Rev 21:10-11 | KingComments | STEP | . Now speaks “He who sat on the throne”. Sitting on the throne means that He has all power and governs all things according to His will and thus comes to His purpose. We cannot imagine how what is new will look like. You can compare that with a grain of wheat. If you look at it you cannot imagine that an ear of wheat will grow out of it. Or when you look at a caterpillar, you cannot imagine that a butterfly will come out of it. Paul uses a number of pictures to make clear the difference between earthly and heavenly things ( ), but our comprehension is too small to imagine all of it. However, we do know that all sad things are gone and “all things” will be new. It is not new in contrast to old, but new in the sense of something that has never existed, for nothing and no one will ever grow old in the new creation. Everything for which man has ever made efforts will then be established by God. Man is not able to make an end to death and things that are connected to it, because sin dwells in him. To man that situation remains an idle dream, but for faith it is the great reality. After this wonderful promise that He will make all things new, John is commanded for the third time to write ( ). By writing it down, it is fixed ( ). When we sometimes forget these things, we can read it again. To remove any uncertainty, it is added as a confirmation that these words are “faithful and true”. . Then as a mighty conclusion the exclamation sounds: “It is done!” At that moment, all things have become new. Then the full result is seen of the work of Him Who once cried: “It is finished!” ( ). The rest, the peace and the harmony founded on that work will be enjoyed without interruption all eternity by God and those with whom He dwells. He Who has said it, is the eternal God, “the Alpha and the Omega”. He fulfills from A to Z – “Alpha” is the first letter and “Omega” the last letter of the Greek alphabet – what He has said. It means that He will fulfill His Word down to the smallest letter. He is also “the beginning and the end”, that is, He is at the beginning of all things, and at the end of all things He is still there. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. All things are held in connection with Him from eternity to eternity. There is eternity, because He is the Eternal. At this breathtaking moment, where time and everything attached to it, has disappeared, an invitation, as it were, spontaneously goes out to everyone who does not partake of it yet. If there are readers to whom this applies, it cannot be otherwise but a desire arises to partake of it. It is possible! If there is a thirst for the living God ( ), He will quench that thirst, just as the thirst of the Samaritan woman was quenched by the Lord Jesus ( ). . Besides thirst, there is also a fight needed to partake of that glory. For there is opposition in the form of persons or teachings that stand in the way of gaining that glory. But there are powerful weapons available that secure the victory. The inheritance of these things is given to those who have overcome the world through the faith ( ). They have overcome by the blood of the Lamb ( ). They overwhelmingly conquer through Him Who loved them ( ). The overcomers will be faithful to the end, until the wonderful inheritance can be taken into possession. Then the new creation will be experienced in the closest connection with God and to the joy of God. This is the only place in the writings of John where there is mention of our position as sons. It is also a personal relationship. Each person will have his own relationship with God and God with him. He will not disappear in the crowd of people with whom God dwells ( ). . After the extensive, but at the same time very limited description of the glory that is the part of the believers, the part of the unbelievers follows. The contrast is enormous and will never be undone. It will exist forever and ever. This is the part of those who are no overcomers and who haven’t thirsted for God. The first category of people of whom is said what their part is, are “the cowardly”. The cowardly have never dared to confess the Lord Jesus. They stand on the side of the enemies and will perish with them. Also the other categories will not inherit God’s kingdom ( ). There is mention of “their part”. That excludes the destruction of the soul. It also excludes the possibility for them to obtain the blessing after a course of time. The teaching of the universal atonement is a serious attack on the authority of God’s Word and damages the gravity and perfection of the work of Christ. The substitutional suffering of Christ would not be necessary if all people will ultimately receive part of the eternal glory. But all who have no part in the work of Christ because they have rejected it, will be in the second death. The result is that they will be definitely cut off of all life, of which they will never partake. . With a chronological section has been completed which has ended in eternity. What comes after that cannot be a sequel to it, for after the eternal state there is not something else. Therefore from we are taken back to the time immediately preceding the eternal state, the kingdom of peace. A description follows of the glory of the church as the heavenly city, which is as the place from which Christ’s reign over the earth takes place. starts with nearly the same words you also have read in Revelation 17 ( ). Here it also starts, as in Revelation 17:1, with “one of the angels who had the seven bowls”, though it is added here that they were “full of the seven last plagues”. The full bowls are shown here to make clear that the city could only come after the judgments of God have been executed over the earth. Furthermore you see that in both sections the description follows of a woman and a city. If you compare both sections with one another, you see a relationship with both a great difference between what you now already have learnt about Babylon and what you will see of the new Jerusalem. The church is presented here as “bride” and as “wife”. Probably ‘bride’ refers to her glory toward the world and ‘wife’ refers to the intimate relationship toward the Lamb, the Bridegroom. ‘Bride’ can also refer to the first love for that one particular Man Whom she loves above all things and ‘wife’ may refer to the fulfilled desire of the love and its continuance. Both aspects remain forever applicable. . In Revelation 17 John is led into the wilderness ( ). Here he finds himself in an exalted position. He may see the bride, the wife of the Lamb from the mountain. But what does he see? He sees a city. That means that the woman who is the church, also has the characteristic of a city. The city is shown to John as God has always seen it from eternity. In that way Moses was also allowed to see the promised land from a mountain ( ) and Ezekiel saw the future earthly Jerusalem and the new temple from a high mountain ( ). John’s position is far higher than that of both of them, for he is allowed to see the new heavenly Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from God. As the city in eternity comes down from God ( ), so it also comes down in the kingdom of peace. The church is the dwelling place of God, from which blessing goes to the earth, both in the kingdom of peace and in eternity. Here it is also “the holy city”, the city that God has set apart for Himself to be His city, His dwelling place. It is the city with the name “Jerusalem”, which means ‘foundation of peace’. In and through the church the name of the city will fulfill its meaning. The city is both the dwelling place of God and the place where His throne is. Therefore the city is also the center from which He rules and governs for the blessing of the people. The last time a city is mentioned in connection with the earth is Babylon. The first city mentioned in connection with the earth is the city that Cain builds ( ). Cities on earth are not built to the honor of God. The city that God builds is heavenly in origin and spreads the honor of God and Christ. Now read Revelation 21:5-10 again. Reflection: What does it do to you when you think of the future of the unbelievers?

