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A New Heaven and a New Earth The subject of this chapter, beginning with verse 2, is the New Jerusalem,
but before that is introduced, John tells how the present heaven and earth
and sea are to be disposed of: Verse 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. New Heaven and New Earth.--By the first heaven and first earth, John
unquestionably means the present heaven and earth, "the heavens and the
earth which are now." 2 Peter 3: 7. Some have supposed that when the Bible
speaks of the third heaven, in which are Paradise and the tree of life (2
Corinthians 12: 2 and Revelation 2: 7), it refers to the heaven which is
yet future, and does not prove that there is a Paradise and a tree of life
literally in existence in heaven at the present time. They base their view
on the fact that Peter speaks of three heavens and earths: those before the
flood, the ones which now are, and the ones which are to come. But that
theory is completely overturned by the first verse of Revelation 21: for
John here reckons but two heavens and earths. The ones which now are he
called the first, so that the future new heavens would, according to this
count, be the second, and not the third, as Peter is supposed to reckon.
Hence it is certain that Peter did not design to establish a numerical
order, in accordance with which we should speak of one as the first,
another as the second, and the last as the third. The object of his
reasoning was simply to show that as a literal heaven and earth succeeded
to the destruction of the earth by the flood, so a literal heaven and earth
would result from the renovation of the present system by fire. There is no
proof, therefore, that when Bible speaks of the third heaven, it refers
simply to he third state of the present heavens and earth, for then all the Bible
writers would uniformly have so reckoned it. Thus the arguments of those
who endeavor to disprove a literal Paradise and tree of life in existence
now, fall to the ground. The Bible certainly recognizes three heavens in the present constitution of
things, namely, the first, or atmospheric heaven, which the fowls of the
air inhabit; the second, the planetary heaven, the region of the sun, moon,
and stars; and the third, high above others, where Paradise and the tree of
life are found (Revelation 2: 7), where God has His residence and His
throne (Revelation 22: 1, 2), to which Paul was caught up in heavenly
vision (2 Corinthians 12: 2), to which Christ ascended when He left the
earth (Revelation 12: 5), where He now, as Priest-King, sits upon the
throne with His Father (Zechariah 6: 13), and where the glorious city
stands, awaiting the saints when they enter into life (Revelation 21: 2).
Blessed be God that from that bright land intelligence has been brought to
this far-off world of ours! Thanks be to His holy name that a way has been
opened, which leads like a straight and shining path of light up to those
blest abodes! The Sea No More.--Because John says, "There was no more sea," the question
is sometimes asked, Is there, then, to be no sea in the new earth? It does
not certainly follow from this text that there will be none; for John is
speaking only of the present heaven and earth and sea. It might be
translated thus: For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away,
an the sea, ouk estin eti, is no more, also passed away; that is, the old sea
no longer appeared, any more than the old heaven and the old earth. Yet
there may be a new sea as there is a new earth. Adam Clarke says on this passage: "The sea no more appeared than did the
first heaven and earth. All was made new; and probably the new sea occupied
a different position, and was differently distributed, from that of the old
sea." [1] The river of life, of which we read in the following chapter, proceeds from
the throne of God, and flows through the broad street of the city. It must
find some place into which to discharge its waters, and what could that be
but the new-earth sea? That there will be a sea, or seas, in the new earth,
may be inferred from the prophecy which speaks of Christ's future reign as
follows: "His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river
even to the ends of the earth." Zechariah 9: 10. But that three quarters of
the globe will then, as now, be abandoned to as waste of waters, can hardly
be expected. The new world, where God's faithful people are to dwell, will
have everything which will contribute to proportion, utility, and beauty. Verse 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. 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. 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. The Father's House.--In connection with the view which John has of the holy
city coming down from God out of heaven, a voice is heard, saying, "The
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them." The great God
takes up His abode on this earth, but we do not suppose that God is
confined to this, or any other one of the worlds of His creation. He here
has a throne, and the earth enjoys so much of His presence that it may be
