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| Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. © Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007/2008 |
| In-Depth Study of The Book of Revelation Chapter 21 By Rabbi Esther Boucher |
Verse 1 (Promise)
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Now after the thousand year Millennial Age G-d at last brings forth the New
World. The new creation is free from sin, death, sorrow, tears, pain or
separation from G-d. This new creation comes into being after the 1,000
years, after the rebellion and the Great White Throne Judgement that
follows the 1,000 years.
Order of events; rapture, tribulation, Armageddon, imprisonment of Satan,
inauguration of the Millennial Kingdom, the Millennial Kingdom, Satan is
loosed, brief rebellion, Great White Throne Judgement (2nd death), New
Heaven and New Earth, and New Jerusalem.
Verse 2 (Promise)
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The believers are preserved in the Holy City and after the earth is burned
and renewed the believers descend safely in the Holy City. The physics of
this are not told. Yet we are told the wonderful results. The New Jerusalem
descends in glory as a bride. She is the bride of Christ by virtue of her
housing His people whom He loves and for whom He died. With the
coming of the New Heaven and Earth and the descent of New Jerusalem
believers now s\pend their eternity in heaven upon the new earth.
Verse 3 (Promise)
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His
people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
G-d will manifest Himself in this city just as He does in Heaven.
Verse 4 (Promise)
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for
the former things have passed away.”
In the new creation sin is no more. When G-d permitted man to sin (via
choice) the gate for the entrance to immense suffering was also opened.
The sorrow, pain and death in this world of agony all come because of sin.
Verse 5 (Promise)
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
And He said to me,“Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
G-d announces that in the world to come all things will be new, never
contaminated by sin, therefore perfect. G-d assures us by His sacred
unbreakable Word that these descriptions are true and faithful.
Verse 6 (Promise)
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life
freely to him who thirsts.
As G-d, Jesus can give eternal life, here pictured as water since water is a
vital life necessity. The only requirement, one must be athirst. To be athirst
a person must need water badly and at the same time desire it. Christ
promises to give salvation freely.
Verse 7 (Promise)
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and
he shall be My son.
The reward for overcoming sin by asking Jesus for mercy at the cross is to
inherit all things. Jesus promises all of the glories of the eternal Kingdom.
Verse 8 (Judgement)
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Sinners however will have their portion in the Lake of Fire. The unrepentant
is assured of his fate by a promise of death.
Verse 9 & 10 (Promises)
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with
the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,
“Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried
me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me
the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
God,
The same angel who destroys the wicked also brings blessings to the
righteous. The angel takes John and us for a more detailed gaze at this
wonderful new city. This new city, Jerusalem, is suspended over the earth
as John initially sees it in the future. There are at least 25 verses which
describe the city. The Heavenly city descends out of heaven. Man does
not create it, not even millennial man.
Verse 11 (Promise)
having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like
a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Here John attempts to describe the city. A jasper reflects a green white
light.
Verse 12-14 (Promises)
Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve
angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the
east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three
gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb.
The wall of the city manifest its eternal security. It will radiate through the
eons the message that there is security only with G-d. There are 12 gates
named for the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 foundations named for the apostles
stand alternately between each 2 gates.
Verse 15 (Promise)
And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its
gates, and its wall.
The measurements are made with a golden measuring stick.
Verse 16 & 17 (Promises)
The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.
And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.
Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its
wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of
a man, that is, of an angel.
It's measurements are 1500 miles high, 1500 miles wide and 1500 miles
long.
Verse 18- 10 (Promises)
The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold,
like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were
adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was
jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the
eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh
jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
Here John tells us of the appearance of the city, and its several foundations
glistening as huge gemstones which he names.
Verse 21 (Promise)
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one
pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The Greek word for Pearl is margarites and hence the names Margaret and
Maguerite mean Pearl. We are informed that each of the 12 gates will be a
pearl and the street pure gold.
Verse 22 (Promise)
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
its temple.
Because all the inhabitants of the earth were sinners G-d's holiness
demanded some type of isolation from the sin, this the temper provided. In
the world to come there will be no need for G-d to be isolated from His
people because they will all be sinless.
Verse 23 (Promise)
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the
glory[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
The light of G-d's presence has been called the Shechinah Glory. The word
shechinah is an Aramaic - Hebrew word which means residence of G-d.
The entire city of New Jerusalem will be illuminated by this Shechinah Glory
of G-d.
Verse 24 (Promise)
And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and
the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
All the redeemed will have access to the capital New Jerusalem.
Verse 25-26 (Promises)
Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
In the eternal state there will be no more sinners, so the gates of the city will
not have to be locked at night as were the entrances to the ancient cities.
Verse 27 -
But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes
an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life.
