Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
As we get to 21:9 we note John is now being addressed by someone other than the Lord. At this time an angel comes to John. This is one of the angels which has already cast one of the seven bowl judgments upon the earth during the last days of the tribulation period. If you remember the bowl judgments, sometimes called the vial judgments, are cast on the earth and mankind during the last half of the tribulation period as noted in Rev.16.
John’s attention is now transported back to the time when the tribulation period ended and the Millennial kingdom begins.
The angel says, “Come here, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
In Rev.17:1-6 this angel came to John and showed him another one spoken of as a woman, but instead of depicting a glorious bride, she is a harlot. Her city is religious Babylon, a city filled with the blood of martyrs, filthy abominations and so on. That city is no lady. But the city John sees in Rev.21:1, 10 is beautiful. It is closely linked with the bride of Christ. When you see one you will see the other as they are eternally connected by Christ Jesus.
Who is the angel referring to verse nine? Notice in Rev.21:2 the heavenly city is prepared, as a bride, adorned for her husband. This appearing of the city shows the chronological order of the prophecy following the Great White Throne judgment of the lost and the creating of the new heaven and new earth previously disclosed in chapters 19-20.
The second appearing in Rev.21:10 shows the description and relationship of the heavenly city to the earth during Christ’s Millennial reign. This is another explanatory paragraph in the book of Revelation. John is taken back to see how this city and its inhabitants are connected with Christ’s Millennial kingdom.
In Rev.21:9 the bride of Christ, his Church, as well as the New Jerusalem is in view here. The church is now called his wife as the Bema Seat judgment has taken place, the robes of righteousness of the saints are now worn ; the marriage of the Lamb and the marriage supper has been taken. The church is now seen in the home made for her by Christ, Jn.14:2-3.
As we will see the angel will give to John a description of the heavenly city Jerusalem from here up to 22:5.
We have noted before that this beautiful city is made by God in the third heaven. It is the home of all the resurrected saints.
There are three major interpretations to Rev.21:9-22:5.
1.) The passage as retrospective; that it is a description of the millennial scene in figurative language. They say this must be due to the mention of nations in 21:24; the healing of the nations in 22:2; and the notion of not letting abominable men into the city in 21:27.
2.) The passage views the heavenly city on the new earth. This interpretation views the idea of nations as noted in 21:24 is any saved person who is not Israel; that the word healing in 22:2 is better translated, health or well being; that there is no need to back up now and review the previous Millennial dispensation.
3.) The passages views John seeing the heavenly city Jerusalem existing during the millennium, and then coming down to the new earth forever.
This viewpoint takes the middle ground and answers exegetical questions concerning the passage. This viewpoint sees the city suspended away from any affects of the millennial earth. It is the home of the resurrected saints. It is also closed off from the millennial life on earth as there will be unsaved men upon the earth in those days. No mortal human, saved or lost can enter this glorious city. Only resurrected saints live there.
This heavenly city is the home of the bride of Christ; the church. And as it is prophesied in many places Christ will reign over the world. It is believed by many Bible scholars the heavenly city will be seen as a glorious light in the heavens for the entire world to see. Resurrected Old Testament saints will abide here as well as the holy angels eventually, Heb.12:22-24. Many believe the New Jerusalem will be suspended high above the earthly Jerusalem where Christ will establish his earthly headquarters and Millennial temple in the earthly Jerusalem, Zech.14:9. Our Lord and his glorified Church, (the bride) will reign together. The Brides home is in the heavenly city, but as a help meet to our Lord we will assist in his earthly reign. We covered the teaching on qualifying to reign with Christ in our last lesson. Our Lord would not tell us that we could qualify to reign with him in his glory, if he intended to keep us hidden away in our ivory palaces in the heavenly city.
It is said in I Thess.4:17 that at the rapture of the church we shall be with the Lord forever. It stands to reason that we will also be with him when he reigns over the earth in his 1,000 year Kingdom.
This means glorified saints will be able to commingle with mortal mankind in carrying out the service of our Lord for 1,000 years.
Ezek.37:15-25 prophesies the resurrected glorified Old Testament saint, King David, will once again rule. The divided kingdom which came after Solomon’s poor spiritual leadership will be united once again and David will reign as the king/prince over Israel, and Christ will reign over both David and the Gentile nations as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
This Scripture shows there is a definite relationship in the future between resurrected saints and non-resurrected mankind.
Those Old and New Testament resurrected saints, who qualified to reign with Christ during his millennial kingdom, can be quickly dispatched from this blessed city to the earth if called upon. When the eternal state begins then this heavenly city, the New Jerusalem will be lifted out of the way during the recreation of the new heaven and new earth, and then brought down to the new earth forever.
Of course eternity begins for the believer at death, but the plan of God still goes forward until time shall be no more.