REVELATION LESSON 41

     We will began this lesson in Revelation 21:1 "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."

     Before the days of Peleg in Genesis, there were no seas. The
Bible says in the days of Peleg the earth broke apart. We know from
our studies in Genesis, God wanted mankind to live in the garden of
Eden forever. In chapter 21 and 22 of Revelation we will see a
restoration of mankind (the Christians) to all the wonderful things
Adam and Eve lost.

     This "new heaven and new earth" are actually a heavenly pattern
of what the garden of Eden was a miniature of on earth. We will see
the Tree of Life restored with water that flows from the throne of
God.  It didn't rain in the garden of Eden. The plants were watered
under the plants. The water in the garden of Eden flowed out in four
rivers (symbolic of enough for the whole world). This river that flows
from the throne of God is the same water that Jesus told the woman at
the well, if she drank it, she would never thirst again.

     Revelation 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."

     This city is the bride of Christ, as well; just in the same way
that Babylon was an evil city and was the apostate church, all at the
same time. This is difficult to understand, but God sometimes calls
the believers Zion. You see, God does not look at every little thing
just as we do. This new Jerusalem could very well be the believing
Christians. We will see in verse three God will dwell with us. We will
see there are no buildings in this city. We Christians are the
dwelling place of God.

     Revelation 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 shall be his people, and God himself shall be with
them, [and be] their God."

     John hears the voice of God promising that God himself will
dwell. "Tabernacle" here means dwelling place of God. When we raise
our hands to God in praise, The Bible says he inhabits us. He inhabits
the praise of His people.

     Heaven to me, is where ever Jesus is. Just like God walked with
Adam in the garden of Eden, He will be in heaven with us continually.
The Bible says, If we are not ashamed of Jesus here on this earth, He
will not be ashamed of us in heaven. He will claim us as His very own.
He will fellowship with us all the time.

     Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away."

     Just as the disciples knew security when Jesus was there to take
care of all their needs, we will know perfect peace and joy in heaven.
Jesus is the king of peace. Jesus defeated death on the cross.  The
biggest fear of mankind is death. We just read where the Christians
will not taste the second death. This fear is gone away. Death will no
longer hang over the Christian. The Christian has eternal life (not
death). There won't be anything to cry for in heaven.  The devil and
all his problems he brought upon the Christians have been thrown into
the lake of fire. You see, every negative thing has been done away
with.

     Revelation 21:5 "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are
true and faithful."

     Here we see Jesus saying that He "makes all things new" when we
are saved we become a new creature. We know this saying is true for
the believer. Just as He did not throw us away and get a new person:
He says here "I make all things new"  He did not say He made new
things.  He just takes the old things and transforms them into new.
Here we see that Jesus commanded John to write, because all the things
He has shown are true. Jesus is the truth.

     Revelation 21:6 "And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst
of the fountain of the water of life freely."

     Just as Jesus said on the cross "It is finished" You see, Jesus
is the way to get to the water of life. In fact, He is the water. He
is life. He who hungers and thirst after righteousness shall be
filled.  There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him.

     Revelation 21:7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and
I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

     You see from this above, that there is something we must
overcome. If we are faithful to Him in the face of all odds, we will
inherit eternal life. The New Testament is actually an inheritance to
the believers. If we believe, we can collect on that inheritance. Who
ever we are faithful to, is our God. If he is our God, He will claim
us as His son.

     Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which
burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

     Fear is not of God. Fear is the opposite of faith. In fact, it is
mentioned twice here by saying  "unbelieving" Jesus cannot be
someone's Saviour, unless they believe they He is their Saviour. The
Bible speaks of sins such as homosexuality as being an abomination.
Here, we see those who do abominable things taking part in the second
death.

     Notice here this says "murderers" not accidental killing or
killing in war. This is premeditated murder.

     We see here "whoremongers" (this means not only in the physical
but also in the spiritual. "Sorcerers" has to do with the occult and
also drugs. "Idolaters" has to do with anything or anyone you put
ahead of God. "Liars" can do more harm than you can imagine. We all
have a tendency to tell little white lies, but any untruth is a lie.

     You see, after we are forgiven of our sins and born again, we
must practice salvation. We must not have the habit of sinning. We may
slip and sin, but if we do, we have an advocate with the Father.
Repent, ask forgiveness, and then change. Do not practice sin. The
horror of it all if you do not change from these evils, you will be
thrown into the lake of fire.

     Revelation 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 shew thee the bride, the Lamb's
wife."

     This is not the angel pouring out plagues. This is just
explaining who was talking to John.  Here again, we are to look and
see the bride.

