CHAPTER 21 | Verses 1-7
Verse1: “Isaw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth have passed away. And the sea was no more.”
In Isaiah 2v3 Isaiah, writing about the last days, speaks of the Torah/law of God going forth from Jerusalem. The constitution of the millennial Kingdom is the Torah or the laws of God. Matthew 5v17 tells us that Yeshua did not come to abolish the law and the prophets.
When the new heavens and the new earth are created there will no longer be any need for the Torah (Matthew 5v18).
We have learnt two things concerning the sea:
1. It represents instability. In the New Jerusalem there will be no instability.
2. It is also a reference to fear – that which is unknown. In the New Jerusalem there will no longer be any reason/cause for fear, because the Kingdom of God has come in its fullness.
Verse 2: “I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God from the heavens; prepared as a bride who is adorned for her husband.”
The Kingdom of God, in itsfinal and complete state, is called the New Jerusalem (Jerusalem comes from two Hebrew words that mean ‘to inherit’ and ‘peace’ i.e. the fulfilment of God’s will).
New is related to the Kingdom; it tells of a new reality – all things will become new. (Isaiah 42v9) James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from above – and that is what the New Jerusalem is – a gift coming from God (James 1v17).
There is an inherent relationship between the New Jerusalem and the people of God (bride).
Yeshua said that He was going away to prepare a place for us (John 14v2-3). The Kingdom has been prepared for us, and we have been prepared for God – prepared as a bride who is adorned for her husband.
Verse 3: “I heard a great voice from the throne saying: ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with man and He shall dwell in their midst. They should be for Him a people, and God will be with them as their God.”
What is redemption all about? Intimacy with God. God desires to dwell with us.
A tabernacle is the dwelling place of God. How can God dwell with a sinful people? Only because of redemption; the price that was paid for sinful man. Yeshua purchased for us eternal redemption (Hebrews 9v12).
Verse 4: “And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, and also mourning, cries and pain shall not be anymore. For the former things have passed.”
Sin leads to death and sorrow. There is no more sin, so no more death or sorrow.
Verse 5: “And the One who sits upon the throne said: ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me: ‘Write these things, because they are true and faithful.’”
This Kingdom is different from everything we can perceive in this world.
Verse 6: “He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. For I will give to those who are thirsty a spring of water, living water, freely.”
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. He is associating Himself with the Word of God in its entirety
Water satisfies thirst. There will be eternal satisfaction in the Kingdom of God. (Isaiah 55v1) We get it for free, because of the sufficiency of the work of the Lamb.
Verse 7: “The one who overcomes will inherit all things. I will be to him God, and he shall be to me for a son.”
The one who overcomes was a phrase used extensively in Revelation 2 and 3 when God was speaking to the exiled churches. They were outside of where God wanted them to be and God called them to overcome. This verse is speaking to believers