XXIII: Where The Gates Never Close Revelation 21:22 - 22:5
Nov 17, 2014
XXIII: Where The Gates Never Close
Revelation 21:22 - 22:5
I start my study of Revelation with an initial focus on the end of
Revelation: Chapters 21 and the first 5 verses of 22.
I want to draw the readers’ attention to how unique the Christian
view of Heaven is, briefly comparing it to Islamic visions of Paradise
for enhanced clarity. I point out that two population groups seem to
live in Heaven.
Finally, I remind the reader of how Revelation’s account of Heaven
and Genesis’s creation account mirror one another in a powerful
symmetry.
I’m just filler . . . you know, ‘No
hyperlinks for you till Slide 4!” Contracts on the cat and the kid ran out and now Lenny’s using
me. ‘Best for last’ and all that!
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WE’LL BE FOCUSING ON THE ETERNAL CITY’S PART OF THE FINAL NARRATIVE
Introduction
Letters to the Seven Churches
The Story of the Tribulation
Christ’s Return
The Millennium
Great White Throne Judgment
The Eternal City
Final Message
Rev 19
Rev 22
The Doom of Babylon
FOUR PARTS TO THIS PRESENTATION
Basic Facts: We extract the facts about Heaven as presented in the last two chapters of Revelation.
Islam Vs. Christianity: Two distinct and different visions of Heaven emerge here-and I suggest that there are reasons why each tradition depicts Heaven the way it does!
The Nations vs. The Bride: Two population groups appear on the rolls of Heaven. What’s up with that?
Genesis vs. Revelation: The two harmonize in the mind of God and that harmony resonates in the pages of our Bibles.
Here’s the Basic Facts Section for Chapter 21 and
the beginning of Chapter 22.
GOD LIGHTS THE ETERNAL CITY
No temple (21:22)– Almighty and the Lamb = Temple
No sun/moon (21:23)– Almighty and the Lamb give light
Nations: (Nations??? What nations? What’s up with that?)
Walk by this light (v. 24)
Have kings (v. 24)
Walk through gates that never close (v. 25)
Bring their glory into the city (v. 24)
GOD HEALS THE NATIONS
River of the waters of life come from God’s throne (v. 1)
This river flows down the middle of the street
On either side of the river: Tree of Life (v. 2)
Yields 12 kinds of fruit
Heals the nations (Again, what are ‘nations’ doing in Heaven?)
There is no more curse
GOD’S BONDSERVANTSGod’s Bondservants serve Him (v. 3)
They (we?) see His face (v. 4)
His name is on their (our?) foreheads
No need for natural light: the Lord God shall illumine them
They (we?) shall reign forever and ever!
GOD’S BONDSERVANTSGod’s Bondservants serve Him (v. 3)
They (we?) see His face (v. 4)
His name is on their (our?) foreheads
No need for natural light: the Lord God shall illumine them
They (we?) shall reign forever and ever!
but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE
HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART
OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR
THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." I Corinthians 2:9
REPORTING OUT ON THE TRIBULATION SIX IN CHAPTER 22
TRIBULATION SAINTS: Assuming they belong among the ‘God’s bondservants’ group of 22:3, they reside safely in the Eternal City, New Jerusalem
ANTICHRIST: No news here.
SATAN: No news here, but death has been done away with which suggests his influence has finished?
REPORTING OUT ON THE TRIBULATION SIX
ISRAEL: No relevant news in this section 21:22 - 22:5
THE NATIONS: Some subset of the class “Nations” clearly has a place around the Eternal City, perhaps in the “New Earth” over which the Eternal City hovers. How did they get here? See the slide “Nations vs. Bride” below for fuller treatment. River of Life said to be for the nations’ healing (Rev 22:1+2)
CREATION: No more curse!! (Rev 22:3) Everything ‘new’!
Here’s the Islam vs. Christianity section.
Compare and contrast to sharpen your
understanding.
ISLAM VS. CHRISTIANITY Our Heaven appears less naturally alluring than do the Muslim’s visions of Paradise
Bible: Lots on geography; little on experience
Qur’an: Little on geography; lots on experience
Bible: Features the site– bejeweled splendor, grand architecture
Qur’an: Features the experience–eternal sexual pleasures etc
Different and
instructive visions
of heaven
ISLAM VS. CHRISTIANITY God provides us a view of Heaven which stresses its corporate elements: the Bride, the nations, the Holy City, corporate experiences of Heaven’s overall beauty
The Qur’an provides us a view of the individual muslim man’s elevation to limitless self indulgence: His tent, his collection of women, his wine and good times
Different and
instructive visions
of heaven
God has a reason for crafting His
account of heaven the way He has.
That reason may have something
to do with motivating the behavior
of the faithful.
Qur’anic vision of Paradise motivates Muslims to behave
very differently than do the Christian’s visions of Heaven
That reason may have something
to do with motivating the behavior
of the faithful.
Islam: Take up the sword in
life and get an eternity of
eat, drink and be merry. Physical effort =>
Physical reward
Islam: Take up the sword in
life and get an eternity of
eat, drink and be merry. Physical effort =>
Physical reward
Christianity: Pursue a knowledge of Jesus in
this life; gain an eternity of His presence.
Spiritual effort =>
Spiritual reward
In obedience to Christ’s appeals to know Him in this life, we strive to express, in acts of grace, the experience of His
Spirit’s presence within us now.
Our present union with God through His Spirit serves as the primary motivation and power for our actions here on earth.