‏ Revelation of John 21:10-11

All Things New

Rev 21:5. Now speaks “He who sat on the throne”. Sitting on the throne means that He has all power and governs all things according to His will and thus comes to His purpose. We cannot imagine how what is new will look like. You can compare that with a grain of wheat. If you look at it you cannot imagine that an ear of wheat will grow out of it. Or when you look at a caterpillar, you cannot imagine that a butterfly will come out of it. Paul uses a number of pictures to make clear the difference between earthly and heavenly things (1Cor 15:35-49), but our comprehension is too small to imagine all of it. However, we do know that all sad things are gone and “all things” will be new.

It is not new in contrast to old, but new in the sense of something that has never existed, for nothing and no one will ever grow old in the new creation. Everything for which man has ever made efforts will then be established by God. Man is not able to make an end to death and things that are connected to it, because sin dwells in him. To man that situation remains an idle dream, but for faith it is the great reality.

After this wonderful promise that He will make all things new, John is commanded for the third time to write (Rev 14:13 ; Rev 19:9). By writing it down, it is fixed (Isa 30:8). When we sometimes forget these things, we can read it again. To remove any uncertainty, it is added as a confirmation that these words are “faithful and true”.

Rev 21:6. Then as a mighty conclusion the exclamation sounds: “It is done!” At that moment, all things have become new. Then the full result is seen of the work of Him Who once cried: “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30). The rest, the peace and the harmony founded on that work will be enjoyed without interruption all eternity by God and those with whom He dwells.

He Who has said it, is the eternal God, “the Alpha and the Omega”. He fulfills from A to Z – “Alpha” is the first letter and “Omega” the last letter of the Greek alphabet – what He has said. It means that He will fulfill His Word down to the smallest letter. He is also “the beginning and the end”, that is, He is at the beginning of all things, and at the end of all things He is still there. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. All things are held in connection with Him from eternity to eternity. There is eternity, because He is the Eternal.

