Transcript Antichrist and the End Times

Antichrist and the End Times
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Rev. 21 and 22
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Revelation 21
• Revelation chapter 21 and 22 contain a description
of the eternal state (following the Millennium and
the final judgment), centering in the new Jerusalem
as the eternal habitation of the saved.
• The first heaven and the first earth are replaced by
a new heaven and a new earth, predicted by Isaiah
(65 v.17; 66 v.22)
• The present universe will thus be cleansed from all
the effect of sin.
• Since there will be no more sea, the increased land
space will be fully capable of handling large
numbers of redeemed peo0ple from all ages.
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Revelation 21
• The New Jerusalem is fully described in
chapter 21 starting with verse 10 and going
to chapter 22 verse 5.
• It is a holy city, totally separate from sin.
• It is being prepared as the habitation of the
bride of Christ.
• From God shows its diving purpose, and out
of heaven its divine origin.
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Revelation 21
• The judgments are past, the terrible plagues upon
the earth are ended.
• We begin with a view of heaven coming down to
earth; a time when the prayers of God's people for
centuries, "Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven," will be answered.
• Chapters 21 and 22 contain almost all the Bible
records concerning the eternal state.
• Most of the prophetic passages of the Old
Testament that picture a time of great blessing on
earth refer to the thousand-year reign of our Lord
which precedes this last great event.
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Revelation 21
• Very little is said in the Old Testament about
heaven. But here it is in these chapters. Following
the Great White Throne judgment, recorded in
Chapter 20, John sees a whole new creation
spring into being. Then I saw a new heaven and a
new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth
had passed away, and there was no longer any
sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as
a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
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Revelation 21
• And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will
live with them. They will be his people, and God
himself will be with them and be their God. He will
wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no
more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the
old order of things has passed away. (Revelation
21:1-4 NIV)
• What beautiful words! They bring us full circle, to
the beginning of the Bible again. Genesis 1:1 says,
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth."
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Revelation 21
• That creation is what is called here "the old
heavens and the old earth."
• They shall pass away, as we are told, but a new
heavens and a new earth are coming.
• It is the Apostle Peter who tells us what happens to
the present heavens and earth. In Second Peter he
says, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar. The
elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth
and everything in it will be laid bare," (2 Peter
3:10).
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Revelation 21:1
• 21:1 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.
• "A new heaven and a new earth": The "new
heaven" is the atmospheric heaven around and
above the earth.
• This area has been the domain of Satan (see Eph.
2: verse 2) and must be purified before the heaven
of God can come down to the new earth.
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Revelation 21:1
• This new earth will be a perfect environment
similar to that of the Garden of Eden.
• A unique distinction of this new earth will be
that the vast oceans of water that now cover
three fourths of the world's surface will not
be included, leaving much more inhabitable
land for the population of the redeemed.
• This "new heaven and new earth" are
actually a heavenly pattern of what the
Garden of Eden was a miniature of on earth.
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Revelation 21:1
• We will see the Tree of Life restored with water
that flows from the throne of God.
• It didn't rain in the Garden of Eden. Plants were
watered from beneath the earth.
• The water in the Garden of Eden flowed out in four
rivers (symbolic of enough for the whole world).
• This river that flows from the throne of God is the
same water that Jesus told the woman at the well,
if she drank it, she would never thirst again.
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Revelation 21:1
• That ends the old heavens, but now a new
heavens and earth appear where Jesus will
continue his reign, not only upon earth, but
throughout the entire reach of the vast
universe of God.
• There are four statements in this opening
paragraph that tell us the purpose of the new
heavens and the new earth:
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Revelation 21:1
• The first verse suggests strongly that the New
Jerusalem, this great city that John describes, is to
be the capital of the whole new universe.
• And it will be a universe greatly changed. It will not
be like the one we have now.
• I do not believe that this means that God will
eliminate the present heavens and earth but he
changes it and cleanses it.
• When we become Christians we become new
creatures in Christ, but we are still the same
persons, but now changed and cleansed.
• So also the old heavens and the old earth will be
cleansed -- by fire.
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Revelation 21:1
• We know today that the present universe in
its farthest reaches (even farther than the
new Hubble telescope can show us), is
governed by the same laws.
• One of them is the Second Law of
Thermodynamics, the law of entropy, which
says this present universe is running down.
• It is all decaying; losing its energy; it is
growing cold.
• But in the new heavens and the new earth
apparently that law is reversed.
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Revelation 21:1
• Instead of running down the universe begins to
come together again.
• Instead of losing energy it will gain it and manifest
a unity, stability, symmetry and beauty that the old
heavens and earth never had.
• One aspect of this, pictured here, is that there will
be no more sea.
• A man said to me last week, "I don't think I'm going
to like the new heavens and the new earth,
because I love the ocean.”
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Revelation 21:1
• But the one reason we have a salt sea that covers
more than half of this planet is because it is God's
great antiseptic to cleanse the earth and make life
possible on earth.
• Had it not been for the ocean, and the salt in it
particularly, life on this planet would have ceased
many centuries ago.
• It is the ocean that purges, cleanses, and
preserves it.
• The sea is an antiseptic in which all the pollution
and filth that man pours into it is absorbed,
cleansed and changed.
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Revelation 21:1
• But there will be no more pollution, no more
filth, no more need for cleansing in the new
universe.
• Though we are not told this, I think there will
be large bodies of fresh water, larger even
perhaps than the Great Lakes, that we may
enjoy in that new heavens and new earth.
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Revelation 21:2
• 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.
• Now John sees the new holy city which is not
heaven, but is called that since everyone who will
be in it is holy. This is Christ's Kingdom. "Blessed
and holy is the one who has a part in the first
resurrection." (20 v.6)
• New Jerusalem will be coming down to the new
heaven and new earth mentioned in verse 1. The
old heaven and earth which was in chapter 20
verse 11 fled away and was no more.
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Revelation 21:2
• The city is illustrated as a bride because it contains
the bride and takes on her character. John saw the
bride adorned for her husband because the time
for the consummation had arrived. The concept of
the bride includes not only the church, but all the
rest of the redeemed from all the ages who will live
forever in that eternal city.
