Untitled Sermon (37)

"THE HEAVENLY CITY"

Revelation 21:2-22:5

INTRODUCTION

It is written that Abraham looked for a city...

A city whose builder and maker is God - Heb. 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

A city God had prepared for him Heb. 11:13-16 “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

It is written that we too look for a city...

A city which is to come - He 13:14

A city promised by Jesus to those who overcome - Rev. 3:12 “‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 My new name.”

[John was shown a vision of a great city, along with words of comfort and warning (Re 21:2-8). He was then offered a detailed glimpse of this heavenly city. Let's take a closer look at what he saw...]

THE GREAT CITY (9-21)

JOHN IS SHOWN THE HOLY CITY...

By one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls of wrath - Rev. 21:9-10

Who offered to show John "the bride, the Lamb's wife"

Who carried him away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain

He sees the great city, the holy Jerusalem - Re 21:10b-11

Descending out of heaven from God - cf. Re 21:2; also Re 3:12

Having the glory of God, with light like a jasper stone, clear as crystal - cf. Rev. 4:2-3 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.”

The imagery is uncertain, but the city may be depicted as hovering between heaven and the new earth

JOHN DESCRIBES THE HOLY CITY...

It had a great and high wall - Re 21:12-14

With twelve gates,

with three gates each on east, north, south

With twelve angels at the gates

With the twelve tribes of Israel's names inscribed on the gates

With twelve foundations

With the twelve apostles' names inscribed on the foundations

The measurement of the city, the gates, and the wall - Re 21:15-17

The angel had a golden reed to measure them

The city is laid out as a cube, its length, breadth, and height are each 12,000 furlongs (1500 hundred miles cubed), the distance from Orlando to Denver!

The wall is one hundred and forty-four cubits (216 feet), either high or thick

The construction of the city, the wall, its foundations, and the gates - Re 21:18-21

The wall was of jasper; the city was pure gold, like clear glass

The twelve foundations of the wall were adorned with precious stones:

Jasper

Sapphire

Chalcedony

Emerald

Sardonyx

Sardius

Chrysolite

Beryl

Topaz

Chrysoprase

Jacinth

Amethyst

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate one pearl

The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass

-- Imagine the colors, with varying shades of green, red, blue, gold, and clear crystal!

[Truly a great city; beyond our comprehension, but worthy of contemplation! Let's read more about...]

THE GLORIOUS CITY (22-27)

ILLUMINATED BY THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THE LAMB...

Its temple are the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb - Re 21:22

There is no temple, unlike there was in heaven described earlier - Rev. 7:15 ““For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.”

For that depicted the blessing of the intermediate state, but this the eternal state

It is illuminated by the glory of God and the Lamb - Re 21:23

There was no need of the sun or moon to shine in it - cf. Isa 60:19-20 Isa. 60:19-20 ““No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory. “Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over.”

Of course, the sun and moon as we know it had burned up, and replaced by a new heaven and a new earth - cf. 2Pe 3:10-13 2 Pet. 3:10-13 “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. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

; Re 21:1

-- A glorious city, illuminated by a glorious God and Savior!

ENHANCED BY THOSE WHO ENTER IT...

The nations of the saved shall walk in its light - Re 21:24a

The saved come from different nations - cf. Mt 28:19 Mt. 28:19 ““Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

The imagery is similar to that found in Isaiah - cf. Isa 60:3-9 Isa. 60:3-9 ““Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. “Lift up your eyes round about and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms. “Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you. “A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the Lord. “All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar, And I shall glorify My glorious house. “Who are these who fly like a cloud And like the doves to their lattices? “Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silv…”

The kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it - Re 21:24b

Perhaps referring to such righteous kings like those of Judah (David, Hezekiah, Josiah)Or those redeemed by the Lamb, who will reign together with Him - cf. Re 22:6

Its gates shall not be shut at all by day, and there is no night there - Re 21:25

Those twelve gates of pearl shall remain open

There is no night, for the glory of God and the Lamb are ever present

The nations shall bring their glory and honor into it - Re 21:26

Glory and honor to be added to the glory of God and the Lamb - cf. Re 21:23

Glory and honor they themselves received at the coming of the Lord - cf. 2Th 1:10-12 2 Thess. 1:10-12 “when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Nothing that defiles shall enter it - Re 21:27

None that cause an abomination or a lie, shall enter it - cf. Re 21:8

Only those written in the Lamb's book of Life enter it - cf. Re 3:5; 20:15 Rev. 3:5 “‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Rev.20:15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

-- A glorious city, enhanced by the glorified redeemed of all nations!

PROVISIONED FOR EVERLASTING SERVICE...

The water of life - Re 22:1

A pure river, clear as crystal

Proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Promised to those who thirst (for righteousness) - Re 21:6; 22:17; cf. Mt 5:6

The tree of life - Re 22:2

In the middle of the street (was in the garden of Eden, now in the city of God!)

Straddling the river of the water of life (from which it gets its nourishment?)

Bearing twelve fruits, yielding fruit every month (perpetual provisions)

With leaves for the healing of the nations (no more sickness)

The reign of His servants - Re 22:3-5

The curse which made work difficult is no more - cf. Gen 3:17-19 Gen. 3:17-19 “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.””

The throne of God and of the Lamb is present (God's reign continues!)

His servants serve Him (there will be work, but it will not be laborious)

They shall see His face (like the angels, they will enjoy His presence) - cf. Mt 18:20 Mt. 18:20 ““For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.””

His name will be on their foreheads (they shall be designated as His) - cf. Re 3:12 Rev. 3:12 “‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 My new name.”

There shall be no night, no need of lamp nor light of the sun (for God is the light)

They shall reign forever and ever (the exalted nature of our service!) - cf. Mt 25:21 Mt. 25:21 ““His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

-- A glorious city, with provisions to enable glorious service for eternity!

CONCLUSION

Granted, we are dealing with a highly figurative passage...

John was shown that which is to come in symbols - cf. Re 1:1 Rev. 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,”

We must be careful not to strain the figures beyond their intended purpose

But how shall we envision the hope that we have in Christ...?

With images of our own imagination, with those from other uninspired sources?

Or with those provided by Jesus Himself, to comfort and encourage His servants?

As we look for the city to come (cf. He 13:14)… Heb. 13:14 “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”

A city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God - cf. He 11:10 Heb. 11:10 “for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

A city prepared by God who is not ashamed to be called our God - cf. He 11:16 Heb. 11:16 “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

...may we who are disciples of Jesus Christ allow the vision seen by John to excite and encourage us to remain faithful until we walk through those pearly gates! Listen, then, to these words:

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

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. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

"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."

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. - Rev 22:12-17