of this life, our weaknesses will work against us, but if we want more of God, our weaknesses will work with us, leading us to seek Him to rise above our weaknesses, and in so doing find His strength to serve Him. God is not interested in anointing our strengths; He anoints us to overcome our weaknesses and then uses His strength in us to promote His kingdom in the world. Our willingness to be used by Him is an expression of our faith, and the more difficulties come our way, the stronger we become in Him. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21-8 (21a) Sin >> Disobedience >> Demonstrating unbelief in the character of God (23o) Sin >> Poverty (Oppression) >> Fear of death (25f) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Satan and his children are murderers (26b) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is hell >> Sin has the sentence of hell (47a) Judgment >> God Judges the world >> Hell is a place of sorrow >> It is a great fire prepared for the devil and his angels >> The lake of fire – It is unlikely that people will wake up in hell, not realizing how they got there. People have a lot of reasons for preferring hell over heaven, though none of them make any sense to the disciples of Jesus, who wait their whole lives for their first moment in paradise. There are those who would unfortunately prefer to be in hell. To those who love God, heaven is a place of worship among people who love God, but to those who will not be joining us, hell is a miserable place they call home. It seems unimaginable to us, but those who say they would rather die forever in hell than to live forever in heaven may be right. That is, it may be more tormenting for them to worship God with the saints in heaven than to endure the flames of hell. (56a) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Gain your idea of wealth to lose God’s wealth -- This verse goes with verse 27 (84j) Thy kingdom come >> Your words can lead to your own demise >> Lying -- This verse goes with verse 27 (134k) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Sexual perversion >> Basic immorality (145f) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself >> Deliverance from demon possession >> Human state >> Filthiness >> Being defiled (157f) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of being hell-bound >> Being displeasing to God >> Living in unbelief – If we practice sin and are not seeking freedom, how is it that we are Christians? Such a lifestyle grieves the Holy Spirit. Those who are born of God grieve with Him over their sin, but if we are not grieving over our sins, maybe the Holy Spirit does not dwell in us, which means we need to repent of our unbelief and get saved. If we confess our sins, He will help us through them, but the person who practices sin without regret or remorse, the Bible teaches that heaven is not in his future. There are lots of people who lead a good life without committing a lot of egregious sins, yet they don’t believe in God or trust Jesus as their Savior. Their one sin is unbelief in Jesus’ blood sacrifice as the basis of forgiveness and salvation, as the premise by which God would send the Holy Spirit into their hearts. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit nobody will see heaven. When we pass from this life into the next, God will look for His Spirit in our heart, and if He isn’t there, God will know that we don't belong to Him and cast us from His presence into everlasting punishment. (181a) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Rebellion >> Rebelling against God >> Rebelling against the authority of God (183a) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Spirit of Error (Anti-Christ / Anti-Semitism) >> Witchcraft >> Sin is the incubator of witchcraft >> Through rebellion (185e) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Mystery of lawlessness >> The mystery of sin -- This verse goes with verse 27 (195i) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Idolatry >> Worshipping other gods >> Worshipping other gods as a god yourself (203a) Denying Christ >> Running from God >> Wicked men cannot approach the throne of God >> God chases them away from His presence -- This verse goes with verse 27. This is a description of people who do not acknowledge God in their lives, in contrast to those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, who believe in God in disregard of the circumstances, who love what is pure and work with His grace and listen to the Holy Spirit and do what He says. They worship no other god but Jesus and His Father; they are trustworthy and tell the truth. There are essentially three kinds of people in the world: those who love God, who don’t love God, and the nominal Christian in the middle who rides the fence. This passage is talking about pretenders. They know the religious rhetoric, but their actions do not correspond with the Scriptures. Those who are ungodly know they’re ungodly, and those who are holy know their Master, but those who dwell in the gray area, who go to church but don’t take Jesus home with them, Jesus said of them in Mat 7-16, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” (203b) Denying Christ >> Dishonor God >> Dishonor God by your unbelief (223i) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Miss God >> Missing the mark >> Miss heaven -- This verse goes with verse 27 (250i) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Lists >> List of traits that can be found in man >> List of deeds of the body – Cowards are at the top of the