• 1 Cor. 15 v.28 And when all things shall be
subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself
be subject unto him that put all things under him,
that God may be all in all.
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Revelation 21:2
• Then the second thing said here is, the New
Jerusalem is called a bride beautifully dressed for
her husband. Everyone loves that picture. We all
love weddings. The climax is when the bride
comes down the aisle, beautifully dressed for her
husband! Everyone forgets that poor fellow waiting
for her at the altar! Every eye is on the bride
because she has prepared herself for weeks to
meet her husband there. This new city is called
both a city and a woman, just as the false bride,
"Mystery Babylon the Great," was both a city, and
a woman.
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Revelation 21:2
• We have seen how that one was destroyed for its
evil. A bride speaks of intimacy, and a city speaks
of community. So we have a picture here of the
redeemed of God, each one given a body of glory
empowered with limitless energy. When
opportunity comes in that day you will not say, as
we often say today, "The spirit is willing but the
flesh is weak," (Matthew 26:41 NIV). No, then you
will be able to respond to every opportunity with a
glorified, fresh and living body. We will live in close
intimacy, not only with the Lord himself, but with
each other as well.
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Revelation 21:2
• I often think of that phrase in John's letters
where he says, "It does not yet appear what
we shall be," (1 John 3:2 KJV).
• I keep looking in the mirror for signs of
change in me.
• But what do I see?
• Wrinkles-and imperfections!
• But it won't be like that then.
• We will have bodies of glory and beauty that
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Revelation 21:2
• The third thing we are told here is that this
will be the dwelling place of God. Isn't that
marvelous? The home of God! The place
where God lives, in his people. This is when
the name "Immanuel" ("God with us"), will be
fulfilled, and when the New Covenant will be
fully worked out, "They shall be my people,
and I will be their God," (Jeremiah 24:7
KJV).
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Revelation 21:4
• 21:4 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.
• All tears, pain, sorrow, and death will be removed
in that heavenly New Jerusalem where Christians
will live. This is the exact opposite of the curse that
resulted from Adam's sin (see Gen. 3: verses 16
to19). The effects of the curse are removed, and all
things are made new.
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Revelation 21
• God does not merely repair the creation, He re-creates it for
His children to enjoy for all eternity.
• Just as the disciples knew security when Jesus was there
to take care of all their needs, we will know perfect peace
and joy in heaven. Jesus is the king of peace. Jesus
defeated death on the cross. The biggest fear of mankind is
death. We just read where the Christians will not taste the
second death. This fear is gone away. Death will no longer
hang over the Christian. The Christian has eternal life (not
death).
• There won't be any reason to cry for in heaven. The devil
and all his problems he brought upon the Christians have
been thrown into the lake of fire. Every negative thing has
been done away with.
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Revelation 21:5
• 21:5 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.
• "The One who sits on the throne said", is the same
One "from whose presence earth and heaven fled
away. (Rev 20 v.11)
• Here we see God sitting on the throne saying that
He "makes all things new" when we are saved we
become a new creature. Just as He did not throw
us away and get a new person: He says here "I
make all things new". He did not say He made new
things. He just takes the old things and transforms
them into new.
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Revelation 21:6
• 21:6 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.
• It is done. These words mark the end of
redemptive history. This is a statement ( Gr.
gegonan) of divine finality. It represents God's
promise that this new state will be forever. Alpha
and Omega is the first and last letters of the Greek
alphabet. Hence, this phrase represents the sum of
all things. In Revelation 1: v.11 and 22: verses 12
to13 it is used of Christ.
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Revelation 21:6
• Here it is used of God the Father ("He that sat on
the throne"), indicating the deity of both the Father
and the Son.
• Just as Jesus said on the cross "It is finished" You
see, Jesus is the way to get to the water of life. In
fact, He is the water. He is life. He who hungers
and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. There
is nothing before Him and nothing after Him.
• A citizen of heaven is described as one who
"thirsts" signifying those who recognize their
desperate spiritual need, "hunger and thirst for
righteousness", Matt. 5 v.6.
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Revelation 21:6
• He brackets all of time in the phrases, "I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the
End." Everything in between comes from him.
These are words of truth that help us to believe.
Remember on the cross our Lord uttered the words
"It is finished," (John 19:30). After the gloom, the
darkness, pain, sorrow and anguish of his
separation from the Father, he cried out, "It is
finished!" The basis of redemption was settled. The
sacrifice was ended. The basis was fully laid. Now
he says, "It is done!" Redemption is complete.
• Not one thing is left unfinished.
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Revelation 21
• 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
• An overcomer is one who exercises saving faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. A person who in faith drinks
the water of salvation freely offered by God. Each
of the seven letters to the churches in Rev. 2 and 3
end in the promise of he that overcomes will inherit
these things.
• Just as a bride is an equal inheritor of all that is her
husband's, so the Church, the Bride of Christ, will
inherit all that is His. He even promises that He will
be our God and we shall be His son.
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Revelation 21
• These terms of endearment are experiences we as
Christians shall enjoy forever.
• From this scripture, we see there is something we
must overcome.
• If we are faithful to Him in the face of all odds, we
will inherit eternal life.
• The New Testament is actually an inheritance to
the believers.
• If we believe, we can collect on that inheritance.
• Who ever we are faithful to, is our God. If he is our
God, He will claim us as His son.
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Revelation 21
• The fourth thing the passage suggests as the
purpose of the New Jerusalem is that it will be the
home of the redeemed: "To him who is thirsty I
will give to drink without cost from the spring
of the water of life. He who overcomes will
inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will
be my son." (Revelation 21:6b-7 NIV) What
marvelous words! This city will be the home of the
redeemed, and the only qualification for it is that
you be thirsty. Nothing on earth satisfies. Wealth,
fame, pleasures and treasures -- none will meet
that deep thirst of the soul.
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Revelation 21
• That is why the rich, the wealthy, the
beautiful people, all are looking for
something more. They are not satisfied. But
here is the promise to satisfy that thirst.
People who want more -- who want God -are promised that they shall drink of the
water of the spring of life. These are also
called "overcomers" who "inherit all this," all
that God has created.
