Keys to Understanding the Book of Revelation
Surveying the Text:
Lesson 8: Heaven on Earth ( Chptrs. 21-22)
Dr. Mary Sue Davis
Revelation 21
Revelation 21:1-27
Literal View:
Verses 1-8- All Things Made New
Rev. 21:1 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.
There is much debate on whether there will be a physical destruction of the earth. Some contend that it is not the earth but the people who dwell upon it. Equally, the Day of the Lord will remove the wicked from the earth and may cause severe damage to the physical earth, but the earth will not cease to exist.
(Ecc 1:4) A generation passes away, and a generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
The strongest verse that seems to support a fiery purging of the physical earth is 2 Peter 3:10, which states, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
Heaven, ouranos (oo-ran-oss); Strong’s #3772: Compare “uranography,” “uranometry,” “Uranus.” A word, often used in the plural, to denote the sky and the regions above the Earth (Heb. 1:10; 2 Pet. 3:5, 10) and the abode of God (Matt. 5:34; Rom. 1:18), Christ (Luke 24:51; Acts 3:21), angels (Matt. 24:36; Mark 12:25), and resurrected saints (2 Cor. 5:1). By metonymy the word refers to God (Matt. 21:25; Luke 15:18) and to the inhabitants of heaven (Rev. 18:20).
OT counterpart- (Isa 66:22) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make stand before Me, says Jehovah, so will your seed and your name stand.
Symbolically:
The sea is no more – Revelation 21:1
All through this book we hear the water, the sea. Throughout there is the voice of many waters. But when there dawns on the eye of the seer the bright and blessed time, which is yet to come; when the new heavens and earth appear, this is among the chief attractions of that glorious world – that there is no more sea. The sea is a characteristic emblem of this age, but not of the next. There shall be no more painful mystery. – To the Jew there was a double mystery in the sea-that which lay in its sunless caves, and that which lay beyond the rim of the horizon; and because there was mystery there was dread and alarm. We, too, live on the shores of mystery, and float above it, with only a plank between it and us. But there we shall know as we are known; our questions answered; our problems solved. There shall be no more rebellious power.- The sea is the emblem of untamed power. Lashed into yeasty foam it drives the great ships before it and eats into the land. Men cry, Let us break His bands asunder, and cast away His cords. But God laughs at them. Remember the motto that England struck on its medal to celebrate the destruction of the Armada: “The Lord blew upon them, and they were scattered.” And so shall it be one day when all proud opposition to His will is vanquished. There shall be no more disquiet and unrest. – Life is like a voyage over the sea – now miles of calm, then days of storm; now monotonous and slow progress, then the awful stress of peril and threatening death. Outside of Christ life is like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, but casts up mire and dirt. But yonder there will be unbroken peace and rest.
Rev. 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God = will again be repeated in Revelation 21:10 with a slight variation. This has lead some to suggests that the New Jerusalem comes down twice. One cannot be dogmatic either way.
Made ready as a bride adorned for her husband = describes the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is in stark contrast to the “woman” of Revelation 17. This New Jerusalem comes as or like a bride for a new earth. (literal view) Spiritual view is the Bride is New Jerusalem, in-depth teaching later in lesson.
The Holy City, New Jerusalem or Hill City is a type of Goshen. It is the protected dwelling place pf God’s people, the Church. In the OT Goshen was where the children of Israel lived while in Egypt.
(Exo 8:22-23) And in that day I will cut off the land of Goshen, in which My people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, so that you may know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the earth. And I will put a dividing line between My people and your people. This miracle shall be tomorrow.
(Exo 9:26) Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail (judgment).
Symbolically Egypt is a type of the world, we are the children of Israel and the flies are evil spirits.
Prepared, hetoimazo (het-oy-mad-zoe); Strong’s #2090: To make ready, prepare, make arrangements. In addition to its normal use describing preparation for coming events, the word is used of preparation for the Messiah (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 1:76), of blessings that God has ordained (Matt. 20:23; 25:34), and of judgment (Matt. 25:41).
Some say The holy city is the Bride of Christ, the church (see vv. 9, 10); others say it is abode of the saints. A thorough symbolic view will follow the literal view.
Whichever your view : Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful on high, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Ps. 48:1-2
Rev. 21:3 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.
The most glorious prospect now fulfilled.
The tabernacle and the accompanying description of the bliss of the saints indicate the unbroken fellowship between God and His people. Because of His presence there is no more sorrow. Ezek. 40:1-48:35.
(Eze 40:1) In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was stricken, in the same day the hand of Jehovah was on me, and brought me there.
(Eze 48:35) All around it shall be eighteen thousand cubits. And the name of the city from that day shall be JEHOVAH IS THERE.
That is happening now: unbroken fellowship with God and His people. Peace is ruling your hearts and no more sorrow. This will happen literally in the whole earth when God’s Presence (knowledge of the glory of God) fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.
Rev. 21:4 “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.”
Most Glorious promise of God. Again this is happening presently in the hearts of believers and shall happen over the entire earth.
(Isa 25:7-9) And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering which covers all people, and the veil that is woven over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from all faces. And He shall take away from all the earth the rebuke of His people. For Jehovah has spoken. And one shall say in that day, Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is Jehovah; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
Rev. 21:5 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.”
God proclaims the completion of the new as well as the destruction of the old. (Rev.16:17).
(Rev 16:17) And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. And a great voice came out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done!
GOD OF RESTORATION–BIBLICAL CONCEPTS OF RESTORATION
Restore means to make restitution, shalam (Strong’s #7999; shaw-lam). figuratively, to be (or to make completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications). Translated as “make amends,” “finish,” “full,” “make good,” “repay,” “make restitution.” It has the idea of returning something to its rightful owner, or making amends, in the sense of attempting to put things back the way they were.
To restore, shuwb (Strong’s #7725; shoob). To turn back (hence, away), literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point). This word carries the notion of a This is exactly what happened in restoration of the temple: He said that the glory of the latter house would be greater than the former. When He restores, He does something that makes the restored of higher quality than what was lost. So it is with the restoration of all things.
RESTORATION PROMISES:
The lost joy of salvation: Psalm 51:10–12—“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (KJV)
The lost sense of justice: Isaiah 1:26—“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.” (KJV)
The lost motivation for living: Isaiah 57:18—“I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.” (KJV)
The lost time: Joel 2:25—“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.” (KJV)
The lost power to live strongly: Isaiah 40:31—“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (KJV)
The lost youthfulness in life: Psalm 103:5—“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (KJV)
Rev. 21:6 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.
I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Related Scriptures:
““In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).The Hebrew translation for this same scripture is: “Bara Sheath Elohim
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
“I am… the beginning” (The Revelation. 1:8, 21:6).
“And He is the head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning”(Colossians 1:18).
“Thou, Lord, in the beginning has laid the foundation of the earth”(Hebrews 1:10).
“…You have known Him that is from the beginning” (1st John 2:14).
It surely appears that “The Beginning” is a Person. He is God, Elohim –He is the Word — He is the Head of the Body. Elohim is Plural. Word is Plural — Many words make up the Word. The Body of Christ is Plural — Many parts make up the Body.
The “beginning” is Christ with whom you are One. He will bring to your remembrance the things He taught you in the Beginning — your life is hid with Christ in God before — (Colossians 3:3).
The “beginning” is Christ with whom we (Parts of His Body)are One. He continually brings to our remembrance the things He taught us in Him (the Beginning, in another dimension) — your life is hid with Christ in God before.– (Colossians 3:3 )
The last words of Jesus on the cross were ,“It is finished, (shalamed); He says,” It is done!” John 19:30 ( Lexicon definition of finish: concluded, ceased, completed) In the Exegesis literal translation the words are: COMPLETED!!
(John 17:4) I have glorified You upon the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
Symbol- Water of Life- Eternal Life by the Spirit John 4:14-14, 7:37-39
Water of Life is thoroughly explained in Rev, 22:17
Rev. 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
This is the 8th time “ He who overcomes” is stated in Revelation.
8 promises to Overcomers:
SALVATION
Revelation 2:7
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
ETERNAL LIFE
Revelation 2:11
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
PROVISION, DESTINY
Revelation 2:17
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The overcomers who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion have “His Father’s name” (the same kind of relationship that Jesus had with the Father) in their forehead. (Rev. 14:1-5; 22:4; compare 1 Cor. 1:10)!
White Stone: “To Him who overcomes… I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”
JESUS reached into the heart of the Father and brought forth a white stone which decreed us to be innocent through His sacrifice. Upon this stone was a new name (nature) which cannot be known by any man (carnality).
NEW REALMS OF AUTHORITY
Revelation 2:26
26 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, FULFILLING DESTINY, AFFIRMING YOU
Revelation 3:5
5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
IMMOVABLE, NEW NAME, BRIDE OF CHRIST
Revelation 3:12
12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Isaiah 62:2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will name.
The New Name God Gives to Us
The Lord gives us a new name–a new identity. Our total identity is wrapped up in our association with Him. As His children, we receive this new name. In walking in the new name, we are confident and strong, knowing who we are in Him. It is about the name that He has given to us (Revelation 3:12).
We can choose to walk in our “old name” or walk in the new that God has given. It is a picture of choosing to yield to the old man or the new man created in true righteousness in holiness (Ephesians 4:24). We are partakers of the divine nature through His promises (2 Peter 1:4).
Just as Saul received a new name from the Lord, the demons recognized him by his new name, the new divine nature–not the old. This is because Paul walked in the new name and life that God had given to him.
A THRONE – a royal position and authority (Matt. 28:19-20). RULING AND REIGNING
Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Revelation 3:21, KJV To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My THRONE (thronos – place or stately throne seat of authority, with a footstool), even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His THRONE.
Ephesians 1:20-23, KJV Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,21 FAR ABOVE ALL (rulership) principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
Rev. 21:8 “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.”
Most frightful fact:
Cowardly: Courage and patient endurance are indispensable in the conflict between the Lamb and the dragon. Unbelieving is the opposite of faithfulness. Abominable means polluted by the Earth’s abominations (17:5). Sorcerers: The literal Greek refers to those dealing in drugs. Liars are those who deviate from the truth and join the deceivers.
The 2nd death is eternal separation from God for those who reject the life of Christ. It is also called the lake of fire and brimstone.
Symbolically the lake of fire is the perfecting power of God’s fire.
Universalists believe that the fire and brimstone mentioned are to make people repent. And it will be for only a time not eternally that eventually everyone would be saved and end up in heaven. Hell may serve as a retributive form of punishment designed to lead sinners to a final act of repentance. Variations in the belief lead to the concept of purgatorial or redemptive fires in hell, while others see hell’s fires as figurative or cleansing in nature. Here are the Scriptures they use for evidence: Gen 1:31, 12:3,18:25,26:3-4, 1 Sam 2:6, 2 Sam 14:14, 1 Chr 16:34, 41, Job 5:17-18, 23:13, 42:2, Psalm 2:8, 22:27-29,30:5,33:5, 49:15, 65:2-3,66:3-4,67:1-4,72:11,72:17,82:8-10, 86:13,89:30-34,90:3,98:6-9, 102:19-20, 103:8-9,107:1,135:6,18:4, 139:8,Psalm 145:7-10,14-16, Proverbs 16:9,19,21,20:24, Isaiah 2:2,14:24,14:27,25:6-8,26:9-10, 40:5,45:21-25, 46:10-11, 48:10,49:6,50:2,52:10-11,54:8,55:11,57:16 Jeremiah 3:17,31:33-34,32:17,40 Lamentaions 3:31-33, Ezekiel 36:23,26-27,36,16:55, 18:4, 5:8, Daniel 4:35,7:14,9:24 Hosea 13:14 Joel 2:28, Jonah 4:2 Micah 7:18-19 Habakkuk 2:14 Malachi 3:6, matt 18:11,14, Mark 9:49, 10:26-27, Luke 2:10, 3:6,9:56, 15:4, 23:34 John 1:7-9,13,29, 3:17, 4:42,6:33,51, 12:32,47, 17:4 Acts 3:21,25-26, 10:34 Rom 1:4, 3:3-4, 4:21,5:1, 18,20, 8:21, 11:15-16,26,29,32-36, 12:21, 14:11, 1 cor 3:15,13:8, 1 Cor 15:22-28, 54,55 2 Cor 5:14,19 Gal 3:8 Eph 1:9-11,2:7,3:6, 4:8-10 Phil 2:10-11, 3:21, Col 1:19-20 1 Tim 2:3-4, 4:9-11,5:8 2 Tim 1:9-10, Titus 2:11, Heb 2:2,9,14-15, 7:25, 8:10-11, James 2:13 2 peter 3:9, 1 John 2:2,3:8,4:14, Rev 1:17-18, 5:13, 15:4, 22:3
Rev. 21:9 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.”
Revelation 21:9 (Young’s Literal Translation) And there came unto me one of the seven messengers, who have the seven vials that are full of the seven last plagues, and he spake with me, saying, `Come, I will shew thee the bride of the Lamb — the wife,’
Compared to the Prov. 31 Virtuous Woman:
(Pro 31:10) Who can find a woman of virtue? For her value is far above rubies.
(Pro 31:11) The heart of her husband trusts safely in her, so that he shall have no need of plunder.
(Pro 31:12) She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
(Pro 31:13) She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands.
(Pro 31:14) She is like the merchants’ ships; she brings her food from afar.
(Pro 31:15) She also rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household, and a share to her young women.
(Pro 31:16) She considers a field, and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
(Pro 31:17) She binds her loins with strength, and makes her arms strong.
(Pro 31:18) She sees that her merchandise is good; her lamp does not go out by night.
(Pro 31:19) She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
(Pro 31:20) She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.
(Pro 31:21) She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
(Pro 31:22) She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.
(Pro 31:23) Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
(Pro 31:24) She makes fine linen and sells it, and delivers girdles to the merchants.
(Pro 31:25) Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
(Pro 31:26) She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
(Pro 31:27) She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
(Pro 31:28) Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.
Rev. 21:10 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,
High mountain does not refer to perspective, but to the actual site of the holy Jerusalem (see Ps. 48:1, 2; Is. 2:2; Ezek. 40:2; 48:12-16; Mic. 4:1; Zech. 8:22; 14:16).
(Psa 48:1-2) A Song and Psalm for the Sons of Korah. Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful on high, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
Rev. 21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Jasper: The twelve gates are open in all directions to all peoples (vv. 24, 25). The twelve tribes (see 7:1-8) plus the twelve apostles are the combined people of God, incorporating the Old and New, built on twelve foundations, the testimony of the eyewitnesses to the revelation of God ( Eph. 2:20).
(Eph 2:20) and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Rev.21:12 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:
Rev. 21:13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
Rev. 21:14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev. 21:15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
The city is a perfect cube, a symbol of perfection, as was the Most Holy Place (see 1 Kin. 6:20). The dimensions of 12 and 1,000 indicate that there will be perfect room for all the redeemed.
Rev. 21:16 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.
Rev. 21:17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
The New Jerusalem literally would be 1,500 miles per side (foursquare) 3.38 X 10 9 mi 3. There are eight furlongs in a mile, so 12,000 furlongs is equal to 1500 miles. The city of New Jerusalem will be 1500 miles wide, 1500 miles long, and 1500 miles tall. The moon is 2,140 miles in diameter 5.13 X 109 mi 3. (The dimensions are 12x100o meaning there is room for everyone) The outline of New Jerusalem fits perfectly inside the outline of the moon.
Rev. 21:18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
The precious materials used in the construction of the city magnify its beauty and glory.
Rev. 21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper (Jasper is another name for diamond),
the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
Rev. 21:20 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.
Rev. 21:21 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.
All of the precious gems and stones mentioned in Rev. 21 are anisotropic stones which produce the colors of the rainbow in brilliant light. They will not wash out or lose their color. Anisotropic is a term used in gemology for double refraction. Anisotropic when applied to crystals it is the display of unequal physical properties in different directions. An example would be a mineral which has a different hardness when tested in different directions. If a stone darkens evenly at every 90 degree interval, the stone is said to be doubly refractive or anisotropic. In other words the stone gives off even brilliant light and color.
Rev. 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Neither temple nor created light is needed, because of the presence of God and the lamb.
Rev. 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Rev. 21:24 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.
The city is perfect it its universality and in its holiness.
Rev. 21:25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Somewhere on the earth it is light.
Rev. 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
Rev. 21:27 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.
Symbolic/ Spiritual View Revelation Chapter 21–
(Rev 21:1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer is.
The new heaven and new earth are those people who have allowed the kingdom of Heaven to pour out their hearts, thereby bringing the kingdom of Heaven to earth. These overcomers are the heavens who form New Jerusalem. As Christ takes dominion of their lives a new heaven is formed in their hearts. We become a type of Garden, a place where heaven and earth are united. As this happens the presence of Christ brings restoration to the earth (planet) and returns it to its original garden state. The curse is completely reversed.
In Gen. 3:17 God said, “cursed is the ground for thy sake.” Adam’s sin cursed the earth; there fore, the righteousness of Jesus Christ will restore it through the saints.
Isaiah’s prophesy shows the restoration:
(Isa 65:17-25) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the things before will not be remembered, nor come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and I will rejoice in My people; and the voice of weeping will no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying be heard in her. There will not be an infant, nor an old man that has not filled his days. For the child will die a hundred years old; but the sinner who is a hundred years old will be despised. And they will build houses and live in them; and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not build, and another live in them; they will not plant, and another eat. For like the days of a tree are the days of My people, and My elect will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor bring forth for terror. For they are the seed of the beloved of Jehovah, and their offspring with them. And it will be, before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the food of the snake. They will not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says Jehovah.
Jesus announced that He would build His Church, a City with foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Psa. 127:1; Matt. 16:18; Heb. 11:10). The river of His Spirit makes glad the city of God, the tabernacles of the Most High (Psa. 46:4; Jn. 7:37-39). His City is a place of governmental order; Jesus has determined to order and establish His people (Isa. 9:6-7).
(Isa 9:6-7) For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no end of the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on, even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.
Restoration of the Garden: New Heaven and New Earth
The garden represents a place in the spiritual realm that will be the new heaven and new earth. It is also a restoration of the sin laden earth to its original Garden of Eden state. The Garden is where Adam and Eve were living before the fall. Genesis chapter 1 & 2 and Revelation 21 & 22 are the only chapters in the Bible where there was no sin. After the fall they were driven out of the Garden so they could no eat of the tree of life and live forever in their sins. Cherubims (angelic beings) and a flaming sword were put in place to keep them from reentering (Gen. 3:23) The symbolism of the story is hard to dismiss. You can only reenter through the Eastern gate/Garden through the flaming sword (truth that perfects) and angelic being, those with Christ in them.
Symbolic/spiritual summary: Practical application:
The new heaven and the new earth is connected to the principle of 2 Peter 3:10. Here, the elements are burning with fervent heat. The elements here is the elementary foundation of men, whom, in Proverbs 1:22 love simplicity. Such mindset is outer court bound, and refuses to advance beyond adolescence into adulthood. The old heaven and earth is not merely the physical substance that we behold with our natural eyes, but it is the way we perceive with our heart & mind. For the passing away of the old is a way of thinking, first!
This truth further reveals that God is a consuming fire as recorded in Hebrews 12:26-29. This restoration by fire carries both the restorations back to his purpose through a divine process. This fire here is a purifying fire, a fire that changes one into another form. Like the fire upon the believers in Acts 2, so is there a consuming fire to purify us unto his glory. The fire will try old order concepts about God, heaven, hell, eternity, etc.
