August 10, 2024
The Great Controversy is over. Satan and his followers have been destroyed and all traces of sin and evil are forever gone. At that time our planet will undergo a radical transformation. Cleansed and restored to its original state and ready to be the forever home of God’s people.
Revelation 21:1-4 - 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. 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."
It is interesting to note that John describes the New Heaven and Earth in terms of what is not there: no sea (could be understood as 1 - the oceans, as we know them, will no longer exist 2 – a symbolic end of evil because the enemies of God came from the sea (13:1) or 3 - a symbolic end of separation and suffering which John experienced while on Patmos – separated by the sea from his people) no tears, death, sorrow, crying and pain.
Because of sin, all those words entered our vocabulary and every single human has experienced them. However, sprinkled throughout Scripture are promises that things will not always be that way:
Isaiah 65:17 - Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
Isaiah 25:8 - He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 - When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." {Isaiah 25:8}
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" {Hosea 13:14}
Ezekiel 37:26-27 - I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Even though the fulfillment of these promises is still in the future, we can live as though they have already been fulfilled. Why? Because God says there will come a day of ultimate fulfillment:
Revelation 21:5-7 - He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. 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.
This section concludes with a warning. While those who overcome will receive their promised inheritance, those who reject God’s mercy – “the cowards, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars” will be excluded.
John is now shown the Holy City – the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.
It is a real place and real people will live there, but it is so far beyond our comprehension (1 Corinthians 2:9), that John must use symbolic language to describe what he sees (21:11-27):
• It’s brilliance is like that of jasper – clear as crystal.
• It has high walls with 12 gates (3 gates on each wall – north, south, east, west – access from all directions) and an angel is stationed at each gate. Each gate is a single pearl and on the gates are written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.
• It has 12 foundations and on them are written the names of the 12 Apostles. Each foundation is a different precious stone: jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst.
Next, John is given a measuring rod and told to measure the city:
• It is square – more precisely a cube - 12,000 stadia (1,400-1,500 miles depending on the translation) per side.
The significance of the cube shape is found in the fact that the Most Holy Place in the Old Testament temple was a perfect cube and housed the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the place where God dwelt – His throne.
o 1 Kings 6:19-20 - He (Solomon) prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the LORD there. The inner sanctuary was about 30 feet long, wide and high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold…..
The city functions not only as the Temple, but also as the Most Holy Place because the city is where the throne of God is located (as John will note in verse 22). Fulfilling the prophesy of Jeremiah:
o Jeremiah 3:16-17 - In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land," declares the LORD, "men will no longer say, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.' It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. At that time they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD….
• Its walls are 200 feet thick “according to human measurements,” and made of jasper.
• Its streets are made of pure transparent gold.
John also notices that the city does not need the light of the sun or the moon. Some have argued that that means the sun and moon will no longer exist, but that seems inconsistent with the earth being brought back to its original created state. Remember that John is using symbolic language. There will be no need for the sun or the moon in the city because the glory of God resides there and his glory far outshines them. The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. There will be no night in the city and the gates will never be shut. Here is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy:
Isaiah 60:3, 11, 18-20 - Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn…. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations -- their kings led in triumphal procession…. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
There is only one condition for entering the New Jerusalem ---- your name must be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Moving into the City
Revelation 22:1-5 - Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Again John points us back to the Old Testament – fulfilling the prophecies that spoke of the river of living water flowing from the restored temple:
Ezekiel 47:1, 12 - Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar…. "And by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing." (also see Zechariah 14:8)
As a result of sin, humanity lost access to the Tree of Life and became subject to death:
Genesis 3:22-24 - Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever "-- therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.
Now that death and Hades have been forever destroyed, God’s people once again have access to the Tree of Life.
A question is raised regarding, “And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” What does that mean exactly? Will we all sit around eating leaves to ward of disease? I don’t think so:
• 1stly, because we have already been told that with the eradication of sin, there is no longer sickness or death, which removes the need for healing.
• 2ndly, the verse says, “for the healing of the nations,” not individuals. According to Revelation 7:9, the New Jerusalem will be inhabited by people of all nations, tribes and languages. Historically, barriers of nationalism, racism, politics, culture and language have divided people. Yet, both Micah and Zechariah tell us that a time will come when all those barriers will be broken down:
o Micah 4:1-4 - In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken.
o Zechariah 3:10 - "'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty."
Now on the banks of the River of Life, the nations sit together – One people, one family.
Finally, for me, the greatest of promises is given:
Revelation 22:4 - They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Forget streets of gold. Forget gates of pearls. Forget mansions and eternal life. One day we will see God with nothing in between:
1 Corinthians 13:12 - Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
The ending of the Great Controversy will mark the beginning of a full and intimate fellowship with God.
Question ---- If there was no heaven, if there were no streets of gold, if there were no “reward” as we think of reward, would eternity with God be enough?
Yes!!! God is enough. A restored forever relationship with him is reward enough. Everything else is just a bonus.
The prophecies of Revelation are now concluded.
Epilogue
In the final verses, the angel affirms that everything John has been shown is trustworthy and true.
Overwhelmed, John falls at the feet of the angel and again he is told to stop, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"
In the final chapter of Daniel, he was instructed to seal up the book until the time of the end:
Daniel 12:9-10 - He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
John is told to do the exact opposite – now is the time for the end to be revealed:
Revelation 22:10-11 - “Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."
Now Jesus, himself speaks – repeating his words in 21:5-8:
Revelation 22:12-17 - "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (see John 7:37)
In verse 18-19, Jesus gives one final warning:
…. If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
What does Jesus’ final warning mean? No tampering with the actual words? If that were the case, those who translated the original language into English or Spanish or Chinese would be in danger of losing out on Eternal Life. It has more to do with misrepresentation and speculation than it does with words.
“Adding to” has to do with distorting or misrepresenting prophecy or insisting on speculative ideas to fit a personal agenda or to suit one’s own purposes.
“Subtracting from” is to deliberately down-play the divine origins or the symbolic/prophetic nature of the book, reducing its power and importance.
For the final time Jesus states, “Yes! I am coming soon.”
And John responds with longing, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
The book of Revelation concludes with a benediction:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.”
Ellen White (GC 678.3): The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.
