Last part! We have made it!
Human history begins in a garden and ends in a city that is like a garden paradise.
God’s statements recorded in Revelation 21:5–6 summarise these final two chapters:
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
The Citizens of the City (21:1–8)
Three things about the citizens of the New Jerusalem.
- They are God’s people (1–5). The first heaven and earth were prepared for the first man and woman and their descendants. God had prepared everything for them when He placed them in the garden.
God has promised His people a new heaven and earth (Isa. 65:17; 66:22). The old creation must make way for the new creation so God is glorified.
Jesus called this event “the renewal” of the earth (Matt.19:28), and Peter explained it as a cleansing and renewing by fire (2 Peter 3:10–13).
The Greek word - kainos - translated new means “new in character” or “fresh” (Rev. 21:1, 5) hints at a renewed world. (Strongs 2537).
Despite Scripture’s description, it is difficult to imagine what the eternal city will be like.
John characterises it as a holy city (see Rev. 21:27), a prepared city (see John 14:1–6), and a beautiful city, as beautiful as a bride on her wedding day. He amplifies these characteristics in Revelation 21—22.
But the most important thing about the city is that
God dwells there with His people.
- They are a satisfied people (v. 6).
21: 6: He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Compare this to John 4: 10-14: Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
It would seem that the promise of Jesus is eternally true - He is the source and remains the source.
Remember that the church in Laodecia was to be spat out by Jesus because they had mixed the healing mineral waters with the refreshing waters (Romans 3:16 - Revelation Part 3).
This new city is a place of abundance.
- They are a victorious people (7–8).
21: 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
“Victorious” or those who “overcome” is a key phrase in this book (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; note also 12:11).
John 5:4–5: “…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
This promise is not for the “spiritually elite.” Because we are the children of God, we shall inherit all things.
The Character of the City (21:9-22:5)
21:9-10: One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
He is shown the Bride, which is a city!
Our ideas and notions of being the Bride need to move away from a Bride in a white dress on her wedding day. The Bride of Christ is more glorious than that!
Our individualistic way of thinking needs to move to a together or corporate way of thinking. Individually we are not the Bride. We are only Bride when we begin to think of ourselves as altogether, a city not a single person.
A city is not buildings; it is people.
The city’s description follows the pattern of cities with which John’s readers were familiar: foundations, walls, and gates.
The foundations speak of permanence,
The walls and gates speak of protection. God’s people will never have to fear any enemies. Angels at the gates will act as sentries! (21:12)
John had measured the earthly Jerusalem (Rev. 11), but now he sees the heavenly city measured.
It seems the city is a cube (21:16). More importantly, the fact that it is equal on all sides indicates the perfection of God’s eternal city: nothing is out of order or balance.
The measurements are staggering! 12,000 stadia is roughly 1500 miles (2,400 kms) and the walls 144 cubits thick (65 metres).
21:19-21: The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
These are not isotropic stones. Rather they are anisotropic stones. So what? We might think stones such as diamonds more fitting for the Bride-city. But these kind of stones are single refractive.
When polarised light passes through an isotropic stone, it will either remain dark or display a single colour. This is because isotropic materials, like cubic crystal system minerals, do not affect the speed or direction of light differently based on its path, unlike anisotropic materials.
The stones are all anisotropic (double refractive), meaning they interact with light in a way that creates vibrant colours when light passes through them. This choice of stones is significant because the New Jerusalem is filled with the glory of God, and the light of God shines through the city. Anisotropic stones, like those mentioned in Revelation 21, are known for their ability to disperse light and create beautiful colour effects.
So what? When you see it from below as the Bride-city descends the light show is amazing - in fact a kaleidoscopic rainbow. Remember there is a rainbow around the throne in heaven (Rev 4:3, see Revelation Part 4).
What is in the throne-room is now coming to earth! The glory of God!
The Challenge of the City (22:6–21)
Heaven is more than a destination; it is a motivation.
- We must keep God’s Word (22: 6–11, 18–19).
22: 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
Basically, ‘keeping the words’ means to guard, to watch over, to preserve. There should be no adding to or subtracting from this (or any other Bible book) (21:18-19).
John’s warning was to the hearer, the believer in the congregation where this book was read aloud to the seven churches in Chapters 2 & 3.
It would apply to anyone reading and studying the book today. We may not be able to explain everything in the book of Revelation but it is a dangerous thing to tamper with the Word of God.
The one who guards the Word and obeys it will be blessed; the one who alters it will be disciplined in some way.
- We have the responsibility of serving the Lord
(12–14).
22:12-13: “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“My reward is with me” implies that God is mindful of our sufferings and our service, and nothing will ever be done in vain if it is done for Him.
- We must keep our lives clean (14–15).
22: 14-15: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
Those who wash their robes (and keep them white) wash them in the covenant love of Jesus. It is not suddenly salvation and eternal life by our effort. It is being holy, for He is Holy (1 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:11)
Wrapping this up with Q & R:
We must expect the return of Jesus!
21:17: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
21:20a: He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Johns response:
21:20b - 21: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Menti Questions:
A short Q&R at the end of the final message to see what has resonated, what is still confusing, what we could better.
- What stood out for you in the Revelation series?
- What unanswered question do you still have?
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Blog bonus:
You can see the comparison between the beginning of the Bible and the end of it:
Genesis Revelation
Heavens and earth created, 1:1 New heavens and earth, 21:1
Sun created, 1:16 No need of the sun, 21:23
The night established, 1:5 No night there, 22:5
The seas created, 1:10 No more seas, 21:1
The curse announced, 3:14–17 No more curse, 22:3
Death enters history, 3:19 No more death, 21:4
Man driven from the tree,3:24 Man restored to paradise, 22:14
Sorrow and pain begin, 3:17 No more tears or pain, 21:4
Inside the City in Revelation 21:
In Revelation 22:1–5, we move inside the city to discover that it is like a beautiful garden, reminiscent of the garden of Eden. There were four rivers in Eden (Gen. 2:10–14), but there is only one river in the heavenly city. Ezekiel saw a purifying river flowing from the temple, (Ezek. 47), but this river will flow directly from God’s throne, the very source of all purity.
Adam and Eve were prohibited from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and prevented from eating of the tree of life (Gen. 2:15–17; 3:22–24). But in the eternal home, man will have access to the tree of life. The river and the tree symbolise abundant life in the glorious city.
Rev 22:2-3: No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.“His servants shall serve him”. We do not know what that service will look like but we know that God and Jesus will be in the centre of the Bride-city. It is enough that we know what God wants us to do today.
Revelation 22:16 is interesting. In “the root and offspring of David” we have Jesus’ Jewish, national name, but in “the bright and morning star” we have His universal name. One speaks of humility, the other of majesty and glory, one seeks of humanity and the other divinity.
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