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Revelation 21
• 21:8 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 contrasts between verses seven and eight are
graphic. They represent the age-old concept that
there are only two kinds of people with God,
believers and unbelievers. They experience two
different lifestyles on earth and go to two different
eternal destinies.
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Revelation 21
• Believers go to "eternal life" while unbelievers
experience "the second death," which is the lake of
fire. Fear is not of God. Fear is the opposite of
faith. In fact, it is mentioned twice here by saying
"fearful and unbelieving". Jesus cannot be
someone's Savior, unless they believe they He is
their Savior.
• Abomination, meaning vile, polluted, detestable,
wholly caught up in wickedness and evil. Here, we
see those who do abominable things taking part in
the second death.
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Revelation 21
• Notice here this says "murderers" not accidental
killing or killing in war. This is premeditated murder,
or those who hate their neighbors.
• We see here "whoremongers" (this means not only
in the physical but also in the spiritual).
• "Sorcerers" has to do with the occult and also
drugs.
• "Idolaters" has to do with anything or anyone you
put ahead of God.
• "Liars" can do more harm than you can imagine.
Many have a tendency to tell little white lies, but
any untruth is a lie.
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Revelation 21
• Those who are not saved are identified by their
Human Nature failures and will not enter into the
heavenly city.
• After we are forgiven of our sins and born again,
we must practice salvation. We may slip and sin,
but if we do, we have an advocate with the Father.
Confess, and then as Jesus told the woman who
the Pharisees had caught in the act of adultery,
"Go and sin no more” (Resist).
• The Overcomers in this life do not practice sin.
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Revelation 21
• Peter tells us in his first letter that there is waiting
for us "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil
or fade, kept in heaven for us," (1 Peter 1:4 NIV).
Those who are thus changed by God's grace are
to be forever his sons.
• Now, by contrast, in a reference back to what we
have seen of the judgment there is in Verse 8 a
description of those who are not admitted:
• "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the
murderers, the sexually immoral, those who
practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their
place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This
is the second death." (Revelation 21:8 NIV)
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Revelation 21
• As we have seen all through this book, God does
not want that. He is very reluctant that anybody
should be judged or condemned, but as the word
points out, "they judge themselves." Here there are
three attitudes of heart which result in five visible
deeds that mark the lost. The three attitudes are
the reasons why some will miss this beautiful city.
First, the cowards, i.e. the fearful, those who are
afraid to take on the yoke of Christ, who fear to
confess Christ, who are unwilling to be unpopular
for a little while. They shrug their shoulders and
turn away from the offer of life.
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Revelation 21
• Then there are the unbelieving, those who know it
is true, but don't want it and refuse the evidence,
deliberately turning their backs on truth.
• Third, there are the vile. The word means "to
become foul."
• Without the Cleansing of the New Birth, they are
Vile; this is the evidence of their need for Salvation
by Grace through Faith Alone in Christ Alone.
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Revelation 21
• In these eight verses we have looked at the
purpose of the New Jerusalem. Now John is
given another vision of it and describes it in
wonderfully symbolic language as the great
city of God: First, we are informed as to the
structure of this city.
• 21:9 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 shew thee the
bride, the Lamb's wife.
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Revelation 21:9
• From the past, at the beginning of the millennium,
one of the seven angels who poured out a bowl or
vial appeared to John.
• Now the angel was to show John the Lamb's bride,
the Lamb's wife.
• New Jerusalem is likened to a bride because the
redeemed are forever united to God and the Lamb.
• At this point, the marriage has already taken place
in 19 v.7 and now is referred to as "The Lamb's
Wife
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Revelation 21
• I am sure someone is asking, "Is this literal
or is it symbolic?" I hope, by now, as we
have been going through this book, you
have come to realize that you do not have to
make that choice. God loves to use literal
things that remain symbols. The cross is
literal, but it is also a symbol of the death of
Jesus. It is both at the same time. So, all
through this book, we find the blending of the
literal and symbolic.
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Revelation 21
• There will be a great, visible city of incredible
brilliance and glory, located somewhere above or
within the atmosphere of the earth, which also will
picture activities and relationships that are going
on within the community of the saints.
• Those will be characterized by stability, by
symmetry, by light, by life and ministry.
• That is what is described here.
• The literal is very evident; the symbolic perhaps
needs a bit of interpretation.
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Revelation 21
• Everything in the universe is, in a sense, his
possession. All animals, all creatures, are
his. There are billions of angels and they all
belong to him. But the saints are peculiarly
God's own possession. That is because he
has made them to correspond to himself. He
can share with them the deepest things in
his life and in his heart. They satisfy him and
fulfill him just as a bride satisfies and fulfills
her husband.
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Revelation 21
• 21:10-11 "And he carried me away in the spirit
to a great and high mountain, and shewed me
that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God," " "Having the glory of
God: and her light [was] like unto a stone most
precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as
crystal;:
• That great city, the holy Jerusalem. The Lamb's
wife is described as the new city of Jerusalem.
This magnificent city is where the bride of Christ
(the Church) will live forever.
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Revelation 21
• The most dominant characteristic of the holy city is
the presence of God's Glory, which personifies
God's presence with His people. The Glory that
departed from the Old Jerusalem (see Ezek.
Chapters 8 to 11) is restored to the New Jerusalem
of the future.
• John's incredible vision began when the angel
carried him away in the Spirit in Rev. 1 where he
received the visions that make up the book of
Revelation. John's visions were not dreams, but
spiritual realities, like the one's Paul saw when he
was also caught up to the third heaven.
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Revelation 21
• From John's vantage point atop a great and high
mountain, he repeats his observation of verse 2
that New Jerusalem came down out of heaven
from God, emphasizing its divine origin.
• Note what is described here is not the creation of
heaven, but the descent of what already existed
from eternity past. Now it's being situated in the
center of the new heaven and the new earth.
• "The Glory of God": The brilliance radiating from
New Jerusalem caused by the full manifestation of
God's glory will be so much, the city will have no
need of the sun or the moon as the glory of God
will illuminate it.
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Revelation 21
• 21:12 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:
• The inclusion of the names of the twelve tribes of
Israel and the twelve apostles in the foundations
and gates of the city (see 21 v.14), indicates that
both Jewish and Gentile believers will all be part of
the family of God and share eternity as one.
