New Jerusalem

• 1^st – The Holy City… vs. 9-11
  • 1^st – Bride of God… vs. 9
    • One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came.
    • [He] talked with me saying – Come – I will show you the bride – the Lambs wife!
    • Having seen the NEW heaven and Earth…
    • One of the ANGELS who HAS [present] one the SEVEN bowls of wrath – Revelation 16
    • Commanded [imperative] John to come and see the BRIDE – the WIFE of the Lamb…
    • Note – here the church is not just the BRIDE [getting ready to be married]
    • The Church has now become the WIFE of Jesus [the Lamb of God]!
    • Have you ever noticed almost all fairy tales end with the wedding…
    • The world tends to look at the WEDDING as the best part of a marriage…
    • As if somehow we should expect life to go downhill [get worse] after that!
    • Marriage is a picture of our relationship with God – we are His BRIDE – Ephesians 5:32
    • And the wedding is NOT supposed to the be BEST part of our MARRIAGE…
    • When we have Jesus at the center – each year should be better than the one before!
  • 2^nd – Glory God … vs. 10-11
    • The Vision… vs. 10
      • He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain – and showed me the great city.
      • The ANGEL carried John away in the SPIRIT [for the fourth and final time]
      • This seems to emphasize the idea John was not physically in there…
      • It was a VISION the Lord gave to him regarding the BRIDE of Christ…
      • But the BRIDE John saw – is described as a great [μέγας] CITY…
      • A city that is so HUGE – it looks like a great [μέγας] MOUNTAIN!
    • The City… vs. 10-11
      • The holy Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God!
      • This is NOT the CITY we know today – this is the NEW Jerusalem…
      • It is on the NEW earth – so the whole world is different [no oceans]
      • It is the HOLY [ἅγιος] city – one that comes from God – Revelation 21:2
      • The CITY is NOT the BRIDE – but the BRIDE does live in the CITY…
      • And it is the BRIDE – that is the GLORY [δόξα] of God!
      • The most beautiful house – looks empty without someone inside…
      • In the same way it is not the CITY that is the GLORY of God…
      • We are His GLORY – we are what makes the NEW Jerusalem so special!

• 2^nd – The Description… vs. 11-16
  • 1^st – The Light…  vs. 11
    • Her light was like a most precious stone – like a jasper stone – clear as crystal!
    • Having seen the CITY – John goes on to try and describe HER to us…
    • The LIGHT in the HER [the city] – is LIKE a precious [τίμιος] stone…
    • It is LIKE a JASPER – a stone that is typically multicolored – but here it is CLEAR [κρυσταλλίζω]!
    • The most valuable stone today is a DIAMOND – but not all are equal…
    • The more CLEAR a DIAMOND is – the more valuable it becomes!
    • The only way we can see anything – is if there is LIGHT [cannot see in the dark]
    • The brighter the LIGHT – the better we can see [a candle compared to the sun]
    • And the LIGHT in the NEW Jerusalem – lets us see EVERYTHING [valuable]
    • Because as we will see – the LIGHT does not come from the SUN – it comes from Jesus!
  • 2^nd – The Gates… vs. 12-13
    • The Angels…
      • She had a great and high wall with twelve gates – and twelve angels at the gates!
      • SHE – the CITY with the BRIDE inside – had TWELVE gates…
      • ON the GATES – are TWELVE angels [one Angel is at each gate]
      • Like the Garden of EDEN – perhaps they stand guard – Genesis 3:24
      • Only allowing those who are WORTHY to come into the City of God!
    • The Tribes…
      • And names written on them which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
      • God is NOT done with Israel – they will ALWAYS be His chosen people…
      • It is NOT just the church that is described as the BRIDE – Israel is also called His WIFE…
      • Therefore on each of the GATES – is the name of ONE of the TWELVE tribes of Israel!
      • Isaiah 54:5 – “For your Maker is your husband. –  The LORD of hosts is His name!”
    • Four sides…
      • Three gates on the east – three on the north – three on the south – and three on the west!
      • The GATES are divided into FOUR groups of THREE – one group on each side…
      • Meaning the ONLY way to get into the CITY – is through Israel!
      • We may not have been BORN as children of Abraham…
      • But when we were BORN again – we were GRAFTED into Israel – Romans 11:17
      • There are those in the church today who believe the church has REPLACED Israel…
      • They could not be more WRONG – the only way in – is through ISRAEL…
      • We did not replace them – we become them – by FAITH in Jesus!
      • Romans 11:18 – “Remember that you do not support the root – but the root supports you.”
  • 3^rd – The Walls… vs. 14
    • Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations.
    • And on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb!
    • The TWELVE foundations of the WALLS – had the TWELVE names of THE [ὁ] Apostles!
    • While the Apostles waiting for the Holy Spirit – they decided to REPLACE Judas – Acts 1:15-26
    • THEY chose two men who met THEIR qualifications…
    • Since God did not answer when they asked Him to choose one – they rolled the dice…
    • And the LOT fell on Mathias – and he was numbered as one of the TWELVE…
    • A man who we NEVER read anything about again in the Bible…
    • The big question – is his name on one of the FOUNDATIONS in the NEW Jerusalem!
    • The Apostles had been told to do NOTHING till the Spirit came – Acts 1:4
    • Then THEY tried to LIMIT God with their choice of who THEY thought was qualified…
    • But God was NOT limited by THEIR choices – He chose someone else…
    • He chose a man who was a MURDER – who PERSECUTED the church – Acts 9:15
    • The very LAST person the Apostles would have chosen – was the man God wanted…
    • And Paul we read a LOT more about – he wrote almost HALF the books of the NT!
  • 4^th – The Size… vs. 15-16
    • He who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city – her gates – and her wall.
    • The city is laid out as a square – her length is as great as her breadth. 
    • The measured the city with the reed: 12,000 furlongs. Her length – breadth – height are equal!
    • The ANGEL had a measuring rod [reed] and he measured the size of the city…
    • It was a GIANT square – it had four equal sides – as TALL as it was LONG and WIDE…
    • FURLONG = 2 hundred meters – 12,000 FURLONGS = 2,400 Kilometers!
    • Imagine a CITY that stretches from Manila – to Fukuoka Japan…
    • That city is as LONG as it is WIDE [square] – and ALSO 2,400 Kilometers HIGH…
    • The tallest mountain in the world [Everest] is only 9 Kilometers…
    • Outer space [no more atmosphere] starts at 100 Kilometers…
    • If we allow for each FLOOR of the city to be as high as the SKY – it still has 24 STORIES…
    • That give it a total area of over 5 MILLION square kilometers per FLOOR…
    • Or a total of over 120 MILLION square kilometers inside the CITY!
    • The total area of the Philippines – is ONLY 300,000 square Kilometers…
    • Meaning you can put the 400 Philippines inside the New Jerusalem…
    • The total population of world since Adam – is maximum of around 100 Billion people…
    • If EVERYONE who ever lived made it to heaven – each person would have 1200 square meters!
    • John 14:2 – “In My Father’s house are many mansions.”