At this breathtaking moment, where time and everything attached to it, has disappeared, an invitation, as it were, spontaneously goes out to everyone who does not partake of it yet. If there are readers to whom this applies, it cannot be otherwise but a desire arises to partake of it. It is possible! If there is a thirst for the living God (Psa 42:2), He will quench that thirst, just as the thirst of the Samaritan woman was quenched by the Lord Jesus (Jn 4:14).

Rev 21:7. Besides thirst, there is also a fight needed to partake of that glory. For there is opposition in the form of persons or teachings that stand in the way of gaining that glory. But there are powerful weapons available that secure the victory. The inheritance of these things is given to those who have overcome the world through the faith (1Jn 5:4). They have overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11). They overwhelmingly conquer through Him Who loved them (Rom 8:37).

The overcomers will be faithful to the end, until the wonderful inheritance can be taken into possession. Then the new creation will be experienced in the closest connection with God and to the joy of God. This is the only place in the writings of John where there is mention of our position as sons. It is also a personal relationship. Each person will have his own relationship with God and God with him. He will not disappear in the crowd of people with whom God dwells (Rev 21:3).

Rev 21:8. After the extensive, but at the same time very limited description of the glory that is the part of the believers, the part of the unbelievers follows. The contrast is enormous and will never be undone. It will exist forever and ever. This is the part of those who are no overcomers and who haven’t thirsted for God.

The first category of people of whom is said what their part is, are “the cowardly”. The cowardly have never dared to confess the Lord Jesus. They stand on the side of the enemies and will perish with them. Also the other categories will not inherit God’s kingdom (1Cor 6:10).

There is mention of “their part”. That excludes the destruction of the soul. It also excludes the possibility for them to obtain the blessing after a course of time. The teaching of the universal atonement is a serious attack on the authority of God’s Word and damages the gravity and perfection of the work of Christ. The substitutional suffering of Christ would not be necessary if all people will ultimately receive part of the eternal glory. But all who have no part in the work of Christ because they have rejected it, will be in the second death. The result is that they will be definitely cut off of all life, of which they will never partake.

Rev 21:9. With Rev 21:8 a chronological section has been completed which has ended in eternity. What comes after that cannot be a sequel to it, for after the eternal state there is not something else. Therefore from Rev 21:9 we are taken back to the time immediately preceding the eternal state, the kingdom of peace. A description follows of the glory of the church as the heavenly city, which is as the place from which Christ’s reign over the earth takes place.

Rev 21:9 starts with nearly the same words you also have read in Revelation 17 (Rev 17:1). Here it also starts, as in Revelation 17:1, with “one of the angels who had the seven bowls”, though it is added here that they were “full of the seven last plagues”. The full bowls are shown here to make clear that the city could only come after the judgments of God have been executed over the earth. Furthermore you see that in both sections the description follows of a woman and a city. If you compare both sections with one another, you see a relationship with both a great difference between what you now already have learnt about Babylon and what you will see of the new Jerusalem.

The church is presented here as “bride” and as “wife”. Probably ‘bride’ refers to her glory toward the world and ‘wife’ refers to the intimate relationship toward the Lamb, the Bridegroom. ‘Bride’ can also refer to the first love for that one particular Man Whom she loves above all things and ‘wife’ may refer to the fulfilled desire of the love and its continuance. Both aspects remain forever applicable.

Rev 21:10. In Revelation 17 John is led into the wilderness (Rev 17:3). Here he finds himself in an exalted position. He may see the bride, the wife of the Lamb from the mountain. But what does he see? He sees a city. That means that the woman who is the church, also has the characteristic of a city. The city is shown to John as God has always seen it from eternity. In that way Moses was also allowed to see the promised land from a mountain (Deu 34:1) and Ezekiel saw the future earthly Jerusalem and the new temple from a high mountain (Eze 40:2).