Although it would seem that the Jews are distinct
from the Church during the Millennium, they will all
be one as children of the living God for eternity.
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Revelation 21:12
• If you have ever been to Jerusalem in Israel, you
know the old city has a large wall around the city.
The physical Jerusalem here has 12 gates. You
see, this earthly Jerusalem is a replica of this
heavenly Jerusalem.
• Here we see their names (twelve tribes),
celebrating God's covenant relationship with Israel,
the people of the promises, covenants, scriptures
and the Messiah.
• These angels are stationed to attend to God's glory
and to serve His people.
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Revelation 21
• The high wall of the city speaks of
separation and of intimacy. If you want to
have an intimate garden party, you meet in
the yard behind a wall. That wall shuts out
other things and people. It speaks of intimate
fellowship and separation from intrusion. The
whole of Scripture with one voice speaks of
God's desire to have what he calls "a people
for my own possession."
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Revelation 21:12
• 21:13 On the east three gates; on the
north three gates; on the south three
gates; and on the west three gates.
• This is reminiscent of the way the twelve
tribes camped around the tabernacle in
numbers 2 and the allotment of tribal lands
around the millennial temple. (Ezek. 48)
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Revelation 21
• The gates describe means of access and egress
from the city. There is an amazing verse in John 10
where Jesus says, "Whoever enters through me
will be saved, and he will go in and out and find
pasture," (John 10:9 NIV). That seems to be a
portrayal of the widespread ministry of believers
throughout the eternal ages. The new universe will
surely be as big or bigger than it is now -- and it is
mind-blowing in its immensity now! Billions of
galaxies, far larger than our own galaxy of the
Milky Way, fill the heavens as far as the eye can
see by means of the greatest telescopes we have,
and still we have not reached the end.
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Revelation 21
• That means that there will be new planets to
develop, new principles to discover, new joys to
experience. Every moment of eternity will be an
adventure of discovery. Those gates are named for
the tribes of Israel. It is a perpetual reminder that
"salvation is of the Jews," (John 4:22 KJV). Access
to the city is through Israel. I believe that pictures
the truth that has come to us through the Old
Testament prophets and the godly practices of the
nation. Many of these brilliant passages that now
entrance, but puzzle, us will come to life then as
we have never known them before.
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Revelation 21
• They will lead us out to new adventures that
we have never dreamed of in our wildest
imaginations.
• The foundations speak of what is
underneath which gives stability and
permanence. They are named for the 12
apostles. Judas, of course, was replaced in
the apostolic band by Paul.
• These foundations speak of New Testament
truth of Salvation by Faith Alone in Christ
Alone.
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Revelation 21
• 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and in them the names of the
twelve apostles of the Lamb.
• The foundation of Christianity was established by
Jesus through the twelve apostles. You can easily
see, this is not only a city but stands for the
Inhabitants as well.
• The layout of New Jerusalem's gates picture God's
favor on all His redeemed people from both the old
and new covenant.
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Revelation 21
• 21:16 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.
• The city lies foursquare. The size of this city
indicates that each border is approximately fifteen
hundred miles long. Thus the dimensions of the
city would be equal to the area from the eastern
seaboard of the United States to Colorado on one
side and from the Canadian border to the southern
tip of Florida on the other.
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Revelation 21
• In addition to the length and breadth, the city
will be fifteen hundred miles high. This great
size will afford sufficient space for the
habitation of the saints from all ages of
history.
• We see here that this city is a cube. Twelve
thousand furlongs is 1500 miles. This city is
1500 miles square and 1500 miles high.
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Revelation 21
• When God measures something it is a sign of his
ownership. The number 12, which is everywhere in
this account -- 12,000 stadia, 144 cubits (that is 12
times 12) wide -- is in Scripture the number of
government. So this is a fulfillment of that
wonderful word in Isaiah, "the government shall be
upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," (Isaiah
9:6). It is a city of beauty and of symmetry, just as
long as it is wide, just as tall as it is long.
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Revelation 21
• It will be a city of perfect proportions. That is what it
symbolizes -- perfectly proportioned wholeness!
• Everybody wants that. Everyone wants to be a
whole person. People say, "I want to be me. I want
to fulfill myself. I want to get my act together."
Many pick the wrong way to do it. They think that it
is all up to them. The one message of the Word of
God is that you cannot find your own way. Try to
fulfill yourself and you will lose yourself.
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Revelation 21
• But if you let God fulfill you, then you will be fully
filled -- a wholeness perfectly proportioned,
containing nothing awkward, nothing out of
balance, but all in harmony. Our friend, Eugene
Petersen, whom I have quoted many times in this
study, has put it well. He says,
• The two symbolic cities of the Apocalypse, Babylon
and Jerusalem, show [how a wall creates group
consciousness and interrelatedness]. When evil
reaches its highest density it forms a whore-city.
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Revelation 21
• That city is a concentrate of evil and is
destroyed. Likewise, when Godconsciousness and the interrelatedness of
love reach their highest density, a bride-city
is formed.
• Not only is the size and shape of the city
revealed, but the materials from which it is
made are given to us.
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Revelation 21
• 21:17 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.
• A cubic is 18 inches or 1-1/2 feet. Times 144, the
wall was 216 feet across. Just as in Babylon the
walls, were wide enough for chariot races. This is
even wider.
• To emphasize the city's dimensions are literal and
not mystical, John tells us that the measurements
are given according to human measurements.
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Revelation 21
• 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was [of]
jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto
clear glass.
• The massive walls a material called jasper. This is
the same diamond like stone that was mentioned
in verse 11. (Clear as crystal)
• Next the city itself was pure gold, like clear glass.
Imagine how God's glory will radiate throughout
and light up the entire city.
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Revelation 21
• Let your imagination picture that marvelous city -gleaming transparent gold, with foundations
sparkling with light in cascading colors, pouring
forth from great jewels embedded in the sides -- a
kaleidoscope of light and glory! What are those
foundations?
• As we have already seen, they are the twelve
apostles.
• This then portrays the truth that the apostolic
revelation is filled with light.
