Sermon Tone Analysis

Last Week

We have now come to the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation.

For those who have not been with us, John the son of Zebedee was in exile on the isle of Patmos, and Yeshua revealed Himself to John there.

John was commanded to write to seven communities in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

Last week we looked at the final judgement of all people in front of the Great White Throne of Adonai.

Today we will look at the new Heavens, the new Earth and the new Jerusalem.

I want to read the whole passage of Revelation 21:1-22:5 to gain a view of the grandeur of the place that Adonai has prepared for those who love Him.

New Heaven and New Earth

The first several verses of this chapter introduce us to the new Heaven, the new Earth, and the new Jerusalem.

As we discussed last week in Rev. 20:11b, there was an ending to the current Earth and the heavens (which is a reference to the entire universe).

John wrote that, “The earth and heaven fled from His presence, but no place was found for them.”

And now, just as Yeshua says in Rev. 21:5, He is “Making all things new!”

There is a new universe, and a new Earth.

I believe that this means “new”, not “renewed,” especially because of the reference to the lack of oceans or “sea”.

When John referred to these things, one of the first passages that would have come to mind to the original audience would have been Isa.

65:17-25

Isaiah’s prophesy continues in Isa.

66:22-24

This is the restoration of all things!

In the Garden of Eden we see that Adonai used to walk with Adam and Even in the cool of the evening.

But after man sinned this relationship and intimacy was broken.

Now, here in Revelation, we see that Adonai is once again tabernacling, or dwelling, with mankind.

It is interesting to note that this word “tabernacling”, is only found one other place in the New Covenant writings and that is in John 1:14

Yeshua, the Messiah, the King of Glory, the Root of Jesse will dwell with us forever.

He will continuously supply all of our needs according to the richness of His glory.

The one sitting on the throne, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, tells John that the rivers of living water, a reference to the Ruach HaKodesh, will continuously be our source and our life.

And this will be the life, the everlasting life, that is promised to all who overcome.

We will come back to this point later.

The New Jerusalem

The new Jerusalem, as promised in Isaiah, is described in detail here in Revelation.

And just like the last 8 chapters of Ezekiel, an angel with measuring rod provides dimensions to the magnificent, glorious city.

A significant difference between the account in Ezekiel and Revelation, is that Ezekiel is describing a new temple, where as John tells us in Rev. 21:22 that, “I saw no temple in her, for its Temple is Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot and the Lamb.”

In other words, the entire city is a Temple or Tabernacle or Dwelling place for Adonai.

Literal or Figurative

What is interesting is that the city that John sees is a cube, 12,000 stadia for it’s length, width and height (approx 2200 Km) with walls that are 144 cubits high.

And yes, a city that high would not fit on our current planet.

Craig Keener asks the question this way:

Should we take the numbers 12,000 and 144 (21:16-17) literally?

The use of symbols in apocalyptic literature and especially the consistent numerical patterns in Revelation (see 7:4-8) invite us to take these numbers symbolically.

Here the numbers are symbolic for God’s people, reminding us who will live there.

Another interesting comparison is found in Ezekiels vision of the final temple and the measurements of Solomon’s Temple.

When the angel was measuring the Most Holy Place, the place where Adonai’s presence dwells, it is a cube. 1 Kings 6:20

And we see the same in Ezekiel’s Vision: Eze.

41:4,

So when we look at all these passages together, we see that Adonai’s home, his dwelling is coming to the new Earth, and it will be filled with all the faithful people, and the number 12,000 and 144,000 symbolise all of the faithful overcomers who follow Adonai and His Messiah Yeshua of Nazareth.

Yeshua, himself, said it this way: John 14:1-3

12 Tribes and 12 Apostles

In Exodus 28:15-21 we see that Moses was commanded to engrave 12 stones with the names of each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Here in Revelation we find that each of the 12 gates has the same names inscribed.

We also see that there are 12 different foundations, made from different gemstones, and on these foundations the names of the 12 Apostles are inscribed.

Adonai tells Moses why these stones were to be on the high priests breastplate, or ephod.

Ex. 28:29

These names of both the Tribes and the Apostles remind us that Adonai is faithful to keep His promises.

He is faithful to accomplish all that He has said He will do for Israel, and He is faithful to keep the words he spoke through Yeshua.

Adonai’s faithfulness is the very foundation of this city that is to come.

River of Life

Finally Chapter 22:1-5 describes the river of life that is flowing out from the throne of Adonai.

This is the same river that is described in Ezekiel 47 (which I encourage you all to read).

However I would like to read from Zechariah 14:6-9

Now I believe that this passage in Zechariah actually refers to the Millennial reign of Yeshua, but concept is still the same.

This river of life is for the healing of the nations.

And just as a natural river brings life to the surrounding land, how much more will the river of the Ruach HaKodesh bring healing to the nations?

Application for Today

There are so many ways that we can apply this to our lives today.

A Promise

Firstly, we see that the promise of Adonai to restore the Earth, and to create a new Heaven and new Earth have been consistent from the time of the Isaiah and Zechariah to the time of John.

Adonai is faithful to His word.

Rav.

Sha’ul, in is last letter before he died, puts it this way: 2 Tim.

2:11-13

A Calling

In Rev. 21:6-7 we see Yeshua calling us to overcome:

The call to overcome was repeated after ever letter to every congregation in the first 3 chapters of Revelation.

Some of the congregations were experiencing persecution, some were experiencing prosperity.

Some congregations had experienced a love for Yeshua but had forgotten it, others had fallen asleep spiritually.

Some congregations had traded the truth of Yeshua’s word for financial security, and some were barely hanging on.

Yet the final call of Yeshua was the same to all of the congregations: “To the one who overcomes, I will grant ...”

Now here at the end of the Revelation, we see the same call, “To the one who overcomes...” No matter what we are facing in life, we a all called to overcome through the strength that Yeshua has given us.

A Warning

And finally, just as Yeshua warned all of the congregations in the first three chapters, He once again warns of the consequences of not following Him and of not overcoming the world.

Rev. 21:8

This warning covers everything: from those who continually act cowardly, to those who continually break trust and are faithless; from those who continue to murder, to those who live in a sexual perverse way, against the way of God; and from those who worship and serve other gods, to those who live a lie.

This is the warning, but I will finish with hope. 1 Cor 6:9-11