Faith is the wall behind which the saints of God are secure against the assaults of the world, the flesh and the devil. But for the eternal judgment heaven and earth are fled away; and then we see the new and eternal universe. But in this is shown what it is of importance to see the true nature of the kingdom or millennial reign. "He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Line-By-Line Order: Verse-Reference. I do not doubt that there was a corrupt form in connection with Israel in times past. (1) FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD ( Revelation 21:3-4 ), 21:3-4 And I heard a great voice from heaven. We are told about the glorious inheritance of the saints in light. Gates of pearl are a symbol of unimaginable beauty and unassessable riches. The God who revealed himself to the patriarchs is the God who also, and far more fully, revealed himself in Jesus Christ; the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. Not because any of their names were written therein, but in proof that they were not. Now, this new earth will be orbited by the New Jerusalem. This promise, or something very near to it, was made in the Old Testament to three different people. Men have been beguiled here and there, and from an early date, to set aside the true bearing of this chapter. In short, it is as we saw in Revelation 17:1-18, after Babylon had been brought before us in the course of the prophecy. The sapphire appears in the Old Testament story as the stone of the paving on which God stood ( Exodus 24:10). It will be understood when one says "spiritual" that none is meant save of a wicked kind. But the graphic account does not end until the Spirit of God shows us another view of Babylon altogether. This may suffice for Revelation 18:1-24. Ezekiel had his dream of the rebuilt Jerusalem ( Ezekiel 40:1-49 and Ezekiel 48:1-35) in which we find even the picture of the twelve gates of the city ( Ezekiel 48:31-35). And idolaters - 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19. Read full chapter Here the vision was of thrones with sitters, and others caused to join them; and the inspired explanation is that it is the first resurrection the rising of the just from the dead. Still God acts in a wisdom far above man, and holds to His principles even there. Line-By-Line Order: Verse-Reference. "Upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth.". [practice magic arts; evil magic] . would embrace a lamentably large portion of the world as it has hitherto been. He is no longer to be allowed to prowl about the world ensnaring and destroying. The Sibylline Oracles (5: 447) say that in the last time the sea will be dried up. But no; it was an absolute decree that went forth, and this indisputably, from a single head of the undivided empire. And I heard the great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, [God is now going to dwell in the midst among His people.] Then the prophet falls down to pay homage to the angel; and this gives rise to a weighty admonition. The sard or carnelian took its name from Sardis. The word would embrace all who are false toward God Acts 5:1-3, and false toward human beings. There are two main ideas here. Job speaks of the topaz of Ethiopia ( Job 28:19). And let us all ponder the law of the. Instead of. H. B. Swete sees further symbolism here. Thus the difference is complete between past history (if we look at the extinction of the empire and the rise of the ten kingdoms) and the certain fulfilment of the prophecy in the future, when we look at what God has really told us. But is there any reason why we should content ourselves with the measure enjoyed of old? That a corrupt religion is better than none I will not say: at any rate it troubles men; it is a thorn in the side of those who want no religion at all. Beloved now are we the sons of God. 21:8 Greek NT: Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894 , . This new and blessed state will be free from all trouble and sorrow; for, 1. We have already come upon this claim by the risen Christ in Revelation 1:8. The cowards would express the sense more accurately, at least in modern English. WebFor the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Only when we see things in the light of God, do we see things as they are. It is always a child of wickedness. Usually God is pictured as dwelling in heaven and people as dwelling on earth. And there shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth, nor making abomination and a lie: but only those written in the book of life of the Lamb." The elements will be dissolved and melted with a fervent heat. This is what drove men to the idea of making the pope to be the beast. The heavenly city, which is the full expression of blessedness on high, has no temple because it is all a temple. May our hearts answer freely to His word of love and truth with our "Amen." For all things work in sympathy with them and. But there is a time coming when power will cease to be ordained of God; and this is the point to which the last condition of the beast refers. And whoremongers; all unclean persons, that indulge themselves in impure lusts, in fornication, adultery, and all lewdness; as the clergy of the church of Rome, who being forbidden to marry, and being under a vow of celibacy, and making great pretensions to chastity and singular holiness, give up themselves to all lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. John 16:7-11 (KJV) 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come u 1:8 (NA27): For Christ has not only a supreme but an exclusive place. Do not wonder at the vast numbers, or at their defection. Here accordingly is seen but one throne. Then follows a description of the wall, gates, foundations, and general position. And idolaters; that worship devils, idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, representing God, and Christ, and the virgin Mary, and saints departed, Revelation 9:20. "The kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it" not into but unto. This being so, it adds immense clearness in the understanding of the book. It is Israel's task to declare God's glory among the Gentiles ( Isaiah 66:19). Chagiga, fol. In fact, we may say, all nations will be desolated by judgments of one kind or another; but for all this the world proceeding for a thousand years with every outward blessing, and the most admirable government administered by the blessed Lord Himself, will issue in the teeming and prosperous races of mankind. There are three gates on the west. WebBehold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. WebRevelation 21:24. I speak not of anything that might be deemed exceptional or peculiar, but of two acts of raising saints. Verse Only. And the gates of Jerusalem shall utter hymns of gladness. It is not now the temple opened there, and the ark of the covenant seen when Israel's security is seen, as the object of God's counsels; nor is it a door opened above, as we saw it when the prophet was giving his introduction to the prophecy of God's dealings with the world as a whole, though in both cases all manifestly clusters round the Lord Jesus. Had it been simply a persecution from pagans, what was there to wonder at in their deadly hatred of the truth and of those who confess it? WebThe third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. Is not this reason enough for saying that not even the shadow of solid ground appears for the system? We desire that He should come quickly, but we leave this to Him, because we know His love, and can trust Him. *The description here is simply character, not dates. In other words, here is a picture of universal salvation. Exodus 20:13-17; cf. See Romans 1:31. These compose the third class here spoken of. They durst not encounter the difficulties of religion, and their slavish fear proceeded from their unbelief; but those who were so dastardly as not to dare to take up the cross of Christ, and discharge their duty to him, were yet so desperate as to run into all manner of abominable wickedness--murder, adultery, sorcery, idolatry, and lying. 