Revelation 21 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 21:1-5

1 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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 “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.’

5 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.’

A. Find Out:

1. What did John next see? v.1
2. What did he then see coming and from where? v.2
3. What apparently was happening? v.3
4. What will no longer be? v.4
5. What did God declare? v.5a
6. What was John told to do and why? v.5b

B. Think:

1. What major change has taken place here?
2. With what consequences?

C. Comment:

     Yet again we are presented with mind blowing pictures: a new earth AND new heaven! (Does heaven here mean the sky as it sometimes does elsewhere?) On this new earth there are no longer divisions between the land masses, there is easy movement. But then there comes a new and glorious city coming from above, from God.

     The city is a new Jerusalem. Jerusalem of old was the city where the Lord put His name and now He comes to dwell in this new city, in the midst of His people. Although we may have problems in our minds as to how and when this all happens, one thing is clear – it WILL happen, God will bring about a coming together of Himself with His people so that they can be continually together, and because He is there with them there will complete peace, order and harmony and there will be no room for worry or tears or death. This is a place of eternal life and eternal peace and joy. That is our promise for eternity!

     Even as we live on the earth today there is, surely, to be a glimmer of this as God dwells among us now by His Spirit. Surely His intention for Him to be able to bring down from heaven, something of the peace, order and harmony that exists there, into our lives as individuals and as churches. Is that not possible?

D. Application:

1. God’s plan for eternity is for us to live with Him in complete peace and harmony.
2. In the meantime, can we know the first-fruits of that perhaps?

Passage: Rev 21:6-8

6 He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.’

A. Find Out:

1. How did the voice describe himself? v.6a
2. What did he say he would do and to whom? v.6b
3. Who will inherit what and become what? v.7
4. But who will go to the second death? v.8

B. Think:

1. What do you think God’s description of Himself as Alpha and Omega  signifies for us?
2. What 3 things are promised to those who seek Him and fight on through to the end?
3. What is the meaning behind the list of those who go to the lake of fire?  Occasional offenders or what?

C. Comment:

     All things that were created come from God and so at the end all things will return to Him. He is the beginning and the end, and the world does not exist apart from Him.

     Various things are promised us and they are each conditional. God will first give us a source of life and refreshment, and it will be at no cost to us, but if you want it you must thirst for it, or really want it. This life is only for those who have given up on all other so-called sources of life. Next we will inherit this wonderful life with Him in this new world, this new city, but to receive that you must overcome the lies, temptations and deceptions of the enemy. It is only that person who can enter into this glorious inheritance. Finally there is the promise of son-ship, of close and intimate relationship with God who is Father, again only for the one who overcomes the wiles of the enemy and perseveres on through in purity and holiness.

     The list of those who will go to the lake of fire means those whose lives are based on these things, e.g. those who are perpetual liars or constantly unbelieving, not those who occasionally fall; it is those who do not have the new life from God who will go to destruction.

D. Application:

1. Life, goodness & sonship is the promised inheritance if we go on.
2. The ungodly and unrighteous will be destroyed.

Passage: Rev 21:9-14

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

A. Find Out:

1. What did the angel say he would show John? v.9
2. What did he then show John? v.10
3. What was its general appearance? v.11
4. What was the entry to it? v.12,13
5. On what was it based? v.14

B. Think:

1. Read Ephesians 2:21,22 How were we described there?
2. Read again Revelation 19:7,8 Who is the bride?
3. What do you think the picture of the bride as a city signifies?

C. Comment:

     Some suggest this narrative now reverts to the millennium again; it is either that or God’s eternal wish for His people. The New Testament church was referred to as a temple, the dwelling place of God by the Spirit. Now the bride, or church of God, is described as a city. Let’s consider it.

     First, it comes down from heaven; its origins, its design originates with God, it is no accident.

     Second, it is glorious, shining with the glory of God. That which comes from God is seen to have the glory of God shining from it.

     Third, it has high walls; there is no unauthorised entry, only through the prescribed means.

     Fourth, it has guarded gates so entry can only be by God’s consent, yet an equal number of gates on each side, to welcome all who will come from whatever direction.

      Fifth, the gates are named after the tribes of Israel, to remind us that entry is by the grace of God (that same grace that brought a twister, Israel, into relationship with God) and with the blessing of God (12 sons to a family that had previously had difficulty in being fruitful – see Abraham and Isaac).

      Sixth, the city has twelve foundations, it is on a totally secure base.

     Seventh, the foundations are named after the apostles, a reminder that is based on “Follow me… so send I you”, i.e. obedience to the Lamb.

D. Application:

1. We are to be part of a divine community, established by God.
2. It is all by the grace and mercy of God.

Passage: Rev 21:15-21

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

A. Find Out:

1. How was the city measured? v.15
2. What was the shape of the city? v.16
3. How thick was the wall? v.17
4. What were the walls and the city made of? v18
5. With what were the foundations decorated? v.19,20
6. What were the gates of the city made of? v.21

B. Think:

1. What is the overall impression given by the size of the city?
2. What is the impression given by the materials of the city?
3. Why do you think such detail is given to us of this city?

C. Comment:

     It would be easy to say, “Well, these details are of no significance so let’s not bother with this passage” but when an angel is given a measuring stick and sizes and materials are given to us in detail it means that God wants us to take note of it!

     First of all the city is massive, some fourteen hundred miles square (and high?) with a two hundred feet thick wall with twelve, obviously massive, foundations. Everything about the size of this city says that it is immovable, lasting, enduring, built to last for eternity. With walls of precious stone surrounding an interior of purest gold, based on the most brightly decorated (and presumably clearly visible and exposed) foundations, the beauty of this city is enough to take your breath away! It is truly incredible!

     Now remember, this city symbolizes the bride of Christ, the church, all the people of God; this is how God sees His church! Yes, that is incredible. We look at the church with all its failings, divisions and upsets, but the picture here is of how it will be, freed from all its earthly problems and failures, an incredible and glorious achievement of God, shining it all its beauty, splendour and purity. This is its end!

D. Application:

1. The Church is people, the bride of Christ is people, God loves people and they together will be a glorious tribute to God’s grace.
2. The God who can create this deserves our worship.

Passage: Rev 21:22-27

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. 27 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.

A. Find Out:

1. Why was there not a temple in the city? v.22
2. Why doesn’t the city need a sun or moon? v.23
3. What will the light do? v.24
4. What will not happen there? v.25
5. Who will not enter the city? v.27a
6. Who will live in it? v.27b

B. Think:

1. What indication is there that this city is still on the earth?
2. Yet what makes it different from any other known city?

C. Comment:

     Yet again we have mysteries, things that are spoken about that confuse our limited minds! Here is this city which is the bride of Christ, the people of God, or might it be better to say the church of God? In this community is the very presence of God, and so there is no sense in the midst of it of a temple or place to come and meet with God for He is there with them constantly throughout the city.

     The difficulty of this picture is the reference to kings and nations bringing their splendour to it. Does this mean the ungodly nations are still around when it exists, for this would mean it exists on earth before the new heaven and earth, but that is expressly stated as not being so. When it refers to kings and nations it must mean those kings who were redeemed and those multitudes of Christians from the various nations. The “glory and honour of the nations” must refer to the many trophies of grace, i.e. Christians, who are brought in from the world, who have been added to the kingdom and who now come and are part of this city.

     Everything about this city speaks of the wonder of it: it is the dwelling of God with redeemed men and women, this is the fruit of the work of Christ, men and women able to live in total harmony with Almighty and the Most Holy God!

D. Application:

1. Our end is total communion with God.
2. Our end is a community; we will not be alone in eternity.