Tag: Revelation 21
Behold The Bride–Wife of the Lamb!
Scripture reading for December 29: Revelation 21
“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” Revelation 21:9-11
“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day–and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:22-27
God lifted the curtain on His completed world view for the beloved apostle, John. One of the seven angels who had poured out the wrath of God on the earth invited John to behold the Bride of the Lamb. John was taken to a high mountain and saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven. This glorious city sparkled like a rare jewel and was illuminated with the glory of God and the lamp of the Lamb. All nations were represented as believers from every tongue and tribe filled the city in the dwelling places provided by the Lamb.
The angel emphasized that nothing unclean would ever be allowed in this city, only those who had been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb would have their names inscribed on the register of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s Book of Life. Those who refused Christ’s offer of mercy must instead be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12-15) There they would suffer eternal fire and separation from the Lamb.
How does this vision of the reward of those who have believed on Jesus Christ help you to continue in faith? Is it comforting to know that members of every tribe and nation will be part of the Bride? Do you understand the justice of God in punishing those who refused His Son?
Prayer: Father God, You are just and true to Your Word and deserve our eternal worship and humble service. I ask for mercy for all my children, grandchildren, and relatives yet to be born. May they hear the Gospel and their names be written in the Book of Life. Amen.
Walls of Salvation–Gates of Praise!
Scripture reading for August 1: Isaiah 58-62
“”No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Isaiah 60:18-19
There’s a song out that uses the thoughts of these verses of Isaiah. Chris Tomlin sings “My Deliverer” and I love the chorus about the walls and gates of the New Jerusalem! This passage and chapter of Isaiah have many similarities with Revelation 21 and the vision of the Apostle John and it is exciting to see that God’s plans are firmly established and moving forward.
Our nation and world are in deep darkness. The peoples of the earth for the most part are living in ignorance of the Lord and His light. It was the vision of Isaiah that as the world lay in darkness, a call to arise and shine would be given to God’s people. (Isaiah 60:1-2) This might refer to the rapture of the Church at the end of time as well as when Jesus first appeared. The Glory of the Lord will rise upon the earth and nations will come to the brightness of that new dawning. Jesus Christ came into the darkness of this world and proclaimed that He was the light of the world! (John 8:12) Whoever would follow Him will never walk in darkness but would have the light of life! At the end of time we will shine like the brightness of heaven and the stars! (Daniel 12:3)
From the witness of the light of God within His church, Jesus Christ is populating the New Jerusalem. It’s walls are salvation. We are protected by God’s saving grace through the gift of forgiveness. We are saved from the penalty of our sins and eternal judgment in the lake of fire and outer darkness. It’s gates are praise! Those who enter come singing and praising the One who gave them life and eternal light! God is their light and they have no darkness in them! There are no more tears, crying or pain. Eternal light from God’s glory fills the city and it’s inhabitants!
When this will happen is not known by any man. But the Lord tells us that in it’s time, it will be done swiftly! We must be ready and watching! “I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22b) “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon. (quickly)” (Revelation 22:20)
The Over-comers Inheritance!
Scripture reading for December 28th: Revelation 21
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Revelation 21:1, 5-8 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,. . .He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who over-comes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
The over-comer’s inheritance is the new heaven and new earth renovated by our Lord Jesus through the fires of His wrath! It is a gift of grace to those who faithfully followed and believed on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Liars, cowards, sexually immoral, idolaters, and unbelievers have only a fiery lake as their place of eternal torment!
Observations for over-comers: If you are born twice by faith in Jesus you totally escape the second death! “And the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. . . . .”And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me, their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathe-some to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:22-24)
New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem!
Scripture reading for December 30th: Revelation 21
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
God had promised through Isaiah to bring a new heaven and new earth. (Isaiah 65:17-19, 25) 66:22) This would come after the time of judgment after the millennial reign of Christ. God’s kingdom would fully come. God would dwell with His people as a husband with His Bride and fulfill the prophesy of “Emmanuel”, “God with us”! He would comfort His people, wiping away their tears and removing their need to mourn! The former things would not even be remembered, because God would make everything new! The earth would not be subject to decay and the animal kingdom would live in harmony with mankind in peace known before only in the Garden of Eden before the fall!
The new Jerusalem would be home of the Bride of Christ–Jerusalem would be made new and become a city of peace and joy with God in it’s center and it’s very light! It would have streets of pure gold and would be adorned with jewels and 12 giant pearls as it’s gates! “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Revelation 21:27) The kingdom would indeed be beyond what we, the saints, could hope for, think about or imagine!