list of those who don't go to heaven. They say Christians are cowards, but God says that those outside His kingdom are cowards. It takes bravery to be a Christian in a world that diametrically opposes Christ. This is why we should cringe at a popular gospel. Therefore, whenever the gospel is popularized, it should send up red flags. The gospel will never be popular in the world. We can hope for as many people as possible to come with us to heaven, but the Bible forewarned us that we will always be a minority (Mat 7-13,14). KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21,9-27 (224e) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> The joyful kingdom >> The marriage supper of the lamb -- These verses go with verses 1&2 (231j) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> We are the body of His kingdom -- These verses go with verses 1&2. The Church and the city are one, and together they are the temple of God, the wife of the Lamb (v9). Christ represents the Most Holy Place in the New Jerusalem, which is similar in construct to the tabernacle that God commanded Moses. The old covenant temple had a simple curtain surrounding it, representing this high wall made of very costly stones. This curtain made of porpoise skin represented our own skin, the flesh, and within the temple was a room, called the holy place, representing Christ, and in the back there was another room called the Holy of Holies, which was the dwelling place of God. Verse 22 says, “I saw no temple in it for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb are its temple.” See also: The city of God; 249ga (249ga) Priorities >> God’ s preeminence >> Wealth >> True perception of wealth >> The infinite and eternal wealth of God >> God’s perception of wealth >> Our blessed hope of eternal life – The city had the appearance of crystal-clear jasper, one of the twelve foundation stones of the city wall, and the city itself was made of pure gold that reflected like glass. Jasper is naturally found in many colors, but the rarest form is transparent. There is no mention of diamonds in the description of the New Jerusalem; perhaps it is reserved for Christ, the ultimate jewel. The twelve gates were each made of a single pearl; imagine a clam that could produce a pearl large enough to be made into a city gate, from what kind of world did it originate, and what other enormous sea creatures lived there? These clams existed somewhere at the bottom of an ancient ocean, which no doubt took thousands of years to form, meaning plans were in the making to build a city long before man hit the scene. We don’t know what God has been doing throughout eternity past, and we probably never will know, and if He told us, we probably wouldn’t understand. There is a light in the midst of the City of great brilliance, illuminating its translucent quality, causing the New Jerusalem and its surrounding wall to glow, casting its light for miles. As the city descends from heaven it looks like a star that continually glows brighter, but its brilliance does not overwhelm, until it finally contacts the earth; the New Jerusalem will be eternally established on the new earth, and God will live among His people. God made the City and its wall from these costly materials just to mock people in hell, who scratched and clawed and murdered and defrauded for just for a couple pounds of this stuff. Gold is the oldest form of money; all man's desire for materialism represents his quest for gold. To mock the greed of mankind, God made His city from all the materials they gave up their souls to pursue. Had they just pursued Christ, they could have had it all. See also: The city of God; Rev 21-9,10; 245a Rev 21,9-11 (243n) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> There shall be no end to His increase >> God's kingdom is Infinite >> We will be married to Christ -- These verses go with verses 26,27. There will be multiple tiers of authority in heaven, and more layers will continually be added; nothing will ever end in heaven. It will continue getting bigger, better, more complete, more glorious and more beautiful throughout eternity. Isaiah 9-7 says, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.” His kingdom will be both infinite and eternal. Every kingdom is defined by its people, so if there is no end to His increase, then there will be no end to the number of people added to His kingdom. Although Jesus said we would not be able to reproduce, nothing would stop God from creating another Adam and Eve, going back to His original plan, this time leaving out the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This means they would not know evil as we do. We will then have to teach them about right and wrong, though God has since done away with sin. In heaven the glory that God will bestow upon His people will forever increase throughout eternity, until we begin to glimpse the concept of infinity. Rev 21-9,10 (237j) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The Church is transferred to the kingdom >> Citizens of heaven (245a) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literal manifestation of Jesus Christ >> Manifesting the body of Christ – When the angel promised to show John the wife of the Lamb, we expected him to present the Church; instead, he pointed to a city. The people of God and their city are one. That is, God sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, as equivalent to its inhabitants. When we think in terms of the people being one with the City, the same can be said about Jesus