A New World, Revelation 21:9-22:5

Introduction

I don’t know about you, but I am not a big art fan. I couldn’t walk around an art gallery looking at various abstract paintings and deduce anything out of them except whoever painted them was really messed up in the head to come up with that. Some of them that are supposed to be famous paintings look to me like a little kid got his hands in the paint and just splashed them on the easel. I can tell you for sure I am not going to stand there for 20 minutes and try to pick out what the painting means and what was going through the artist’s mind, you know to find out what he was trying to say when he painted the piece.

On the other hand, when one of my grandkids makes me a picture on a card or something I treasure that. I might have to get them to interpret it for me, nevertheless they are important and I want to hang on to it. That is one of those pieces I do like to look at at length and think about the one who gave it to me and thank God for them and pray for them and so on.

John has given us four such pictures to ponder, to think on, to ruminate about for a time and that is what we are going to do today. These four pictures are of the New World that God has made new for us and prepared for us to live in for eternity. They are a magnificent tapestry displaying the glory of God all around. These pictures symbolize the complete satisfaction we will experience in heaven. Everything there will be a reflection of His glory, because His glory is there. His presence is there.

Four pictures of the New world, the new Jerusalem. These pictures symbolize the complete satisfaction we will experience in heaven. Everything there will be a reflection of His glory, because His glory is there. His presence is there.

The bride

The bride

The city

The temple

The Garden

I. The Bride of the Lamb, v.9-11a

An angel comes to John saying to him, ‘come I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb’. the last time we saw this angel was in . There instead of taking him to High mountain, he took him into the wilderness and showed him the judgment of the great whore. Here instead of the great whore we see the bride.

Sinclair Ferguson told of wedding in which earlier in the day he saw the bride in T-shirt and jeans. Now she is adorned in a beautiful gown. She looks nothing like she did a few hours earlier. This reminds me of what we were before we were adorned with the righteousness of Christ. Which reflects the glory of God.

The bride reflects the glory of God. Is that not what we see here? That the bride is the glory of God. or at least she is adorned in the glory of God. As I see it, the church is the bride, makes that clear to us. But more importantly, it makes sense because as believers we are covered/clothed with the righteousness of Christ. In other words, As God sees us He sees Christ. That is the way it is to be that when the world sees the church they should be seeing Christ. And because Christ is the Glory of God, and we are in Christ, when the world sees us they should be seeing the glory of God. However, we live in the realm of which reminds us that we are still wearing tshirt, jeans and tennis shoes. But this day, the church will be wearing the righteousness of Christ which is the glory of God.

What we see in our text is that

When you think of a wedding all eyes are on the bride. And the bride only has eyes on the groom. So it is here.

, sees the same city on a high mountain

When you see this city you are reminded it is not anything like the first one. That is gone, just as sin is gone. Any reminders of sin are gone.

Let everyone who has this hope purify himself as He is pure.

This angel is one of the seven that had the vials of the last plagues. He said to John “Come. I will show you the bride the wife of the Lamb.” So he does not say he is going to show him a city, but the bride. Then he commences to show him the city. In short, the city is the bride. The bride is the church and therefore the city is the church. ; What are some other verses that back this up.

II. The City, v11-21

When you think of a wedding all eyes are on the bride. And the bride only has eyes on the groom. So it is here.

Then you have this second picture -the city

This is one of those hearing-vision patterns. In John heard about a lion, but saw a lamb. Here he hears about a bride and sees a city. The the second interprets the first or further explains it.

, sees the same city on a high mountain

When you see this city you are reminded it is not anything like the first one. That is gone, just as sin is gone. Any reminders of sin are gone.

To get a look at this city the angel takes him to the highest vantage point you can get. the top of the great and high mountain. He can see everything from there. And to see something this vast you must be high in order to see something that covers 1500 miles square. You would almost have to be in space.

, tells us that the garden of Eden was on a mountain that contained the precious stones.

What do we know about this city?

First it is descending out of heaven from God. The place where God dwells.

