Lesson 67
Revelation - Study of Things to Come
New Heavens and the New Earth - Chapter 21
Review:
20:14-15 The Consequence of this last judgment.
* It is final and it is
eternal.
- The second death; seen in vs:14 This is the eternal state for UB.
* All of man's works,
have been trotted out, all those things that mankind figured were sufficient to
get them to heaven, that would satisfy God; but when it is all said and done it
comes down to one thing;
It is not the presence or absence of works that
ultimately dooms them; its the absence of their name
in the book of life, and in the Lamb's book of life that dooms them to the LOF
for eternity.
21:1
- 22:5 gives us some details of the
Introduction:
1. Human history begins
in a garden and ends in a city that is like a garden paradise.
What began in Genesis is brought to completion in
Revelation!
Genesis
Revelation
a. Heavens and earth created New heavens
and a new earth
1:1
21:1
b. Sun is created
c. The night is established 1:5 No night there! 22:5
d. The seas are created;
e. The curse announced, realized No more curse; 22:3
f. Death enters human history No more death; 21:4
g. Sorrow and pain begin;
2. There are 3 things
that we can put behind us or rule out as being a part of our Eternal future!
a. The administration of human government; no more
bureaucracies.
b. Presence of Satan and his demons; now in LOF.
c. The very existence of sin and evil has ceased,
sin nature is gone.
3. Our Eternal destiny is
taught 2 ways:
a. In terms of a place;
primarily in Rev 21.
b. In terms of an association; that is with our
Savior.
c. In terms of
association: Jn 14:2-3 [actually a blend of both];
2 Cor 5:6-8;
4. Outline:
a. 21:1-8 The Passing of the Old or First
things; All things are new!
b. 21:9-27 The description
of the New Jerusalem; Eternal dwelling.
c. 22:1-5 The Blessings of Living in the New
21:1 Passing of the Old! The Arrival of the New!
1. The New Order is the eternal order!
- "new" kainoj = new in quality and character; not a remaking of
the old but an all new creation.
2. Notice a major change in the new earth. "and
there is no longer any sea."
- There is a river
flowing out of the New Jerusalem. 22:1
- "made ready" (perf. pass. ptc. e`toima,zw) to make or to prepare; but in the perfect
tense it indicates "to have been
prepared and to stand ready."
21:2
The New Jerusalem!
- Its source: coming
down, descending, out of heaven; from God, avpo, from the ultimate
source of God;
- "made ready" (perf. pass. ptc. e`toima,zw) to make or to prepare; but in the perfect
tense it indicates "to have been
prepared and to stand ready."
21:3 The presence of God is in
this city!
The most important aspect of this city is what we
find in vs:3
The fact that it is a mega voice,
connotes that the subsequent revelation is important and authoritative.
* The Bible record of the
dwelling with or tabernacling of God with men down
thru history is an interesting one.
1. In the Garden, daily
God walked with Adam and Eve, in the cool of the day.
2. Then He dwelt with
Israel in the tabernacle, and then later in the Temple.
When
3. Jesus in the first
advent is said to "dwell among us." Jn
1:14
"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among
us."
4. Today, in the Church
age, God does not dwell in man-made temples but in the bodies of believers, His
people, 1 Cor 6:19-20; and corporately in the Church, Eph
* In both the Tabernacle
and the
* This confirms the work
of Christ as mediator; He has successfully brought God and man together.
* What is it going to be like there? What are
the conditions?