and His people. All Christians compiled together from every nation and generation since Adam are called the body of Christ; hence Christ, His people and the city are all one, completely unified, so that Rev 3-12 says, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” To never leave the city sounds claustrophobic; no matter how wonderful a place, if we can't leave, it is a prison. However, this city is expandable, and God intends to stretch the city limits over the cosmos to accommodate a growing family (Rev 7-15). See also: The city of God; Rev 21,12-14; 137f Rev 21-9 (15d) Servant >> Ministering spirits >> Angels Perform certain duties Rev 21-10,11 (234a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the glory of God >> God chooses us as we seek His glory >> As we submit to Him -- These verses go with verses 24-27 Rev 21-10 (133e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> The temple of God is holy -- This verse goes with verse 2 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21,12-14 (137f) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Jesus is the foundation >> Church is the foundation of manifested truth – There are two groups honored by the wall of the Great City: the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Christ had twelve disciples, who became apostles, who are the foundation of the Church of the saints enrolled in heaven. Foundation stones (or cornerstones) are strategically placed in reference to all other stones, suggesting that everyone who lives in heaven has received their place with respect to the twelve apostles. Note that it doesn’t honor twelve Israelites (the sons of Jacob), but twelve tribes, God’s chosen nation as a whole, but God honors the Church through the twelve apostles. Note also that the symbol of the twelve apostles was permanently imbedded in the wall, whereas the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were given to angels, stationed at the gates of the holy city. The memorial of Israel was embossed on angels, signifying that it was based on a promise that these twelve angels would remain at their stations at the gates as a reminder that God fulfills His promises, whereas the memorial of the Church was embedded in the wall itself, as a reminder that God has fulfilled His promise to give Israel a Messiah. See also: The city of God; Rev 21-12; 15g Rev 21-12 (15g) Servant >> Angels >> The presence of angels denotes authority – The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the angels, not on the gates; this is significant in that if the angels abandoned their post, the gates would lose their names. This means the angels will be stationed there forever. We don’t know how anyone could have a sense of fulfillment staying in one place forever, but that is the case with these gatekeepers. People in hell have their stations too, and they will remain there forever, but they will not have a sense of fulfillment, whereas the angels of heaven are doing the will of God, and that brings fulfillment. They are not necessarily guarding the gates, for to our knowledge there won't be any threats, but then neither will anyone indiscriminately wander uninvited into the City. The angels are there as a sense of security, and we who exit and enter the holy city will stop and talk to them, and they will come to know everybody entering and leaving the premises, and they will have great joy among the people. There will be many who come to visit, escorted by citizens of the holy city. See also: The city of God; Rev 21-15,16; 229c Rev 21-15,16 (229c) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Kingdom grows by itself >> Growing in numbers corresponds with spiritual growth >> Kingdom grows in size – There is another case when an angel measured a temple and its inhabitants. Rev 11-1 says, “Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, ‘Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.’” The angel measured the temple and its worshippers; likewise, when the angel measured the Holy City, he also measured the people in it, guaranteeing that the city would always be big enough to house them all; even if more were added, it would never become crowded. We know that the city has definite dimensions that will never change, a 1500-mile cube, also indicating that there are only three dimensions in the physical universe that is to come, for if there were other dimensions, he would have mentioned it here. It says in another place that God will spread His tabernacle over His people (Rev 7-15), meaning that there will be an expansion of the city, not its physical dimensions but its influence over the earth and eventually throughout all God’s creation to the farthest reaches of the universe. See also: The city of God; 243h (243h) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> The indestructible kingdom >> The body of Christ is indestructible >> The new creation is indestructible -- These verses go with verse 25. The City is in the shape of a cube; what is the significance of a cube? Square corners do not exist in nature; therefore, the cube denotes a human design, being separate from nature, divine. They say that the strongest shape in nature is a sphere, but the City is not a sphere, suggesting that it doesn’t need to be strong, since it will not be fighting any wars, though it will survive eternity, and so will the earth, meaning there is no erosion and no entropy; these things were part of the curse. In the creation to come there will be no negative forces against the city and its inhabitants. They will