If you compare v.10b with v.2 they have the same phrase the holy city Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God. In v.2 it is followed by ‘prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’ in vs. 10 it is followed by ‘they have the glory of God, v.11. These are not different but the same just The glory of God is the adornment of the bride. What we see here then is that the glory of God is the presence of God with His People in all of His glory as described in this verse. In other words, this is the description of what is meant in v.3 the communion with God.

Having the glory of God. The true people of God symbolized by the holy city Jerusalem see the glory of God. The temple in Israel had the temporary place of God’s glory. But in this new creation His glory is permanent and His glory is not limited to a structure. , His shining is the light of it. All eyes are on the glory of God. The glory of God is His presence. He shines gleaming like precious stones, Jasper like crystal. My wife calls that bling. The city/church radiates with the glory of God. All eyes will be drawn to that city, just as we are today when we see a bright light, gleaming. The church today is to do the same thing, to shine for and radiate the glory of God so that all eyes will be directed to trust in God

When you read the description in v.18 of the city being pure gold. It would shine with a brilliance that would blind the eyes. Mounce suggests John has in mind “Herod’s temple whose golden front reflected the first rays of the morning sun so brilliantly that those who looked upon it had to turn away their eyes from its “fiery splendour.”” That is what Josephus said.

The overall picture is of a city of brilliant gold surrounded by a wall inlaid with jasper and resting upon twelve foundations adorned with precious gems of every color and hue. The city is magnificent beyond description

First, each of the twelve gates consists of a single pearl. A rabbinic prophecy promises that God will set up in the gateways of Jerusalem gems and pearls thirty cubits by thirty in which he will hollow out openings ten cubits wide and twenty cubits high. Along with gold and expensive clothing the pearl was a mark of affluence (). Jesus spoke of a pearl so valuable that a merchant sold all he possessed in order to purchase it (). The spectacle of a pearl large enough to serve as a city gate boggles the mind. Secondly, the street (or streets) of the city was made of gold so pure that it seemed to be transparent as glass. Like the priests of the OT () who ministered in the temple, the servants of God walk upon gold.

Mounce, R. H. (1997). The Book of Revelation (p. 393- 395). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

In this fly over we see that it has a great high wall. Walls around a city speak of security, safety. A City on a hill also speaks of security. There is security for those inside, to keep those unwanted out. It is a place then in the presence of the glory of God where there is absolute security. refers to the “strong city’ having a wall around it for security. There is security and safety and sanctification, as the citizens are set apart from all that is not holy. It is a place absent of sin.

In fact it also has 12 gates, 3 on each wall, and each gate is one gigantic pearl with an angel guarding it. I assume much like the garden entrance being guarded by the cherubim with flaming swords. They also have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them.

The wall has 12 foundations which are the names of the 12 apostles of the lamb. Paul said the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets in . We are then seeing a picture of the church in the kingdom. The Bride is the church, the city is the church,

What we see about this city is:

Set on a high mountain - for all to see the glory of God as all eyes directed to the cities glow, the glory of God, it descending from heaven from God, thus it is sourced in Him. He is the designer and builder of it.

It’s light is God.

It has walls - which ensures the security, safety, sanctification of the inhabitants

They also depict His presence and fellowship with the inhabitants

It has a foundation - which shows its permanence. Everyone knows that a building without a good foundation or a good solid foundation will soon fall. This depicts eternality of the city. It will not fall.

What the city streets, walls and gates are adorned with are the jewels that easily reflect the pure glory of God for all to see.

It is a city that reflects the glory of God. All eyes directed toward that city. Only those who are true believers are dwellers in that city. It is the perfect place to be perfectly satisfied for all eternity. Because God is there.

The third picture is

III. The Temple, v.22-27

John doesn’t see the temple. He said “I saw no temple therein.” He didn’t say there was no temple. Because the entire place is a temple. The church is the temple of God (we can build on that thought).

Notice while Jesus is not specifically mentioned by name, He is throughout though for He is the Lamb as well as the Lord. 7x in these verses we are looking at he is mentioned. He is the Lamb that takes away the sin of the World. All come to Him to worship. No need of the sun, because the glory of God lights it. The lamp is absent because it is the Lamb, the light of the world.