Biblical depictions of Heaven serve as a secondary motivator for action on earth. Therefore:
The Bible’s depiction of our personal experience of Heaven gets only a general description. In Heaven, God tells us that we experience the completion of our union
with Christ which we enjoyed in life .
In obedience to the Qur’an’s commands to pursue violent jihad, the islamic warrior strives now to earn a
future entrance to a sensual Paradise later.
That need to secure entrance to Paradise with physical violence motivates the many a Muslim male’s behavior.Lurid Qur’anic visions of Paradise serve as a powerful primary motivator for dangerous physical actions here
on earth. Therefore:
The Qur’anic portrayal of the sensual personal experience of a future Paradise gets
powerfully graphic descriptions designed to stir the faithful to violent physical actions in the present.
The Christian secures Heaven upon conversion and begins to learn the ways of his God here on earth. Christ gives us His presence, His Spirit, to motivate us here to acts of graciousness.
The Christian secures Heaven upon conversion and begins to learn the ways of his God here on earth. Christ gives us His presence, His Spirit, to motivate us here.
The Muslim man has but one sure ticket to
Paradise: martyrdom in the way of jihad.
The Qur’an’s lurid descriptions of Paradise
compensate for the non-presence in this life
of the distant, undemonstrative Allah.
Here’s the ‘Nations vs. The Bride’
Section. Wondering why the ‘nations’ are in Heaven
with the Bride? Me, too.
NATIONS VS. BRIDENations:
At Armageddon (19:19)Slaughtered in battle (19:21)Millennial experience of Sheep Nations (20:8)Some join Satan at end (20:8)All dead resurrected (20:11)Great White Throne: If name not in Book of Life, report to Hell, If name in Book of Life, report to to Heaven (20:11)
God dwells with those in Book of Life in heaven (21:3)No tears for the ‘saved’ (21:4)Relationship with New Jerusalem for the ‘saved’ (21:4)
Have kings (21:26)Access to New Jerusalem (21:25)Receive healing (22:2)Relieved of curse (22:3)
The Bride:Marriage Supper (19:7)First Resurrection (20:4+5)Reign with Christ for 1000 years (20:6)Live as Bride of Christ in New Jerusalem (21:2)Serve God (22:3)Carry God’s Name: (22:3)
Why 2X’s + more
info on fate of
nations?!?!
WUWT?
The Christian secures Heaven upon conversion. The Bible locates the point of our entrance
(resurrection 19:7) and declares our presence with our God (22:3). God deems this level of info enough for the eternally secure!
The Bible spends more time on the Fate of
the Nations (some Heaven, some Hell)
because believers need reassurance here and
now that 1) our God judges all righteously
and 2) that God has a plan to do so!
The Christian secures heaven upon conversion. Bible locates the point of our entrance (resurrection 19:7) and declares our presence with our God (22:3). God deems this level of info enough for now!
The Bible spends more time on the Fate of
the Nations (some heaven, some hell) because
we need reassurance here and now that 1)
our God judges righteously and 2) that God
has a plan to do so!
We serve in this life on a
“NEED TO KNOW” basis.
The Christian secures heaven upon conversion. Bible locates the point of our entrance (resurrection 19:7) and declares our presence with our God (22:3). God deems this level of info enough for now!
The Bible spends more time on the Fate of
the Nations (some heaven, some hell) because
we need reassurance here and now that 1)
our God judges righteously and 2) that God
has a plan to do so!
For more information, see Slide Set
“The Nations in Revelation”.
Who are the ‘nations’?
On what basis do they get involved
in The New Heaven and New Earth?
Huh?
Let’s review the connection between
Genesis’ opening Chapters and Revelation’s closing
Chapters.
GENESIS <=> REVELATION
GENESIS <=> REVELATIONRevelation reflects Genesis!
Remember???
R 21:23–Light also bathesthe second creation
G 1:3–Light bathes thefirst creation
G 2:9–Tree of Life inGarden’s center
R 22:2–Tree of Life in thecenter of New Jerusalem
G 2:8–God createsthe Garden
R 21:2–God createsNew Jerusalem
G 2:10 A river watersthe Garden
R 22:1–A river watersNew Jerusalem
GENESIS:THE ALPHA TOWER
REVELATION: THE OMEGA TOWER
R 21:3–God dwellsamong men
G 3:8–God walkswith Adam
G1:1–God creates the heavens and earth
R 21:1–God creates thenew heavens and earth
R 20:14–Death abolished G 2:3–Death reigns
G 3:17–Ground Cursed R 22:3–Curse removed
G 3:16–Pain and tears R 21:4–No more painand tears
GENESIS:THE ALPHA TOWER
G 3:24–Man banishedfrom Garden
R 21:3, 22:3–Man welcomedback to New Jerusalem
REVELATION:THE OMEGA TOWER
R 21:25–Gates openedG 3:24–Garden locked
G 2:13–Satan deceives R 20:10–Satan punished
GENESIS AND REVELATION
Revelation pictures an Eternal State that directly reflects God’s original intentions for the Creation as pictured in the opening chapters of Genesis.
Creation itself has come through a spiritual death to become all that God intended it to be from the first, before the Fall of Man.
Heaven reflects God’s righteous character, not man’s carnal interests in self-indulgence, and every descriptive item in Revelation speaks to us of our God’s righteousness and strength!
Throughout Revelation’s treatment of the Eternal
State, there exists a striking physicality to the
depictions. Heaven fills with structures of
measured substance, possesses a geography and a
political system. What are we spiritually-minded
souls to make of this physicality in heaven?
Next:XXIV: Physicality of Revelation 21
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