And beloved, there is a shaking in the heavens and in the earth. Whatever there is that can be shaken shall be removed; kingdom remains. Like the wheat and the chaff, one will blow away with the wind, and the other shall return to earth to be harvested. Thus, the principle shall be taken, the other left. This beloved, is the present truth! 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Isaiah 35:3-10:
Spiritually, God has planted within His Elect the good seed of the Christ life to bring forth the harvest of Christ within us!
No more sea–
No more men to tossed to and fro upon the violent waves of the sea of the doctrines, laws, methods, schemes, promotions, gimmicks, deceptions, fraud and foolishness. The day is coming when there will be no more sea! And for many of us, it has already become a glorious fact that within ourselves there is no more sea!
SYMBOLIC -AN ANALOGY: NEW JERUSALEM, A DESCRIPTION OF THE BRIDE- A PLACE AND A PEOPLE
If the New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ, and if Christians are the inhabitants of that city, the scripture would be referring to the believers—the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem—as the Bride of Christ. (Compare Revelation 21:2, 9, and 10.)
(Rev 21:2) And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.” (Isa 65:17–19)
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks of better things than that of Abel.
We come to the heavenly city, but what makes the city? Gold? Pearl? The city is the saved inhabitants. God being the center of all life. Our coming is to a city, a God, a mediator, the Holy Angels and to the general assembly of past saints.
So we as the Bride of Christ are the city, though we come to it, its appointment is for habitation. But its more than a city, it’s a heavenly city, a heavenly Jerusalem, and look what John sees the city doing. Some say that New Jerusalem is not a literal city at all. My opinion submitted to you is that New Jerusalem is a place and a people.
John sees the city coming down from God, prepared as a bride, a city prepared as a bride
We abide in a city, and we are that city. Example if all the people move out of the city where I live, it ceases to be a city. A city is a place with people. To be an inhabitant of that city is to be the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.
In Rev. chapter 21 we see again the servants that now reign forever and ever. They see the face of God which is incomprehensible, but because of Christ and this marriage now forever recorded to bring hope. Here is our victory, the overcoming glorious faith we received while on earth.
The New Jerusalem is already being established on the earth, but it is in the spirit. Jesus said “The kingdom is already within you”. Revelation 21:1-2 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The new heaven and earth coming down represents the spiritual dimension. The Holy City is the Body of Christ who has been renewed in the spirit of their minds and is beginning to reign from the heavens instead of the earth. We are no longer earth bound by the carnal religious mind. We are shaking ourselves from the dust of the earth and beginning to shine with the glory of the Lord. I know there will come a day when these truths will fully be manifested, and we’ll walk in the light and the full glory of the New Jerusalem. However now is the day to begin to walk in it because the light and the glory of the New Jerusalem is already locked up on the inside of God’s people and needs to be released.
Rev 2:12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
I not only come to the city, I am part of the city, I am an inhabitant of the city, and I am adorned as a Bride for my Savior who is marrying me and every other overcomer in Christ. I bear the name of the city, I bear the name of God.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.(Gal 4:26)
But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,(Heb 12:22)
(Rev 21:2) And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
Kosmeo, the Greek word for “adorn” is used to describe the adorning of the Bride of Christ for her Husband. The word means put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare.)(Rev 21:2)
Related Scriptures:
(Isaiah 61:10) “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall delight in my
God; for He has clothed me with the garments of Salvation. He has covered me with the Robe of Righteousness, as a Bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a Bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
(Isaiah 49:18) ‘lift your eyes round about, and see; all these gather together and come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you Zion, shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and bind them on you as a bride does.’
Job 40:10 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty.
(Exodus 19:5 ) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure (jewel, wealth,) unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
“For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. … These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly [country]: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:10, 13–16)
“For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” (Hebrews 13:14)
“Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:12–13)
The Bride will be a visible declaration that the Lord is now in the midst of the earth Matt. 5:14.
We are the city on the hill and the light to the world.
(Mat 5:14) You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
The Church, the city of the great King (Psa. 48:1-2), is Mount Zion, the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22-24). Paul explained the Jerusalem which is above to be the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26). Jesus Himself proclaimed the Church to be the Light of the world, a City set on a hill (Matt. 5;14). John was shown the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, the great City, the holy Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-10). The psalmist declared, “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem” (Psa. 51:18). On a more personal note, Solomon observed, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Prov. 25:28).
To reiterate, The Bride becomes the wife, New Jerusalem. It is born out of the ascension of the saints in Christ. (rev. 4;1) The angel refers to the city as come see the Lamb’s wife(verse9). This identifies another distinction of the citizens of the city, they must be married and consummated in relationship to the Lord to qualify. They must ascend so that they can descend. Rev. 3:12 says these overcomers have the name of the city marked on their foreheads. This corresponds to Rev. 7: 1-3 where we see the 144,000.
Rev. 21:17 states that the walls or the framework of the city measures 144 cubits. This symbolized the role of these people will take in forming the New Jerusalem. The city is what Abraham was looking for,, the promised fulfilled, “For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”(Heb. 11:10)
We BECOME His {Already} Coming! He came and settled the matter with Jerusalem of OLD, as we are now His New Jerusalem. He now appears in His Body, and we are the manifestation thereof. We walk out His coming of the Past Declaration and Finished Work and declare a glorious and victorious future for the saints. In the Book of Revelation {Revolution}, the Lord brought closure to an old creation, as Now, we are His New Creation. We are the Last Adam and the Quickening Spirit, and there shall not be another to look for. Walk in it beloved, for as He is, so are we in this world!
Symbolic/spiritual summary: Practical application:
The holy city is a people. It comes down out of the intangible to the tangible, the invisible to the visible, and the unseen to the seen. The truth of the holy city is becoming a present reality, a substance and pure nature. It is coming into manifestation and clarity. The eyes of our understanding are being flooded with light. This can also be confirmed by the three-fold mirror of the new testament which is [1] 1 Corinthians 13:12, seeing through a glass darkly, [2] 2 Corinthians 3:18, beholding in the glass the glory of the Lord, being changed into the same image from glory to glory, from conception to perfection, from the cross to the throne, from the outer court to the holy of holies, [3] James 1:23-25, thus, becoming doers or performers of the word as we behold the need for change. This city, the church in perfection and glory, is being adorned, prepared to rule in the fullness of eternity with the Lamb as his bride. Though his Bride, we must mature into the reality of it. We must progressively develop into a fuller relationship with the Lamb.
(Rev 21:3) And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
This is reinstating what has already happened in the Spirit. When the Bride is indwelt by Christ then the kingdom of heaven is ongoing. The kingdom has already come and is in you. The process “let it be done in earth (in us) as it is in heaven” is ongoing. Matt.(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Notice KJV says in earth not on earth, in YOU!
Futuristically/Literally, during the Millenium He ( Jesus Christ) will rule with a rod of iron (Word). Isaiah says (Isa 65:24) “And it will be, before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” This too has already happened; it will be carried into the Millenium.
Symbolic/spiritual summary: Practical application:
The great voice began in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. This is also the first mention of the word “voice” as it is last mentioned here in the New Jerusalem. This means that the voice of the Lord and the habitation of God are connected with the same. For God the Father is not speaking into thin air. He has a people who really know his voice, and a stranger they will not follow or respond to. Now, this voice is also considered a sound. The sound principle is connected with Numbers 10:1-10 of the four-fold purpose of the trumpets, 1 Corinthians 14:6-8 of the need for certainty in the sound, and in Acts chapter 2 with the sound of a rushing mighty wind. For one of the vital keys to living life as a Holy City and habitation of God is in the knowing and responding to His voice!
(Rev 21:4) And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away.
This is the blessings of those who are New Jerusalem. Receiving a glorified body gives us the ability to cross over death. The Lord lives in us, resurrection power; we share in His victory over death, an ongoing reality.
Symbolic/spiritual summary: Practical application:
The former things are passed away, such as sorrow, sickness, and sadness which are mere distractions to say the least. In the fullness of the bride {Maturity of the divine Relationship, not just being married and caught up in the idea of being whisked away in rapturous joy unspeakable, but a Solid Union of Purpose} there shall be a display of awesome victory over these factors. These things were never to have dominion over us.
(Rom 6:14) For sin/sickness/death/grief shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under Law, but under grace. Notice Paul said shall not have dominion over you. In this earthly life we go through the storms ; they do not conquer us.
Also in the words of Paul the Apostle:
(1Cor 15: 54-57) But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2Co 5:1-4) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling-place out of Heaven; if indeed in being clothed, we shall not be found naked.
For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; inasmuch as we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that the mortal might be swallowed up by the life.
Mirror Bible: 2 Cor. 5:1-2 Our skin bodies have a sell by date; our spirit bodies are eternal. The same God who fashioned our skin bodies in our mother’s womb, engineered our spirit bodies to be our permanent dwelling. Facing pressure times the way we often do, makes us sigh with longing to exchange the skin-suit with the permanent splendor of the heavenly suit.
Revelation 21:3-4 show us that, “…God’s home is now with His people. He lives with them, and areHis own. Yes, God makes His home among His people.” Not only that, but continuing says, “He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are GONE FOREVER.”
In reality now these things are gone forever.
(Rev 21:5) And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.
He makes everything new including all of creation. He will restore the Garden of Eden He will restore the Garden of Eden through us.
The garden of Eden was originally intended to be the eternal dwelling place of man. When man sinned against God, Man was cast out of the garden. The entire hope of mankind it to be permitted to live once again in the physical garden paradise. God will restore the garden on a global basis and there “the faithful” will live a physical existence forever upon the earth.
NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH: 2 Pe 3:5-7–The present physical universe is “uncreated” or eliminated: Rev 20:11–Rev 21 :4b The old things hove passed away–
(Heb 13:14) For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Rev 21:1.5 I make all things new–We will watch God create the new heavens and earth! RESTORED GARDEN PARADISE: Gen 2:8-10–Rev 2:7 Tree of life in the paradise of God –Rev 22:2,3 Tree of life
Prophetic declaration of the restoration of city of Adam, Garden.
(Jos 3:15-17) (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the LORD’S promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.
God proclaims the completion of the new as well as the destruction of the
old. (Rev.16:17).
(Rev 16:17) And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. And a
great voice came out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, It is
done!
GOD OF RESTORATION–BIBLICAL CONCEPTS OF RESTORATION
Restore means to make restitution, shalam (Strong’s #7999; shaw-lam).
figuratively, to be (or to make completed; by implication, to be friendly;
by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications). Translated as “make
amends,” “finish,” “full,” “make good,” “repay,” “make restitution.” It has
the idea of returning something to its rightful owner, or making amends, in
the sense of attempting to put things back the way they were.
To restore, shuwb (Strong’s #7725; shoob). To turn back (hence, away),
literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the
starting point). This word carries this notion. This is exactly what
happened in restoration of the temple: He said that the glory of the latter
house would be greater than the former. When He restores, He does something
that makes the restored of higher quality than what was lost. So it is with
the restoration of all things.
Hosea 6:1-3, KJV Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. ( Note: God allowed)
The word for “return” in Hosea 6:1 is shoob (Strong’s #7725), and it means, “to turn back; again; to bring back, to restore, to refresh, to repair.” These are tremendous days of restoration.
Joel 2:25, KJV And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten…
Jesus is held in the heavenlies until the universal restitution or restoration of all things:
(Act 3:19-21) Therefore, repent and turn to him to have your sins blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah. He must remain in heaven until the time of universal restitution, which God announced long ago through the voice of his holy prophets. ISV
RESTORATION PROMISES:
The lost joy of salvation: Psalm 51:10–12—“Create in me a clean heart, O
God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy
salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (KJV) (THIS IS DONE; HOLY SPIRIT NEVER LEAVES YOU!)
The lost sense of justice: Isaiah 1:26—“And I will restore thy judges as at
the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be
called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.” (KJV)
The lost motivation for living: Isaiah 57:18—“I have seen his ways, and will
heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his
mourners.” (KJV)
The lost time: Joel 2:25—“And I will restore to you the years that the
locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm,
my great army which I sent among you.” (KJV)
The lost power to live strongly: Isaiah 40:31—“But they that wait upon the
LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (KJV)
The lost youthfulness in life: Psalm 103:5—“Who satisfieth thy mouth with
good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (KJV)
Symbolic/spiritual summary: Practical application:
The throne is the seat of his authority, the place of his power. It is liken to the Ark and Mercy seat of the Most Holy Place, the realm of the hundred-fold overcomer.
Hundred-Fold Overcomer
The Overcomer is the 100 fold realm in God.
Passover-Our Passover or salvation experience makes us aware of being a member of the kingdom of God or family of God. 30 fold
Pentecost-Our baptism of the Holy Ghost or Pentecostal experience begins to teach us to hear his voice and be empowered to walk in the ways of the spirit. 60 fold.
Tabernacles-And this “catching up” experience of his full appearing in a Firstfruits of the harvest people, will be what brings the complete rulership of Christ to bear in this world, which has been typified as the Feast of Tabernacles. A 100 fold demonstration of the tabernacling Life of God as King and Priest or Lion and Lamb in a Corporate Body.
Overcomers think like those in the royal priesthood, like a bride-to-be who is riotously in love with the King of Kings.
In the Parable of the Sower Jesus says among those where the seed fell on fallow ground, some brought forth 30, 60, 100 fold. The 100-fold Christian is an overcomer by becoming all God called him to be. The 30 & 60-fold did not give their all for the Kingdom and its King.
Who Are The Overcomers?
In the Revelation letters to the seven churches (chapters 2 and 3), Jesus made special promises to “he who overcomes.”
Since Jesus was speaking to churches, He therefore was speaking to the Christians in those churches, not to unbelievers. It is obvious that He differentiated between ordinary Christians and overcomer Christians. Otherwise there was no point in Jesus calling on the Christians in each of these churches to become overcomers.
The promises are experienced only by believers who are faithful and obedient, and failure to overcome means a loss of rewards, not salvation (see 1 Cor. 3:15).
The reward for those who obey is the promise that they will eat of the tree of life. Eating of the tree of life is a promise of special intimacy with the Lord, a promise of renewing the fellowship lost before the fall (see Rev. 22:14; Gen. 2:9; 3:22, 24; Prov. 11:30). The privileged access once denied Adam (see Gen. 3:24) will be enjoyed by the overcomer.
“to the one who overcomes, to him will I give …” (Rev.2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21)
(Rev 21:6) And He said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the Water of Life freely.
*Symbol- Water of Life- eternal life by the Spirit- John 4:13-14, 7:37-39
When everything is restored and the final judgment is delivered, the kingdom is turned over to the Father by Jesus.
The Garden contains the Fountain of the Water of Life, Christ Jesus living in us, rivers of living waters flowing out of us.
Symbolic/spiritual summary- Practical application:
Jesus is the A-Z, the Alpha and the Omega, the 1-800 of God. He is the fountain of the Water of Life to those who thirst. John 4:5-26; Matthew 5:6
(Rev 21:7) He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.
The manifested sons of God are joint heirs with Jesus and inherit all things. This inheritance is only available through Christ.
What is the Believer’s Inheritance? ( this is not an exhaustive list)
1) We inherit the earth. (now)
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
2) We have inherit eternal life
Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
3) We inherit the kingdom of God. (now)
And the kingdom manifests in the present and in the future.
(Rev 11:15) And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.
4) We inherit a blessing
1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are called, that you should inherit a blessing.
5) We inherit position
Matthew 25:21-23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of the lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
What does the Bible say specifically about the Believer’s Inheritance?
1) Our inheritance is given to us on the basis of our faith in Christ.
Acts 26:15-18 And I said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto you ; 17 Delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you , 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
2) That our inheritance is not given to us on the basis of the Law
Romans 4:14-16 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law works wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
3) That we are joint-heirs with Christ.
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
4) That no unrighteous person will inherit the kingdom of God
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God .
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
5) That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God ; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
6) That our inheritance is obtained in Christ
Ephesians 1:10-11 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will:
7) That the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance
Ephesians 1:13-14 In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
8) That the Father has made us to be partakers of the inheritance.
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
9) That our inheritance is a reward
Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ.
10) That we through faith and patience inherit the promises
Hebrews 6:12 That you be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience, inherit the promises.
11) That our inheritance is eternal
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
12) That God has chosen the poor ( those that hunger and thirst after righteousness) of this world to be heirs of the kingdom
James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
13) That our inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled and fads not away reserved in heaven for us
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fads not away, reserved in heaven for you,
We receive the inheritance now and it is progressive in nature.
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
What does the Bible say specifically about Christ’s inheritance? As He is so are we.
1) Jesus has been made heir of all things; we are joint heirs.
Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
2) We have received A More Excellent Name ( New Nature)
Hebrews 1:4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Philippians 2:9-10 Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
3)All Power & Authority
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.
Symbolic/spiritual summary- Practical application:
Those who subdue, conquer, prevail, and get the victory in all things shall inherit all things {And we do, right now!}. From Revelation 2-3, the 8-fold promise of the overcomer is at reach.
It’s the original dominion mandate from Genesis to Revelation.
(Gen 1:28) And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth.
(Rev 12:11) And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.
Hebrew 4:15-16; 1 John 4:17; John 16:33; Romans 8:36-37.
(Heb 4:15-16) For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(1Jn 4:17) In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment (crisis), that as He is, so also we are in this world.
(John 16:33) I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
(Rom 8:36-37) As it is written, “For Your sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep of slaughter.” But in all these things we more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
(Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Spiritual death brings separation from God. Having their part mean these sins will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The second death is the Great White Throne Judgment. We will discuss the Lake of Fire in detail later in this study.
Symbolic/spiritual summary- Practical application:
Among many, there are prevailing attitudes of the Second Death Mentality. However, such things mentioned have been cast into darkness. For we are not of the night, but of the day. We do not live by lower realm or nature, but the higher nature of ascendancy in Christ. Because we are one with Him, a demon spirit would have to get to Christ to get to you, and that my friend, is impossible. Cast off the old nature that only ministers death and condemnation. Puts on the new man which, can only minister life and peace. 2 Corinthians 5:17
(Rev. 21:9)And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Symbolically/spiritually: This verse is a beginning of the description of New Jerusalem not a physical city, but a spiritual description of the Wife of Jesus.
Some say it is physical and spiritual; others say it is only spiritual and others say only physical.
Seven is the number of completion, maturity and manifestation. The Bride is complete in Christ, obedient to the point that it is no longer us seen, but Christ. Obedience is the key to completion because we walk in His perfect will for us.
Symbolic/spiritual summary- Practical application:
The Spirit of the Lord is calling for a mature Bride, one who is now ready to make a loving commitment to be the Lamb’s wife. For you can be physically married and lack much maturity. You can still treat the wife like a piece of meat, or the husband like a sugar daddy, and lack maturity in the basic social skills of relationship. Therefore, mature! Jeremiah 33:11 shows that the bride and the bridegroom are one. Oneness depicts maturity.
(Jer 33:11) the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who shall say, Praise Jehovah of Hosts, for Jehovah is good, for His mercy endures forever; and the voice of those who shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of Jehovah………..……………
(Rev 21:10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God,
This is the people ascending to the great and high mountain (a place to meet God, intimate relationship) (Rev. 4:1) where God descends out of Heaven to meet them. Then the Bride descends bringing heaven to earth.
Descending out of heaven from God: The Bride dwells in the Most Holy Pace, in the Secret Place of the Most High; they are seated with Him in Heavenly Places. They descend bringing heaven to earth, letting it be done in earth as it is in Heaven.