• 3^rd – The Materials… vs. 17-21
  • 1^st – The Wall…  vs. 17-18
    • Cubit…
      • Then he measured its wall: 144 cubits according to the measure of a man – that is of an angel!
      • Having described the CITY – John goes on to tell us what is made from…
      • The same ANGEL went on to measure the [height] of WALL around the city…
      • CUBIT = half meter – a 144 CUBITS = 72 meters high wall around the city!
      • Note – the measure the ANGEL used – was the measure of a MAN…
      • Emphasizing that these are REAL measurements we are meant to understand!
    • Jasper and Gold…
      • The construction of its wall was of jasper – and the city was pure gold – like clear glass!
      • The WALL will be made from TRANSPARENT materials – Jasper and Gold…
      • The reason for the CLEAR walls – nothing is HIDDEN!
      • If Hallel does something she is not supposed to – she tried to hide it…
      • She is rarely successful – Jen and I can tell she is guilty – Hebrews 4:13
      • There is no reason to HIDE anything when we get to the NEW Jerusalem…
      • There is no more SIN – we can live open and TRANSPARENT lives!
  • 2^nd – The Foundation… vs. 19-20
    • The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones:
    • The TWELVE foundations – which have the names of the TWELVE Apostles…
    • Also are decorated with TWELVE different kinds of GEMS:
    • Jasper – as we have mentioned – is usually a multicolored stone…
    • Sapphire – is stone that comes in a variety of colors – but is often bluish in color…
    • Chalcedony – is a kind of quartz [crystal] – comes in many colors…
    • Emerald- a famous gem known for its dark green color…
    • Sardonyx – an onyx stone that is often multicolored…
    • Sardius – a rep red stone – the city of Sardis is named for this gem
    • Chrysolite – is usually a light golden color
    • Beryl – is a pale green gemstone
    • Topaz – is a greenish yellow gemstone
    • Chrysoprase – is a green stone with a golden tint
    • Jacinth – is a dark or royal blue color gemstone
    • Amethyst – is a violet or purple color
    • All of the stones are VALUABLE – and BEAUTIFUL – but very DIFFERENT…
    • Because none of the Apostles were same…
    • Peter – Andrew – James – John were uneducated Fishermen…
    • Matthew was a tax collector – Simon was a zealot [think NPA]
    • God does not just save ONE kind or person – He has no favorites – Romans 2:11
    • There is BEAUTY in the diversity of people that make up the BRIDE of Christ!
    • Revelation 5:9 – “Redeemed… out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
  • 3^rd – The Gates… vs. 21
    • The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl!
    • The TWELVE gates were made out of PEARLS – each gate was ONE peal [really big]!
    • Note: this is where we get the phrase the PEARLY gates of heaven!
    • Jesus gave a PARABLE about a very valuable PEARL – Matthew 13:46
    • When it was found – the merchant sold all He had to purchase it…
    • Oysters are UNCLEAN animals in the Bible – forbidden by the Law – Leviticus 11:12
    • Yet from something UNCLEAN – comes something of great VALUE!
    • We were UNCLEAN – sinners – but when Jesus found us He saw something priceless…
    • And He was willing to give up EVERYTHING – died – so they He could purchase us!
  • 4^th – The Street… vs. 21
    • The street of the city was pure gold – like transparent glass!
    • Even the STREETS in heaven – are made from the finest [pure] GOLD!
    • The story goes there was once a man who was able to take his GOLD to heaven…
    • He was so excited – thinking he would be the richest man in eternity…
    • But to his shock – when he arrived everyone just laughed at him…
    • Why did he bother bringing something as worthless as CONCRETE – to heaven!
    • Why would God pave the streets in gold – I think to make a simple point…
    • The things that are the most valuable to us here on earth – mean nothing in heaven!