All nations come to the light.

The thought is that the Glory of God is so incomparable, that any other source of light would be lost or unnoticeable. is the source of this depiction.

It is the presence of God in His glory that makes the place beautiful and satisfies every need .

All kings bring their glory to Him/the Lamb. They are not bringing their riches, but themselves as worshippers to God. These kings and nations are not unbelievers either. Unbelievers cannot enter the kingdom, so these must be believers. These are believers for their are no unbelievers in heaven.

The gates are never shut day or night. There is no night there, because there is no sin. There is no sin in the presence of God

v.27 nothing common, doing abomination or falsehood is allowed in. Only those whose name is in the Lambs book of life is allowed to enter. They are non existent in heaven, this new heaven. Those are the persons that make up the church which we are seeing a picture of.

Those who do not submit to God will be forever excluded from the presence of God. All we see here are those who are worshippers of God.

The fourth picture,

IV. The Garden, 2:1-5

We have a garden in the city.

The garden. We return full circle from to here. And we get here through the Lamb

depicts a river of life flowing out the city. As does the water flowing out of the temple.

This is that "river of water of life" spoken of in the 22nd [chapter] of Revelation, which proceeds from the throne of the Father and the Son, for the rivers of living water or water of life are the Holy Ghost, by the same apostle's own interpretation (, ); and the Holy Ghost being the infinite delight and pleasure of God, the river is called the river of God's pleasures (), not God's river of pleasures, which I suppose signifies the same as the fatness of God's House, which they that trust in God shall be watered with, by which fatness of God's House I suppose is signified the same thing which oil typifies. (Edwards essay on the trinity.https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/trinity/files/trinity.html)

Not only do we see the river of the water of life flowing out the throne of God and of the lamb. We see the Lamb, Christ on the throne from which the water of life flows. Which explains why Jesus would tell the Samaritan woman at the well that He is the source of the water of life. And Him being on the throne showing that He rules over all the kingdom.

But we also have the tree of life, which Adam and Eve were forbidden from eating, but the Cherubim with flaming swords, but now we have full access to its fruit, which it bears different fruit 12 times a year. The fruit comes from the tree of life which comes from the Lord. The water that feeds the trees comes from the throne, life then comes, or healing of the nations comes from the Lord.

This must clearly be symbolic in that there will be no pain or sickness in the kingdom, so there will be no need for healing. What this does mean though is that healing is sourced in Him for all eternity.

Notice in v.3ff,

No curse in it, nothing cursed, nothing sinful or defiled is in the garden, The throne and lamb are there. In the garden Adam and Eve walked with God and talked with Him. They were given the task of working in the garden, here the same thing is said, “the servants shall serve Him.” Also they shall see His face. and His name on their foreheads. In other words, it is back exactly as it was intended in the garden.

The tree of life is for the righteous in the garden, as the flaming sword is reserved for the wicked

It is here in the garden that we see Him face to face. All who live here will reflect Him. His name will be upon all our foreheads, which is a metaphor for imaging Him. We will see the reflection of Christ in all we see both person and things.

We also see that they shall rule for ever and ever with God, just as Adam and Eve were to rule over all creation and subdue it.

What Adam failed to do in the garden Jesus has accomplished as we see in Revelation (NIGTC)

Interesting to just compare the garden of Eden in to the garden here.

Conclusion

The theology of this section is the glory of God as reflected by the people of God and His creation. Everything in the kingdom will reflect His glory. His people will reflect His glory as they live out the character of God in His creation. What Adam and Eve failed to do in the garden and throughout their lives, Jesus does as recorded here in Revelation. Which then His offspring will continue to do forever empowered and enabled by His Spirit.

What a tremendous hope and future we have as believers in Jesus Christ. It surely is true what Paul said,

1 Corinthians 2:9–10 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

1 Cor. 2:9

Let us rejoice and be glad. Let us remain faithful to Him no matter what. Let us warn others about what they face if they reject Jesus Christ. Let us share the good news.