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Revelation 21
• There is a verse in Ephesians 3 where the Apostle
Paul speaks of "the manifold wisdom of God that is
to be made known by the church to rulers and
authorities in heavenly places," Ephesians 3:10).
• That is describing this same phenomena. The word
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Revelation 21
• 21:19-20 "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;" "The fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh,
chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz;
the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a
jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst".
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Revelation 21
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jasper = Diamond
Sapphire = A brilliant blue stone
Chalcedony = Sky blue with colored stripes
Emerald = Bright green stone
Sardonyx = Red and white striped stone
Sardius = Various shades of Red
Chrysolite = Transparent gold or yellow
Beryl = Shades of green, yellow and blue
Topaz = Yellowish green
Chrysoprasus = Gold tinted green
Jacinth = Blue or violet colored
Amethyst = Purple stone
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Revelation 21
• 21:21 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.
• The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Every gate
will be one pearl, each large enough to cover the
gateway to this huge city. In addition, the street of
the city will be "pure gold, like unto clear glass,"
indicating that believers will walk on golden streets.
The holy city of God will be so magnificent that
believers will literally walk on precious metals that
today are used for costly adornments.
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Revelation 21
• The gates are made of single pearls. You have
heard many jokes about St. Peter and the pearly
gates, which we usually conceive of as a single
great pair of gates. But there are twelve gates,
each one is a gigantic pearl, and St. Peter is
nowhere to be seen at any of them!
• There is no silver in the city. Silver means
redemption and we have already been redeemed.
These stones show us things that are important
here on the earth are plentiful in heaven. You see,
God owns all the wealth in the world.
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Revelation 21
• God has so many rare stones He even puts them
in the wall. Each gate is made of just one pearl.
• And remember the height of the cube is 1500
miles. That makes for a very large pearl.
• The streets in New Jerusalem is made of the
highest quality of pure gold which is like everything
else, transparent. We are not familiar with
transparent gold here on earth, but everything in
heaven is transparent to let the light of God's glory
blaze unrestricted.
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Revelation 21
• 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of
it.
• "No temple therein:" There will be no need for a
temple now to provide a means for a man to
fellowship with God. Because of Jesus sacrificial
death on the cross, sin will not exist there. God and
the Lamb are the temple of the eternal city. This
clearly emphasizes the deity of Christ as equal in
essence to that of the father.
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Revelation 21
• All through Revelation we have seen a temple in
heaven described. That temple remains throughout
the millennium, as the original of which the earthly
temple is a copy.
• But in the new heavens and earth there is no
temple. Why?
• Because the true temple, of which the one in the
old heavens is a picture, is the True Man, Jesus
himself. God in man that is the temple!
• Thus Paul, in First Corinthians, says, "Do you not
know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you?" (1 Corinthians 6:19a NIV).
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Revelation 21
• There will be not need for anyone to go
anywhere to worship God. Believers will
constantly be in His presence. There will
never be a minute when they are not in
perfect, Holy Communion with the Lord God
the Almighty and the Lamb. Therefore there
will be no need for a temple, cathedral,
church, chapel or any other house of
worship. Believers will be the true
worshipers God has always sought.
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Revelation 21
• If God dwells in you, you are a part of this heavenly
temple.
• You share the honor of being the home of God, the
dwelling place of God.
• And from that comes radiant light.
• People can see all things by that truth.
• So glorious is it that there is no need for the sun or
the moon.
• It does not say they are not there; it simply says
there is no need for them in this city of God.
• There will never be night there because it is lit
continually by the glory which is God in man.
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Revelation 21
• 21:23 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.
• No more day and night but there will be one
eternal day. The Glory of God will illuminate
New Jerusalem and its lamp with be the
Lamb Jesus, who is the Light, and does
away with darkness.
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Revelation 21
• 21:24 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 honour into it.
• The reference to "nations” indicates an Earthly
contingent of humans with an organizational
structure of government overseen by the Jewish
administrators.
• People from every tongue, tribe and nation will be
united as God's people.
• Every believer will be fully equal in the eternal
capital city.
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Revelation 21
• 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all
by day: for there shall be no night there.
• Its gates will never be closed. This depicts the
city's complete security and that there is no need
to close them.
• New Jerusalem is a place of rest, safety and
refreshment where God's people will "rest from
their labors." Never again will anything have to be
shut up for fear of loosing it by thieves and
robbers. None of that will ever exist again.
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Revelation 21
• The gates will never be shut because there
is no night there and therefore no need for
protection. Cities close their gates at night
because they are in danger. But there is
nothing to destroy in this new world to come.
The kings of the earth will bring their glory in,
not to compete with the glory of God, but to
have it revealed by the light of God. Nothing
impure will enter because only the redeemed
are admitted.
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Revelation 21
• 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and
honour of the nations into it.
• All who enter The New Heavens and New Earth
will surrender their earthly prestige and glory when
they enter.
• 21:27 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.
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Revelation 21
• This Scripture means that this is a holy city (a
place of true worship). There will be no evil of any
kind in it. The residents are the redeemed, those
washed in the blood of the lamb. Those who have
been made righteous in Christ.
• Once again, we are confronted with the
significance of having our names written in the
Lamb's book of life assuring us that Christ knows
each believer personally, by name.
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Revelation 22
• 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb.
• "Pure River of Water of life." In one final glimpse
into the future, John sees this river flowing from the
throne of God. It is the source of eternal life that
emanates from God.
• The Earthly inhabitants, like Adam and Eve, will
drink water and eat food.
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Revelation 22
• Jesus told the woman at the well if she drank of the
water He gave her, she would never thirst again,
John 4:14. This is the "water" He was talking about
here. This "water" possessed life giving powers.
The Source is the Father and the Lamb. This
"water" springs up into ever lasting life.
• Just like everything else in the New Jerusalem, the
river was clear as crystal so that it could reflect the
glory of God as it cascades down from the throne
of God and of the Lamb in a dazzling, sparkling
never ending flow of everlasting life from God's
throne to His people.
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Revelation 22
• 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on
either side of the river, [was there] the tree of
life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and]
yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of
the tree [were] for the [health] of the nations.