     Revelation 21:10 "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great
and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God,"
     Revelation 21:11 "Having the glory of God: and her light [was]
like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as
crystal;"

     We talked about the city being the bride; the bride is the
Christians.  The light is Jesus. He is far more precious than any
stone, even a diamond.

     Revelation 21:12 "And had a wall great and high, [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:"

     If you have ever been to Jerusalem in Isreal, you know the old
city has a large wall around the city. the physical Jerusalem here has
12 gates. You see, this earthly Jerusalem is a replica of this
heavenly Jerusalem. Here we see their names (twelve tribes). These
angels guarding are just showing the security of the city.

     Revelation 21:13 "On the east three gates; on the north three
gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates."
     Revelation 21:14 "And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb."

     The foundation of Christianity was established by Jesus through
the twelve apostles. You can easily see, this is not only a city but
stands for the Christians as well.

     Revelation 21:15 "And he that talked with me had a golden reed to
measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof."
     Revelation 21:16 "And the city lieth foursquare, 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."
     Revelation 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."

     We can notice here that this city is a cube. This is measured
with a goodly measure. Twelve thousand furlongs is 1500 miles. This
city is 1500 miles square and 1500 miles high. The wall was 216 feet
across. Just as in Babylon the walls, were wide enough for chariot
races. This is even wider. These wide dimensions might not even be
literal. This might just mean supreme security.

     Revelation 21:18 "And the building of the wall of it was [of]
jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass."
     Revelation 21:19 "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;"
     Revelation 21:20 "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."
     Revelation 21:21 "And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls:
every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was]
pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

     There is no silver in the city. Silver means redemption and we
have already been redeemed. These stones show us things that are
important here on the earth are plentiful in heaven. You see, God owns
all the wealth in the world. God has so many rare stones He even puts
them in the wall. Each gate is made of just one pearl.

     Revelation 21:22 "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."

     Here we see there is no buildings. God the Father and God the
Word are the temple.

     Revelation 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."

     Jesus is the Light. You see, there will be one eternal day.
Jesus, who is the Light, does away with darkness. There will be no
separation of light, so we will not need the sun and moon.

     Revelation 21:24 "And the nations of them which are saved shall
walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their
glory and honour into it."

     This just means that God doesn't care whether you are Chinese,
African, or American. If you accept Jesus, you will be in heaven
regardless of what country your from.

     Revelation 21:25 "And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by
day: for there shall be no night there."

     The only time most people lock their doors at night. Most crimes
are done under cover of darkness. Jesus is the source of all light.
With the source of light present, there will be no night.

     Revelation 21:26 "And they shall bring the glory and honour of
the nations into it."
     Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any
thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or
[maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of
life."

     This Scripture just means that this is a holy city (a place of
true worship). There will be no evil of any kind in it. The residents
are the redeemed, those washed in the blood of the lamb. Those who
have been made righteous in Christ.

     More Scriptures to look up: Isaiah 60, Ezekial 40, Hebrews 11:10
and 16, Galations 4:26, Isaiah 25:8, St. John 4:10, Matthew 5:6,
1 Kings 8:11, Ezekial 48, Numbers 2, and Isaiah 40: 19-20.

     Memorize Revelation 21:7 and Revelation 21:23.























 
                        Revelation Questions 41


1.  Why was there a new heaven and earth?
2.  In chapter 21 and 22 of Revelation, we see what restored?
3.  What is the new heaven and new earth?
4.  What were the four rivers symbolic of?
5.  What is the Holy city?
6.  What was it prepared as?
7.  What else is this also?
8.  The tabernacle of God is with -------.
9.  He will be our ----------.
10. What does tabernacle mean?
11. Where is heaven, to the author?
12. What things will be no more in heaven?
13. Who is the King of Peace?
14. What are Christians promised they will not taste?
15. Did God make all new things?
16. Why was John to write?
17. When He was finished what did He say?
18. He who -------- and --------after righteousness shall be filled.
19. Who shall inherit all things?
20. Who shall have their part in the lake of fire?
21. What is the lake of fire?
22. Fear is what?
23. Name an abomination to God.
24. When he carried John to the mountain, what did he show him?
25. The light was like what?
26. How many gates were in the wall?
27. Who guarded the gates?
28. Where were the names of the apostles?
29. Twelve thousand furlongs is how far?
30. This city was a --------.
31. How wide was the wall?
32. Are these literal measurements?
33. What was the wall?
34. The city was pure gold like unto -------  -------.
35. What was garnished with all manners of precious stones?
36. What were the gates made of?
37. Who are the temple?
38. Why did the city not need the sun or moon?
39. What is V-24 talking about?
40. Who are the inhabitants?
41. Write Revelation 21:7.
42. Write Revelation 21:23.
43. What would you like heaven to be like?