And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, Come here; I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. 10 And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God – Revelation 21:9-10
Comparable Scriptures: And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the water of life freely. – Revelation 22:17
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This joy of mine therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease. – John 3:29-30
For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be subject to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, 27 That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way the husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also the church, 30 Because we are members of His Body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. 32 This mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and the church. – Ephesians 5:23-32
The term New Jerusalem occurs two times: verses 3:12,21:2, 21:10 in the Book of Revelation. The New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ, the consummation of the Body of Christ, the Church.
In Rev. 19:7-8 John saw the church, the bride of the Lamb, adorned and made ready to be received by her Lord. Now, the Bride is pictured as the holy city of Jerusalem who will remain forever in God’s presence.
Symbolic/spiritual summary- Practical application:
Compare this Jerusalem with the one in John 4 that the woman at the well mentioned. Is this the same Jerusalem? No! For one is from above, the other from below.
(John 4:21-24) Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither worship the Father in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
In actuality New Jerusalem has come as we worship in spirit and in truth.
(Rev 21:11) having the glory of God. And its light was like a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Having the glory (nature)of God: The glory is the radiant presence of God, everything He is) and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper (brightness and beauty) stone. The description of the Bride says she is like a stone most precious. Therefore, those who diligently seek him will become the Bride. The Lamb’s wife is described as having a foundation of precious stones and being utterly beautiful to behold.
Jasper is a type of Jesus Christ on the throne. Jasper is a revelation about the visible Glory of this city, Christ in us.
(Col 1:27) For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
(Eph 5:26-27) that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Clear as crystal; Crystal describes the crystal river gurgling up and flowing out from before the throne is a perpetual river of rolling waters, as clear as crystal. And he showed me a pure river of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. And out of the Bride’s heart flow rivers of living water.
Clear as crystal means without spots. New Jerusalem are the ones without spots, the Bride.
(Jude 1:12) These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;KJ
We see the spots removed in the parable of the wheat and the tares.
(Mat 13:36-43) Then sending the crowds away, Jesus went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the darnel of the field. He answered and said to them, He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; but the darnel are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the Devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the darnel are gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be in the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The glory of God is the life of this city. Everything in it reveals a pulsating life from the nature of Christ, Christ in you the hope of glory. It too, is the glory of the latter house in Haggai 2:6-9.
(Hag 2:6-9) For so says Jehovah of Hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all the nations; and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, says Jehovah of Hosts. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says Jehovah of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, says Jehovah of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace, says Jehovah of Hosts.
(Rev 21:12) And it had a great and high wall, with twelve gates. And on the gates were twelve angels, and having names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel:
And had a wall great and high :A wall is a battlement, see SS 8:9” If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. We are enclosed, protected all around. All of the Song of Solomon is an allegory of the Bride and the Bridegroom.
The walls of the Savior’s City are called “salvation” (Isa. 60:18).
(Isa 60:18) Violence will no more be heard in your land, wasting nor ruin within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.
Zechariah prophesied of David’s New Testament City, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: for I, says the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her” (Zech. 2:4-5).
And had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Twelve is the number of Government and it is also the number of the Apostolic. The Bride is truly the picture of an APOSTOLIC PEOPLE!!!) We be the walls and the gates.
Symbolic/Spiritual Summary–Practical application:
Verse 12 speaks of the 12 gates of the city. The 12 gates of the city are connected with the 12 tribes of Israel. The number 12 speak of government and divine order. These 12 sons of Israel are also prophetic of 12 important experiences in the life of the believer. For 12 is also the number of foundation, as in the 12 apostles, the 12 stones upon the breastplate of judgment, the 12 manner of fruit, and Jesus at the age of 12.
THE ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITY THROUGH THE NUMBER 12
Let’s look back at the foundation of this city by defining the names of the 12 original sons of Jacob. Keep in mind, Jacob was created, but Israel was formed. Isaiah 43:1
– Reuben – behold the son [Ben, a son, builder of the family name]. This principle speaks of the new birth and the beholding the Lord Jesus Christ in each other. 2 Cor.5:17; 1 John 3:1-3
– Simeon – hearing, he who hears; The principle here is obedience, he who hears and obey. Also, this aspect of maturity reveals hearing by the Spirit. Isaiah 11:3 [he that has ears to hear]
– Levi – union, twined, joined adhesive and attached: This level of maturity speaks of being joined to the Lord as one spirit. This is the oneness principle. 1 Corinthians 6:17, 19, 20
– Judah – to praise, revere the Lord, worship with extended hands. {When you praise Him, you raise Him} Judas also means praise. One is praise of the heart, the other praise of the head. One portray Christ, the other betrays him. One is of the Spirit, the other by mental assent and flesh. John 7:37-39
– Zebulun – habitation [to be desired]: this speaks of the habitation of the Spirit of God, which we are. Praise or Judah often creates a habitation of the Spirit. Ephesians 2:22
– Issachar – reward, hired, payment of contract, compensation, benefit, and price: We are his reward and he is our reward. As taken from the old Pentecostal phrase, “We are sold out to Him!” Genesis 15:1
– Dan – to judge, umpire, execute, judgment, even to minister judgment: Dan speaks of righteous judgment. This is judgment from a new nature. John 7:24; Mt. 7:1-5; Romans 8:1-4
– Gad – a troop or good fortune; to crowd upon, attack, invade, overcome, assemble by troops, army, band of men armed and prepared. This speaks of G.A.D. or God’s Army of Destination. This also speaks of the manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:19, a predestined troop which is coming forth!
– Asher – happy; to be level or straight, or right; to go forward, be honest, prosper; blessed: This level of maturity speaks of the fullness of joy, and the kingdom being joy in the Holy Ghost. Psalms 16:11
– Naphtali – wrestling; from a root meaning “to twine or struggle.” This level of progressive spiritual maturity speaks of the armor of God and fighting the good fight of faith. Ephesians 6 and 1 Timothy 6:12
– Joseph – let him add or augment, to continue to do a thing: This speaks of the increase of God and the abundant life. Also, of a preserver of life {Joseph company}. Ephesians 4:16; John 3:30; Is. 9:7; Luke. 2:52
– Benjamin [or, Benjaministry] – the son of the right hand. This is the realm of the overcomer in Revelation 3:11 and 21:7. Benjaministry is the man-child overcoming company of Revelation 12.[Note: Benoni was the name given by Rachel before her death. Benjamin was the name given by Jacob or Israel. Benoni means ” son of my sorrow,” and reveals the principle of the kingdom or realm of darkness marked by sorrow and sadness. Such sad and sorrowful nature had to pass, making way for the overcomer.
(Rev 21:13) From the east three gates, from the north three gates, from the south three gates, and from the west three gates.
On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
3 is the number of the Godhead, perfection and the 3 dimensional being of man.
Some 3’s of God
Outer Court, Holy Place, Holy of Holies; 30-fold, 60 – fold, 100 – fold; Water baptism, Spirit baptism, Fire baptism; Brass vessels, Silver vessels, Gold vessels; Jesus the Way, Jesus the Truth, Jesus the Life; Live, move, have our being, Good, acceptable ,perfect; Jesus, Christ, Lord; Spirit saved (redemption), soul renewed (sanctification), immortality (BODY GLORIFIED); Called, chosen, faithful; Out of Egypt, wilderness, Promised Land; Justification, sanctification, glorification; Thanksgiving, praise, worship; Belly, temple, throne; Righteousness, peace, joy ; Prophet, priest, king; Little children, young men, fathers; Blade, ear, full corn; Divine healing, divine health, divine life; Foolish virgins, wise virgins, watchman; Born of Spirit, filled(baptized) with the Spirit,led by Spirit; Jesus the babe, Jesus the youth, Jesus the man; Milk, bread, Meat; David’s 1st anointing, Second, Third; Common salvation, great salvation, eternal salvation; Workers, warriors, worshipers; Azusa, Latter Rain, Fullness; Latter Rain, Latter Rein, Latter Reign; New birth, Holy Ghost, Full maturity; Gleanings, harvest, first fruits ; Rise, take up your bed, walk; Deny self, take up cross, follow me; Fruit, more fruit, much fruit; Holy, Holy, Holy (3 cherubims); Run, walk, mount up on wings; 1st heavens, 2nd heavens, 3rd heavens; Sun light, candlesticks, Shekinah glory; Moses Tabernacle Solomon’s Temple, Tabernacle not made with hands (us) David’s Tabernacle was a foreshadowing; Sight, foresight, insight; Evangelical, Charismatic, Christ being revealed in His Body; Salvation, anointing, adoption; Gate, door, veil; Baptized in sea, baptized in cloud/fire, crossing over into Jordan; Born an heir, earnest of inheritance, possession of inheritance; Dust, sands, stars; Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles; Song about the Lord, song to the Lord, Song of the Lord; 5000, 70, Peter/James/John (John received the revelation); Noah’s Ark : lower level, First level, Second level; measure, stature, fullness; having church, going to church. being His church; sun clothed, woman remnant of her seed, man child; Song of Sol 2:16, 6:3, 7:10 (progression of the Bride); Leave, cleave, become; Visitation, manifestation, habitation; For all Israel, priests, high priest; Birthright, blessing, inheritance; Little faith, great faith, all faith; Babies, children, adults; Entry-level salvation, spiritual gifts, His fullness; Faith, hope, love; Hear, understand, bear fruit
Gates symbolize ear gate, eye gate, mouth gate etc. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.(Psa 24:7)
Gates and angels both represent the 144,000, the Bride. These have entered the gates by obtaining the pearl of great price. Here in this verse the ways, gates, messengers, angels, the authority and God’s voice of New Jerusalem.
Three describes completion As the Bride you will come into completion in Christ.
The entrance into the city has four sides with three gates each. The number “4” is the number of earth and speaks of the 4 corners, 4 gospels, and N.E.W.S. [or good news, North, East, West, South]
(Rev 21:14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (12 again is the symbol of Divine government, an apostolic people.)The apostles promoted being sold out and dead to self. The apostlesalso supported the Christ in us message.
(Col 1:27) For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
This symbolism is a representation of what is most beautifully represents the character of the Bride, when it has reached the fullness of divine measure, and appears as the New Jerusalem.
Symbolic/spiritual Summary– Practical application:
The city has foundations. Every believer needs a foundation; Hebrews 6:1-2.
(Heb 6:1-2) Therefore, having left the discourse of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to full growth, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,of the baptisms, of doctrine, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Without it, there can be no city. The 12 Apostles speaks of the need for assemblies having apostles today. From apostolic revelation, apostolic reformation, apostolic recognition, apostolic destiny, etc., this too, points to Ephesians 2:20, the foundation of the apostles and prophets, or the patriarch and matriarch of the body, or in a wider sense, O.T. & N.T..
(Eph 2:19-22) Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.
Therefore, the apostolic is vital to restoring the church from visitation to habitation, from impartation to activation and release. Their ministry is “This Is That!”
(Act 2:16-21) But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And in those days I will pour out My Spirit upon My slaves and My slave women, and they shall prophesy. And I will give wonders in the heaven above, and miracles on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious Day of the Lord. And it shall be that everyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
(Rev 21:15) And he who talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city and its gates and its wall.
The whole temple is just the size, neither larger nor smaller than the reed in which it was measured. The Bride corresponds exactly with the divine measure of the Word. The Bride qualifies herself to be a part of the city. Gold represents divinity and speaks of being transformed by Christ through sanctification. Christ is the only ruler by whom we can measure our lives.
The golden reed speaks of gold as divine nature, whose measuring is by divine design. Ephesians 4:13; Revelation 11:1; {Ezekiel 40-48}
(Eph 4:13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
(Rev 21:16) And the city lies four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
*Symbol- Foursquare city of God- Most Holy Place Rev. 21:10, 11, 16
Four speaks of end-time manifestation. Foursquare or 4 squares of the gospel are Christ as Savior, Healer, Baptizer and coming King. Foursquare also meaning a perfect cube, a symbol of perfection, the Most Holy Place. The Holy Place is within you. The Bride abides in the Most Holy Place (and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the city. Eph. 3:18-19 says:
(that you) may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Breadth, length, depth and height is foursquare denoting that which passes all knowledge and the fullness of God.
The city is a cube, and we are to comprehend with all saints the breadth, length, depth, and height thereof. Ephesians 3:17-18
(Eph 3:17-18) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
(THE 100 FOLD REALM)
[Compared to the Holy of Holies]Dimensions of the Tabernacle:
30 cubits-Outer Court 60, to Holy Place, 90 cubits to Holy of Holies+ 10 represents priesthood of Melchizedek= 100 fold –30, 60, 100 fold realm
(Rev. 21:17)And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
The 144 cubits also speak of the 12 tribes of the first testament times the12 apostles of the second testament which, equals to the revelation of the holy city in both testaments. Ezekiel 40-48; Acts 3:21; Ephesians 3:5; Isaiah 60:18; Exodus 28:20 [12×12= 144]
The measure is as it speaks in (Eph 4:13) And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
144,000 is symbolically the Bride, God‘s ultimate in creation. (The dimensions are 12×1000 meaning there is room for everyone to become the Bride). Symbolically a perfect cube, a symbol of perfection, the Most Holy Place. The Elect/Bride are the ones who keep the city together. Descriptions of angels operating from the throne room refer to the sold-out Saints of God.
144,000 –The Redeemed from Among Men
These 144,000 are the Bride , God’s Israel according to faith. (This is a symbolic number containing 12x12x1000. Remember the 24 elders, representing Old and New Testament saints and the cattle on 1000 hills, meaning all hills!) Yes, the remnant of the Jews are there with the converted Gentiles! All are made one in Christ Jesus, one new man.
(Eph 2:15) having abolished in His flesh the enmity (the Law of commandments contained in ordinances) so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, making peace between them;
These are the wise virgins of Matthew 25.
(Mat 25:1-4) Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
(Rev 14:1-5) And I looked, and lo, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion. And with Him were a hundred and forty-four thousands, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven, like the voice of many waters and like the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sang as it were a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousands who were redeemed from the earth. These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, as a firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they were without blemish before the throne of God.
This true Israel is not defiled with the woman called Mystery Babylon (World System). We shall stand on Zion with Christ as his faithful Israel, the Israel of God.
“But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.” (Hebrews 12:22)
This is for whom Abraham was looking:
(Heb 11:9-10) By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him. For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
He was looking for us, here we are New Jerusalem!!!
(Rev 21:18) And the foundation of its wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
Jasper-This stone is used as a seal. Jasper represents the seal that must be broken in our hearts. (dying to self), a characteristic of the Bride. It can only be broken if we seek after Christ. It is also a type of the Bride.
Jasper is also another name for diamond. The diamond known for brightness, beauty and unbreakability. The Greek word for diamond is adamas, meaning “untamed or unbreakable”. It is the hardest known naturally occurring mineral. The enemy knows that if a Christian becomes fully matured by the Spirit, he will be untamable and unbreakable like a diamond–an indestructible spiritual force (Ps 125:1).
Diamonds are renowned for their superlative physical properties, making them useful for jewelry and industrial applications. A Christian fully matured by the Spirit will become known for his/her superlative spiritual qualities, making him useful for adorning God’s kingdom and purpose (Tit 2:10).
Engraving Diamonds have such hardness they were ideal for writing and engraving in ancient times. The diamonds of the Lord are used by Him to permanently etch His will on people’s hearts and minds (2Co 3:2,3). They have a lasting influence. Their words resound and resurface. They produce fruit that remains. They are diamonds that engrave by the hand of God. Dispersion of light Diamonds are capable of multidirectional dispersion of light, giving them a radiance from any angle looked upon. Christians fully matured by the Spirit also disperse light, spiritual light, in multiple directions, at home, at work, at school, on the playing field, at church, in appearance, in recreation, in social life, in finances, in the pulpit, every angle of their life radiates and refracts divine glory (Isa 60:1)Diamonds can only be scratched by other diamonds and three or four other things. Consequently, they hold their polish extremely well. Likewise, the diamonds of the Lord maintain their spiritual polish, or character, extremely well. Very few things can “scratch” their Christlike attitudes and reactions (Ps 125:1).
Diamonds are formed deep within the earth from very high temperatures and very high pressures, and they surface in volcanic pipes where they are mined and extracted. The diamonds of the Lord, those Christians utterly matured by the Spirit, are formed through pain in the deepest and darkest places of life. High “temperatures” and “pressures” from the depths of suffering have forced an ideal chemical reaction between Spirit and truth in the soul of the Christian, producing a crystalline character that eventually surfaces in their personality and life.
In the natural there is no such thing as a spotless diamond; all have flaws. However, the Bride is without spot (clear) and have manifested the Christ -in-us (jasper/diamonds) to the world.
The jasper is a translucent stone of various colors, especially that of fire. The city is pure gold, which is symbolic of divine nature. This pure gold is clear as crystal symbolizing transparency: for we have nothing to hide. Ezekiel 1, Exodus 28:20
Rev. 21:18b And the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
Symbolically gold represents kingship, glory.
The city is pure gold. These gates all lead to the street of transparent
gold. Father’s desire for each of us is that we become gold, Streets of
Gold. We may be walked over, yet we will still be gold. The New Jerusalem is
the Bride of Christ come down to earth. And the streets of the city were
pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Revelation 21: 21
We as the Bride of Christ are refined as pure gold.
(Zec 13:9) And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will
refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They
shall call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, It is My people;
and they shall say, Jehovah is my God.
(Rev 3:18a) I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire…….
Transparent like clear glass–The Bride is now transparent and the inside
and outside are exactly the same. Now Jesus shines through her and she has
become the very expression of His life. In this way, out of the multitudes
who follow the Lord for miracles, and for loaves and fishes, some will begin
to see beyond these, to the Lord Himself, and will go further, seeking this
intimate relationship with Him. The Bride, in the Song of Solomon, does not
talk about all that the Lord is capable of doing; rather, she describes how
beautiful He is. In Revelation 22:17, the Spirit and the Bride are in such
fellowship that they both are saying the same thing – “Come.” The Lord is
waiting for this singular call.
Like unto clear glass. We see through clear glass, see Him face to face not
through a glass darkly” For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known.” (I Corinthians 13:12).
The Bride is as Christ (gold) glory to the world.
(Rev. 21:19a)And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with
all manner of precious stones.
The wife of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings is a adorned with fiery
precious stones; the Lamb’s wife is described as having a foundation of
precious stones and being utterly beautiful to behold.
The foundations of the city are garnished or adorned with all manner of
precious stones. These stones speaks of the believer as lively stones in 1
Peter 2:5.
(1Pe 2:4-5) For having been drawn to Him, a living Stone, indeed rejected
by men, but elect, precious with God; you also as living stones are built up
a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The stones point to the 12 stones upon the breastplate of judgment as worn
by the priests of old. Ex. 28:15-30
They were:
1st Row–Levi- Emerald
Simeon- Chrysolite
Reuben- Carnelian
2nd Row–Zebulun- Moonstone
Issachar- Sapphire
Judah- Turquoise
3rd Row– Gad- Amethyst
Naphtali- Agate
Dan- Ligurius
4th Row– Benjamin- Jasper
Joseph- Onyx
Asher- Beryl
(Rev. 21:19c)The second, sapphire ;
Symbolic for beauty, hardness; it also implies obedience, content, understanding, and witness; the sapphire stone which also means to discern. Additional meanings of the name are: to declare, to write, to inscribe, to enumerate, celebrate, proclaim, show forth, and also to divide or cut.
If we seek Jesus, as we seek the treasures of this world, we will see His Glory manifested in our lives.
The sapphire was used to make Babylonian cylinder seals. Babylon is sealed or marked by the Bride as such. In other words, we expose Babylon, governmental Babylon being the world system, spiritual Babylon being in the church.