2. And so it is with this very Babylon that comes before us here. The fearful lead the van in this black list. sorcerers . Here you may see the reason for saying that the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures are not absolutely the church, because when that symbol applies, and the one of the bride comes forward, we have got others too. With this agrees His coming out of heaven in judgment of the earth, described inRevelation 19:1-21; Revelation 19:1-21. Surely this stands for the catholicity of the Church. 16 The city lies four-square, and its length is the same as its breadth. "And the nations shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. The sons of the stranger will learn to love God and to serve him. Then, when the Lamb and His purchase by blood are celebrated in heaven, the four living creatures join the elders, though each is distinct. , Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, Luke 12:4-9 And I say to you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the , John 12:42,43 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but , 1 Peter 3:14,15 But and if you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you: and , 1 John 5:4,5,10 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the , Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, , Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness , 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of , Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, , Ephesians 5:5,6 For this you know, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous , 1 Timothy 1:9,10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for , Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of , Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but fornicators , 1 John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer , 1 Corinthians 10:20,21 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice , Revelation 2:2 I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you , Proverbs 19:5,9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies , Isaiah 9:15 The ancient and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches , John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you , 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power . Reception And Rejection ( Revelation 21:24-27 Continued). It is a wholly unwarranted interpolation. By the tenure and title by which they enjoy this blessedness--by right of inheritance, as the sons of God, a title of all others the most honourable, as resulting from so near and endeared a relation to God himself, and the most sure and indefeasible, that can no more cease than the relation from which it results. There never has been a like experience. Reference-Verse. Reference-Verse. See note on the "second death" at Revelation 20:6; (cf. The fearful Who are the fearful, if not all men? It is called "the first resurrection." At the same time the attempt to apply Babylon to ancient Rome is almost as unhappy; and for a plain reason. Again we are back among the dreams of the ancient prophets. God didn't reveal the truth of the church until the New Testament times. When a man enters the Church, he must bring his gift with him; the writer his power in words, the artist his power in colour, the sculptor his mastery of line and form and mass, the musician his music, the craftsman his craft. But at the back of it is the great truth that the ideal actually exists. "And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh." As long as Rome was pagan, there was neither the full bearing of the seven heads, nor did so much as one of the ten horns exist. Take this quite simply and literally. Reference-Verse. "Let him that heareth say, Come." And all her houses shall say, Hallelujah! To make way for the commencement of this new world, the old world, with all its troubles and commotions, passed away. It is entirely in His hand, and in none other's. God will gather others to him ( Isaiah 56:6-8). The word "" translated as "fearful" in the KJV is Strong's Gr. 1169. The definition is cowardly or fearful. Many of the English translation How can it be said that this vile, corrupt, idolatrous system of the last days was guilty of the blood of all martyrs? This is probably a reference, primarily, to participants in the rites of paganism and the unmentionable perversions and debaucheries that attended them. In presence of grace I do not think this is for His glory, any more than for their own blessing. Little do they know, because they believe not what is here written, that it is about to come out of the abyss or bottomless pit. It is an order that is holy and beautiful, where God and his people live together in the closest fellowship. Reference-Verse. Eze 48:3035 ) Tools Rev 21:9 We have already seen that the Babylonian story of the creation of the world is of a long struggle between Marduk, the god of creation, and Tiamat, the dragon of chaos. Josephus describes Herod's temple: "Now the outward face of the temple in its front lacked nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn away their eyes, just as they would at the sun's own rays. , . If you are a believer, do not be afraid, even if you know but little; for the Lord neither forgets nor slights those who may be comparatively unintelligent. Line-By-Line Order: Verse-Reference. WebGod will wipe away every tear from their eyes: Every tear , for they be many; tears of bereaved affection, such as Mary, and Martha, and the widow of Nain wept; tears of sympathy and mercy, such as Jeremiah and Jesus wept over the sins and the calamities of Jerusalem; tears of persecuted innocence, tears of contrition and penitence for It is an equivalent power that holds them together. For there follows another company of martyrs who suffered when the beast set up his worst and final pretensions. Then the book concludes after a solemn warning against either adding to or taking from its contents. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the, former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give. "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white, pure.".

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