Introduction

In symbolic language, John tells of his glimpse of the new city of Jerusalem.

Verses
1I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.
2I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
3I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”
5He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”
6He said to me, “I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.
7He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
8But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”
9One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.”
10He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
11having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
13On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
15He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.
16The city is square, and its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand and twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal.
17Its wall is one hundred and forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
18The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass.
19The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
20the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst.
21The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple.
23The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
24The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
25Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there),
26and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it so that they may enter.
27There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Questions

1. What does the loud voice out of heaven say?

v 3 and 4 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”

2. What does the one sitting on the throne say about those who are thirsty and and those who overcome?

v 6 and 7 ... I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

3. Why does the city have no need of the sun or moon?

v 23 The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 

Summary Points

  • v 1 to 8 John sees a vision of a time when God dwells with his people. There is no more death. All evil will be removed from the world
  • v 9 to 21 John then sees the Lamb's wife as a symbolic city, Jerusalem, made of all precious materials
  • v 22 to 27 The Lord God and the Lamb dwell in the city which becomes a holy centre for all nations

 Timeline 60 AD

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