The New Jerusalem Described Series

Tom Lowe

1/23/18

Book of Revelation Commentary

Lesson: V.D.2: The New Jerusalem Described (21:9-27)

Scripture (Rev. 21:9-27, KJV)

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Commentary

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues

The first part of Revelation 17:1 is almost identical to this verse: “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters” (Revelation 17:1). The difference between 17:1 and 21:9 is that the angel of 17:1 made the announcement about the harlot city (Babylon), while here the description of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, is given by one of the same group of angels who had the seven bowls. The New Jerusalem was briefly presented in Revelation 21:2, but now is pictured in detail (21:9-22:5) in a closer and clearer vision.

The Scripture does not say which of the seven angels this was, which has led to speculation and differing opinions. One group says it may be the first angel, but their reasoning is unclear. Another group thinks it is perhaps the fifth angel, because he poured out his vial on the headquarters of the beast; but I have concluded that this is the seventh and last angel, for the reason that it is engaged in the utter destruction of antichrist; and therefore proposes to John that he show him the judgment of the great whore{1]; but perhaps the best reason of all is that John tells us as much when he says this was, “one of the seven angels which had the seven vials”; that is the seventh angel. Why one of these angels was employed to make this communication is not stated. It may be that as they had been engaged in bringing destruction on the enemies of the church, and securing its final triumph, the priority turned out to be that triumph should be announced by one of their number.