• Here at the close of the Bible we are reintroduced
to the tree of life, which has not been mentioned in
the Bible since Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve
sinned in the Garden of Eden. Paradise is restored
in the eternal state. All that was lost in the fall is
redeemed by the lamb. The leaves of this tree will
be used for the health of the nations.
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Revelation 22
• The tree bears twelve kinds of fruit that yields its
fruit every month suggesting the infinite variety that
will fill heaven.
• Monthly, since time exits no more, emphasizes the
expression of the joyous provision of eternity using
familiar terms of time.
• Nations: meaning the people that are on Earth.
• Sickness will no longer be, so it doesn't imply
illness.
• The leaves therefore will be to promote general
health or another way of stating that would be: life
in on the New Earth will be fully energized, rich and
exciting continuously.
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Revelation 21
• What a glorious picture of abounding fertility, of life
on every side -- a river of life, a tree of life. Both of
these are found in the Old Testament. Psalm 46
says, "There is a river that makes glad the city of
God," (Psalm 46:4a). Ezekiel describes a river
flowing out from the throne of God. It is a wonderful
river to swim in, he said. The tree of life is found in
the Garden of Eden. It is right there, along with the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But here it
is back again, without the Tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil – that issue has been resolved.
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Revelation 21
• 22:3 And there shall be no more curse:
but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it; and his servants shall serve
him:
• The effects of the post-Edenic curse (Gen.
3:14-19) will be totally gone forever. There
will be no more curse.
• God's saints will serve him (Rev. 7: v.15)
and reign with Him forever over the New
Earth (Dan 7: verses 18 and 27).
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Revelation 21
• The picture of eternal life in these verses indicates
that we will be busy serving God for all eternity. We
will both serve Him (v. 3) and reign with Him (v.5).
Since He is an infinite God, we can be sure He will
have infinite things for us to do as we reign there
forever.
• Here we see "throne of God" and on his right hand
is "the Lamb" These "servants" that shall serve him
are us. We Christians have been bought and paid
for with the blood of the Lamb. We will be with the
Lamb and the Father, but we will not be their
equal. We will be their servants.
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Revelation 21
• 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name
[shall be] in their foreheads.
• The greatest blessing of eternity is that they shall
see his face (Matt. 5: v.8; Heb. 12: v.14). Though
this is now impossible for an unglorified human
being (Exodus 33: v.20), it will occur in the eternal
state. The name of God in their foreheads shows
ownership and consecration (Rev. 3: v.12; 13:
v.16; Exodus 28: verses 36 to38).
• Throughout the Bible, we have been taught that
you could not look upon the face of God and live.
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Revelation 21
• Even Moses, who was so close to God, wanted to
see God, and God told him no. He put His hand
over Moses and passed by him, and Moses saw
his back side, Exodus 33:22. There we will be in
his presence all the time and can look in his face
anytime we want to. We are sealed with the
Lamb's seal.
• The saints in New Jerusalem will see God's face.
Being perfectly holy and righteous, they'll be able
to endure the blazing, glorious light from God's
presence without being consumed. That was
impossible for mortal men.
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Revelation 21
• 22:5 And there shall be no night there;
and they need no candle, neither light of
the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light: and they shall reign for ever and
ever.
• Since in the New Jerusalem God is always
present, His glory makes all other sources of
light unnecessary (Rev. 21:23; Isaiah 60:19,
20; Zech. 14:7).
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Revelation 21
• We have talked so much about our Lord Jesus
being the Light. He is the source of all Light. When
the Light is on full power, you certainly do not need
a candle. The sun has no more purpose any more
either. This presence of this Light is all they need.
This Kingdom has no end. It is for all of eternity.
• As a final word describing the saint's heavenly
experience, they are told it once again that it will
never end. They shall reign forever and forever.
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Revelation 22
• 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings [are]
faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy
prophets sent his angel to shew unto his
servants the things which must shortly be
done.
• Verses 6-21 form a conclusion or summary to the
book. They emphasize two themes: (1) the
authenticity of the book as a revelation from God;
and (2) the imminence of the return of Christ.
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Revelation 22
• These sayings refer to the entire Book of
Revelation. They are authenticated as genuine by
the angel whom God sent to give them through
John to His servants, that is, the members of the
churches (Rev. 1: verses 3 and 11).
• Here is just a reassurance that all of this is not to
be taken lightly. This is the absolute truth. The
prophets such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah have
all spoken of this special time in history. We even
read this in the 24th chapter of Matthew and in the
21st and 22nd chapter of Luke. It is the same
information, regardless of who pens it, because the
author is God.
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Revelation 22
• The angel's words reinforce an important truth:
Everything John saw in Revelation will come to
pass. John's words are not mystical and the
Apocalypse is not a record of his bizarre dreams or
the result of an over active imagination.
• Further it is not an allegory (a form of translation)
from which readers can find hidden meanings of
their own concoction. It is an accurate description
of events and persons that are yet to come.
• Verses 6 to 9 takes us back to the early part of this
book, when the faithful and true witness told us
that He would send His angel to convey His
message concerning the things that must come to
pass.
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Revelation 22
• 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed [is] he
that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of
this book.
• This is Jesus speaking when He says, "Behold, I
am coming soon".
• Three times we find this expression in the last
verses of this book. Some have been confused
about the literal meaning of the expression
because it was uttered almost 2000 years ago. It is
more accurately translated, "Behold, I come
suddenly."
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Revelation 22
• This saying does not refer to an appointed time
soon to come but means that His coming will take
place suddenly and without warning. Significant
details are given in association with each of these
three promises of our Lord.
• Verse 7 contains the promise, "Blessed is he who
keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." This
may be a reference to the Rapture of the Church.
"Happy are those" who are sufficiently aware of the
prophecy of this book to be ready when that Day
arrives.
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Revelation 22
• You might ask, what does it mean to obey the book
of Revelation?
• Think of it as a general command to long for
Christ's return and our eternal fellowship with Him.
• It calls believers to desire heaven, to desire
holiness, to desire to see Christ vindicated and for
Him to triumph over His enemies, to desire the end
of the curse and to desire the glories of Christ's
earthly kingdom and the new heaven and the new
earth.