(Rev. 21:19d)The third, a chalcedony;
Symbolic for strong; fortitude. Chalcedony is golden sand. This speaks of the promise of Abraham that his descendants would be as the sands of the sea, golden sands of the sea, kingly.
The Bride must see herself as the promise fulfilled.
(Rev. 21:19e)The fourth, an emerald ,
Symbolic for the glory of God in His saints; emeralds are highly prized stones, more valuable than diamonds. The emerald stone represents healing life, birthing, rolling sea (water), turmoil (pangs, pain). Its green color speaks of Resurrection (Life), Restoration (Healing), and Reinstatement (Forgiveness).
Emerald is a highly prized gem representing the Bride’s quest to be like Him. When we seek Jesus as we seek the treasures of this world, we will see His Glory(everything He is) manifested in our lives. The promise of His Glory will come only when He is highly sought after and prized In Rev. 21:11 the description of the Bride says she is called “like unto a tone most precious.” Therefore, those who diligently seek Him ill become His Bride.
(Rev. 21:20a)The fifth, sardonyx;
Sardonyx is an orange-brown stone; the symbolism here has to do with the sardonic smile which means a smile of contempt; the Bride laughs at the enemy .
Sardonyx was used as the shoulder clasps in the priest’s ephod, where the names of the 12 tribes are written. The Bride represent the 42 generation or tribe of Christ, the New Jerusalem.
(Rev. 21:20b)The sixth, sardius;
The Sardius stone was reddish fleshly color symbolizing blood & man. As the Sardius stone, we truly see that we are man and that we were condemned through Adam (Rom. 5:15), but now we are the redeemed of the Lord by the blood of His sacrifice (Rev. 5:9). We are of the incorruptible seed (1Peter 1:23) and Hebrews the 10th chapter and the 14th verse tells us that we have been perfected forever.
(Heb 10:12-14) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God, from then on expecting until His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
Sardius is the 6th stone, the number of man. You must get past the flesh to enter life.
(Rev. 21:20c)The seventh, chrysolite;
Chrysolite is like gold; The Bride shines in wisdom and prudence. Also, chrysolite is yellow which represents hay or stubble which will be burned up.
(1Co 3:11-13) For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is.
(Rev. 21:20d) The eighth, beryl;
The beryl stone represents a subduing or a breaking. Beryl is light or yellow green which represents the bringing forth of life.
(Rev. 21;20e)The ninth, a topaz;
Topaz symbolizes beauty, value. The topaz stone which was golden yellow or greenish and represents to seek. Green represents full life.
(Rev. 21:20f) The tenth, a chrysoprasus;
Chrysoprasus is a gemstone variety of chalcedony (fibrous form of quartz) that contains small quantities of nickel. Its color is normally apple-green, but varies to deep green. To golden. The word chrysoprase comes from the Greek chrysos meaning gold. This represents divinity and Glory.
(Rev. 21:20g) The eleventh, a jacinth;
Jacinth a lustrous orange-yellow, orange-red, yellow, or yellow-brown; it is a stone of purity and innocence. Jacinth represents the Glory of the last generation. It is the 11th foundation holding the wall of New Jerusalem. New Jerusalem representing the Bride or 144,000. Jacinth is to show us that the Glory which is on us through Christ will bring light and life to those in darkness.
Note the parable of the vineyard in Matt 20:6-9 and the people of Zech 1:7-11 who go forth throughout the earth during the end time.
(Mat 20:6-9) And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here all day idle? They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and you shall receive whatever is right. So when evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and pay them their wage, beginning from the last to the first. And when they who were hired about the eleventh hour came, they each one received a denarius.
(Zec 1:7-11) On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, it is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the Word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, I watched by night. And behold! a Man riding on a red horse, and He stood among the myrtle trees in the ravine. And behind Him were red, sorrel and white horses. Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what these are. And the Man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are those whom Jehovah has sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the Angel of Jehovah who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sits still and is at peace.
(Rev. 21:20h) The twelfth, an amethyst.
Symbolizing (royal priesthood); the amethyst, a purple stone, which symbolized kingly royalty. Purple is the mixture of blue (divinity) with red (man) which also symbolizes God and man becoming one. The amethyst was purple and signified royalty, kingship, and redemption.
It also speaks of being sober minded and unable to be deceived or drunk. The intoxication refers to being drunk or deceived by the harlot’s wine. But the root word for amethyst is Alpha who is Christ. Therefore, amethyst speaks of the sober mind of Christ which all of the New Jerusalem aspire to.
The Levitical High Priest wore a breastplate with these stones. The Lord is wanting to position His jewels in their places: The stones of the priests’ breastplate were set permanently in their enclosings; this word coming from a root word meaning consecration. Note these parallels: In the Breastplate of Aaron -“And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were enclosed in ouches of gold in their enclosings. “Exodus 39:10 – 13-
The gems of New Jerusalem parallel: “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.”
Part of Ezekiel’s lamentation upon the king of Tyrus ( a prototype of Lucifer)”Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.” Ezekiel 28:13
We took Lucifer’s place as chief praise and worship leader. He had all manner of precious stones and pipes for making music. We are the Bride adorned with all manner of precious stones with a built in shofar, our vocal chords.
As we consecrate ourselves and bind ourselves by a pledge to the Lord, He sets us in place in His Bride as he sees fit. This is the position of our priestly office from which we will function in the power and authority of the King of Kings. (Exodus 28:21) “And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. These stones were also in the King of England’s crown. We have been made kings and priests unto our God.
(Rev 1:6) and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(Rev 5:10) And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth.
Summary: the meanings of the stones from New Jerusalem. This is a progression of our walk with Christ.
Jasper– This stone was used as a seal. Jasper represents the seal that must be broken in our hearts. This involves the breaking of self/selfish motives. It can only be broken when we seek after Christ. Jasper is also a symbol of the preparation of the Bride.
Sapphire- A stone used for making Babylonian cylinder seals. The Bride seals those of Babylon/World System or marks them as such. The Remnant/ Bride/Elect is not marked by the world system.
Chalcedony– Golden sand, speaking to the promise of Abraham for his children, a city whose author and builder was God. Chalcedony signifies the promise fulfilled, New Jerusalem. The Bride is the promise and acts accordingly.
Emerald– highly prized gem- The description of the Bride is that she is called like unto a stone most precious. Those who diligently seek Christ, forsaking the treasures of this world, will see His glory manifested in their lives.
Sardonyx– The shoulder clasps of the priest’s ephod were sardonyx. This stone represents Jacob’s portion. The 144,00 are the tithe of God, the first fruits, His portion. We are His portion.
(Deu 32:9) For Jehovah’s portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.
(Jer 51:18-19) They are vanity, the work of errors; in the time of their judgment they shall perish.The Portion of Jacob is not like them; for He is the Former of all things, and Israel is the rod of His inheritance. Jehovah of Hosts is His name.
The prodigal son wanted his portion of goods.(Luke 15:12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that is coming to me. And he divided his living to them.
We understand as the Bride, a son of God, we inherit not just a portion but all.
REGENERATED SONS OF GOD–COMING INTO FULL INHERITANCE
Israel’s history firstborn sons had these rights: As a joint heir in Christ we have these rights:
Regal rights- rights to be kings
Right to be priests- priestly rights
Right of receive a double portion (infinite) of the father’s inheritance
This is where the names of the 12 tribes are written. You are the tribe of Christ, the 42nd generation, the New Jerusalem.
Sardius- 6th stone- 6 the number of man. This stone is a flesh colored stone. You must get past the flesh to enter into Christ’s Life.
The first 6 stones describe the progression of bringing an end to our fleshly lives and bringing us to Christ’s Life. The next 4 stones carry into the fullness of Christ, living from the throne room. The last 2 are the final manifestation of the Bride and Wife.
Chrysolyte– Yellow represents large amounts of hay or stubble ( hay and stubble will be burned up)
(1Co 3:11-13) For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is.
Beryl- Light or yellow green represents visible life.
Topaz– Rich green in color represents full life
Chrysoprasus– A precious tone, golden in color, representing divinity, Glory.
Jacinth– represents the Glory of the last generation, the end-time people of God, the Elect, the 144,oo0 or the Bride. Jacinth is to show us the Glory which is on us that will bring life to those in the dark.
End- time People described in Zec. 1:7-11
(Zec 1:7-11) On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, it is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the Word of Jehovah came to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, I watched by night. And behold! a Man riding on a red horse, and He stood among the myrtle trees in the ravine. And behind Him were red, sorrel and white horses. Then I said, O my lord, what are these? And the angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what these are. And the Man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are those whom Jehovah has sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the Angel of Jehovah who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sits still and is at peace.
Amethyst-The amethyst was purple and signified royalty, kingship, and redemption.
It also speaks of being sober minded and unable to be deceived or drunk. The intoxication refers to being drunk or deceived by the harlot’s wine. But the root word for amethyst is Alpha who is Christ. Therefore, amethyst speaks of the sober mind of Christ which all of the New Jerusalem aspire to.
(Rev. 21:21a) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl:
The pearly gate is the gate into New Jerusalem or the way into completion. The Bride, the 144,000 are sold out and submissive to the Lord. They provide a wall to constrain the citizens of New Jerusalem into Holiness. The pearl of great price parable illustrates that we must be sold out to enter New Jerusalem.
The pearl of great price in Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, (This is he Christian seeking more) 46 “who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (When he gets the revelation of Christ-in-us, one lays down his life to gain Christ’s life)
The Bride is like the merchant seeking for more and she lays down her life to gain Christ’s life. The city in here in Revelation chapter 21 has twelve gates, and each one is a pearl. In an oyster, a pearl is formed when a foreign particle causes an irritation. The oyster cannot get rid of the problem, so it forms a pearl around it, which relieves the suffering. Often the thing that irritates us is the Lord’s method of producing pearls in our lives. Our failure to respond properly could cause the very thing which the Lord desires to accomplish within us to become destructive to His purposes for us. The pearl becomes a gateway into the deeper knowledge of Him.
(Mat 13:44) Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which when a man has found it, he hides it, and for the joy of it goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
(Matthew 13:45-46) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 “who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
The “pearl” is the church as a whole, whereas the “treasure” in the preceding parable is the church in its individual members. In the first parable, Christ is assuring us that He has His eye on us for ourselves—that we are immeasurably valuable to Him as individuals. However, in this parable, He switches the focus slightly to assure us that all of us as a body, His Bride, are important. We are the centerpiece of His treasure—the Bride who will marry the Son. Christ joyfully gave His all for the church as His Bride, and He will prepare it as His adornment, just as a king adorns his clothing and crown with pearls.
To summarize: The gates of pearl represent the “pearl of great price“, the selling out of each believer to enter. The number 12 represents apostolic authority, the foundations of Christ’s kingdom.
12 is symbolic of the tribes of Israel, Rev. 7”5-8. Symbolically this is entering the New Jerusalem, your walk as the Bride.
Judah- He shall be praised Ps. 48:1
Reuben- Behold a son Rev. 12:5
Gad- a troop Joel 2:11
Asher- Blessed Rev. 1:3
Naphhali- my struggle or wrestling Eph. 6:12
Manasseh- causing to forget Phil 3:13-15
Simeon- hearkening- Ps/ 103: 20-22
Levi- a joining- Jer. 60:4-5
Issachar- reward Rev. 22:12
Zebulan- dwelling habitation Zac. 2:10-13
Joseph- may he add or gather Eph. 1:9-10
Benjamin- son of right hand- Col. 3:1-4
Analogy Entering into New Jerusalem.
As we praise him with our life, we recognize ourselves as a son and joint heir. We gather together (troops and tribes) and become blessed. To allow the blessings to flow, we let iron sharpen iron, thereby we lose our old life and its carnality. We realize our struggle and wrestling is not with the flesh but learning our identity in Him. We become who we already are, causing us to forget the old life which was no life at all. We hearken, listen intently to the Voice within us, Christ in us the manifested glory. His voice of correction (iron) within the Body of Christ (jointly fit together edifying each other in love) joins us together through a single purpose of revealing more of Christ in us which is our treasure and present day reward. As He increases in us, His presence is seen through us, a dwelling place continual habitation of the great I AM. We lose our judgmental, critical attitude and walk in love. The world can now see and desire this life, the life of Christ working in us and through us. Therefore, as we gather more sons into the glory of His presence, we are made perfect, mature Heb. 2:10. God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan, which God will complete in which He brings all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head. All things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning. There is a manifestation of a son of the kingdom, the son of His right hand. Already a son and joint heir, but now His Bride/Wife, the New Jerusalem.
Summary of Rev. 21:21a
The twelve gates are twelve pearls, as the pearl of great price. A pearl is something not easily found. There is a considerable depth of degree to obtain these pearls. The principle speaks of paying a price {Which of course, Jesus did! But the price of Process, we endure.} It will cost you something {or EVERYTHING} to press through the pearly gates of testing, trial, and tribulation. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way. John 12:25; Matthew 7:6; 13:46.
(Rev. 21:21b) And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
This represents the kingly anointing of the Bride. We as the Bride will always walk in prosperity (spirit, soul and body) on streets of gold.
Entering in your walk as the Bride will be pure gold, ordered of God as a walk without spot or blemish, transparent.
Father’s desire for each of us is that we become pure gold–Streets of Gold. We will be walked upon, but only a few will recognize that they are walking upon gold! We may be walked over, yet we will still be gold. The New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ come down to earth. And the streets of the city were pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Have we become pure gold?
(Rev. 21:22)And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, God lives in us. (Immanuel)
This is not an outside temple but inside. It is not about sacrifice but about relationship. We do not follow Him out of fear or with our natural strength to earn favors to hold back judgment because we have already been judged in Christ. We do not follow Him to be seen of men or to receive rewards. Now we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Laying down our lives, surrender and obedience, not done in the natural but in the spiritual. His presence is our treasure. This is the true anointing of God; in His presence is fullness of joy.
Summary:
The Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the temple of the city. This speaks of the Melchizedek Order of King-Priest Ministry, the Lion and the Lamb together. Meaning, everything about the life of the believer should be full of the character and pure nature of Christ, as we build first on the Lamb before the Lion. David may be a man of war, but Solomon {Peace} builds the house. For though we have a weapon in one hand, there is a tool in the other. Both natures co-exist. Both balance the other, as iron sharpens iron. Note: Melchizedek is defined as Righteous King, and is the Priest of the most high, which was in Salem… {Gen. 14:18}; Col. 2:10, 19; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15. We are priests after the order of Melchizedek. (Jesus/Yeshua)
(Rev. 21:23) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Symbolically the city has no need: You have no need of men to teach (enlighten) you. For Christ, the anointed One and His anointing is in you. He will show you all things. 1 John 2:27. We are not talking about anointed teachers of the Word who educate, draw from your spirit man, but someone who appeals to the intellectual mind.
(1Jn 2:27) But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him.
There is no need for the natural once you enter the kingdom.
(Mat 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things (the natural) shall be added to you.
The adorning of the Bride , her righteousness (Christ’s righteousness) is “the glory of God”, which is the light of the city. The submission of “…the Lamb is the light thereof.” That submission to the Lord Jesus Christ is the Light, the brightness and the glory of the city.
The Light of the New Jerusalem
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God (Elohim) created (Bara) the heavens and the earth.2 The earth was (became) without form, and void; and darkness (ignorance, confusion) was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
1ST DAY-LIGHT – GLORY- Everything God Is!
Genesis 1:3 Then God (Elohim) said, “Let there (Hayah) be light” ( GLORY); and there was light.(Light in the Hebrew means revelation, glory of God, manifestation of God Himself) 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Light- Hebrew- 215,216 “owr”1b1) to be illuminated 1b2) to become lighted up–God’s Presence (Glory) came upon the earth, bringing order out of chaos and confusion.
Analogy to New Jeruslaem:
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did light it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”—Revelation 21:23.
It is the ‘new Jerusalem’ that these words are written; the city of glory and blessing; the city of the saints and home of the redeemed; the metropolis of creation; the city of God and of the Lamb; the habitation of the bride, the Bride/the Lamb’s wife; the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
The passage might more truly be rendered, ‘the Lamb is the lamp thereof,’ or ‘its lamp is the Lamb;’ for lamp, not light, is the correct translation. The two clauses in this verse are meant to give us the complete idea of the illumination of the city. ‘The glory of God did light it—and the Lamb is its lamp.’ All that sunlight-splendor is to a city—the ‘glory of God’ or Shekinah is. And all that lamps are to a city, publicly or privately—the Lamb is. As with us now there is the alteration of the lights of day and night, so then and in that city there is to be the alternation of the glory of God and the Lamb. There shall be no night there; and they ‘need no candle (no earthly “lamp”), neither light of the sun,’ for they have that which is better than both; not created nor borrowed light, but uncreated, unreflected light from the divine and eternal fountainhead. That which is written of the earthly Jerusalem is much more true of the heavenly, for the one is the image or counterpart of the other.
‘No longer will you need the sun or moon to give you light, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and he will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end!’ (Isaiah 60:19, 20). Jesus is the Light of the world; we are the light of the world .
Isaiah 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun (SON), and the light of the sun shall be, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD binds up the breach of his people, and heals the stroke of their wound.
Let he that hath an ear, let him hear.
It is a SPECIAL light. There is none like it. Fed by no earthly oil, its blaze is not earthly. Yet it is truly light for men. It is divine, but it is also human. All created and all uncreated brilliance is concentrated in it. The man Christ Jesus is there. God over all is there. The Word made flesh, and that flesh truly ours—that flesh broken and given for the life of the world—this is the essence of the light. Christ Jesus filled with the Spirit—the Lamb to whom pertain the seven lamps of fire—Christ Jesus, the Lamb slain—it is He as such, that is the lamp of the holy city, possessing and giving forth all the light the city needs, yet that light softened and mellowed by His cross and grave. It is not so much as God, or as the Christ, that He is the lamp of the city, but as the Lamb. The Bride is also the Light.
It is UNCHANGING light. He from whom it emanates is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Here there is no rising nor setting; no clouding nor eclipsing. It is one calm, full, clear light, from which nothing can be taken, and to which there can be nothing added; without variableness or shadow of turning. It terminates and supersedes all other lights, and itself remains forever, like the lamp of the temple which went not out by night nor by day. Parable of the 10 virgins: The lamps of the virgins who went forth to meet the Bridegroom are no more needed now; and He who in the dark ages of His own absence from earth walked in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, has now become so fully the light of His saints and of their city, that they shall fear no darkness. He Himself has become their everlasting light, and that in a larger and completer sense than when He announced Himself as the light of the world.
The foolish virgins might say ‘our lamps are gone out;’ but of this eternal lamp there shall be no quenching, no going out. The wise virgins would find that when they entered into the marriage-hall of that Bridegroom whom they had gone forth to meet, there was no more need of their lamps; for the Bridegroom Himself would be their light forever; a lamp that would never burn low or wax dim, but retain its brightness for evermore.
III. It is FESTAL light. The feast is spread; the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ The light of this great feast—the lamp of this hall and of this city—is the Lamb. This feast-day has not yet come; the Bridegroom is absent, and His friends are fasting, not feasting; and not only fasting, but passing through this land of deserts with just enough of light to show them the way. But when they enter the festal hall and sit down at the marriage supper, then shall they not only feed on the royal dainties, but enjoy the light of that lamp which is to gladden their festival with its soft rays—rays which shall be altogether in harmony with the bridal feast, the bridal dress, and the bridal song.
