Analysis Of Revelation 21 And Revelation 22:1 The whole of Revelation 21, and the first five verses of Revelation 22, relate to scenes beyond the judgment, and are descriptive of the happy and triumphant state of the redeemed church, when all its conflicts shall have ceased, and all its enemies shal... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH - Such a heaven and earth that they might properly be called new; such transformations, and such changes in their appearance, that they seemed to be just created. He does not say that they were created now, or anew; that the old heavens and earth were annihilat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I JOHN SAW THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, COMING DOWN FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN - See the Analysis of the chapter. On the phrase “new Jerusalem,” see the Galatians 4:26 note, and Hebrews 12:22 note. Here it refers to the residence of the redeemed, the heavenly world, of which Jerusalem was the type... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I HEARD A GREAT VOICE OUT OF HEAVEN - As if uttered by God himself or the voice, of angels. BEHOLD, THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN - The tabernacle, as that word is commonly used in the Scriptures, referring to the sacred “tent” erected in the wilderness, was regarded as the unique dwelling-p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM THEIR EYES - This will be one of the characteristics of that blessed state, that not a tear shall ever be shed there. How different will that be from the condition here - for who is there here who has not learned to weep? See the notes on Revelation 7:17. Compa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT SAT UPON THE THRONE SAID - Probably the Messiah, the dispenser of the rewards of heaven. See the notes on Revelation 20:11. BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW - A new heaven and new earth Revelation 21:1, and an order of things to correspond with that new creation. The former state of things... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO ME - That is, he that sat on the throne - the Messiah. IT IS DONE - It is finished, complete; or, still more expressively, “it is” - γέγοναν gegonan. An expression remarkably similar to this occurs in John 19:30, when the Saviour on the cross said, “It is finished.” The meaning in... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT OVERCOMETH - See the notes on Revelation 2:7. SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS - Be an heir of God in all things. See the notes on Romans 8:17. Compare Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26; Revelation 3:5,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE FEARFUL - Having stated, in general terms, who they were who would be admitted into that blessed world, he now states explicitly who would not. The “fearful” denote those who had not firmness boldly to maintain their professed principles, or who were afraid to avow themselves as the friends... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE CAME UNTO ME ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS ... - See the notes on Revelation 16:6. Why one of these angels was employed to make this communication is not stated. It may be that as they had been engaged in bringing destruction on the enemies of the church, and securing its final triumph, there wa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT - Gave him a vision of the city; seemed to place him where he could have a clear view of it as it came down from heaven. See the notes on Revelation 1:10. TO A GREAT AND HIGH MOUNTAIN - The elevation, and the unobstructed range of view, gave him an opportunity t... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD - A glory or splendor such as became the dwelling place of God. The nature of that splendor is described in the following verses. AND HER LIGHT - In Revelation 21:23 it is said that “the glory of God did lighten it.” That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Dei... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAD A WALL GREAT AND HIGH - Ancient cities were always surrounded with walls for protection, and John represents this as enclosed in the usual manner. The word “great” means that it was thick and strong. Its height also is particularly noticed, for it was unusual. See Revelation 21:16. AND HAD... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE EAST THREE GATES ... - The city was square Revelation 21:16, and the same number of gates is assigned to each quarter. There does not appear to be any special significancy in this fact, unless it be to denote that there is access to this city from all quarters of the world, and that they who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WALL OF THE CITY HAD TWELVE FOUNDATIONS - It is not said whether these foundations were twelve rows of stones placed one above another under the city, and extending round it, or whether they were twelve stones placed at intervals. The former would seem to be the most probable, as the latter... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT TALKED WITH ME - The angel, Revelation 21:9. HAD A GOLDEN REED TO MEASURE THE CITY - See the notes on Revelation 11:1. The reed, or measuring rod, here, is of gold, because all about the city is of the most rich and costly materials. The rod is thus suited to the personage who uses it,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CITY LIETH FOUR-SQUARE - It was an exact square. That is, there was nothing irregular about it; there were no crooked walls; there was no jutting out, and no indentation in the walls, as if the city had been built at different times without a plan, and had been accommodated to circumstances.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE MEASURED THE WALL THEREOF - In respect to its “height.” Of course, its length corresponded with the extent of the city. AN HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR CUBITS - This would be, reckoning the cubit at eighteen inches, two hundred and sixteen feet. This is less than the height of the walls of Bab... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE BUILDING OF THE WALL OF IT - The material of which the wall was composed. This means the wall above the foundation, for that was composed of twelve rows of precious stones, Revelation 21:14, Revelation 21:19. The height of the foundation is not stated, but the entire wall above was composed... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WALL OF THE CITY - notes on Revelation 21:14. WERE GARNISHED - Were adorned, or decorated. That is, the foundations were composed of precious stones, giving them this highly ornamented and brilliant appearance. THE FIRST FOUNDATION - The first “row, layer, or course.” no... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIFTH, SARDONYX - This word does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The “name” is derived from “Sardis,” a city in Asia Minor (notes on Revelation 3:1), and ὄνυξ onux, a nail - so named, according to Pliny, from the resemblance of its color to the flesh and the nail. It is a silicious s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TWELVE GATES - Revelation 21:12. WERE TWELVE PEARLS - See the Revelation 17:4 note; Matthew 13:46 note. EVERY SEVERAL GATE WAS OF ONE PEARL - Each gate. Of course, this is not to be understood literally. The idea is that of ornament and beauty, and nothing could give a more striking view o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAW NO TEMPLE THEREIN - No structure reared expressly for the worship of God; no particular place where he was adored. It was all temple - nothing but a temple. It was not like Jerusalem, where there was but one house reared expressly for divine worship, and to which the inhabitants repaired t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CITY HAD NO NEED OF THE SUN, NEITHER OF THE MOON, TO SHINE IN IT - This imagery seems to be derived from Isaiah 9:19. See notes on those verses. No language could give a more striking or beautiful representation of the heavenly state than what is here employed. FOR THE GLORY OF GOD DID LIGH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NATIONS OF THEM WHICH ARE SAVED - All the nations that are saved; or all the saved considered as nations. This imagery is doubtless derived from that in Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 60:3. See the notes on that passage. SHALL WALK IN THE LIGHT OF IT - Shall enjoy its splendor, and be continua... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GATES OF IT SHALL NOT BE SHUT AT ALL BY DAY - It shall be constantly open, allowing free ingress and egress to all who reside there. The language is derived from Isaiah 60:11. See the notes on that place. Applied to the future state of the blessed, it would seem to mean, that while this will... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL BRING ... - See the notes on Revelation 21:24. That blessed world shall be made up of all that was truly valuable and pure on the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL IN NO WISE - On no account; by no means. This strong language denotes the absolute exclusion of all that is specified in the verse. ANYTHING THAT DEFILETH - Literally, anything “common.” See the notes on Acts 10:14. It means here that nothing will be found in that blessed abode whic... [ Continue Reading ]