said that He dwells among men and dwells there in a different sense from
ever before. Why should this be thought a strange thing? God's
only-begotten Son is here as ruler of His special kingdom. The holy city
will be here. The heavenly hosts take an interest in this world probably
above what they feel in any other; yea, reasoning from one of the Saviour's
parables, there will be more joy in heaven over one world redeemed than
over ninety and nine which have needed no redemption. No Cause for Tears.--"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." He
does not literally wipe away tears from the eyes of His people, for there
will be no tears in that kingdom to be wiped away. He wipes away tears by
removing all causes of tears. Verse 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. 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. The New Creation.--He that sits upon the throne is the same being that is
mentioned in verses 11, 12 of the preceding chapter. He says, "I make all
things new;" not, I make all new things. The earth is not destroyed,
annihilated, and a new one created, but all things are made over new. Let
us rejoice that these words are true. When this is accomplished, all will
be ready for the utterance of that sublime sentence, "It is done." The dark
shadow of sin has then forever vanished. The wicked, root and branch
(Malachi 4: 1), are destroyed out of the land of the living, and the
universal anthem of praise and thanksgiving (Revelation 5: 13) goes up from
a redeemed world and a clean universe to a covenant-keeping God. Verse 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be My son. 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. The Great Inheritance.--The overcomers are "Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise." Galatians 3: 29. The promise embraces the world
(Romans 4: 13); and the saints will go forth upon the earth, not as
servants or aliens, but as lawful heirs to the heavenly estate and
proprietors of the soil. Fear That Hath Torment.--But the fearful and unbelieving have their part in
the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. The word "fearful" has been a
trouble to some conscientious ones, who have had fears more or less in all
their Christian experience. It may be well, therefore, to inquire what kind of
fear is here meant. It is not fear of our own weakness, or of the power of the
tempter. It is not fear of sinning, or of falling out by the way, or of coming
short at last. Such fear drives us to the Lord for help. But the fear mentioned
here is connected with unbelief, a fear of the ridicule and opposition of the
world, a fear to trust God and venture out upon His promises, a fear that
He will not fulfill what He has declared, and that consequently one will be
left to shame and loss for believing on Him. Cherishing such fear, one can
be only half-hearted in His service. This is most dishonoring to God. This
is the fear which we are commanded not to have. (Isaiah 51: 7.) This is the
fear which brings into condemnation here, and will finally bring all who
are controlled by it into the lake of fire, which is the second death. Verse 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 show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me
away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great
city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the
glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like
a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 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: 13 On
the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates;
and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The Bride the Lamb's Wife.--This testimony is positive that the New
Jerusalem is the bride, the Lamb's wife. The angel told John distinctly
that he would show him the bride, the Lamb's wife. We may be sure that he
did not deceive him, but fulfilled his promise to the very letter. All that
he did show him was the New Jerusalem, which must therefore be the Lamb's
wife. It would be unnecessary to offer a word of proof that this city is
not the church, were it not that popular theology has so mystified the
Scriptures as to give it this application. This city cannot be the church, because
it would be absurd to talk of the church as lying foursquare, and having a north
side, a south side, an east side, and a west side. It would be incongruous to
speak of the church as having a wall great and high, and having twelve gates,
three on each side toward the four points of the compass. Indeed, the whole
description of the city which is given in this chapter would be more or less
obscure if applied to the church. In writing to the Galatians, Paul speaks of the same city and says that it
is the mother of us all, referring to the church. The church, then, is not
the city itself, but the children of the city. Verse 24 of the chapter
under comment, speaks of the nations of the saved, who walk in the light of
this city. These nations of the saved, who walk in the light of this city.