It is ALL-PERVADING light. It is not confined to a few favored dwellings; to a palace, or a temple, or one region of the city. The whole city shall be full of light. It shall enter every house, and room, and chamber, until each corner and crevice is illuminated, and every face made to shine with the gracious splendor, as was the face of Moses when he conversed with God, or the faces of the disciples on the transfiguration mount. The light is all pervading. It penetrates everywhere; it fills all things; it can be excluded by no hindrances; no, the very walls, which here on earth shut out the light, there help to convey it and to enhance its brightness. Christ is all and in all, spiritually and materially, for soul and for body!
As our earthly atmosphere finds its way everywhere, unbidden and unsought, so shall it be with this heavenly light. We shall not need to go in search of it. It shall be in every place, night and day, round the whole year. Its walls are Christ; its foundations are Christ; its cornerstone is Christ; its joy is Christ; its glory is Christ; its light is Christ.
It is the light of LIFE. It is living light, life-giving light; not dead and inert like that of our sun, and moon, and stars, but living; instinct with life, and health, and immortality. It fills the whole man with life—spirit, soul, body. Where it is, death cannot enter, and the curse cannot exist. It diffuses blessing as it shines—the blessing of undecaying health and an endless life. When enjoying ‘summer’s sunshine’ here, we feel as if there were health in it, life in it; much more shall we find of the true health and life in this more glorious light. The Sun of righteousness has healing in His wings, and He who is the Sun of righteousness is the lamp of the new Jerusalem.
(Mal 4:2a,b) But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be on His wings.
It is the light of LOVE. For that name, ‘the Lamb,’ contains within it the revelation of the love of God. Where the Lamb is there is love, the love of God—the love of the Son in coming, and the love of the Father in sending. That lamp, which is the Lamb, then must be love; its light must be the light of redeeming love. It pours its radiance through transparencies, which all speak of the cross and the blood, of Gethsemane and Golgotha, flooding the golden streets of the jasper city with an effulgence that shall speak throughout eternity of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord. Every ray shall carry us back to the cross; and the light which shall be cast by it on every object in the happy city shall partake of that crimson tinge, which shall not merely remind us of the ‘Word made flesh,’ but of the great propitiation, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. From the lamp of the new Jerusalem there shall shine forth the eternal song, ‘Unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, to Him be glory and dominion forever!’
(Rev 1:5) even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (Hallelujah!!)
Summary- Practical application:
The glory of the Lamb far exceeds the glory of the sun [Sunday morning Fellowship] and the glory of the moon [Evening and Mid-week Fellowship]. (just a pun but so true)
For his manifest presence is not confined to buildings or special services. Whether Miracle Night, Youth Night, Watch Night, Silent Night, or Shout Night, the glory of the Lamb is even greater.1 Chronicles 17:5 [From glory to glory, conception to perfection, from tent to temple, to the temple not made with hands, us]
(1Ch 17:5) For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel until today, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
(2Co 5:1) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
(Rev. 21:24) And the nations of them which are saved (delivered, protected, made whole, received their inheritance) shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory (dignity, praise, worship) and honor into it.
Parallel verses:
(Psa 2:8-12) Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations Your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. And now be wise, O kings; be instructed, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled in but a little time. Blessed are all who put their trust in Him.
Our prayers ask that God will give the nations our inheritance. That means that they will obtain the same inheritance as we do. Read this verse without the interjected words of the translators. Ps. 2:8 as I have. Our words release rulership and dominion.
Rod of iron stands for the word of correction given in love by the Elect/Bride. The Bride will bring the others into this revelation.
Others around the globe shall come into the revelation that the Holy City is the Church in perfection and glory, the Bride adorned for her husband. John 10:16
(Rev. 21:25a)And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day:
Again our spiritual gates (eargate, eyegate etc.) are never closed, always hearing and sensing the Lord, always praising and speaking of His goodness.
(Psa 24:7-10) Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates; even lift up, O everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah of Hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
Another spiritual view:
Christ will be available to all. We as the Bride stand as an open door through which men can obtain the Glory of Christ. The Light of the Gospel and the Glory of His presence will be illuminated to the world.
(Rev. 21:25b)For there shall be no night there.
Our Father God is light and in Him is no shadow or darkness.
(Jas 1:16-17) Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Father of lights:(Mat 5:14) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. A city? You are the light of New Jerusalem.
The Lord God gives the Bride light, light in the spiritual sense of the word, the light according to which we shall know and walk directly.
(Rev. 21:26)And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
This is a picture of His Bride, arrayed in the beauty of holiness and covered in the glory of God, standing as a light to the nations of the world.
Glory is the radiant presence of God Himself, everything He is. Glory is Christ in us being see. Christ in you the manifested glory of God.
(Col 1:27) For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
(John 17:10) And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them.
This is the Bride, the church without spot or wrinkle.(Eph 5:27) that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.
What did God mean when He said “no spot”? The word in the Greek for spot, found in Ephesians 5:27, is used in only one other scripture. Second Peter uses spot to describe deceivers attending our lovefeasts—they are spots and blemishes. Jesus is returning to a church without deceivers in our lovefeasts.
(Eph 5:27) that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.
What did God mean when He said “no spot”? The word in the Greek for spot, found in Ephesians 5:27, is used in only one other scripture. Second Peter uses spot to describe deceivers attending our lovefeasts—they are spots and blemishes. Jesus is returning to a church without deceivers in our lovefeasts.
Love feasts:
The early Christians referred to the communal meal (we call it communion) meal as the agape. Even after the death of the apostles, the pre-Nicene Church continued to practice the agape or love feast. Yet, within a century or so after Constantine’s conversion, this important part of apostolic worship totally disappeared.
Another place in Scripture that describes eating as an integral part of a New Testament worship service is Acts 20:11, where it mentions: “When he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.” So Paul didn’t just preach; he also ate!
And, then, of course, there is the well-known reference in Jude, where Jude refers to those who are “spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves” (Jude 12). Here Jude uses the Greek word agape to refer to what is commonly known today as the love feast.
Love feasts:(Agape)
(1) revealed the love and charity of Christ to the world;
(2) it was the means of strengthening the mutual love of the disciples: a festival which love originated, and where love reigned.
The feasts of charity, the agape or love feasts, of which the apostle speaks, were in use in the primitive Church till the middle of the fourth century. The fatherless, the widows, and the strangers were invited to these feasts, and their eating together was a proof of their love to each other; whence such entertainments were called love feasts.
Love feasts are mentioned by Jude in verse 12. Referring to certain base persons, he states: “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves” (NKJV).
Other translations render the verse as follows: “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear” (KJV). “These are they who are hidden rocks in your lovefeasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves” (ASV). “These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves” (RSV). “These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love-feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves” (NASV).
Jude warned the Church while participating in the agape, love feasts to be a servant.
It appears that false ministers, unholy and impure, continued to have outward fellowship with the Church! This is strange: but it is very likely that their power and influence in that place had swallowed up, or set aside, the power and authority of the real ministers of Christ; a very common case when worldly, time-serving men get into the Church.
Feeding themselves without fear–Eating, not to suffice nature, but to pamper appetite. It seems the provision was abundant, and they ate to gluttony and riot. It was this which brought the love feasts into disrepute in the Church, and was the means of their being at last wholly laid aside.
Clouds-without water– The doctrine of God is compared to the rain, Deut. xxxii. 2, and clouds are the instruments by which the rain is distilled upon the earth. In arid or parched countries the very appearance of a cloud is delightful, because it is a token of refreshing showers; but when sudden winds arise, and disperse these clouds, the hope of the husbandman and shepherd is cut off. These false teachers are represented as clouds; they have the form and office of the teachers of righteousness, and from such appearances pure doctrine may be naturally expected: but these are clouds without water – they distil no refreshing showers, because they have none; they are carried away and about by their passions, as those light fleecy clouds are carried by the winds.
Trees whose fruit were corrupt, galled or diseased trees; a disease (in trees) which causes their fruit to wither; for although there are blossoms, and the fruit shapes or is set, the galls in the trees prevent the proper circulation of the sap, and therefore the fruit never comes to perfection. Hence the apostle immediately adds, without fruit; i.e. the fruit never comes to maturity. This metaphor expresses the same thing as the preceding. They have the appearance of ministers of the Gospel, but they have no fruit.
Twice dead– First, naturally and practically dead in sin, from which they had been revived by the preaching and grace of the Gospel. Secondly, dead by backsliding or apostasy from the true faith, by which they lost the grace they had before received; and now likely to continue in that death, because plucked up from the roots, their roots of faith and love being no longer fixed in Christ Jesus.
The main characteristic of a church without spot or wrinkle, the Bride, is faith and love being fixed in Christ Jesus, abiding in Him, revealing the love and charity of Christ to the world; strengthening mutual love of the Body, love reigning.
Continuation of (Rev 21:25-26) And its gates may not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Jesus is the Light of the world; we are the light of the world .
(John 8:12 MKJV) Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
No darkness in God:(Jas 1:17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.
(Mat 5:14 MKJV) You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
His name (His nature) is and ever shall be on our foreheads.
(Isa 62:2 MKJV) And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah will name.
(Rev 2:17 MKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it .
At this point those who will shall become the Bride, therefore, bringing glory to Him. Darkness, lies, deceit, confusion and deception will be done away with so obedience becomes the path to Christ’s Glory.
Summary– Practical application:
Gates shall be open continually:
The gates from Reuben [beholding the son] to Benjamin [son of the right hand] shall be open continually. There shall be no more night or obscurity concerning the habitation of God. Men and women from far and near shall witness the church as the New Jerusalem, the city set on a hill which cannot be hid. The precious stones of this city shall be the various cultures/peoples from around the world. The ethnics shall share in the inheritance of the glorious church, the city of God, the tabernacle of the most high. The nations are coming!
(Isa 2:2-4) And it shall be, in the last days the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, Come, and let us go to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go out the Law, and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
(1Th 5:1-7) But of the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night, or of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be calm. For those sleeping sleep in the night, and those being drunken are drunken in the night.
(Rev 21:27) And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles, or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
There shall be no defilement, abomination, or lie in this city. The perfection of the church shall take us from speaking and living a lie, to abounding truth. For honesty is the ability not to lie to others, but maturity is the ability not to lie to ourselves. John 14:6
Symbolically/spiritually the Elect/ Bride, the Mature Ones are sin free and they walk in His presence. They are New Jerusalem, the wife of the Lamb. Their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Lamb’s Book of Life:
Spiritually the Lamb’s Book of Life is in our spirit man. You are the Book.
References:
Lamb’s Book of Life– (Php 4:3) And I make request to you, true helper in my work, to see to the needs of those women who took part with me in the good news, with Clement and the rest of my brother-workers whose names are in the book of life. See alsoRev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:212,15, 21:27, 22:19
Volume of the Book-(Psa 40:7) Then I said, Lo, I come, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me;(Heb 10:7) Then I said, Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God.”
Book that was written all the days of my life-(Psa 139:16) Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being.
Book of Remembrance-(Mal 3:16) Then those fearing Jehovah spoke together, each man to his neighbor. And Jehovah listened and heard. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared Jehovah, and for those esteeming His name.
Living Epistles– (2Co 3:2-3) You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men, it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.(Eph 1:11) in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,
Practical Application: Your spirit (heart) is your BOOK. Your mouth is your letter opener. What you speak into yourself opens the VOLUMES of the pages of the soul, pages hidden waiting for you to explore. Rooms within a MANSION called the KINGDOM OF GOD.
THE HABITATION OF GOD! THE MANSION (John 14:2-3) In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
The Father’s House, the Expansion of His mansion (you)!
THE NEW JERUSALEM – Summary and OT/ Old Covenant References
There are three important features of the holy city as seen from Revelation 3:12:
1 – The City is Spiritual: of the spiritual realm, supernatural in origin, not made by man.
2 – The City is Heavenly: of the heavenly realm [Isaiah 66:1], not earthly, James 3:14-18.
3 – The City is Eternal: built to last, everlasting, not temporal. Heb. 11:10; 2 Cor. 5:1-2
More Kingdom Principles of the New Jerusalem:
Key Reference to the Old Covenant [Each number is a verse]
KEY REFERENCES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCERNING THE HOLY CITY
CHAPTER 21
Compare to Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22;
Compare to Nehemiah 11:1; Isaiah 1:26; 48:2; 52:1; Jeremiah 3:17
Compare to Exodus 25:8; Ezekiel 37:27; Genesis 28:15; Exodus 33:14
Compare to Isaiah 25:8; 35:10
Compare to Isaiah 42:9; 43:19; 48:6; 65:17
Compare to Micah 5:2; Ezekiel 47:1; Zechariah 14:8; Isaiah 49:10; 55:1
Compare to Exodus 15:1-18
Compare to Isaiah 30:33; Tophet – Hebrew meaning ” a smiting, i.e. [fig.] of contempt – tabret. (Compare to Daniel 3:1-7; Ezekiel 28)
Compare to Jeremiah 33:11; Isaiah 62:5
Compare to Ezekiel 40:2
Compare to Exodus 24:17; 40:34; 1 Kings 8:11; Psalms 19:1
Compare to Ezekiel 48:30-35
Compare to Psalms 24:3-4; Isaiah 26:2
Compare to Ezra 6:3
Compare to Ezekiel 40:5; 40:20
Compare to Ezekiel 43:10-12; Exodus 25:8
Compare to Genesis 6:16; Exodus 37:1; Deuteronomy 3:11; Isaiah 62:6
Compare to Exodus 28:20; 39:13; Ezekiel 28:13
19-20. Compare to 1 Kings 10:2; 2 Chronicles 29:2; Proverbs 17:8; Daniel 11:38
Compare to Job 28:18
Compare to Genesis 17:1
Compare to Isaiah 24:23; 60:1, 19; Psalms 27:1; 84:11; Micah 7:8; Ex. 24:17; 40:34
Compare to Psalms 22:27; 86:9; Isaiah 60:3; Daniel 7:14; Hosea 2:23
Compare to Isaiah 26:2; Psalms 24:3-4; 91:10; Isaiah 32:18
Compare to Isaiah 9:2; 60:1-11
Compare to Numbers 14:23, 30; Ezekiel 28:13-19; Isaiah 14:12-22; Genesis 3:24
This is just a brief review of the scriptures on the New Jerusalem. Keep in mind, this is simply a practical, spiritual look at the holy city. Other views concerning the habitation of God will eventually arise, but whatever you hear, stay consistent with the eternal purpose of this city. For the scripture cannot be broken, and God has something in mind bigger than a literal city. For the city is a people
Who is the Bride/the New Jerusalem? ( this has been posted before)
These are overcomers who have made Jesus both the center of their lives. They have a “single eye” toward Jesus and have taken up their cross. They have submitted themselves, and all that pertains to them, to His Kingdom rule. These are a called out “people within a people” who are being dealt with and qualified to become His Bride. “For many are called but few are chosen ” Matt 22:14. Another way to express this verse is, “Many are called but few will pay the price in order to be chosen.” Our being chosen is the result of the outworking of the process of qualifying, or overcoming.
“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His Throne.” Rev 3:21.
Overcoming requires death (death to self). There are 8 promises to overcomers in the book of Revelation.
(Rev 12:11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
OVERCOMER- The overcomer; perseverance, endurance.
Caleb is the prototype of the overcomer. Caleb was one of the 12 spies sent by Moses to investigate the land of Canaan. Ten returned with an evil report, fearful of giants and great walled cities. Along with Joshua, Caleb remained a man of faith. “Caleb” is from the Hebrew “Kaleb” (Strong’s #3612) which means “forcible.” It is taken from the root “keleb” (Strong’s #3611) which means “to yelp, or else to attack; a dog.” “Caleb” has also been translated as “bold, fearless, ferocious to enemies, impetuous.” God judged Israel for 40 years, and only Caleb and Joshua would live to possess the land. Caleb was 85 years old when he was given Hebron as his inheritance. “Hebron” means “union, united, joined together, brotherhood, community.”
Jesus Christ is the Overcomer (Jn. 16:33; Rev. 3:21), the Pattern Son who endured the cross (Heb. 12:2). His inheritance is a community of redeemed people made one in Him (Jn. 17). Like Caleb, He has fearlessly entered the promised land within the veil as a Forerunner for us (Heb. 6:19-20). He is our constant Encourager, for He knows that in Him we are well able to go up and take the land (Num. 13:30). There is “another Spirit” with Him (Num. 14:24), even “another Comforter” (Jn. 14:16). Like Caleb, Jesus wholly followed the Father (Josh. 14:14; Jn. 8:29).
Believers are to overcome as Jesus overcame (Rev. 3:21; 21:7), boldly entering the holiest by the blood of the Lamb (Heb. 10:19-22; Rev. 12:11; 14:1-5). Some are content with tasting but the firstripe grapes (Num. 13:20), the in-part Feast of Pentecost (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:13-14). Many will provoke the Lord by their unbelief, not mixing the Word with faith (Heb. 3:7-4:2). But we have been apprehended to go on to perfection, to full maturity in Christ (Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:12-14; Heb. 6:1-3). There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God (Heb. 4:9). Like Caleb, our youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s (Josh. 14:11; Psa. 103:5). The man that endures to the end shall be saved (Matt. 24:13).
OVERCOMERS
The word overcomer in the Greek is Nike, Victory- just do it!!
John 16:33“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Rev. 12:11“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
I have revised the promises to the Overcomer and listed 12 instead of 8 including some from other books of New Testament.
12 Promises to Overcomers:
LIVING IN PEACE
(Rom 12:17-21) Repay no one evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as far as is in you, being in peace with all men. not avenging yourselves, beloved, but giving place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. “Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
GROWING UP/MATURITY (1Jn 2:13-14) I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father .I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
CONQUERING IN EVERY SITUATION (1Jn 4:4) You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
4.SALVATION
Revelation 2:7“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
ETERNAL LIFE
Revelation 2:11“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
PROVISION, DESTINY
Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The overcomers who stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion have “His Father’s name, His nature” (the same kind of relationship that Jesus had with the Father) in their forehead. (Rev. 14:1-5; 22:4; compare 1 Cor. 1:10)!
White Stone: “To Him who overcomes… I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”
JESUS reached into the heart of the Father and brought forth a white stone which decreed us to be innocent through His sacrifice. Upon this stone was a new name (nature) which cannot be known by any man (carnality).
7.NEW REALMS OF AUTHORITY/RECEIVING THE MORNING STAR
(Rev 2:25-28) But that which you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. And he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as I received from My Father. And I will give him the Morning Star.
Morning Star/Great Star- Christ is the Morning Star/Great Star , Spirit of Christ. Stars are defined in Rev. 1:20 as angels, holy messengers. Christ is the Holy Messenger and Christ in us makes us holy messengers. This is the Morning Star in trumpet 3 Rev. 22:16.
He is saying, “ I will give you the revelation of Me that you might overcome the world.
RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, FULFILLING DESTINY, GOD AFFIRMING YOU
Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
9.IMMOVABLE, NEW NAME, BRIDE OF CHRIST
Revelation 3:12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Isaiah 62:2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will name. The New Name God Gives to Us
The Lord gives us a new name–a new identity. Our total identity is wrapped up in our association with Him. As His children, we receive this new name. In walking in the new name, we are confident and strong, knowing who we are in Him. It is about the name that He has given to us (Revelation 3:12).
We can choose to walk in our “old name” or walk in the new that God has given. It is a picture of choosing to yield to the old man or the new man created in true righteousness in holiness (Ephesians 4:24). We are partakers of the divine nature through His promises (2 Peter 1:4).
Just as Saul received a new name from the Lord, the demons recognized him by his new name, the new divine nature–not the old. This is because Paul walked in the new name and life that God had given to him.
A NOW THRONE – a royal position and authority (Matt. 28:19-20). RULING AND REIGNING
Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Revelation 3:21, KJV To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My THRONE (thronos – place or stately throne seat of authority, with a footstool), even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His THRONE.
