 |  |
this section is that of casting death and hades into the lake of fire.
The Millennium is the day of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:10) and this is
followed by the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12).
*
*
*
*
*
'The subject "the new heaven and new earth" occupies chapters 21:1 to
22:5. First we have a brief statement occupying 21:1 -5, then secondly we
have an expansion of one aspect ... .
The new creation and its heirs
A1
21:1 -5 All things new.
A2
21:6 to 22:5. These things inherited.
'The first part of the subject is general -- "all things". The second
part of the same subject is that which is peculiar to the overcomer --
"he that overcometh shall inherit these things". Five verses are
sufficient to tell of the new heaven and new earth, while twenty -seven
verses are taken up with the description of the inheritance of the
overcomer.
*
*
*
*
*
'We look in vain in this chapter of Revelation for any further
description of the new heaven and new earth. Immediately following the
briefest of introductions John focuses upon one phase of this new
world:
"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (21:2).
*
*
*
*
*
'At the close of this description (22:1 -5) we reach Eden, paradise
restored. It will be seen therefore that there are to be a series of
steps ever back to "as it was in the beginning".
(1)
The Millennium
Jerusalem on earth, a holy city.
Special
feature THE Temple (Ezek. 40:47).
(2)
The New Heaven
Jerusalem the heavenly city.
Special
feature -- THE Tabernacle.
(3)
The New Earth
Paradise. "The day of the age" (2 Pet. 3:18).
Special feature The Tree of Life'.
It will be observed from these various extracts that we see in
Revelation 21:5 the last word, future, of prophecy as far as the Revelation
is concerned, and that the new Jerusalem with which the Revelation is so
concerned is rather in the nature of an inheritance, entered by the overcomer
at the beginning of the Millennium while it is still in heaven, and enjoyed
right through the succeeding day of God after it has descended out of heaven,
up to the end of the ages of the ages, when the goal of redemption will be
reached'.
The presence of the tree of life in Revelation 22:2 does not
necessarily suppose the presence of death, any more than it did in the