These nations who are saved, and on earth constitute the church, are
distinct from the city, in the light of which they walk. It follows that
the city is a literal city built of all the precious materials here
described. But how can it then be the bride, the Lamb's wife? Inspiration has seen fit
to speak of it under this figure, and with every believer in the Bible that
should be sufficient. This figure is first introduced in Isaiah 54. The
new-covenant city is there brought to view. It is represented as being
desolate while the old covenant was in force, and the Jews and old
Jerusalem were the special objects of God's care. It is said to here that
"the children of the desolate" shall be many more than "the children of the
married wife." It is further said to her, "Thy Maker is thine husband," and
the closing promise of the Lord to this city contains a description similar
to the one which we have here in Revelation, namely, "I will lay thy stones
with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; and I will make
thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of
pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord." Isaiah
54: 11-13. It is this very promise to which Paul refers, upon which he comments in his
epistle to the Galatians, when he says, "But Jerusalem which is above is
free, which is the mother ofus all" (Galatians 4: 26), for he in the next verse
quotes this very prophecy from the book of Isaiah to sustain his declaration.
Here then Paul makes an inspired application of Isaiah's prophecy which
cannot be mistaken, and in this verse he shows that under the figure of a
"woman," a "wife" whose "children" were to be multiplied, the Lord by the
prophet speaks of the New Jerusalem, the city above, as contrasted with
the earthly Jerusalem in the land of Palestine. Of that city the Lord calls
Himself the "husband." In addition to this, we have positive testimony to
the same facts in Revelation 21. With this view, all is harmony. Christ is called Father of His people
(Isaiah 9: 6), the Jerusalem above is called our mother, and we are here
children. Carrying out the figure of marriage, Christ is represented as the
Bridegroom, the city as the bride, and we, the church, as the guests. There
is not confusion of personalities here. But the popular view, is not
confusion of personalities here. But the popular view, which makes the city
the church, and the church the bride, makes the the church at the same time
both mother and children, both bride and guests. The view that the marriage of the Lamb is the inauguration of Christ as
King upon the throne of David, and that the parables of Matthew 22: 1-14;
25: 1-13; Luke 12: 35-37; 19: 12-27, apply to that event, is further
confirmed by a well- known ancient custom. It is said that when a person
took his position as ruler over the people, and was invested with that
power, it was called a marriage, and the usually accompanying feast was
called a marriage supper. Adam Clarke, in his note on Matthew 22: 2, thus
speaks of it: "A Marriage for His Son.--A marriage feast, so the word [gamous] properly
means. Or a feast of inauguration, when his son was put in possession of the
government, and thus he and his new subjects became married together.
(See 1 Kings 1: 5-9, 19, 25, etc., where such a feast is mentioned.)" [2] Many
eminent critics understand this parable as indicating the Father's induction
of His Son into His Messianic kingdom. A Christian City.--The names of the twelve apostles in the foundations of
the city, show it to be a Christian and not a Jewish city. The names of the
twelve tribes on the gates, show that all the saved from all ages, are
reckoned as belonging to some one of the twelve tribes, for all must enter
the city through some one of the twelve gates. This explains those
instances in which Christians are called Israel, and are addressed as the
twelve tribes, as in Romans 2: 28, 29; 9: 6-8; Galatians 3: 29; Ephesians
2: 12, 13; James 1: 1; Revelation 7: 4. Verse 15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city,
and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 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. 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. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and
the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. The City's Dimensions.--According to this testimony the city is laid out in
a perfect square, measuring equally on all sides. The measure of the city,
John declares, was twelve thousand furlongs. Twelve thousand furlongs,
eight furlongs to the mile, equal fifteen hundred miles. It may be
understood that this measure is the measure of the whole circumference of
the city, not merely of one side. This appears, from Kitto, to have been
the ancient method of measuring cities. The whole circumference was taken,
and that was said to be the measure of the city. According to this rule,
the New Jerusalem will be three hundred and seventy-five miles in length on
each side. The length, breadth, and height of it are equal. From this
language, the question has arisen whether the city shown to John was a high
as it was long and broad. The word rendered "equal" is, isos. From the
definitions given by Liddell and Scott, we learn that it may be used to convey
the idea of proportion: the height was proportionate to the length and breadth.
