The New Jerusalem's
Lighting System, Revelation Chapter 21 Verses 22-27
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And I saw NO TEMPLE in it, for the Lord God, THE ALMIGHTY,
and THE LAMB, are its TEMPLE.
It is amazing to me the continuity within just this one book
of the Bible. After all the visions and judgments, we are
consoled that the Lord God who is in control at the
beginning, still is in control here at the end. We find the
use of the Lord God's full title here, THE ALMIGHTY, just we
as we were greeted with this title at the beginning of the
Revelation (Revelation 1:8).
In this verse, we find John looking for the TEMPLE and not
finding it. If one has traveled any around the world, no
matter what country you are in, you recognize the places of
worship rather quickly. It doesn't matter whether you are in
a Moslem country, a Christian/Catholic country, or Buddhist
country. The 'temple' is usually easy to spot. Here,
however, John can't find the TEMPLE. Apparently, John didn't
realize that the residents themselves are the TEMPLE (1
Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1
Corinthians 6:12-19-20).
In a way, when John originally wrote that Christ is the true
vine (John
15:1-17), John didn't fully comprehend what "abiding
in" meant. It appears to be such a fundamental concept of
the new Jerusalem that it may be one of the foundation
stones in verse 14. In this
sin-tainted present earth age, we certainly don't understand
this union. It remains for us to reach the new Jerusalem
before we will understand what it means to be fully
integrated. We are in Christ. Christ is in us. This is just
as it should be between a husband and wife (verse 9 and Genesis
2:18-23-24-25).
And THE CITY has NO NEED of the SUN or of the MOON to
shine upon it,
Here we see a clear difference between the old Jerusalem
(present earth) and the new Jerusalem (CITY). Presently, the
earth needs SUNlight for its existence and our survival. The
MOON really isn't needed for survival except perhaps for
romantics.
Even before the present sun and moon were created (Genesis
1:14-19), there was light (Genesis
1:3-5). Similarly, there may have be a light for the
new Jerusalem, but as this verse shows, there is NO NEED for
the SUN or the MOON as far as a light source.
for (1) the
GLORY of GOD has illumined it, and
We know from this verse that the GLORY of GOD (Revelation
21:9-11) is sufficient to illuminate the CITY.
Symbolically, the GLORY of GOD is sufficient to illuminate
our spiritual man.
(2) its lamp is
THE LAMB.
When Jesus walked on this earth, He clearly states the He is
the LIGHT (John
8:12-20). Not only that, true followers of Jesus will
have the LIGHT of life. Paul confirms that believers on this
earth when they walk as children of light, expose the
darkness (evil) to what is the fruit of the light consisting
of all goodness and righteousness and truth (Ephesians
5:1-8-14). When these children of light are translated
to the new Jerusalem (CITY), they as the Bride (verse 9) will
continue to glow with the Light of Life (John 8:12).
From this verse, one could almost think the CITY is really
one massive light source. Yet we know that it has physical
dimensions (verse
15).
Sidenote: It is no accident that Einstein's ratio of energy
to mass is proportional to the speed of LIGHT squared. While
we can't say that the CITY adheres to "Einstein's physics",
it is obvious that there is a relationship between matter
and energy even in the new CITY. After all, it is the same
GOD who made both the old earth and the new earth (verse 1).
And THE NATIONS shall walk by its light,
The angel (verse 9)
had directed our attention to new Jerusalem, THE
CITY, and we became so involved that we have
forgotten all about the new earth. Suddenly, John
says that there are NATIONS. And these NATIONS shall
walk or go about their business by the light of THE
CITY. Considering how large THE CITY is (verse 16),
it is understandable that a lot of light is given
off especially since it is GLORY-OF-GOD powered (verse 11).
Now let's look at whom are THE NATIONS? Several
commentaries point out that the root word here
translated as NATIONS often is translated as
'Gentiles'. It is unclear whether 'Gentiles' here
means non Jewish or non CITY residents. And where
did these Gentiles come from? It is not told
here what the origins of THE NATIONS might be.
Purely by speculation, one could make an argument
that the population at the end of the Millennial
period who did not become deceived by the devil (Revelation
20:7,8)
are translated to the new earth from their
Millennial homes. Recall, the deceived people were
burned (Revelation
20:9). These people are "saved" ones but not
in the same sense as the BRIDE (the church) (verse 9).
and THE KINGS of the earth shall bring their glory
into it.