remain forever. See also: The city of God; Rev 21,22-27; 231i KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21,22-27 (231i) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> Body of Christ is the organism of God’s kingdom >> Jesus is the head of His body’s kingdom >> To be in Christ is to be in the great city – There are two theories: the New Jerusalem settles on the new earth, and the other, it hovers over the new earth and acts like the earth's sun (Rev 21-22,23; 245c). We know that a city is inanimate and that it has limits. An invisible line that if crossed constitutes being outside the city limits, but the city of God, though it has dimensions has no limits. In addition, the city is alive as Jesus is alive, and as His people in resurrected bodies are alive. It says that it descends from heaven and rests upon the earth, being compatible with the new creation, suggesting that it acts as a seed planted, that it should grow and fill the whole earth. God will create the new heavens and new earth, but it won’t be alive like the New Jerusalem, until God's people stretch its limits to fill the earth (Rev 7-15), like Adam and Eve were supposed to do with the Garden of Eden. The properties of the City will be transferred to the earth and it will become alive as the City is alive and its inhabitants, spilling to the next planet and beyond to fill the universe, and we will rule over them as benevolent stewards of God’s infinite kingdom, and there will be no end to His increase (Isaiah 9-7). The Holy City is the new Garden of Eden. The first Garden was just a small plot of ground where God removed the curse within its perimeter, meaning that the curse previously existed on the earth before God made Adam and Eve, further meaning that the curse belonged to Satan, and when man fell into sin, God chased them from the Garden into Satan’s curse, and if they continued to rebel, He would send them to Satan’s hell (Mat 25-41). The New Jerusalem is the new Garden of Eden and God will create a new people and place them in the midst of the holy City, and we will give the new man and his wife our blessing, and God will command them to be fruitful and multiply, and they will populate the new earth. See also: Adam and Eve; Rev 21,1-6; 244a / New heavens and new earth; Rev 21-25; 119l / The city of God; Rev 21,24-27; 234a (Alternate theory; Rev 21-22,23; 245c) / Jerusalem (Prototype of what is to come); Heb 11,4-40; 85m Rev 21-22,23 (245c) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literal manifestation of Jesus Christ >> Jesus is the light of the world – This is the second of two theories regarding the New Jerusalem; the first can be found at (Rev 21,1-5; 246d) that pictures the New Jerusalem resting on the earth, while this theory pictures it hovering over the earth like the sun (you be the judge which is the more accurate theory). We see in revelation where it speaks about the New Jerusalem that there is no need for a light, for its lamp is the Lamb. We visualize Jesus sitting on the throne of God and shining on the new earth like the sun in the sky. The light of the New Jerusalem is the Lamb, and the city will shine like the sun, and we will live with Him and fellowship in His light, which is so bright that it illumines the whole earth. It says about Jacob’s ladder, “A ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28-12). This may be what occurs in the ages to come; God’s people will descend to the earth and ascend back to the New Jerusalem, which will act as the earth’s sun. Essentially, we will live in the sun; that will be the perspective of those who dwell on the earth; they will call us the "sun people" or children of the sun. See also: The city of God; Rev 21,24-27; 234a Rev 21,23-25 (112b) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Light >> Jesus’ light overcomes darkness >> The light of His power Rev 21-23 (253d) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is equal with the Father >> Jesus has all the internal qualities of the Father >> Jesus is the exact representation of the Father (253g) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Father and Son glorify each other >> Holy Spirit honors the Son through the Father >> Father glorifies Himself as He glorifies His Son (253k) Trinity >> Relationship between Father and Son >> Jesus is subject to the Father >> Jesus is subject to God’s ability Rev 21,24-27 (234a) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the glory of God >> God chooses us as we seek His glory >> As we submit to Him -- These verses go with verses 10,11. The people whom God creates after us will live outside the city, for it was not made for the future people; instead God will give them the new earth as a habitation. We whom God purchased with His own blood will live in the New Jerusalem; it is our hometown. It says that we will never leave it, though there are gates and we are not its prisoners and people come and go. That is, we will never go beyond its influence. The Holy City and its walls have certain dimensions which will not expand, but its influence on creation will eventually reach the farthest galaxy in the universe, just like the Garden of Eden was meant to expand to accommodate a growing family. God will create another man and woman and command them to be fruitful and multiply, and as they do, the influence of the city will expand with them, and we will govern them and teach them right from wrong. The kings of the earth will bring their glory into the Holy City, and they will walk by its light. The city is