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Revelation 22
• To see God's face, to see an end of the
Babylonian Harlot and the corrupt commercial and
political system, to look forward to a life of peace
and happiness.
• Thus the purpose of Revelation is not to provide
entertainment and to merely satisfy the curiosity of
believers about the future but to reveal the glory of
God's Son and call believers to live godly, obedient
lives in light of His soon return.
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Revelation 22
• 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard
[them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell
down to worship before the feet of the angel
which shewed me these things.
• Several times in Revelation, we see John
overwhelmed by the presence and the power this
angel shows him. He, being overcome by the
magnitude of it all, starts to worship this angel.
Some people have false doctrine centered on
angel worship. We must not worship angels.
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Revelation 22
• They are created beings. We must worship
the Creator. We are warned over and over
not to worship angels. John is told several
times here in Revelation not to worship this
angel.
• They are created beings. We must worship
the Creator. We are warned over and over
not to worship angels. John is told several
times here in Revelation not to worship this
angel.
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Revelation 22
• 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it]
not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy
brethren the prophets, and of them which keep
the sayings of this book: worship God.
• The Messenger quickly reminds the apostle that he
too, was a created being by his declaration. Not
only his, but also of John's brethren the prophets,
and of all believers that are defined here as "Them
which keep the sayings of this book.”
• Then the Messenger commands John to worship
God as God alone is the only acceptable Person to
worship.
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Revelation 22
• 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the
sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the
time is at hand.
• The command not to seal this prophetic message
is quite different than what the lord told Daniel,
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal
the book, even to the time of the end" (Dan 12:4).
The reason for the difference in the instructions is
simply stated, "the time is at hand." Until the death
and resurrection of Christ, the time for this
prophecy had not come.
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Revelation 22
• In contrast with Daniel, who was told to "seal" up
his book of prophecy (since the end was still in the
distant future, but here John is told to leave his
book open (Seal not). The Messiah had come, His
second coming is imminent, and thus now the time
is at hand.
• The reason for the difference in the instructions is
that one lived after the time of Christ's crucifixion,
the other before. In John's day it was possible to
see the unfolding of the events prophesied; in
Daniel's day they were a long way off.
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Revelation 22
• 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still:
and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and
he that is righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
• Verse 11 is not a command, but rather a statement
of fact and a warning. Character tends to become
fixed and unchangeable, determined by a lifetime
of habitual action. The arrival of the end will
prevent any change of destiny.
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Revelation 22
• Those who hear the truth but continue to do wrong
will by that hardened response fix their eternal
destiny in hell. Conversely, those who continue to
practice righteousness and keep him himself holy
give evidence of genuine saving faith.
• When Christ returns, the deliberate choice of each
person will have fixed his eternal fate.
• We cannot cover up from God. God sees into the
heart. If you are a sinner, He already knows it. You
do not have to tell Him. If you belong to Jesus, He
knows that, too. Whatever you are down deep,
Jesus already knows.
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Revelation 22
• 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward [is] with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be.
• Again Christ declares the imminence of His return.
This is in red in the Bible, so this is Jesus speaking
directly here. All Christians should be watching the
eastern sky for In a moment when you think not,
the eastern sky will open, the trumpet will blow,
and Jesus shall shout. At that time, we will be
called to heaven to be with Him forever.
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Revelation 22
• Our rewards will be for the things (treasures)
we have stored in heaven.
• Rewards are always based on the Fruit by
believers based on their faithfulness in
serving Christ in this life. Their works will be
tested and only those with eternal value "will
be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is." (1 Cor. 3
v.13)
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Revelation 22
• The rewards believers will enjoy in heaven
will be capacities for serving God.
• The greater their faithfulness is in this life,
the greater will be their opportunity to serve
in heaven, not to mention the crowns
believers will receive.
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Revelation 22
• Having knowledge that Jesus could return at any
moment shouldn't lead Christians to a life of idle
waiting for His coming. Instead it should produce
diligent, obedient, worshipful service to God, and
urgent proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers.
• Try looking at it this way. By telling everyone you
meet now about the good news of Jesus but they
don't listen to you, then suddenly the Rapture
happens, those people will then remember every
word you said to them.
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Revelation 22
• 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the
last.
• The three designations of verse 13 are
virtually equivalent in meaning.
• Alpha and Omega
• The beginning and the end
• The first and the last
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Revelation 22
• By applying them to Himself, Christ claims
unlimited, eternal equality with God (Rev. 1:
v.8 and 17; 2: v.8; 21: v.6).
• These three designations express Christ's
infinity, eternity and boundless life
transcending all limitation. These
descriptions describe the completeness,
timelessness and sovereign authority of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
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Revelation 22
• 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his
commandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city.
• These closing verses of the Bible make it perfectly
clear that salvation is a matter of the will - whoever
wishes may come. This clearly implies that
whoever wills not to come is lost. In contrast to
those who reject Christ, we encounter the state of
the blessed described here in verse 14. Those who
have washed their robes in the righteousness of
Christ have a right to the Tree of Life and thus are
entitled to live forever.
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Revelation 22
• He describes their state as "blessed," meaning
"happy". Every individual wants happiness. The
way to eternal happiness is to receive Christ as
Lord and Savior, which entitles you to entrance into
the Holy City, access to the Tree of Life, and the
marvelous blessings of a loving God. If there is any
question in your mind as to whether or not you
have received the living Christ, I urge you, on the
basis of His challenge, to change your will and
receive Him as your Lord and Savior today.
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Revelation 22
• They that do his commandments are believers
John 14:15: If ye love me, keep my
commandments. See (Rev. 12: v.17; Rev. 14: v.12;
Matthew 7: verses 13 to 21; 1 John 3: verses 6
to10).
• The tree of life indicates immortality and divine
blessing (Rev. 2: v.7 and 22: v.2). To be able to
enter in through the gates into the city is to have
heavenly citizenship in the eternal dwelling place of
God and redeemed mankind.
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Revelation 22
• All unbelievers are without (outside) the city,
i.e. in the lake of fire. See Rev. 21: v.8 for a
list of the type of sins that exclude people
from heaven that was given to John. Also
read Rev. 21 verse 27.