John’s position is far higher than that of both of them, for he is allowed to see the new heavenly Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from God. As the city in eternity comes down from God (Rev 21:2), so it also comes down in the kingdom of peace.

The church is the dwelling place of God, from which blessing goes to the earth, both in the kingdom of peace and in eternity. Here it is also “the holy city”, the city that God has set apart for Himself to be His city, His dwelling place. It is the city with the name “Jerusalem”, which means ‘foundation of peace’. In and through the church the name of the city will fulfill its meaning. The city is both the dwelling place of God and the place where His throne is. Therefore the city is also the center from which He rules and governs for the blessing of the people.

The last time a city is mentioned in connection with the earth is Babylon. The first city mentioned in connection with the earth is the city that Cain builds (Gen 4:17). Cities on earth are not built to the honor of God. The city that God builds is heavenly in origin and spreads the honor of God and Christ.

Now read Revelation 21:5-10 again.

Reflection: What does it do to you when you think of the future of the unbelievers?

The Holy City, the New Jerusalem

Rev 21:11. The city has “the glory of God”. That goes beyond the robe of the bride, which is woven by herself, although the robe is given to her by God. In Christ we see the light of the glory of the knowledge of God (2Cor 4:6) and here the church has that glory. The church is as completely in harmony with God as Christ is. As the glory of God is seen in Christ, so the glory of God is seen in it (cf. Jn 17:22). What has been revealed in the Lord Jesus will also be seen in this city.

Considering that this applies to people who by nature had no part in the glory of God (Rom 3:23), isn’t it an indescribable grace? It is indeed nothing but grace through which you have been made partaker of it (2Cor 4:6). Therefore you are now able to boast in the hope on the glory of God (Rom 5:11) that has become a reality in this section.

The glory of God, as it is expressed in Revelation 4 (Rev 4:3), is in all kinds of ways also the part of the church. The jasper stone which is mentioned there, you also find here, and also in Rev 21:18-19. This stone can be compared to the diamond known to us, which can be cut in such a way that the light is reflected in a variety of magnificent colors. The glow of light, which will soon be visible in full unhindered glory, should now already be radiated by the church (cf. Phil 2:15). That is only possible by the Spirit (Acts 7:55; 2Cor 3:18).

Rev 21:12. The church is built in a way that it can reflect or transmit the glory of God without anything interrupting or obscuring that glory. This is because she has a wall and gates and foundations. A wall ensures safety (Zec 2:5) and holiness and divides between the holy and the profane (Eze 42:20). In this city all the saints have gathered who have glorified God in their life on earth. The wall makes sure that nothing can enter the city that does not belong there (Psa 122:3), which now is still possible in the church (Gal 2:4; Jude 1:4).

But it is a wall with gates. Gates are related to government. In former days court cases were held in the gates of cities (Rth 4:1). The great emphasis on the gates underscores the significance of the city as a governing body. The gates allow the good to enter and keep the evil outside. A gate also means a secure and controlled access to the temple.

Gates form a connection between the city and the earth during the kingdom of peace. The angels are the servants at the gates, they are the guards. Their task as channels of God’s blessing as in the Old Testament is over. That task is for the church (Heb 2:5). The wall with its gates is to the greater glory of God (Isa 60:18).

Names are written on the gates. That has to do with the custom that gates were named after the cities which they were leading to. The Damascus gate, for example, is the gate through which you come on the way to Damascus. The gates with the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel indicate that the blessings of the church will go primarily to Israel.

Rev 21:13. With the holy city Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God (Rev 21:3), it is the same as with the tabernacle in the wilderness. In each wind direction there were three tribes and the tabernacles was in the center (Num 2:17). All blessing goes out from the center and all worship goes to this center:

1. It begins with the “east”, the side where the sun rises. The light of the new day of the kingdom of peace is present.

2. The “north” reminds of the time that God had to judge His people through the means of the nations from the north because of their unfaithfulness, a time that is over.