Greenfield, in defining one of its cognate words, isotes, gives to it the
sense of "equal proportion," and refers to 2 Corinthians 8: 13, 14, as an
example where this definition is quite admissible. And this idea is
strengthened by the fact that the wall was only a hundred and forty-four
cubits high. Taking the cubit at about twenty-two inches, the length which
is most commonly assigned to the ancient cubit, it would give only two
hundred and sixty-four feet as the height of the wall. Now if the city is
just as high as it is long and broad, that is, three hundred and
seventy-five miles, this wall of less than three hundred feet would be in
comparison a most insignificant affair. Probably therefore the height of
the buildings of the city is to be judged by the height of the wall, which
is distinctly given. The building of the wall was of jasper. This precious stone is usually
described as of "a beautiful bright green color, sometimes clouded with
white or spotted with yellow." This we understand to be the material of the
main body of the wall built upon the twelve foundations hereafter
described. Let it be remembered that this jasper wall was "clear as
crystal" (verse 11), revealing all the glories within. Verse 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; 20 the fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysotile; the eighth, beryl;
the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the
twelfth, an amethyst. A Literal City.--If we consider this description exclusively metaphorical,
as is done by many who profess to be Bible teachers, and spiritualize away
this city into ethereal nothingness, how unmeaning to these minute
descriptions appear! But if we take it in its natural and obvious
signification, and look upon the city as the prophet evidently intended, as
a literal and tangible abode, our glorious inheritance, the beauties of
which we are to look upon with our own eyes, how the glory of the scene is
enhances! Though it is not for mortal man of himself to conceive of the grandeur of
the things which God has prepared for those who love Him, yet viewed as a
literality, men may delight to contemplate the glories of their future abode. We
love to dwell upon those descriptions which convey to our minds an idea of the
loveliness and beauty which will characterize our eternal home. As we become
absorbed in the contemplation of an inheritance tangible and sure, courage
springs up anew, hope revives, faith plumes her wings. With feeling of thanksgiving
to God that He has placed it within our power to gain an entrance to the mansions
of the redeemed, we resolve anew, despite the world and all its obstacles, that we
will be among the sharers in the proffered joy. Let us, then, look at the
precious foundation stones of that great city, through whose gates of pearl
God's people may hope soon to enter. While many gemmologists assert that it
is difficult to identify the precious stones of the Bible, the following
interesting tabulation by Moses Stuart will give some idea of the beauty
and variety of colors in the foundation. The Glorious Foundation.--"The word adorned [garnished], may raise a doubt
here whether the writer means to say that into the various courses of the
foundation ornamental precious stones were only here and there inserted.
But taking the whole description together, I do not apprehend this to have
been his meaning. "Jasper, as we have seen above, is usually a stone of green, transparent
color, with red veins. But there are many varieties. "Sapphire is of a beautiful azure, or sky-blue, color, almost as
transparent and glittering as a diamond. "Chalcedony seems to be a species of agate, or more properly the onyx. The
onyx of the ancients was probably of a bluish white, and semipellucid. "The emerald was of a vivid green, and next to the ruby in hardness. "Sardonyx is a mixture of chalcedony and cornelian, which last is of a
flesh-color. "Sardius is probably the cornelian. Sometimes, however, the red is quite
vivid. "Chrysolithe, as its name imports, is of a yellow or gold color, and is
pellucid. Form this was probably taken the conception of the pellucid gold
which constitutes the material of the city. "Beryl is of a sea-green color. "The topaz of the present day seems to be reckoned as yellow; but that of
the ancients appears to have been pale green. . . . "Chrysopras, of a pale yellow and greenish color, like a scallion;
sometimes it is classed at the present day under topaz. "Hyacinth [jacinth] of a deep red or violet color. "Amethyst, a gem of great hardness and brilliancy, of a violet color, and
usually found in India. "In looking over these various classes, we find the first four to be of a
green or bluish cast; the fifth and sixth, of a red or scarlet; the
seventh, yellow; the eighth, ninth, and tenth, of different shades of the
lighter green; the eleventh and twelfth of a scarlet or splendid red. There
is a classification, therefore, in this arrangement; a mixture not
dissimilar to the arrangement in the rainbow, with the exception that it is