Ephesians 1:20-23, KJV Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,21 FAR ABOVE ALL (rulership) principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
ULTIMATE VICTORY
(Dan 7:21-22) I watched, and that horn made war with the saints and overcame them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High. And the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
(1Jn 5:4) For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.
(Rev 12:11) And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.
(Rev 17:14) These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them. For He is Lord of lords and King of kings. And those with Him are the called and elect and faithful ones.
When broken down individually there are 21 promises to overcomers.
For The Overcomers in Revelation 2-3
1) Eat from the tree of life in the midst of Paradise (2:7);
2) Receive the crown of life (2:10);
3) Not to be hurt by the second death (2:11);
4) Eat hidden manna (2:17);
5) Receive a white stone (2:17);
6) Receive a new name written on the stone (2:17);
7) Have power over the nations (2:26);
8) Receive the morning star (2:28);
9) Receive white garments (Rev 3:5);
10) Receive a name that’s not blotted from the Book of Life (3:5);
11) For Jesus to confess one’s name before the Father & angels. (3:5);
12) For one’s persecutors to worship before their feet (3:9);
13) For one’s persecutors to know that Jesus loves them (3:9);
14) Be made a pillar in God’s temple (3:12);
15) Have God’s name, the New Jerusalem
16) And Jesus’ new name written on them (3:12);
17) Receive gold to make one rich (3:18);
18) Receive white garments that one’s shame not be revealed (3:18);
19) Have anointed eyes to see more (3:18);
20) Eat with Jesus (3:20)
21) And sit on His Throne. (3:21).
Revelation 22:1-21
Rev. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
*Symbol- River of water of Life- Flowing by Holy Spirit- John 7:37-39
The river symbolizes the blessings of God (see Gen. 2:10-14; Ps. 46:4; Ezek. 47:1-12).
(Gen 2:10-14) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden. And from there it was divided and became four heads. The name of the first is Pishon; that is it which surrounds all the land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. There is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that surrounds the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is Tigris; it is that which goes toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
Symbolism of the 4 Rivers: Blessings of God
Pishon- Increase of investments- gold, jewels
Gihon- windows of heaven- breaking forth
Hiddekel- Tigris- spoils, sharp sound
Euphrates- fruitful
(Eze 47:1-10) And he led me again to the door of the house. And behold, water came out from under the threshold of the house eastward. For the front of the house is east, and the water came down from under the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. And he led me out by the way of the north gate, and led me around the way outside to the outer gate, by the way facing the east. And behold, water was trickling out of the right side. When the man went out eastward, and a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits. And he passed me through the water. The water was to the ankles. And he measured a thousand cubits, and passed me through the water, water to the knees. And he measured a thousand, and passed me through water to the loins. And he measured a thousand; and there was a torrent which I was not able to pass; for the water had risen, water to swim in, a torrent that could not be passed. And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen? And he led me, and caused me to return to the bank of the torrent. When I returned, then behold, on the edge of the torrent were very many trees, from here and from there. And he said to me, These waters go out toward the eastern circuit, and go down into the Arabah, and go into the sea. They are brought out into the sea, and the waters shall be healed. And it shall be that every living soul which swarms in every place, there where the two torrents go, that soul shall live. And there shall be very many fish, because these waters shall come there. And they shall be healed. And all shall live where the torrent goes. And it will be, the fishermen shall stand on it from En-gedi even to En-eglaim, a spreading place for nets shall be there. Their fish shall be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many.
(Psa 46:4) There is a river, its channels gladden the city of God glad, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.
Initially Fulfilled in Christ (John 7:37-38) And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Symbolically/spiritually: The very last book of Revelation describes the spiritual relationship of the heart of God manifested in His Elect/Bride of New Jerusalem. The pure water that runs from the throne of God will pour out from the heart of the Elect/Bride as pure spiritual truth and life.
Those who tap into this life, this pure revelation of Christ, will be fruitful and healthy. They will be spiritually healthy, healthy in soul and healthy in body. They will be cured from sin and always be able to bear fruit. The Sold out Ones/ Bride will se Him face to face and this will produce Glory that the entire world will see. These Elect/Bride messengers will not only show their anointed lives but they shall have Truth, Truth spoken and lived out. All will be accountable to walk after what has been revealed.
The Bride will personify: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works themselves.” John 14:11
The kingdom of God is in us, the Bride, therefore, the revelatory Word will run purely in and through us from now on. The Bride will be without spot or blemish to show forth the love of the Lamb.
Spiritual Application:
The pure river is the flowing life as witnessed from…
– the belly – 30 fold – the prophetic streams from within – righteousness – Jn. 7:38
– the temple – 60 fold – the priestly streams from within – peace – Ezekiel 47
– the throne – 100 fold – the kingly streams from within – joy – Rev. 22:1
All of this is in Colossians 1:27, “Christ In You!” Also, Psalms 46:4.There is a river. [pure, with no mixture] The river or water can also be the word, the living word. The Lamb on the throne can speak of the heavenly Aaron of Psalms 133:1. For where his Lordship is, his anointing will flow abundantly. Everything that he is will find itself ebbing out of his headship into the rest of his body. As he is, so are we. We are the life of Christ in the earth, and Christ is the life of God the Father. Acts 17:28; Colossians 2:19; He is the True Vine, and we are the branches. For Spirit begets spirit, and Life begets life! Therefore, let us drink from the living water, becoming wells of life to those who are thirsting for him!
Rev.22:2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The tree of life Jesus Christ) is abundant life. Everything necessary to sustain life, including perpetual health, is provided (see 2:7; Gen. 2:9; 3:22; Ezek. 47:12).
Symbolically/spiritually: Our way (road/street) will be a path of Life (tree of Life/Jesus) and we will be fruitful trees of the Spirit from which others can eat. In contrast to the first garden there will be no more tree of knowledge of good and evil (self), only the tree of Life. (Christ in me and through me, as me). The revelation of Christ will be healing for the nations.
The tree of Life in the Garden brought everlasting life (Gen. 2:8; 3:22); Jesus is the incorruptible seed (1 Pet. 1:23) planted in you. This seed is the tree that grows by the water (Ps. 1:3) IN you and me — it grows day and night (Mat.) The fruit (or yielding) of this tree (in you) is for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2). 12 (apostolic) manner of fruit .
(Jer 17:7-8) Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, and Jehovah is his trust. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters; it sends out its roots by the river, and it shall not fear when the heat comes, but its foliage shall be green; and he is not worried in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit.
The street is not plural, but singular. It is one street, one walk {HIS DIVINE NATURE}, and one way. In this dimension of maturity Jesus is the tree of Life bearing fruit. And because we are one with Christ, we shall dispense healing to the nations. Psalms 1:3; Isaiah 61:1-3; Ezekiel 47:12
Rev. 22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
The curse (see Gen. 3:17) is removed forever (see Ezek. 36:33-36; Zech. 14:11). There will be perfect divine government, and the saints will delight to serve God.
When the curse completely goes away, the kingdom will flow out of us and the planet IS restored. The land that was cursed by sin is returned to its original Garden state by the manifestation of the sons of God.
(Gen 3:17-19) And to Adam He said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it! The ground is cursed for your sake. In pain shall you eat of it all the days of your life. It shall also bring forth thorns and thistles to you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.
The curse was reversed by Jesus Christ. The manifested sons of God will enforce that upon the earth.
(Gal 3:13-14) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone having been hanged on a tree, so that the blessing of Abraham might be to the nations in Jesus Christ, and that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(Rom 8:19-23) For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was not willingly subjected to vanity, but because of Him who subjected it on hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. And we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.
There shall be no more accursed [Kathathema] thing, i.e. Jezebel, Achan, Uzziah, Gehazi, Balaam, Simon the Sorcerer, and Judas. The curse shall be broken and destroyed, even in the natural {Familial} and supernatural {Spiritual, Unseen} dimension.
Rev. 22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.
See His face: The redeemed enjoy perfect fellowship with God and the Lamb. On their foreheads, His Name, His nature.
The sold out, dead to self ones, shall see His face; He will be visible to us. That is a present day reality.
His name shall be on their foreheads:
Here we have the Mark of the Lord or the Mind of Christ. Philippians 2:1-11; Revelation 14:1; 1 Corinthians 2:16: Revelation 3:12
His servants shall serve him; and see his face; his name shall be in their foreheads – Revelation 22:3c,4
These are the three elements in heavenly bliss:
SERVICE.- “His servants shall serve Him.” In the disciples’ prayer the Lord taught us that the will of God is done here in earth, in you. That is perfect rest. Activity there in that will be as easy and natural. There will be no strain, no effort, no exhaustion, Christ in us, through us, as us.
VISION. – “They shall see His face.” Here, through a glass darkly; there, face to face. Here, as when the two walked to Emmaus, and knew not their Companion, though their burning hearts might have told them the secret; there, as when their eyes were opened, and they knew Him (though He will not vanish from our sight).
TRANSFIGURATION. – “His name shall be in their foreheads.” The name/nature of God is the totality of the Divine perfection and beauty, and the bearing of His name/nature on their foreheads indicates that they are becoming like Him, while they see Him as He is.
Rev. 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Symbolically/spiritually:
The sun (Son) represents the greatest glory in whatever context it is used. The sun as a heavenly body, symbolically, can be His glorious Body of people (the Bride) or the natural and heavenly light of this world. The key to understanding any of the three heavenly bodies (sun, moon, stars) is glory.
(1Co 15:40-42) There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly is truly different, and that of the earthly different; one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption;
Sun-The sun (Son) represents the greatest glory in whatever context it is used. The sun represents the better resurrection, the Eagles, the Corporate Body of Christ and the Bride Church, The sun as a heavenly body can be called His glorious Body of people (the Bride) or the natural light of this world.
(Mat 13:43) Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Moon- The moon is the 2nd resurrection glory- glory of the night, glory of Christ reflected. This represents the 2nd stage where the Elect/Bride have overcome the lust of the night or the base lusts of our lives, immorality, sensuality, etc.
Stars- Stars are the 3rd level of resurrection glory. Stars are defined in Revelation as angels or messengers. Christ in us makes us a messenger.
Just as in Gen 1:3 when God said, “Let there be Light“ (Glory)The Glory (everything God is) is in us; it is now established and perfected.
1ST DAY-LIGHT – GLORY- Everything God Is
Genesis 1:3 Then God (Elohim) said, “Let there (Hayah) be light” ( GLORY); and there was light.(Light in the Hebrew means revelation, glory of God, manifestation of God Himself) 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Light- Hebrew- 215,216 “owr”1b1) to be illuminated 1b2) to become lighted up–God’s Presence (Glory) came upon the earth, bringing order out of chaos and confusion.
This is now restored back to Gen. 1:1.
(Rev 21:23) And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
The same as it was in the beginning, “Let there be Light/Glory.”
The Lord is the True Light/Glory of the City. His light is not the sun of the outer court [30 fold], or the candlesticks of the priests in the holy place [60 fold], but is the glory of the holy of holies, the Shekinah of God from the most holy place [100 fold], which/who is in you.
The Tabernacle and the 30,60, 100 Fold Realm:
30- 60- 100 fold Realm
This is not just talking about giving money and receiving. This is a term taken from Matthew 13 and Mark chapter four where Jesus was talking about the fruitfulness or production of the seed. Let me first of all explain what 100 fold means. It does not mean 100 times more. That means that the seed has produced to its “fullest potential”.
(Mat 13:23) But that sown on the good ground is this: he who hears the Word and understands; who also bears fruit and produces one truly a hundredfold; and one sixty; and one thirty.
(Mar 4:8) And another fell on good ground and yielded fruit, going up and increasing. And one bore thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundredfold.
Living in the Fullness of God
Illustrated in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness
Dimensions of the Tabernacle
30 cubits- Outer Court +30– 60 cubits Holy Place + 30+ 90 cubits to Most Holy Place/ Holy of Holies + 10 Melchizedek= 100
+10 Melchizedek tithe—(Gen 14:18-20) And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Understanding
30 fold- salvation
60 fold- baptism in Holy Spirit
100fold- living from the throne of God
Illustrated in John 7:37-39, Ez. 47 and Rev. 22:1
Rev. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
*Symbol- River of water of Life- Flowing by Holy Spirit- John 7:37-39
The river symbolizes the blessings of God (see Gen. 2:9-14; Ps. 46:4; Ezek. 47:1-12).
The very last book of Revelation describes the spiritual relationship of the heart of God manifested in His Elect/Bride of New Jerusalem. The pure water that runs from the throne of God will pour out from the heart of the Elect/Bride as pure spiritual truth and life.
Those who tap into this life, this pure revelation of Christ, will be fruitful and healthy. They will be spiritually healthy, healthy in soul and healthy in body. They will be cured from sin and always be able to bear fruit. The Sold out Ones/ Bride will see Him face to face and this will produce Glory that the entire world will see. These Elect/Bride messengers will not only show their anointed lives but they shall have Truth, Truth spoken and lived out. All will be accountable to walk after what has been revealed.
The Bride will personify: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works themselves.” John 14:11
The kingdom of God is in us, the Bride, therefore, the revelatory Word will run purely in and through us from now on. The Bride will be without spot or blemish to show forth the love of the Lamb.
The pure river is the flowing life as witnessed from… Prophetic, Priestly, Kingly
– The Belly – 30 fold – the prophetic streams from within – righteousness – Jn. 7:38
(John 7:37-38) And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
– The Temple – 60 fold – the priestly streams from within – peace – Ezekiel 47:1-10
(Eze 47:1-10) And he led me again to the door of the house. And behold, water came out from under the threshold of the house eastward. For the front of the house is east, and the water came down from under the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. And he led me out by the way of the north gate, and led me around the way outside to the outer gate, by the way facing the east. And behold, water was trickling out of the right side. When the man went out eastward, and a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits. And he passed me through the water. The water was to the ankles. And he measured a thousand cubits, and passed me through the water, water to the knees. And he measured a thousand, and passed me through water to the loins. And he measured a thousand; and there was a torrent which I was not able to pass; for the water had risen, water to swim in, a torrent that could not be passed. And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen? And he led me, and caused me to return to the bank of the torrent. When I returned, then behold, on the edge of the torrent were very many trees, from here and from there. And he said to me, These waters go out toward the eastern circuit, and go down into the Arabah, and go into the sea. They are brought out into the sea, and the waters shall be healed. And it shall be that every living soul which swarms in every place, there where the two torrents go, that soul shall live. And there shall be very many fish, because these waters shall come there. And they shall be healed. And all shall live where the torrent goes. And it will be, the fishermen shall stand on it from En-gedi even to En-eglaim, a spreading place for nets shall be there. Their fish shall be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many.
– The Throne – 100 fold – the kingly streams from within – joy – Rev. 22:1
Rev. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Also seen in 1 Corinthians 15:41-42 There is one Glory of the Sun, and another Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the Resurrection of the Dead… (KJV)
Notice that Glory of the moon and stars are a reflected Glory. They have no light of their own, but only reflect the Light or Glory of the Sun!
30 Stars–Called
60 Moon–Justified
100 Sun–Glorified
The 30 and 60 fold realm can only reflect the light and have no light of their own. The Glory of the Sun is the Glory of the Father. Remember that Jesus shone like the Sun when he was Glorified. That time is coming to His Elect where we shall shine the glory of God like the Sun/Son.
More parallels and comparisons between Genesis and Revelation.
Parallels Between Genesis and Revelation
Book of beginning. Book of the end. I love to teach both books.
Earth created 1:1. Earth passes away, 21:1.( new earth, purged by fire)
Lucifer’s first rebellion, 1:2a. Satan’s final rebellion, 20:3, 7-10.
Sun, moon, stars to govern the earth, 1:14-18. Sun, moon and stars connected with earth’s judgment, 6:13, 8:12, 16:8.The sun represents greater glory. The sun as a heavenly body represents His glorious boy of people (the Bride) or the natural light of the world. Symbolically the sun, moon and stars in many context of Scripture represent His glory.(happening now)
Sun governs the day, 1:16. No need of the sun, 21:23.The sun as a heavenly body represents His glorious body of people (the Bride) or the natural light of the world.
Darkness called night, 1:5. “No night (darkness) there,” 21:25, 22:5.
Waters called seas, 1:10.“No more sea,” 21:1.There shall be no more disquiet and unrest.
Rivers (4 rivers in Gen. 2:10) Rivers now flowing as One Rev. 22:1
A river for earth’s blessing, 2:10-14.A river for the New Earth, 22:1-3.
Precious metals and stones mentioned Gen. 2:12 Rev. 12:19 foundations, all manner of precious stones
Man in God’s image, 1:26.God lives with men, His sons, 21:3, 7. ( happening now)
Entrance of sin, 3:4-7. End of sin, 21:4, 8; 22:14-15.
Curse allowed, 3:14, 17.“No more curse,” 22:3.
Death entered, 3:19.“No more death,” 21:4.
Cherubim mentioned 3:24.Cherubim mentioned 4:6.Four living creatures are cherubim, the highest ranking celestial beings; they represent all the vital forces of creation whose primary function is worship.
Man driven out of Eden, 3:24.Man restored to Eden, 22:1-21.
Garden Gen. 2:15 ( man put there to work it and keep it) Garden restored 22:1-21. The kingdom will flow out of us and the planet IS restored. The land that was cursed by sin is returned to its original Garden state by the manifestation of the sons of God.
Tree of life guarded 3:24.“Right to tree of life,” 22:14.( happening now)
Tree of Life (middle of garden) Gen. 2:9. Tree of Life producing, bearing fruit (leaves for the healing of the nations) Rev. 22:2 (happening now)
Sorrow and suffering enter, 3:17-19.No more sorrow or crying, 21:4.
Man’s religion, science, art, (world system) apart from God, chapter 4. Man’s religion, science, art judged (world system) destroyed chapter 18. Kingdom of God now has true science and art, no religion. Nimrod founds Babylonian system contrary to God, 10:8-9.Babylon system culminates in the Beast anti-God system, chapters 13, 17. Finally destroyed chapter 18
God allows flood to destroy an evil generation, 6-9. Satan sends flood to destroy an elect generation, 12:15-16.Rev. 12:16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. The earth is symbolic of carnality. Satan finds his home in the carnality of the church. The separation has begun of the True Church/Elect and the Harlot Church.
Rainbow the token of God’s covenant with earth, 9:13.Rainbow surrounds God’s throne, 4:3, 10:1.
Sodom and Egypt places of corruption and temptation, 13, 19. Sodom and Egypt symbolically represent Jerusalem, 11:8. Now we have New Jerusalem. chapter 21
Confederacy against Abraham’s people overthrown, 14:14-16.Confederacy against Abraham’s Seed (Christ and His many membered Body) overthrown.
Marriage of first Adam, 2:18-24.Marriage of last Adam, 19:1-9.
Bride sought for Abraham’s son Isaac, and found, Bride made ready and brought to Abraham’s son, 19:7, Mat. 1:1. Bride the Lamb’s wife.
Two angels act on behalf of God and His people, 19.Two witnesses act on behalf of God and His people, 11:1-12. SYMBOLICALLY TWO WITNESSES ARE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Promised seed to possess gate of his enemies, 22:17, 18.Promised seed comes into possession of the earth and kingdom, 11:18.(happening now)
Man’s dominion appears to cease and satan’s begins, 3:24.Satan’s asssumed dominion ends and eternal sons of God restored to the Kingdom, 22.(happening now)
Old serpent causes sin, suffering, and death, 3:1.Old serpent bound for 1,000 years, 20:1-3.
