The relationship God has with His people is likened to a marriage. Paul writes, “For I am jealous for you with godly jealously. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). Betrothal is similar to our engagement but was much…
The New Jerusalem of chapter 21 is described in heavenly images in chapter 22. We have presented evidence that the New Jerusalem exists now. Saints are strangers and exiles on the earth at this present time but have their citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20). The New Jerusalem is the city of God where he dwells…
The passage reads, “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter…
The angel said to John, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (cf. Rev. 15:1,8). The angel takes John to a high mountain to see the holy mountain Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. John was in the spirit, probably much like Paul’s experience in 2 Corinthians…
To each of the cities, their letters contain a section of the promise given to those who “overcome.” Below is the description of the combined list of the letters. 1.) They will eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God 2.) Will not be hurt by the second death 3.)…
The problem that most people would have in applying this description to a fulfilled event is that no one living on earth has experienced life without tears, mourning, crying, and pain (21:4). Therefore, the patented response is that this must be referring to heaven. However, after Christ cleared the threshing floor, gathered his wheat into…
As the New Heavens and Earth is spiritual, so is the further description of the New Jerusalem of verse two. We will examine verse two and three, today. First, John wrote that he saw the holy city. The kingdom is often referred to as a celestial city (Luke 21:28,32-32; Heb. 12:28). In this city dwells…
Peter writes of three heavens and earth periods. They are different ages and world systems. First, the old heavens and earth lasted from creation to the flood (vs. 5-6) and was destroyed by water. The world was drastically altered but not annihilated. Second, the “now” heavens and earth that was about to end soon (1…
Well, this seems to be an ongoing discussion where neither side is really understanding the other. It seems that some see this distinction as a laughable trend among “pseudo-spiritualizers.” These would see the “church” as being both an organization and an organism and yet proceed to explain that the organism has structure and organization necessary…
Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then…