3. The “south” speaks of the summer warmth, the summer that has come.

4. The “west” is the side where the sun goes down, which shows that there also comes an end to the kingdom of peace.

An application can be made for the proclamation of the gospel in our time and also for the church now. We must try to reach all nations with the gospel and also all age groups and social layers of the population, that is, everyone, without distinction. A church needs to have both a high wall and well-functioning gates. Some churches have so many open gates that there is no longer a wall. The other way around can also be the case. In that case a church has only a high wall and no gate at all. In both cases there is no separation for the Lord.

Rev 21:14. After the gates, the wall is described in more details. The foundations are not the twelve sons of Israel, but “the twelve apostles of the Lamb”. The twelve sons of Israel have never been connected to the Lamb on earth. The twelve apostles have become the founders of the church (Eph 2:20) after the Holy Spirit came and the church came into existence. The foundation is Christ (1Cor 3:11). This is the city with foundations Abraham looked for (Heb 11:10).

Rev 21:15. Then John notes that the angel has “a gold measuring rod” in his hand. The rod is of gold and therefore meets the glory of God. The city and its gates and walls must be measured with a Divine measure. Earlier John was ordered to measure the earthly Jerusalem (Rev 11:1). Only, there was no mention of a rod of gold, nor should John measure a certain part.

When God measures something or gives the order to measure, He makes clear that it belongs to Him and that it is recognized by Him (cf. Zec 2:1-2 ; 12; Eze 40:3 ; 5). ‘Measure’ also means to determine the position and the calling of the city, with the boundaries attached to it. It must be established that the city and all that is in it, all that is decided there – of which the gate speaks – is in accordance with the glory of God. The same is true of the holiness of the city, of which the wall speaks.

Rev 21:16. The city is not only square – which is indicated by the statement “its length is as great as its breadth” –, but also cubical, for its height has the same measurement. That reminds us of the Holy of Holies, which by its measurements was also a cube (cf. 1Kgs 6:20; Eze 41:4). By her length and breadth it stands in connection with the earth and by her height in connection with heaven.

The “fifteen hundred miles” which the angel measures, can be compared to about two thousand two hundred twenty kilometers. That the city has perfectly equal sides says something about the perfect balance in all that God brings about. He gives the right weight to every truth of His Word. We see that in the way He carries them out. He never emphasizes one truth to the expense of another truth.

That the city can be measured indicates that it is limited. That goes for everything that has to do with man. Only God is endless and man is by definition limited. At the same time, the church is perfect in accordance with the eternal counsels of God and the measure cannot be measured (cf. Eph 3:18-19).

Rev 21:17. With the “seventy-two yards” or “one hundred [and] forty-four cubits” (NKJV) the thickness of the wall is probably meant, which therefore counts between sixty-five and seventy meters. Anyway, it is a full measure – one hundred and forty-four is twelve times twelve. At the same time it also implies that each man can have only a limited imagination of the ‘measures’ of the church. In this measurement “a man” and “an angel” are placed on the same level. Both of them are creatures and therefore limited in fathoming all the glory of God.

Rev 21:18. In Rev 21:11 you saw that jasper is a picture of the radiance of the glory of God. The wall of the city is of this same material. The glory of God functions as a protecting and dividing wall. The glory of God prohibits and prevents anything unclean entering the city. If the glory of God also manifested itself more among us, much would be held back that does not fit in the light of that glory (Acts 5:13; Gen 28:17).

This is the fourth mention of the wall of the city:

1. In Rev 21:12 the mark of the wall is mentioned: great and high.

2. In Rev 21:14 the foundations of the wall are mentioned.

3. In Rev 21:17 the wall is spoken of in connection with its measure.

4. Finally Rev 21:18 speaks about the building material, the material of which the wall is composed.

The city is “pure gold, like clear glass”, that is, that the city is of transparent gold. In the old creation that is not possible, but it is in the new one creation. It makes clear that the city is made of a material that is fully transparent, without any dark spot, without any blemish or anything unclean. The city is in this characteristic equal to God. How could the city of God have something that is dark or blemished? Everything is transparent and meets the glory of God.

Now read Revelation 21:11-18 again.

Reflection: What aspects of the city are mentioned and what do they represent?