Chapter Twenty-One

Following the Judgment scene at the end of the previous chapter, the eternal destiny of the redeemed is now revealed. The motif of a new heaven and new earth, along with the New Jerusalem, is used to provide great hope and comfort to Christians. This is certainly nothing new, for both the Old and New Testaments provided similar pictures to increase anticipation of the future (cf. Isa 65:17-25; 66:22-24; He 11:10,13-16; 13:14; 2Pe 3:13). In each case, the eternal destiny of God's faithful is described in terms that provided the greatest meaning and encouragement to the people of that dispensation. Here we see the destiny of the redeemed in terms depicting fellowship with God and protection by God.

John first sees all things made new. There is a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and first earth are no more (cf. Re 20:11). He sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, "coming down out of heaven from God." A loud voice from heaven declares that God will dwell with His people and be their God. God, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, will comfort His people by removing all that causes pain, and provide the fountain of the water of life freely to him that thirsts. While those who overcome inherit all things and enjoy the blessings of being God's children, the wicked and unfaithful have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone (cf. Re 19:20; 20:10,14-15) which is defined as the second death (1-8).

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls (cf. Re 15:7; 16:1) then carries John to a great and high mountain, to show him "the bride, the Lamb's wife". This is none other than the great city, the New Jerusalem, which is seen "descending out of heaven from God." It is a city having the glory of God, and the bulk of the chapter describes its prominent features. A great and high wall surrounds the city. Standing about 216 feet high and made of jasper, the wall has twelve pearly gates upon which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, with an angel at each gate. The wall has twelve foundations, each made of precious stones of various colors, upon which are the names of the twelve apostles. The city itself, made of pure gold like clear glass, is 1500 miles long in its length, breadth, and height. The street of the city is also pure gold, like transparent glass (9-21).

The glory of the holy city is described further by noting that there is no temple, for God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. There is no need for the sun or moon, for the glory of God and the Lamb illuminate the city. Its gates are never shut, there is no night there, and the nations of the saved along with the kings of the earth bring their honor and glory into it. Only those written in the Lamb's book of life enter this glorious city, ensuring that it remains free from any abomination and defilement (22-27).

POINTS TO PONDER

* The eternal destiny of the redeemed, in terms depicting fellowship with God and protection by God

* The new heaven and new earth (cf. 2Pe 3:13), along with the holy city, New Jerusalem "coming down out of heaven from God" (cf. Re 3:12; 21:2,10)

* The detailed imagery used to describe the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem

OUTLINE

I. ALL THINGS MADE NEW (1-8)

A. THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH (1)
1. John sees a new heaven and a new earth
2. The first heaven and earth had passed away, and there was no sea

B. THE NEW JERUSALEM (2)
1. John saw the holy city coming down out of heaven
2. It was prepared as a bride adorned for her husband

C. THE PROCLAMATION FROM HEAVEN (3-4)
1. "The tabernacle of God is with men"
a. "He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people"
b. "God Himself will be with them and be their God"
2. "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes"
a. "There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying"
b. "There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away"

D. THE PROCLAMATION FROM THE ONE WHO SAT ON THE THRONE (5-8)
1. "Behold, I make all things new"
a. "Write, for these words are true and faithful"
b. "It is done!"
2. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End"
a. "I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts"
b. "He who overcomes shall inherit all things"
1) "I will be his God"
2) "He shall be My son"
3. "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars..."
a. "Shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone"
b. "Which is the second death"

II. THE NEW JERUSALEM (9-21)

A. JOHN IS SHOWN THE HOLY CITY (9-11)
1. By one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the last plagues
a. Who offered to show John "the bride, the Lamb's wife"
b. Who carried him away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain
2. He sees the great city, the holy Jerusalem
a. Descending out of heaven from God
b. Having the glory of God
c. With light like a jasper stone, clear as crystal

B. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CITY AND ITS WALL (12-21)
1. It had a great and high wall with twelve gates
a. With twelve angels at the gates
b. With the names of the twelve tribes of Israel
c. With three gates each on the east, north, south, and west
d. With twelve foundations, on which were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb
2. The measurement of the city, the gates, and the wall
a. The angel had a golden reed to measure them
b. The city is laid out as a cube, its length, breadth, and height are each 12,000 furlongs (1500 miles)
c. The wall is one hundred and forty-four cubits (216 feet)
3. The construction of the city, the wall, its foundations, and the gates
a. The wall was of jasper; the city was pure gold, like clear glass
b. The twelve foundations of the wall were adorned with precious stones:
1) Jasper 5) Sardonyx 9) Topaz
2) Sapphire 6) Sardius 10) Chrysoprase
3) Chalcedony 7) Chrysolite 11) Jacinth
4) Emerald 8) Beryl 12) Amethyst
c. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate one pearl
d. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass

III. THE GLORY OF THE HOLY CITY (22-27)

A. ILLUMINATED BY THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THE LAMB (22-23)
1. Its temple are the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb
2. It is illuminated by the glory of God and the Lamb

B. ENHANCED BY THOSE WHO ENTER IT (24-27)
1. The nations of the saved shall walk in its light
2. The kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it
3. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day, and there is no night there
4. The nations shall bring their glory and honor into it
a. Nothing that defiles, causes an abomination or a lie, shall enter it
b. Only those written in the Lamb's book of Life enter it

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- All things made new (1-8)
- The New Jerusalem (9-21)
- The glory of the holy city (22-27)

2) What did John see? (1)
- A new heaven and new earth

3) What happened to the first heaven and first earth? What of the sea? (1)
- They had passed away; it was no more

4) What did John see coming down out of heaven from God? (2)
- The holy city, New Jerusalem, prepared as bride adorned for her husband

5) What is said about the dwelling of God? (3)
- The tabernacle of God is with men
- He will dwell with them and they shall be His people
- God Himself will be with them and be their God

6) What will God do? What shall be no more? (4)
- Wipe away every tear from their eyes; death, sorrow, crying, pain

7) What did the One on the throne say to John in verse 5?
- "Behold, I make all things new"
- "Write, for these words are true and faithful"

8) What did He say in verse 6?
- "It is done!"
- "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End"
- "I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts"

9) What is promised to those who overcome? (7)
- He shall inherit all things
- "I will be his God and he shall be My son"

10) Who shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone? What is this called? (8)
- The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, all liars
- The second death

11) Who offered to show John the bride, the Lamb's wife? (9)
- One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls

12) Where is John taken, and what does he see? (10)
- To a great and high mountain
- The great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God

13) What was the general description of the city? (11)
- It has the glory of God
- Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal

14) What surrounded the city? (12)
- A great and high wall with twelve gates

15) What stood at each of the gates? What was written on the gates? (12)
- An angel; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel

16) How many foundations did the wall have? What was written on the foundations? (14)
- Twelve; the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb

17) What was the length, breadth, and height of the city? (16)
- 12,000 furlongs (about 1500 miles)

18) How tall was the wall? (17)
- 144 cubits (about 216 feet)

19) What was the construction of the wall? Of the city? (18)
- The wall was of jasper
- The city was of pure gold, like clear glass

20) What were the foundations of the city adorned with? (19)
- All sorts of precious stones

21) What were the twelve gates? What was the street of the city? (21)
- Twelve pearls, each gate of one pearl
- Pure gold, like transparent glass

22) Why was there no temple in the city? (22)
- The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple

23) Why was there no need for the sun or moon to shine in it? (23)
- The glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light

24) Who shall walk in its light? Who shall bring their glory and honor into it? (24)
- The nations of those who are saved
- The kings of the earth

25) What shall not be shut at all day? What about at night? (25)
- The city's gates
- There shall be no night there

26) Who will by no means enter the city? Who will enter the city? (27)
- Anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie
- Only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2012