like a great chandelier, and its lamp is the Lamb. Entire nations will see the city from a distance, and they will walk by its light. If the New Jerusalem actually touched-down on the new earth, the nations on the other side of the earth would not see its light, but the Bible doesn't say this; it says, "the nations will walk by its light." This suggests that the New Jerusalem will act as the sun of the new earth. Not everybody will be invited into the City of God; only leaders of nations, for the New Jerusalem is a city of kings, and they will bring back word to their people about the greatness of God. Not just anyone will enter its gates, only those who are invited among the rulers of planets and galaxies. See also: The city of God; Rev 21-25; 119l Rev 21,24-26 (113d) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> The anointing >> Heaven’s clothes >> Garments of power KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21-25 (119e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Freedom >> Fences of freedom >> Freedom in Christ – In this life we can leave God’s hedge of protection if we want, but at our own peril. The open gate represents freedom, but “Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying” (Rev 22-15). “Outside” does not refer to those who dwell outside the city; rather, “outside” refers to those who dwell outside the realm of God’s new creation. "Outside" refers to those in hell. In the next life we will be free to enter and exit the New Jerusalem as we please, but in this life with God’s hedge of protection surrounding us, we would be well to remain within the confines of God's law. There is a wall built around us to protect us from sin, but the gates remain open, because God wants us free. It says in Rom 6-19, “For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” He wants us to hold ourselves in bondage to His righteousness; He doesn’t want to force us to obey Him but to willingly obey Him. See also: The city of God; 216e / New heavens and new earth; 119l (119l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Curse of God is broken >> Curse of the law is broken – Lk 19-17 speaks of the rewards we will receive in heaven; He will say to us: “Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.” Some think this is just a metaphor to mean something else, and others think this description of heaven is about members of the Church governing themselves, depicting a lot of chiefs and no Indians in a stagnant kingdom. On the contrary, after God creates the new heavens and the new earth He will create a new Adam and a new Eve, and He will command them to be fruitful and multiply. This time He will leave out the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and expect us to teach the people right from wrong. There won’t be any sin, because there won’t be any curse or commandment, yet there will always be opportunity to behave below standard, regarding the new race of man whom God will create for us to govern. We will manage His people. If God gave them commandment and they violated it, they would be sinning in the way of Adam, which would lead right back to our current dilemma, but if we ourselves teach them right from wrong and they violate our command, they will have only sinned against us and not against God. We will govern the nations and teach them the ways of the Lord and bring the glory of the nations into the holy city. Before long the earth will be populated and begin to colonize new planets sprinkled throughout the cosmos, and we will shepherd them and bring the glory of nations, leaders of worlds and galaxies, into the holy city. God is infinite and eternal; for Him to limit Himself to a finite creation goes against His nature. God is preparing us in this life to govern a people whose populations will never cease. See also: New heavens and new earth; Rev 21,1-27; 50m / New heavens and a new earth (God's love is based on a vision); Mat 26,65-68; 184k (216e) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Compelled by the Spirit >> God takes advantage of your love for Him >> God’s spirit is irresistible – This topic suggests the idea that we will never leave the holy city New Jerusalem, though the gates will forever remain open, taking the idea from Rev 3-12, "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore...." However, we will in deed go to and from the city as Jesus said in Jn 10-9, 9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." "We will not go out from it anymore," refers to not venturing beyond the governing authority of the holy city over nations, planets and galaxies (Rev 7-15). The fact that Rev 3-12 used the word "anymore" suggests that we did previously fade in and out of Him in this life through our regular bouts with waywardness and inconsistency. See also: The city of God; 243h (243h) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> The indestructible kingdom >> The body of Christ is indestructible >> The new creation is indestructible -- This verse goes with verses 15&16. The gates of the holy city will never be closed. The nations will bring their glory into it, and there will be no fear of intruders. Why have a wall around the city if there are no enemies, and why have gates if they will never be closed? The wall surrounding the New Jerusalem will be an permanent reminder that God once had enemies, but God has since neutralized them in hell. The wall also represents the boundary of the New Jerusalem, for just outside the wall is the new earth, which is a planet paradise, hence the wall