Doom of the old serpent pronounced, 3:15.Doom on the old serpent executed, 20:10.
Sun, moon, stars associated with Israel, 37:9.Sun, moon, stars associated with Israel again, 12:1-2. Symbolically sun, moon and stars are the Greater Glory.
Jacob’s trouble, 32:6-7.Great Tribulation, 6:9-11, 7:14. Symbolically this is the preparation of the Bride.
Twelve tribes of Israel protected from famine.12 Tribes protected from seven last plagues, 6:17, 7:1-8.
Lot urged to flee Sodom, escape plagues, 19:15-17.Saints urged to come out of Babylon, escape her plagues, 18:4.
Shiloh prophesied to gather people, 49:10.Messiah gathers saints in resurrection, 11:18, 20:5, 11-12.
DISPENSATIONAL Summary: The seven sights of the consummation Rev. 20:4–22:5.
The setting (20:4–10).
Living and reigning with Christ (20:4–6). Those who were martyred during the rule of the beast came to life and “reigned with Christ for a thousand years” in a “first resurrection” which is distinct from the final resurrection (see Judgment).
satan released to deceive (20:7–10). After the thousand-year period has passed, satan is released. He again succeeds in deceiving the nations which surround Jerusalem to war against God’s people (7–9). ( notice I do not capitalize satan)
The last rebellion is as futile as the rest. Fire from heaven destroys the armies, and the devil is thrown into the lake of burning sulphur to be “tormented day and night forever and ever” (9–10).
The scenes (20:11–22:5). The physical universe dissolves, and all the dead are called to stand before God.
The great white throne (20:11).
The last judgment (20:12–15). Those not written in the Book of Life are judged “according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” All whose names are not written in the Book of Life fall short, and are condemned to the lake of fire.
The new *heaven and new earth (21:1).
The New Jerusalem (21:2–8). A New Jerusalem, made of jewels and transparent gold, a foursquare some 1400 miles square, drifts in the sky over the refashioned earth. This is the inheritance of the children of God
The bride of the Lamb (21:9–21). The bride is described in the terms of the heavenly city. (see Reward.)
The light of God’s presence (21:22–27). The city contains no temple. None is needed, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are there, and all mankind will walk in the light of their presence. Peopling this new universe are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Paradise regained (22:1–5). A final vision of the new heavens and earth reveals a crystal river, flowing from God’s throne. Its current carries it down the middle of the great street of the city, watering trees whose fruit and leaves mean healing for once-cursed humanity. The redeemed will walk in this city of God, serving Him, seeing His face. In the light shed by His presence they will rule with Him, forever and ever.
Rev. 22:6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
There are seven confirming witnesses testifying to the authenticity of the message.
The first witness is that of God through His angel. These words refer to the content of Rev. The holy prophets is literally, “the spirits of the prophets,” their natural faculties under supernatural inspiration. Which must shortly take place refers to the spiritual conflict (see 17:14).
The angel of the holy prophets is simply the message of the prophets from old. Acts 3:21; Ephesians 3:5; Romans 16:25; Revelations 10:7; Amos 3:7
(Act 3:21) whom Heaven truly needs to receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began.
(Eph 3:5) which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,
(Rom 16:25) Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, having been unvoiced during eternal times;
(Rev 10:7) But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he will begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He has declared to His servants the prophets.
(Amos 3:7) For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
This is also present day truth.
“The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) God had revealed to Noah that the Flood was coming and had instructed him to sound a warning. Similarly, Jehovah told Amos to give a final warning.
They are in strict correspondence with him, and he shows them things to come. Such secrets of God are revealed to them, that they may inform the people; that, by repentance and conversion, they may avoid the evil, and, by walking closely with God.
This echoes the message given in Rev. 1:1.
Revelation 1:1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place………..
All that we have heard and learned is true. Symbolically/spiritually the revelation of Jesus Christ is happening in you; the revelation timeline has begun in you.
Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
This is a 2nd exhortation in Revelation He makes if you will keep the saying of this book.
(Rev 1:3) Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.
The 8 blessings of Revelation are:
(Rev.1:3) Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.
(Rev 14:13) And I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they shall rest from their labors, and their works follow them.
(Rev 16:15) Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.
(Rev 19:9) And he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God.
(Rev 20:6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.
(Rev 22:7) Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the Words of the prophecy of this Book.
(Rev 22:14) Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.
(Rev. 22:7) Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Revelation is more than just a book of events; it is designed to be an operator’s manual for the last generation. It should provide a pathway to a greater “Revelation” of Jesus the Christ in and through your life. It is important to see the book of Revelation at work in your heart, Christ revealed in you both personal and corporate.
A parenthetical response by Jesus. Coming quickly means inevitably, according to God’s time, not man’s.
No man knows the time of the restoration of all things.:
(Mat 24:34-36) Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels of Heaven, but only My Father.
(Act 1:6-17) Then, indeed, these coming together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, do You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority.
(Act 3:19-21) Therefore repent and convert so that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ, who before was proclaimed to you, whom Heaven truly needs to receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began.
Other Scriptures: for shortly take place, time is near, time at hand and come quickly, etc.
Revelation 1:1 – “…things which must shortly take place”
Revelation 3:11 – “Behold, I come quickly!”
Revelation 22:6 – “…things which must shortly take place.”
Revelation 22:7 – “Behold, I am coming quickly!”
Revelation 22:10 – “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.”
Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming quickly.”
Revelation 22:20 – “Surely I am coming quickly.” εγγυς, engus means “at hand, near”
Revelation 1:3 – “The time is near.”
Revelation 22:10 – “The time is at hand.” μελλει, mello, mellei means “about to, on the point or verge of”
Revelation 1:19 – “Write … the things that are about to take place.”
Revelation 3:10 – “… the hour of trial … is about to come upon the whole world.”
The preterist view makes a case for Matthew 24 and Revelation being fulfilled in 70 AD. They claim the entire New Testament (including the book of Revelation) is an historic (true) story that not only all took place in the first century but was all fulfilled in the first century, instituting the “age to come” which we are now in.
Come quickly also means suddenly. This speaks of a quick work in a short time: (Rom 9:28) For He is bringing the matter to an end, and cutting short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work on the earth.”
& Rev 3:11) Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.1 Corinthians 15:51-54. [Progressive and instant; 2 Corinthians 3:18]
We are living in that time.
The Bible is filled with references to “suddenlies.” Over and over, Jesus appeared suddenly . This is a culmination of the fullness of time. Here are just a few of the numerous mentions of “suddenlies” in God’s word:
Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and took Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind. (II Kings 2:11)
Suddenly, the perverse (or our enemies) will fall. (Proverbs 28:18)
God suddenly acts and His word to us and in us is fulfilled. (Isaiah 29:5-6)
Just as when Jesus walked the earth and physically appeared to fulfill prophecy, Jesus will suddenly appear and meet us spiritually in our circumstances as we seek Him. (Malachi 3:1, Luke 13,14)
In the midst of our fears, Jesus suddenly meets us there. (Mt. 28:8-10)
When alone, suddenly we experience His presence. (Mark 9:8)
When you least expect it and there seems to be no hope, suddenly Jesus appears in power. (Mark 13:35-37)
As we press into God for more of his presence; suddenly, He fills us with his Spirit. (daily experience) (Acts 2:2)
When we need to be rescued, suddenly, He sends help. (Acts 12:6,7, Acts 16:26, John 6:19)
Suddenly, He will return. (1Co 15:52) in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
This is a chain reaction or a point of critical mass, a fulfillment or culmination of time.
Epilogue; Rev. 1:1-8 has much in common with the prologue.
(Rev 1:1-8) A Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to declare to His servants things which must shortly come to pass. And He signified it by sending His angel to His servant John, who bore record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all the things that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads and hears the Words of this prophecy, and the ones keeping the things written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is coming; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne; even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and those who pierced Him will see Him, and all the kindreds of the earth will wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty
Sounds to me like God is in charge of timing and seasons of His coming, literally, physically, spiritually and symbolically!!
Rev. 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
The second witness is John’s personal deposition.
Rev. 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
This scripture reveals our attitude in worship. Worship is also “worth-ship,” the ascribing of worth. We worship the living God, not the messenger or message.
Symbolically/spiritually the angel is the Elect/Bride, us. They are sold out and Christ in them makes them look supernatural. John tells us he is overwhelmed by the message and he mistakes the holy messenger for an angelic creature. As Christ is revealed in power in us and through us all Glory goes to Him
Rev. 22:9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
Symbolically/spiritually the angel here is the Elect/ Bride who keeps the saying of this book. It sounds like the angel could be one of the readers of this book. The book of Revelation wasn’t written yet!
Rev. 22:10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
Dispensational: The third witness is the witness of the angel (see Heb. 1:14). Do not seal: The visions are not to be kept secret for a later generation, but are relevant to all Christians until the consummation of the kingdom. The deliberate choice that one makes fixes one’s unalterable fate. Character produces its inevitable fruit.
Don’t seal up the message of prophecy. Let the message flow and take course.
Symbolically/spiritually the time is at hand, now while you read this. No one has ever understood this book until now. You show what you believe by what you set ourselves to do.(time at hand)
Rev. 22:11 “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Two kinds of people on the earth: believer, unbeliever, just and unjust, righteous and unrighteous. Our choice as to which one.
If this was an after death heaven situation, why then is the scripture alluding to the unjust and filthy? Should not all be perfect and immortal at this moment? 1 Pet. 1:15-16 Another proof that this book is not sequential.
Another translation in the Greek is “ he that is unjust will herafter unjustly act.” Your heart cannot be veiled by your action. The thought and intents of the heart are exposed. In the light of the revelation of Jesus Christ nothing can be hidden. Actions will tell what is in our hearts. Lord, search my heart and my ways and reveal to me who I really am.
Jesus’s closing exhortation and promises to the 7 churches.
Reward, misthos (mis-thoss); Strong’s #3408: Pay, wages, salary, recompense for service. The word especially describes divine rewards given to believers for the moral quality of their actions. The reward can be one and the same in all cases, but its value to the individual worker will vary according to the work he has done.
The fourth witness is the Lord Jesus. Quickly: However long the era of the Spirit continues, the next act in God’s universal drama is the consummation of the ages. The Alpha and the Omega: Jesus applies God’s title to Himself. All who have obeyed the Lord may enter . . . the city, but all others are excluded (v. 15). The Root and the Offspring: Jesus is not only the promised King of the lineage of David, whose kingdom would be established forever (see 2 Sam. 7:13, 14), but the Creator of David (see Ps. 110:1; Is. 11:1, 10). The Bright and Morning Star connotes the dawn of the new, eternal Day (see 2:28; Num. 24:17).
Works ( faith= works–corresponding action by the Holy Spirit). Christ is our reward, letting His work in us and through us makes us open to more blessings.
God, the Father, is a rewarder of faithfulness [the fruit of faith, which he is after]. As a recipient of such reward, our timing may be different than another, and our season may not be the same as others. Therefore, know for a certainty that your faithfulness to God shall be rewarded by him, in time and in due season, for he is faithful that promised. Hebrews 11:6; Lamentations 3:22-24
God does not just act faithful but is faithful. Faith is a person.
(Gal 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Just like God does not just love but is Love. All of His characteristics/attributes He is. He said I AM.
(Rev 22:12) And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is.
Come quickly means:
Revelation 3:11 22:7, 12, 20 all use the Greek word, tachu which means “quickly, speedily (without delay)”.
The tenor of Revelation is that judgment is soon to come (1:1; 22:6). It is correct to say that “soon” would not be thousands of years later. The judgment upon Jerusalem (Matthew 24 preterist view) was going to happen soon. The judgment upon Rome (the apparent target) was going to happen soon and did.
To sum up, there is a sense in which Jesus will quickly come in judgment against His enemies and a sense in which He will come when His enemies have been conquered. Of course the enemy, satan, has been conquered and defeated.
(Col 2:15) Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it.
JESUS WON THE WAR – ALREADY (Rom 6:9-10).
He said it is FINISHED (Jn. 19:30).
He has the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18).
One of Jesus’ primary purposes of coming to earth was to spoil (disarm, confiscate the weapons, and effectively neutralize—bruising satan’s head with a death blow) principalities and powers, and make a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col 2:13-15). We must never doubt that our reality of this victory is revealed in the Person of Christ.
Jesus came to purposefully destroy the works of the evil one (1 Jn. 3:8). HE FINISHED HIS WORK. satan is a conquered foe (John 12:31). Did He do it? Is it finished? Ask yourself, “Is it finished in me?”
Jesus rose in victory over satan (Eph. 1:20-22, Heb. 2:14).
satan has NO dominion over believers (1 Jn. 4:4, Rom. 6:14, 1 Jn. 5:18). No lie can take away our security.
Yes, the enemy has been conquered and defeated and we enforce that defeat. So in essence come quickly means I come quickly when my enemies have been made my footstool, the Body of Christ enforcing the demise of satan and all his cohorts in every dimension.
Last enemy my footstool:
(Heb 10:12-13) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God, from then on expecting until His enemies are made His footstool.
According as his work is:
Rewards are contained in much of Revelation. Rewards are was, is, and is to come. It is glory or judgment–you choose. He is ultimately our reward and being open to more of him, Christ in me the hope of glory, makes us open to more blessing.
(1Co 11:31) For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
Rev. 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
He started in Genesis and finished all in Revelation. He starts in our lives as Savior, continues as we experience the Christ Life and sums it up as our Eternal Life. There is no end.
Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the Author and Finisher, the Leader and Completer. When He has started something in your life, He will finish it!
(Php 1:6) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,
(Heb 12:2) looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.
The Spheres of Jesus Christ- of Him, through Him, and to Him, in Him and as Him. – “of Him” is probably the easiest to grasp. It is easier for us to look backwards and see Christ in retrospect than it is for us to perceive the present and to discern the future. But He is All of these at once. It is not that in times past He was the Alpha, and after a lengthy period of time He become the Omega. No, “I AM Alpha AND Omega, the Beginning AND the Ending, says the Lord: which was AND which is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8).” And, “They rest not day and night saying, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, AND is, AND is to come (Revelation 4:8b).” He always has been AND He always is AND He always will be; hence eternal “Holies” are necessary. What a mighty God!
Alpha and Omega, from Everlasting to Everlasting- (1Ti 6:16) who alone has immortality, dwelling in light which cannot be approached, whom no one of men have seen, nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.
“And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new (Revelation 21:5a).”
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and He shall be my son (Revelation 21:7).”
“How shall He not, with Him, freely give us all things (Romans 8:32b)?”
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37).” “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; Christ is God’s (I Corinthians 3:21-23).”
How glorious! How tremendous! He is doing all of this for us! Everything He has is freely given to us, and through Him we possess all that He possesses. When He has all that we have, then we have all that He has. When we give Him all that we are, He gives us all that He is. Oh, the depth of this love! Oh, the depth of the richness of His grace to us! Who can understand it? Who can know it?
Rev. 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
We eat ( consume becomes us) of the tree of Life/Jesus which enables us to enter as the Bride/Wife of the Lamb. The Blood of Christ qualifies us. He now becomes Lord as well as Savior.
Practical Application: Like Adam, we can choose to eat from either tree, but we cannot eat from both at the same time. If we eat from “good and evil,” we walk in the flesh and cannot grow the Tree of Life. At first glance, that Tree of Life may not appear “good, pleasant, or desirable” (Gen. 2:9). Finding Paradise demands that we eat of the right Tree.
Prov. 3:18 – Wisdom is Tree of Life.
Prov. 11:30 — The fruit of righteousness is the Tree of Life.
Prov. 13:12 — Longing fulfilled is the Tree of Life.
Prov. 15:4 — A tongue that speaks life is a Tree of Life.
Rev. 2:7 — To him that overcomes shall eat of the Tree of Life.
Rev 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.”
Rev. 21:27 — Our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (whom is the Tree of Life/Christ Jesus).
Obedience is the key to the entering in of the gates of the city. Selling out is the “pearl of great price” you must pay to enter the gates. Today, many believers are on the “bless me kick”, gravitating to preachers and churches where you can “come get your blessing!” The “bless me realm” has become quite a lucrative industry as more folk are now seeking for “presents, but not the Father’s presence!” You have already been given all things that pertain to life and godliness.2 Pet. 1:3 You have already been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Eph. 1:3 You are blessed to be a blessing.
Blessed means
1288 barak { baw-rak’}
a gift, present
treaty of peace
3107 makarios { mak-ar’-ee-os}
happy
2127 eulogeo { yoo-log-eh’-o}
to praise, celebrate with praises
to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on
favored of God,
derivatives of blessed
2222 zoe { dzo-ay’} zoe life, abundant life
the state of one who is possessed of vitality
of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through Him.
life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ.
When you submit to God’s order for your life, you can’t help but to be richly blessed! Blessings are overtaking you and flowing through you.
Rev. 22:15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
* Symbol-Dogs- unclean, vile, unredeemed
(Php 3:2-3) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision party. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh;
Outside the habitation of God through the Spirit is:
Dogs – Philippians 3:2
Sorcerers – Spiritual Pharmacist – pharmekeia -Enchanters – Seducers, entices, bewitching, etc.
Whore-mongers – pornos; to sell, prostitute
Murderers – is taking or marring of ones life. Even a murderous tongue
Idolaters – image worshipers, the sin of the mind against God:
(1Co 6:8-10) But you do wrong and defraud, and these things to brothers. Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Again there is no gray area, either you submit to self, the false you, the carnal life ( tree of knowledge of good and evil) or the life of Jesus Christ ( the tree of Life).
COMPARISON OF THE TWO TREES/LEAVES
FIG LEAVES (TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD/EVIL & LEAVES OF THE TREE OF LIFE
Genesis 3:7-9 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil/ Self/Law
The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil- the good ( Heb. 2896 tobe- good) what seems right to self…… evil ( Hebrew poneros-evil) full of labors, hardships and annoyances.
FIG TREE – SYMBOL OF THE LAW AND ISRAEL-Man’s effort to cover himself by works
ADAM LOST THE MIND OF CHRIST- HE JUDGED HIMSELF ACCORDING TO THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL(law).
JESUS CAME AND RESTORED THE WAY TO JUDGE OURSELVES ACCORDING TO THE TREE OF LIFE. (fulfillment of the law)(NOW WE JUDGE OURSELVES RIGHTEOUS)
The Tree of Life
The fruit of the Tree of Life/Jesus is walking in your original design, the Christ Life unveiled and redeemed.
Leaves of The Tree of Life/Jesus
Revelation 22:2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. John 15:5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Gal. 2:21“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” 2 Cor. 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Romans 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Rev. 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Here, God will always have a messenger to proclaim His message. The testifier will be one, which bears witness of the sender, like John did with Jesus, even as the Holy Spirit testified of Christ. For in this realm of maturity, you will not speak of yourself, but of the one who sent you. John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14
* Symbol-Root of David- deity of Christ, Jesus, His pre-existence, Lord- Is. 11:1-4, Ps. 110:1
* Symbol-Offspring of David- Humanity of Jesus Matt. 1:1:1, Jer. 23:5-6
I, Jesus have sent my holy messenger/ Bride of Christ to testify to you these things in the churches. You come in the authority of the Root and Offspring Of David, under the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The 6th-to-the-last verse in the Bible, Jesus says He is the “Bright and Morning Star,” As He is, so are we! As the morning star rises in our hearts, our lives take on its traits, for we are the child, offspring, result of, product of, that day, as in 1 Thess 5:5, “children of the day.”
