Previous Verse       Revelation Chapter 21 Verse 25 (NASB)       Next Verse

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25. And in the daytime (for there shall be no night there) its gates shall never be closed;
    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.
 "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 italics. All other references are in bold only