distinguishes the heavenly paradise from the earthly one. The nations will come and go, bringing their glory into it, and for this reason the gates will remain open. They will come and celebrate, and return to wherever they live, whether it be on the new earth or a planet billions of light years away. They and we will travel back and forth in celebration and communication, leaders of nations, planets and galaxies worshipping God in His presence and then returning to their people with news of the glory of God. It will be a glorious life, one of great joy and power and authority. See also: The city of God; Rev 21,1-5; 238f KJV WEB / Navigation Bar Rev 21-26,27 (72a) Authority >> Ordained by God >> We are ordained to walk in His authority – The level of authority that God has bestowed upon mankind should make the heavenly angels jealous of us, but it doesn't. That is what happened to Lucifer, probably after learning that God intended to make man in His own image and then give him a place on His throne, something God never offered Lucifer, inciting him to seek God’s throne by his own authority, which turned him into a monster. For an angel to be jealous of us is like a cat wanting to be a dog. From that day Satan’s jealousy was against us, and his hatred of us is absolute. The heavenly angels are not jealous in part because God has given them an example of what happens to someone who wants what he cannot have. The angels are our servants, and God will give them reason not to envy us, for in heaven the greater servant receives greater honor. The angels will be honored and blessed more than us, because they are greater servants than us. These are the ways of heaven, ensuring equality. Otherwise, why wouldn’t the angels become jealous if God gave us authority to rule kingdoms, planets and galaxies, without honoring the angels for their service to us? Jesus said that the first are last and the last first. God created the angels first and then us, making us last and thus first in authority, but the angels are first in service and honor, ensuring equality among all his creatures. See also: Least is greatest (Opposite of Capitalism); Rev 19,12-16; 40b (243n) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> There shall be no end to His increase >> God's kingdom is Infinite >> We will be married to Christ -- These verses go with verses 9-11. It turns out that heaven is defined as the New Jerusalem. It is a place of pure joy and overwhelming favor and acceptance emanating from the throne of God, and His generosity will go far beyond any of our wildest dreams. There are two kinds of people who will enter the gates of the Holy City: those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and those who visit. We will come to know kings of nations, because we ourselves are kings and priests (intercessors), according to Rev 1-6. We will spend most of our time with them, explaining the ways of God, what it means to be a servant of the people and to rule benevolently in a world where there is no sin and no want. These are all the things that God is teaching us, and the better we understand them in this life, the better we will understand them in the life to come, and the better we can convey them to others. So it would behoove us to listen to God and follow in His ways and learn to be a good servant. Rev 21-27 (56a) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Gain your idea of wealth to lose God’s wealth -- This verse goes with verse 8 (64a) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Limits of God >> God cannot tolerate sin >> He cannot allow unbelief in His presence (84j) Thy kingdom come >> Your words can lead to your own demise >> Lying -- This verse goes with verse 8 (92f) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> Trail of good works >> You must be born again to walk on this trail (105f) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> Lacking a pure heart (156K) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of being hell-bound >> Living an ungodly lifestyle >> Practicing sin (185e) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Mystery of lawlessness >> The mystery of sin -- This verse goes with verse 8 (203a) Denying Christ >> Running from God >> Wicked men cannot approach the throne of God >> God chases them away from His presence -- This verse goes with verse 8 (219hh) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> The elect >> God chooses us as we choose ourselves >> The Lamb's book of life (223i) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Miss God >> Missing the mark >> Miss heaven -- This verse goes with verse 8. The Holy City is the ultimate goal of Christians believing in Jesus. Their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and they want to keep it that way. They don’t want God to describe them as unclean or abominable or liars. They want heaven above all else. It is why they are willing to accept persecution and ill treatment. Their aim is eternal life, to live with Jesus forever in His heavenly kingdom, called paradise. They refuse to act in any way that would threaten their status as His children. Any amount of suffering and sacrifice regarding this life is worth being named among the saints. We can be outcasts of society, rejected by our own family members, community and nation; we can be imprisoned, tortured and killed, yet none of these evils compare to the eternal glory that God has prepared for us. We don’t deserve heaven, but we believe the message and hope that Jesus taught of eternal life. See next page