Symbolically/spiritually: Morning Star/Great Star- Christ is the Morning Star/Great Star , Spirit of Christ. Stars are defined in Rev. 1:20 as angels, holy messengers. Christ is the Holy Messenger and Christ in us makes us holy messengers. This is the Morning Star in trumpet 3 Rev. 22:16. He comes to the Elect (Rev. 2:28) to shine forth through them, bringing judgment to the sources of the heart (sea). In other words the revealing of the Christ is a perfecting presence (burning lamp) that perfects the very source of the sea (heart). Symbolically water is rivers and fountains, us. Flowing is allowing the Holy Spirit to flow out of us.
(Rev 2:25-28) But that which you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. And he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as I received from My Father. And I will give him the Morning Star.
One of the promises to overcomers. (see end of Chptr 21 for list)
Paraphrased: If we overcomes ourselves, self, false you, carnal mind, and tend to His works, we will receive Him, a full revelation of Him. God says: “I will give you the revelation of Me so you might overcome the world and do the greater works, letting the knowledge of the glory of God covering the earth as the waters cover the sea.”
(Hab 2:14) For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.
Rev. 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
The fifth, sixth, and seventh witnesses are the Spirit, the Bride, and him who hears. The climactic focus of the Revelation is an evangelistic appeal and an appeal for fellowship with His own. ( to those who are out of fellowship with Him) Come, addressed to those who still remain outside (22:15) and come to those who have accepted Him, yet have not come into a deeper communion with Him.
The Spirit without the Bride does not issue the invitation. The Bride without the Spirit cannot.The Spirit cannot say “come” without the Bride no more can the Bride say “come” without the Spirit. For it shall be oneness with the Spirit and the Bride that produces out of their union. It shall be the two becoming one for completion of divine purpose. For one does not speak without the other, as Spirit gives birth to spirit. Thus, the Spirit and the Bride say “come.” {The Two Witness Principle}
The Two Witness Principle Explained:
How can two walk together except they are agreed or appointed? Amos 3:3
The number “TWO” carries a wide range of and kingdom meaning, but we shall be brief in our focus for today and grow from here…
In present truth understanding, the number “TWO” symbolically represents in part, “WITNESS, COVENANT, TESTIMONY, AGREEMENT, and the UNION {UNITY} of which it produces in its divine appointment together.”
In WITNESS, it is the same principle of Jesus’ sending out his disciples by two, in appointed ministry fathers and sons, and that concerning Christ his witness is not of his own self.
In COVENANT, it recognizes that there is at least two to form an appointed covenant.
In TESTIMONY, it reveals the principle of testament or testator, the one recognizing the other for the testament to be in force.
In AGREEMENT, the number two reveals the significant and extraordinary power of the two {two even three gathered together in HIS name}.
And in UNION {UNITY} it reveals the birthing of the desired purpose and intention of what the TWO are given to BE and to DO. For there is POWER in the Principle of TWO – HIS two Witnesses…The Principle and Purpose of the Two…
*Symbol- Water of Life- Eternal Life by the Spirit- John 4:13-14, 7:37-39.
Abundant Life-(John 10:10) The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The invitation is made. The Spirit and the Bride beckons us to come and receive the revelation (water of life) that becomes life to all, to receive abundant life in the Spirit.
(Mat 5:6) Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled.
Rev. 22:18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
Here the permissive tense is used in God will add.
This solemn warning is directed against any perversion in interpretation of the prophecy of this book, made by those who read into Revelation what the Holy Spirit never intended to teach.
This book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This last book is and invitation to the churches is to show Jesus Christ to them, Christ revealed in you. And through you and as you. Gal. 2:20.
(Col 1:26-29) the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. For which I also labor, striving according to the working of Him who works in me in power.
The revelation of Christ is to us that He might be made manifest through us. The kingdom has come within because Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh. The kingdom is within, righteousness joy and peace IN the Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom is the domain of God.
The Kingdom is our Priority; the King is our Priority…Matthew 6:19-34 Proverbs 3:5-6; Colossians 3:1-3; 1st Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 4:6-8
The Kingdom is stability, an unshakable kingdom…Hebrews 12:28; Isaiah 33:6
The Kingdom is to be preached to other cities…Luke 4:43…apostolic mission, message and Ministry, not just for your local assembly…
The Kingdom is now, kingdom now…Revelation 12:10…Now is come…the kingdom…
The Kingdom {King’s domain} is an everlasting kingdom…Psalms 145:11-13
The Kingdom is power…The kingdom is the Dunamis of God. It is to be received and released…1st Corinthians 4:20…Luke 10:19 {Exousia – authority}
The Kingdom is purpose…Daniel 2:44; 7:1; 14; 22; 27; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:7; Micah 4:1-3; Revelation 11:15; Psalms 24:7-10; Matthew 28:18-20; 1st Peter 2:9; Colossians 1:13; Romans 14:17; Matthew 21:43; 1 John 3:8; Romans 8:19-27;
The Kingdom’s motive is love…1st Corinthians 13… Christ the Personified–1 Corinthians 13:8, 13 {The Lord Jesus Christ} ( Tim Early)
Rev. 22:19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this book
That is why a greater condemnation comes to false teachers. (Jas 3:1) My brothers, do not be many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
Those that particularly add and take away from the book are those who claim to know it. Again, this is nothing more than the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. [Self/Independence from God]
Review of the Two Trees:
Tree of Life= Jesus Christ/Life , fruit of the Christ Life, Christ in us unveiled and redeemed
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil= Self- fruit Good- What seems right to self –Evil- full of labors, hardships and annoyances
I have been working, researching 5 1/2 years on this book and my claim is, I’m still learning!
To interpret scripture we must use a line upon line, precept upon precept approach. We look to the Word of God for interpretations and symbols, revealed to us by Holy Spirit.
How do you take away from something that is spiritual– by the natural mind.
The Book of Life as we have said before– God is writing in your book! He is writing it in our hearts. And there is only One who is worthy to take the book and open it and loose the seals thereof, and that is the Lamb in the midst of the throne. The Lamb! Oh, the wonder of it! The Revelation of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The book is the book of the life of the Lamb.
The opening of the book is the unveiling of the life of the Lamb, the revelation of His life written and engraven in the hearts and minds of those who share His nature. He is the One who is worthy to take each one of us and open us up. And it is only through Jesus Christ our Lord that we can be opened up as the Book of
Take away from the holy city, New Jerusalem– Remember New Jerusalem is a spiritual city, the Bride of Christ. No one should be taken out or left on the outside of the marvelous city of the Bride.
As we have said before the Revelation of Jesus Christ cannot come by he natural mind, only by His Spirit
Rev. 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Quickly, tachu (takh-oo); Strong’s #5035: Compare “tachometer” and “tachygraphy.” Immediately, speedily, shortly, hastily. The word is especially used in the Book of Revelation in relation to the imminent return of Christ.
Dispensationalist View: “Surely I Am Coming Quickly,” MESSIAH’S COMING. Among the very last words of the Bible is this promise from the Lord Jesus, “Surely I am coming quickly.” This blessed hope, which was declared by angels and spoken of by the apostles, is tenderly reiterated by the Lord at the very end of His Word. It is as if He wished to say, “There is much in My Word that you need attend to, but do not let this hope be overshadowed: I am coming back soon.”
Jesus again gives assurance of His return, to which Paul adds his affirming word .
(1Co 16:22) If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. The Lord comes!
Symbolic/Spiritual View: This speaks of a quick work in a short time.
(Rom 9:28) For He is bringing the matter to an end, and cutting short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work on the earth.”
“ I come quickly” to bless these (Rev. 22:7, 12-Rev. 22:7) “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Those who keep the sayings of this book. If you want to be a part of the truth spoken in this book then you must prophesy this book to the world. (Rev. 22:10) Rev. 22:10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
Symbolically/spiritually the time is at hand, now while you read this. No one has ever understood this book until now. You show what you believe by what you set ourselves to do.(time at hand)
Rev. 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Grace (Gk. Charis, gift, unmerited favor and the empowerment that comes from the heart of God (freely given power that works in you).
Grace- God’s unmerited favor and God’s freely given ability working in you and peace shalom (nothing missing nothing broken).
Be with you all. John was Southern you all, lol.
Be is an aorist verb – Simply that a verb in the aorist tense describes an action without analyzing it further. When John 3:16 says God loved the world, the aorist tense merely reports what God did. It doesn’t tell us when he started or when he finished ; it is present and ongoing, infinite, never ends, eternal.
God is grace not does graceful acts.
Amen:
Gen 15:6) And he ( Abraham) believed in Jehovah. And He counted it to him for righteousness.
The word ‘believe’ there in the original Hebrew is ‘AMAN’ from which we get the English word ‘AMEN’ which means ‘I believe that it will be so.’So when God told Abraham that his seed would be like the stars of heaven, Abraham just said,“Amen=I believe it will be so” That’s it. And it was fulfilled.
Faith (is in your heart from God) means saying“Amen” when God has said something to you.
Summary: Epilogue 22:6–21.
Seven confirming witnesses (22:6–17). John concludes his report, communicating both a warning and a promise. Jesus announces, “Behold, I am coming quickly!” The blessings of this book are carefully reserved for all who have washed their robes (in the blood of the Lamb).
Final warning and assurance (22:18–20). The last words of the book, which are the last words of our Bible, sum up the hope of Christians throughout the ages.
“Surely I am coming quickly,” sounds the promise (see Messianic Promises; Quickly).
And all the saints gladly reply:
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
Benediction (22:21).
Jesus is the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God. Revelation 3:14. He is the Alpha, Bread of life, Chief Corner, Door, Emmanuel, Faithful, Good Shepherd, Holy, I AM, Jehovah, King of kings Lord of lords, Master, Nourisher, Omega Prince of Peace, Quickening Spirit, Redeemer, Savior, Teacher, Upholder, Victor, Way, EX -pressed image of the Father, and Zion!
From A-Z, ‑ Jesus Christ is Lord of all!
THERE ARE MANY KEY REFERENCES IN THE OLD COVENANT/OLD TESTAMENT TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION. HERE ARE A FEW WHICH CORRESPOND TO EACH VERSE IN CHAPTER 22.
CHAPTER 22 :1-
Compare to Genesis 2:9-10; Psalms 36:8; Isaiah 48:18; Ezekiel 47:1-9; Zechariah 14:8; Psalms 45:1
Compare to Ezekiel 47:12; Exodus 15:25;
Read Deuteronomy the 28th chapter where you will find the blessings of obedience.
Compare to Psalms 17:15; Isaiah 33:17; Ezekiel 9:4
Compare to Genesis 1:2; Habakkuk 3:3-4; Isaiah 60:20; Daniel 12:3
Compare to Numbers 16:28; Isaiah 48:16; Jeremiah 25:4; Zechariah 2:8; Amos 3:7; Deuteronomy 29:29
Compare to Job 2:11, 31 Zephaniah 1:14; Malachi 4:1; Isaiah 1:19
Compare to Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 10, and read Ezekiel 37:1
Compare to 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalms 95:6
Compare to Daniel 8:26; 12:4, 9
Compare to Ezra 9:11; Psalms 53:3 and read Daniel 12:10 and Hosea 10:12
Compare to Genesis 15:1; Psalms 19:9, 11; Isaiah 58:11; 62:11; Jeremiah 31:16
Compare to Isaiah 46:10; Micah 5:2
Compare to Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 5:29; Genesis 3:22; Proverbs 3:18; 11:30
Compare to Psalms 11:5; 32:10; 37:17; 75:10; Proverbs 28:1; Isa. 65:14; Mal. 3:18
Compare to Daniel 2:22; Isaiah 11:1-3, 10; Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 9:2
Compare to Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 33:11; Isaiah 55:1; Psalms 36:8
Compare to Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6
Compare to Deuteronomy 4:2
Compare to Obadiah verse 15, Zephaniah 1:14; Psalms 96:13;
Ecclesiastes 3:17
Compare to Psalms 84:11; Zechariah 12:10
Encouraging words for the last verse of the Bible.(Rev 22:21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.
(Psa 84:11-12) For Jehovah God is a sun and shield; Jehovah will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.O Jehovah of Hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You.
(Zec 12:10) And I will pour on the house of David, and on the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayers. And they shall look on Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be bitter over Him, as the bitterness over the first-born.
The third Person in the Godhead is the Communicator of grace, therefore is He denominated “the Spirit of grace” (Zech. 12:10). God the Father is the Fountain of all grace, for He purposed in Himself the everlasting covenant of redemption. God the Son is the only Channel of grace. The Gospel is the Publisher of grace. The Spirit is the Bestower.
Grace, Unmerited favor and God’s freely given power which works in you is continual, forever. Grace is a person. God is Graceful/Gracious/Grace- God is Graceful: forgiving, kind, merciful, patient and longsuffering.
Ex. 43:6And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty,
Psalm 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
Is. 40:18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
ENDNOTE AND SUMMARY:
(Rev. 1:1 Amp.) “[THIS IS] the REVELATION of Jesus Christ [HIS UNVEILING of the divine mysteries]. God gave it to Him to disclose and make known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel (messenger) to His bond servant John”
Everything about the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals him in power, glory, dominion, and majesty. Not one part of the book contradicts his Lordship. From the visions of John describing Babylon, to the unveiling of historical persecution, Jesus is first and foremost the theme, scope, and character of the book. No matter what the language of the book, be it strong, intense, mild, or horrific, nothing gets pass the glorious unfolding of Christ on the throne. For He is the Lord!
This book is not to be treated as another interpretation, but rather, the REVELATION of Jesus Christ. It does not talk about him, but simply reveals him. He is the author, the subject, and the final end in this glorious unfolding of all that he is. For all things are summed up into the Christ.
There have been many books written on the book of Revelation. Many people call it “Revelation’s,” but in fact it is one revelation, thus the reason the title in the Bible is Revelation (singular). You can read of, supposed future events, and then you can read books that compare historical events to the book, which they think explains the meaning behind, what seems to be a mystery to the reader. There is only one view that brings any help or joy to the true student of the Word. It is written in the Revelation that those who read and keep the Words of this book will be blessed (happy or enlarged). This view is the redemptive view. The book is all about Jesus Christ and what He has done to redeem man back to Father God. I pray that as you study these eleven chapters on the book of Revelation that you will allow the Holy Spirit to flood your eyes with the light of revelation, so that you might see Truth. We are not just studying the book, but we are allowing the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the revelation that already is!
Gal. 1:10-12 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is NOT after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through REVELATION of Jesus Christ.
The purpose for the book of Revelation is to bring the believer from a Outer Court experience (being quickened in spirit) and a Holy Place experience (receiving gifts to edify the body and having the mind renewed), by seeing the passion of Christ and our identification with it, to the Most Holy Place experience where we are ruling from the throne (made whole not just in spirit, but in soul and body; expressing the full life of Christ).
If the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals the undisputed champion – Christ, then it reveals the church as glorious and victorious. ~ The last of the book is an invitation to go to the churches and show Jesus Christ, the revelation of Him, to them.
THAT IS MY BENEDICTION TO YOU.
My Ending Remarks:
At the beginning I said: I do not claim to have all the answers, nor am I an authority on Revelation. I am still learning and open. I approach this with much fear (reverential awe) of the Lord and guidance by His Spirit. In doing this teaching I hope to give you keys and insights to unlock the doorways to understanding the book.
My heart’s desire most of all instead of trying to prove definitions and interpretations of Scripture is to believe that this message has helped you and I to come, to have Christ revealed in our lives. And that you and I will choose Him above everything else.
This is our true inheritance as God’s kings and priests, our inheritance is God Himself. No golden harps, no golden streets, not walls of jasper or pearly gates, not a cabin in the corner or a mansion over the hilltop, not wings and a white robe. There is something deeper, more inward and rapturous, the possession of God, not merely the things of God but heirs of God Himself. As Paul said, “To know Him, to explore His being, to live in His fullness, to see and share His Glory, everything He is, to be transformed into His image, the riches of His very own life and Glory.”
This teaching was intended to reveal Christ Jesus to you:
SEVEN PICTURES OF JESUS FROM THE BIBLE
HE IS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE:
In BETHLEHEM as the Lowly One.
(We see his humility demonstrated through his becoming a man and in his birth.)
In JERUSALEM as the Merciful One
(He extended mercy to those religion cast aside.)
In GETHSEMANE As the Suffering One.
(He submitted his will to suffering so we could know salvation.)
On THE CROSS As the Redeeming One. (He being perfect took our sins (past, present and future) and gave us His righteousness to bring us to God.)
In THE RESURRECTION As the Victorious One. (He overcame the last enemy – death and now brings us to victory through his life.)
In THE HEAVENS As the Glorified One.
In HIS BODY as the Revealed One. Revelation 1–22
He is waiting for all things to be summed up in Him including gathering us to Himself, setting up His physical eternal Kingdom. We will be fully restored to the original glory we were created for and enjoy living in His glory forever.
Truly, the Son is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).
Which IS – He IS (today) for there is a real man in the heavens and He is tabernacled within each of us and corporately in a body.
Which WAS – He WAS (yesterday) for He was God in the flesh that walked this earth. He defeated sin in the FLESH thereby reconciling man and creation back to God.
Which IS TO COME – He WILL (tomorrow) come again for there is a REAL man in the heavens, AND…. He is the ever-coming Lord who is continually coming into lives and hearts – “Christ in you the hope of glory” – for Jesus IS COME in the flesh (John 4:2-3) even today! We are not the man Jesus, but He is come in us! The coming of the Lord is a past, present and a future truth!
Ending Remarks continued:
As I said in the opening of my ending remarks, I do not consider myself an expert on the end-time or book of Revelation, however it has become my passion and part of my calling. I have spent almost 5 years studying Revelation and the Lord has given me an insight as to what we are about to see happen in the world and Kingdom. The book of Revelation is a Love letter to His Bride and is given to His servant’s so that they can know what is about to take place. In the content of this revelation we have seen part of what is necessary to be a part of the appearing of Christ in a people. It is my desire for people to awaken to their calling. This writing has been the Sounding the Alarm so that the Elect of God will take their position and prepare. God has a wonderful plan that will bring the entire world into knowledge of who He is and what He desires of His people. Remember every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord. Phrases like you have been hearing from the prophets, i. e. the shaking of all things and all of creation awaiting the manifestation of the Sons of God, let us know that we are about to face the most dynamic time of human history, To really understand Revelation then we must come to fully understand the Mystery of Godliness; Christ in you the hope of Glory. Until we can break free from the traditional system, religion, then we can never be a human being rather than doing. That is what the Father really wants. He wants us transformed and thus has given us His Son to dwell in us and change our very nature. So in conclusion, the Revelation of Jesus Christ has now been opened to this generation.
In this day God is preparing the Body of Christ and revealing Himself in His Body–which is not another Body, but the knowledge of the already joining of His people unto the Lord Jesus, Who is the glorified Head. It is much of the same nature as it was when God “prepared” a Body for the Man Christ Jesus.
The Spirit of God living and abiding in total fullness in this corporate MAN that is arising in the midst of the Church will show forth a God of total righteousness, and love, and justice, and truth in the earth. Christ will receive unto Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or blemish… or any such thing, the habitation for Himself for which has already been there. Now comes the revealing of Himself in His Body/His Habitation.
“And I John saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it” (Rev. 21:2, 22).
Look ahead with anticipation. In the midst humanity’s darkness, light is prevailing. The beginning of the gospel may find man fallen far from God, but in the end we see a City coming down out of heaven as a bride adorned for her husband, lighting up the sky with His glory (Revelation 21:2, 10)
All creation is yearning for the City’s appearing, and I hope to see you there.
Until that day, the Spirit and bride say “Come!”
May the love of Christ shine richly in our lives as we realize HE IS OUR LIFE.
THE END OR THE BEGINNING.