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Revelation 22
• 22:15 For without [are] dogs, and
sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie.
• The dogs are impure and malicious people
or someone with a low character. The first
time blatantly impure sinners were called
dogs is in Deut. 23: verse 18. This is where
male homosexual prostitutes were in view.
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Revelation 22
• Sorcerers are those who practice occult or
witchcraft. Greek Pharmakos is the root of
the English word pharmacy which often
accompanies those practices.
• Whoremongers are those who practice all
kinds of sexual immorality. Greek pornos is
the root of the English word pornography.
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Revelation 22
• Murderers: means pre-meditated murder. This has
nothing to do with accidental killing or killing in war.
They are included in the list given in Rev. 21 v.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."
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Revelation 22
• Idolaters are just those who put anything
ahead of God which includes manna
(money) or the love of everything which
takes one's attention off serving God.
Someone once said: Show me someone's
calendar and checkbook and I'll tell you
where their heart lies. Think about that.
Idolaters are also those who worship false
gods or worship the true God in an
unacceptable matter.
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Revelation 22
• Maketh at Lie: Everyone sometimes during
their life has lied as It's human nature. Some
tell little white lies, even some Christians.
But all lies are acts of deceiving and can be
very harmful to others. Simply withholding
some of the truth when asked a question is
in itself lying.
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Revelation 22
• Consider carefully how you answer and
instead of a white lie or withholding a part of
the truth, find another way. I would rather be
told the truth no manner how bad it is rather
than find later I had be deceived. Those who
"loveth and maketh a lie" has to do with
hurting someone else. Any time we hurt
someone else, it is sin.
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Revelation 22
• 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify
unto you these things in the churches. I am the
root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright
and morning star.
• "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify." This is
the first time that the words "I Jesus" appear in the
bible. It establishes that this final invitation in
Scripture is not a human invitation, but a divine call
issued personally to sinners by the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself.
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Revelation 22
• This verse is Jesus' seal of approval on the whole
book of Revelation. It marks the first use of the
word "church" since chapter three. Why is there no
reference of the Church during the time of
tribulation on earth described in chapters 6 through
18? Because the church, having been raptured to
heaven, will not be on earth.
• How can Jesus be "the root and the offspring of
David" both? In the Flesh this is impossible. David,
in the flesh, was the ancestor of Jesus. In the
Spirit, Jesus was David's ancestor. Jesus was
David's God.
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Revelation 22
• We read in II Peter 1:19 "We have also a more
sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark
place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in
your hearts:"
• You see, it is not unusual in a symbolic way to
speak of Jesus as a star. Here is our Bright Star.
Until we receive this Star into our life, we are full of
darkness.
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Revelation 22
• 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.
• The Lord's Last Invitation to Humankind -The Lord
Jesus Christ, ever concerned for the souls of the
lost, closes His great revelation with a challenge
for individual people to call on His name. He
indicates that there are two who invite us to come
to Him: the "Spirit" and the "bride". In addition, He
will even use "him who hears."
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Revelation 22
• God the Holy Spirit will use the printed page as
well as those who are just repeating what they
have heard but may not even believe what they are
saying. He also uses the "bride", which indicated
that the primary ministry of the Church of Christ
during the entire Church Age is to tell others about
the Savior. All Christians everywhere should be
engaged in saying to their fellow human beings:
"Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever
wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of
life."
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Revelation 22
• Jesus Christ, of course, is the water of life.
The Holy Spirit, since the beginning, has
been saying "Come". Unless the Holy Spirit
of God woos you, you can forget being
saved. It is God's wish that all should be
saved. I really believe what this is saying, in
this particular instance, is that the Spirit and
the believers are saying, "Come quickly Lord
Jesus". Salvation is open to whosoever will.
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Revelation 22
• Everyone has a hungering and thirsting for
God. Some do not know what they are
hungering for. It is so simple just to give in
and let Jesus bring you salvation, peace, joy,
and life that lasts forever. When we take of
this Water of Jesus, it brings Eternal Life.
The water, Spirit, and blood testify for us and
assure us of a heavenly home, John 5:8.
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Revelation 22
• 22:18-19 "For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book,
If any man shall add unto these things, God
shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book:" "And if any man shall take away
from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of
life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the
things which are written in this book."
• The speaker who testifies to the authority and
finality of the words of the prophecy of this book is
the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Revelation 22
• This is one of the most awesome challenges
in the Word of God against tampering with
God’s Word. Far too many today glibly
ridicule, detract from, and cast disparaging
remarks on Holy Scripture. This is their day
of opportunity, but their judgment will come
upon them swiftly in God's good time. It is a
fearful thing to disbelieve God, and it is
unbelief that causes someone to detract
from His Holy Word.
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Revelation 22
• Although this is not a reference to Bible
believing commentators of the Word who
mistakenly translate some passage and
inadvertently minimize it. The Lord's warning
here is addressed to those who engage in
deliberate falsification or misinterpretation of
Scripture, those who Paul denounces as
peddlers of the Word of God, (2 Cor. 2 v.17.
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Revelation 22
• 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith,
Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus.
• As previously stated, the translation is "surely I
come suddenly", when lest expected. The cry of
every Christian should be "come quickly Lord
Jesus", as I said before. My cry, as I go through
the land telling people of my Savior and Lord, is
"JESUS IS COMING".
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Revelation 22
• John speaks for all true believers when he writes,
"Come Lord Jesus", since Christians are those
"who have loved His appearing" (2 Tim. 4 verse 8).
Scoffers may mockingly ask, "Where is the
promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers
fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the
beginning of creation" (2 Peter 3 verse 4). But
things will not continue forever as they are. Jesus
will return, just as Revelation predicts. If the
certainty of Christ's return to judge sinners does
not motivate people to repent, then nothing will.
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Revelation 22
• "Amen" means so be it.
• 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be]
with you all. Amen.
• This scripture is an expression of God's grace
toward fallen humanity.
• The Lord of glory, as He promised in Scripture,
offers heaven exclusively to those who accept His
gracious invitation. Without the "grace of our Lord
Jesus" none of us would be saved.
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