more complex." [3] Verse 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. Gates of Pearl.--The beautiful city of God, built of materials most
precious here on earth, is very appropriately described as having gates of
pearl. But more than that, the scripture says that each gate is of a single
pearl. Irridescent and glowing with the beautiful colors reflected from the
foundations, these portals swing wide to welcome the redeemed to their
eternal home. Streets of Burnished Gold.--In this verse, as also in verse 18, the city is
spoken of as built of gold, pure, like clear glass, that is, transparent
glass. Think for a moment what the appearance of a street so paved would
be. The gorgeous palaces on either side would be reflected beneath, and the
boundless expanse of the heavens above would also appear below; so that
to the person walking those golden streets it would appear that both he himself
and the city were suspended between the infinite heights above and the
unfathomable depths below, while the mansions on either side of the street,
having also powers of reflection, would marvelously multiply both palaces
and people, and would render the whole scene novel, pleasing, beautiful,
and grand beyond conception. Verse 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it. The Living Temple.--With a temple is naturally associated the idea of
sacrifices and mediatorial work, but when the city is located upon the new
work, there will be no such work to be performed. Sacrifices and offerings,
and all mediatorial work based on them, will be forever past. Hence there
will be no need of the outward symbol of such work. But the temple in old
Jerusalem, besides being a place for sacrificial worship, was the beauty
and glory of the place. As if to anticipate the question that might arise
as to what would constitute the ornament and glory of the new city if there
is to be no temple therein, the prophet answers, "The Lord God Almighty and
the Lamb are the temple of it." Verse 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. 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 honor into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be
no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations
into it. 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. No Night There.--It is in the city alone, probably, that there is no night.
There will be course be days and nights in the new earth, but they will be
days and nights of surpassing glory. In speaking of this time, the prophet
says, "Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and
the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day
that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke
of their wound." Isaiah 30: 26. But if the light of the moon in that state is as the
light of the sun, how can there be said to be night there? The light of the
sun will be sevenfold, so that although the night is to be as our day, the
day will be sevenfold brighter, making the contrast between day and night
there as marked, perhaps, as at the present time. Both will be surpassingly
glorious. Verse 24 speaks of nations and kings. The nations are the nations of the
saved, and in the new-earth state we are all kings in a certain sense. We
possess a "kingdom," and are to "reign" forever and ever. But it appears from some of our Saviours parables, as in Matthew 25: 21,
23, that some will occupy in a special sense the position of rulers, and
may thus be spoken of as kings of the earth in connection with the nations
of the saved. These bring their glory and honor into the city, when on the
Sabbaths and new moons they there come up to worship before God. (Isaiah
66: 23.) Reader, do you want a part in the eternal glories of this heavenly city?
See to it, then, that your name is written in the Lamb's book of life; for
those only whose names are on that heavenly "roll of honor" can enter
there. [1] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. II, p. 1058, note on
Revelation 21: 1. [2] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. I, p. 209, note on
Matthew 22: 2. [3] Moses Stuart, A Commentary on the Apocalypse, Vol. II, pp. 383, 384.
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The Home of the Saved Hail Earth, renewed! Celestial Paradise!
Fit dwelling place, with all thy loveliness,
Thy long reproach for ever wiped away,
And fairer now than when at first thy God
Pronounced thee good--fit dwelling place, so pure,
So beauteous, so adorned with smiling peace,
For all the saints, all the redeemed of men;
Who through thy gates, immortal City fair,
Thy gates of pearl, will freely enter in,
Where violence and riot never come,
And walk thy bright and dazzling streets of gold;
And to the stream of life, the crystal stream
Fast by the throne of God, have access free;
And from the tree of life, high arching o'er,
Pluck the eternal fruit and eat and live;
And in Thy glad'ning smiles, O King of saints!
Glory unspeakable possess; for in
Thy presence bright, there fullness is of joy,
At Thy right hand, pleasures for ever more. (From the poem "The Warning Voice of Time and Prophecy," by Uriah Smith.) |