The leadership among the populace of the new earth
are here denoted as KINGS. It is not clear what
'their glory' might be. Perhaps, in a sense, we are
seeing the garden of Eden all over again as it was
BEFORE Adam and Eve fell for the devil's ploy (Genesis
2:4-15-25). One can assume that nakedness on
the new earth will be OK too. As in the garden of
Eden before the fall, there is nothing to be ashamed
of in the new earth either (Revelation
3:18). It is left to the reader to determine
what the opposite of ashamed is. Whatever that is,
that is what THE KINGS bring into THE CITY. This
verse calls it 'their glory'. There are clues in Revelation
4:8-11, Revelation
5:8-14, and Revelation
7:9-12-17.
Read Isaiah
60 and see how much of this verse you see in
that chapter?
And in the DAYTIME (for there shall be NO NIGHT
THERE)
We are back to THE CITY once again; previous
verse and next
verse relate to what is outside THE CITY. But
we now return to THE CITY.
Imagine no darkness ever in THE CITY. That is what
this verse indicates. Symbolically, darkness (or no
night), while not intrinsically not evil itself, has
been used to denote the absence of the presence of
God and His blessings (John
9:1-4-12, John
12:27-35-36, and 1
Thessalonians 5:2-4-11). The idea that there
in NO NIGHT THERE apparently is so amazing to John
that he repeats it in Revelation
22:5. There is an interesting sidelight to the
absence of NIGHT. In effect a perpetual day removes
the concept of time. On present earth, we set time
by the earth's rotation in and out of the sun's
light. Even the Jewish Sabbath starts at sundown.
However in THE CITY, it is always noon! This
confirms that THE CITY is an eternal, forever and
ever, CITY.
its GATES shall NEVER be closed;
The GATES being open perpetually show that there is
no evil around. Furthermore, there is free access to
THE CITY by "new earthlings" (nations - next
verse). On this present earth, we have become
so used to evil being around, we have difficulty
imagining THE CITY without evil. Walk around your
house. How many things do you have (locks,
surveillance cameras, alarm systems, safes, bars on
windows, security fences, firearms, and so on) to
thwart evil?
Open GATES also indicate unhindered communication
with God. There will not be any "withstanding" like
the messenger faced in Daniel
10:10-13-17. There is no need to shut these
GATES. The interesting question then is what will
you and I say to God at that time? Consider your
present prayers; how will they change in the
presence of God? Maybe we ought to be practicing
praying now like we will communicate with God in THE
CITY. It's just a thought.
and they shall bring THE GLORY and THE HONOR of
THE NATIONS into it;
Oh my, the answer to the question posed in verse 24
is found right here. The opposite of ashamed is THE
GLORY and THE HONOR. While verse 24
clearly states that the kings brought THE GLORY into
THE CITY, here 'they' is generally interpreted as
the total populace of THE NATIONS. Now THE GLORY and
THE HONOR admittedly are very spiritual items, but
then THE CITY is a very special spiritual place.
On a more theological vein, some scholars point out
that in order for THE NATIONS to bring THE GLORY and
THE HONOR into THE CITY, they must pass through THE
GATES (Jewish nation - verse 12).
This may be what Zechariah's final prophesy is all
about (Zechariah
14:16-21). It also explains why a country as
small as Israel holds such a commanding place in
world news. Even mere earthlings today sense the
importance of Israel.
Other translations use the word 'defiled' instead of
UNCLEAN; so let's look at what 'defiles' a man:
and no one who practices abomination and
lying, shall EVER COME INTO IT
Out of the list of persons who are in the lake that
burns with fire and brimstone (verse 8),
the abominable and liars are singled out here. This
shows these two kinds of sin are especially
abhorrent to God. The abominable show by their deeds
that they don't believe in Jesus Christ (Titus
1:15-16). The liars because they are the
opposite of THE TRUTH (one of the names of Jesus
Christ - John
14:1-6-11) can't come anywhere near to 'IT',
the new Jerusalem (THE CITY). THE TRUTH and His wife
live in the new Jerusalem (verse 2).
but only THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE WRITTEN in
the Lamb's BOOK OF LIFE.
It is appropriate here to restate our understanding
about the BOOK OF LIFE. Everyone's name is written
into the BOOK OF LIFE at the conception of that
unique life. As that life is lived, sin is committed
by that life (Romans
3:21-23-31). The Lamb then erases that life's
name from the BOOK OF LIFE (Revelation
3:5). The life, when it accepts
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and holds
(overcomes - verse 7)
onto that commitment, has that life's name restored
to the BOOK OF LIFE by the Lamb. It is our choice to
be in the BOOK OF LIFE; it is Christ's choice of
your eternal residency, all because of where your
NAME is written. If your name is NOT in the BOOK OF
LIFE, you are doomed (Revelation
20:15). If your name is in the BOOK OF LIFE,
you are a resident (inheritor - verse 7)
of the new Jerusalem, THE CITY.
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"Scripture taken from the NEW
AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman
Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,
1977, 1995 Used by permission."
References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold
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