As we turn the page of HISTORY – and see what He has waiting for us in ETERNITY!

4^th – What is missing… vs. 22-27

1^st – No Temple…  vs. 22

I saw no temple in her – for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are her temple!

As BIG as the NEW Jerusalem will be – there are FOUR things that are missing…

FIRST – there is NO Temple in the New Jerusalem!

The purpose of the TEMPLE – was to show men were SEPARATED from God…

Men could only go as far at the ALTAR – where they offered sacrifices for their SIN…

Priests could only go as far as the HOLIEST – where they served the LORD…

The High priest could enter the HOLY of HOLIES – only on the day of Yom Kippur…

He would enter with the bells on his priestly robe – if they stopped – he was dead…

Tradition tells us he would have a rope around his foot…

Because no one could go in after him – if anyone else entered – they would die too!

Hebrews 9:8 – “The Holy Spirit indicating the way into the Holiest of All was not yet [open].”

But in the NEW Jerusalem there will be no SEPARATION from God…

We will live with God [θεός] and with the Lamb [ἀρνίον]

Like the Garden of Eden – we will walk daily in the city with the ALMIGHTY – Genesis 3:8

2^nd – No Sun… vs. 23-24

The Light… vs. 23

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in her.

For the glory of God illuminated her. The Lamb is her light!

SECOND – there is no need for the SUN or MOON in to shine in HER [New Jerusalem]

Because the GLORY [δόξα] of God – her LIGHT comes from the LAMB [Jesus]!

God created LIGHT on the first day of creation – Genesis 1:3

But the sun and the moon were not created until day FOUR – where is the light from…

Jesus was the light that first filled the whole universe – He was the Son!

II Corinthians 4:6 – “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness – who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ..”

In the BEGINNING – Jesus was the source of LIGHT that filled the universe…

In the END – Jesus will again be the source of LIGHT in the New Jerusalem…

Jesus is also the LIGHT today – He is the one who shows us the WILL of God…

Do we wonder what God wants us to do – what is His will for our life…

It is when we look to Jesus – THE LIGHT – that we will find the answers!

John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness.”

The Nations… vs. 24

The nations of those who are saved shall walk in her light.

The kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into her!

The suggestion here is that there are people who live OUTSIDE the CITY…

The NATIONS [ἔθνος] – people who are SAVED [passive] by the LIGHT of Christ…

The KINGS [outside the city] – who bring their GLORY [δόξα] and HONOR [τιμή] to HER [city]!

The nation of ISRAEL and the CHURCH are the BRIDE of Christ [inside the city]

So who are the NATIONS and the KINGS outside the city – we do NOT know…

Perhaps something NEW God will create in the New Heaven and Earth…

But we do know HOW they are SAVED – by walking in the LIGHT of Christ!

I John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another!”

3^rd – No Night… vs. 25-26

Her gates shall not be shut at all by day [there shall be no night there].

And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into her!

THIRD – there is no NIGHT in the New Jerusalem…

And her GATES will NEVER be closed [οὐ μὴ subjunctive] – the most powerful negation in Greek…

So that people can ALWAYS come and bring GLORY [δόξα] and HONOR [τιμή] to HER [city]!

The reason to have GATES – is to keep unwanted people OUT of the city…

They are closed at NIGHT – because that is when BAD people come out…

But since Jesus is the LIGHT – there is not NIGHT…

So they GATES of the CITY are always open to EVERYONE – all can ENTER!

The heart of our God is for EVERYONE to be saved – II Peter 3:9

ANYONE can call upon the NAME of Jesus – Romans 10:13

Apparently – even those who come AFTER us – in the NEW heaven and earth!

4^th – No Sin… vs. 27

But there shall by no means enter her anything that defiles – or causes an abomination or a lie.

Only those who are written in the Lambs Book of Life!

FINALLY – the in no SIN in the New Jerusalem…

Anyone who is UNCLEAN – those who are an ABOMINATION…

Can NEVER [οὐ μὴ subjunctive] enter into the CITY…

ONLY those in the Lambs [Jesus] book of LIFE are allowed to go in…

Though the gates are open – there are ANGLES who guard the entrance – Revelation 21:12

Just as DARKNESS cannot exists where there is LIGHT…

So also SIN cannot exist where God dwells!

The New Jerusalem will be our perfect HOME – where we will live with our LOVING God…