No sinner will ever enter because they have been destroyed at the Great
White Throne Judgement. That the liar is specifically mentioned ought to
give pause to any who have fallen into the sin of telling lies.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Now after the thousand year Millennial Age G-d at last brings forth the New
World. The new creation is free from sin, death, sorrow, tears, pain or
separation from G-d. This new creation comes into being after the 1,000
years, after the rebellion and the Great White Throne Judgement that
follows the 1,000 years.
Order of events; rapture, tribulation, Armageddon, imprisonment of Satan,
inauguration of the Millennial Kingdom, the Millennial Kingdom, Satan is
loosed, brief rebellion, Great White Throne Judgement (2nd death), New
Heaven and New Earth, and New Jerusalem.
Verse 2 (Promise)
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The believers are preserved in the Holy City and after the earth is burned
and renewed the believers descend safely in the Holy City. The physics of
this are not told. Yet we are told the wonderful results. The New Jerusalem
descends in glory as a bride. She is the bride of Christ by virtue of her
housing His people whom He loves and for whom He died. With the
coming of the New Heaven and Earth and the descent of New Jerusalem
believers now s\pend their eternity in heaven upon the new earth.
Verse 3 (Promise)
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His
people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
G-d will manifest Himself in this city just as He does in Heaven.
Verse 4 (Promise)
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for
the former things have passed away.”
In the new creation sin is no more. When G-d permitted man to sin (via
choice) the gate for the entrance to immense suffering was also opened.
The sorrow, pain and death in this world of agony all come because of sin.
Verse 5 (Promise)
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
And He said to me,“Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
G-d announces that in the world to come all things will be new, never
contaminated by sin, therefore perfect. G-d assures us by His sacred
unbreakable Word that these descriptions are true and faithful.
Verse 6 (Promise)
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life
freely to him who thirsts.
As G-d, Jesus can give eternal life, here pictured as water since water is a
vital life necessity. The only requirement, one must be athirst. To be athirst
a person must need water badly and at the same time desire it. Christ
promises to give salvation freely.
Verse 7 (Promise)
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and
he shall be My son.
The reward for overcoming sin by asking Jesus for mercy at the cross is to
inherit all things. Jesus promises all of the glories of the eternal Kingdom.
Verse 8 (Judgement)
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Sinners however will have their portion in the Lake of Fire. The unrepentant
is assured of his fate by a promise of death.
Verse 9 & 10 (Promises)
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with
the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,
“Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried
me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me
the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
God,
The same angel who destroys the wicked also brings blessings to the
righteous. The angel takes John and us for a more detailed gaze at this
wonderful new city. This new city, Jerusalem, is suspended over the earth
as John initially sees it in the future. There are at least 25 verses which
describe the city. The Heavenly city descends out of heaven. Man does
not create it, not even millennial man.
Verse 11 (Promise)
having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like
a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Here John attempts to describe the city. A jasper reflects a green white
light.
Verse 12-14 (Promises)
Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve
angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the
east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three
gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb.
The wall of the city manifest its eternal security. It will radiate through the
eons the message that there is security only with G-d. There are 12 gates
named for the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 foundations named for the apostles
stand alternately between each 2 gates.
Verse 15 (Promise)
And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its
gates, and its wall.
The measurements are made with a golden measuring stick.
Verse 16 & 17 (Promises)
The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.
And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.
Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its
wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of
a man, that is, of an angel.
It's measurements are 1500 miles high, 1500 miles wide and 1500 miles
long.
Verse 18- 10 (Promises)
The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold,
like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were
adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was
jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the
eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh
jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
Here John tells us of the appearance of the city, and its several foundations
glistening as huge gemstones which he names.
Verse 21 (Promise)
The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one
pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The Greek word for Pearl is margarites and hence the names Margaret and
Maguerite mean Pearl. We are informed that each of the 12 gates will be a
pearl and the street pure gold.
Verse 22 (Promise)
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
its temple.
Because all the inhabitants of the earth were sinners G-d's holiness
demanded some type of isolation from the sin, this the temper provided. In
the world to come there will be no need for G-d to be isolated from His
people because they will all be sinless.
Verse 23 (Promise)
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the
glory[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
The light of G-d's presence has been called the Shechinah Glory. The word
shechinah is an Aramaic - Hebrew word which means residence of G-d.
The entire city of New Jerusalem will be illuminated by this Shechinah Glory
of G-d.
Verse 24 (Promise)
And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and
the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
All the redeemed will have access to the capital New Jerusalem.
Verse 25-26 (Promises)
Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
In the eternal state there will be no more sinners, so the gates of the city will
not have to be locked at night as were the entrances to the ancient cities.
Verse 27 -
But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes
an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life.
No sinner will ever enter because they have been destroyed at the Great
White Throne Judgement. That the liar is specifically mentioned ought to
give pause to any who have fallen into the sin of telling lies.