God's Blessings to His Elect
Revelation 21:1 - 22:5
Pastor of Messiah's Church
Euphoria - the often indescribable state of well being, happiness, joy, and satisfaction. True euphoria - the often indescribable state of well being, happiness, joy, and satisfaction in the immediate presence of God. Revelation 21 - true euphoria.
It is a chapter, which like much of previous sections in the prophecy, is very rich with allusions to the Old Testament, particularly to the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. It is a chapter whose language is highly figurative, almost to the point of what would appear to be contradiction within the passage itself. For example, 22:2 speaks of the tree of life "yielding its fruit every month." And yet, 21:23,25 speak of the absence of sun or moon - those bodies which govern the seasons and allow for "months." So we must admit that, at points, John is seeking to describe that state of perfect well being and happiness, that in human language and experience is almost indescribable. There are only the words, pictures, and concepts with which we are already familiar, with which we must work to understand what great things God has prepared for those who love Him. But they are enough in leading us to see God's Blessings to His Elect in Christ.
The Bible (and this chapter) emphasizes that very idea time and again - that God not only has His elect in Christ, but that He blesses them richly. It clearly teaches, though some would sinfully say to the contrary, that God has chosen certain people to inherit the gift of salvation. Some among the mass of humanity are included in God's favor. Others are excluded from it. And God - and God alone - has decided who will be in which category:
- Romans 9:18 He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
- Deuteronomy 4:37 "Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them.
- Ephesians 1:4 He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation.
Or even as we see in the concluding chapters of Revelation "those written in the Book of Life" (cf. 20:12,15 / 21:27) - a metaphor which describes the elect, those chosen of God for salvation from sin and the enjoyment of the immediate presence of God. We could say that this Book of Life is the census of what chapter 21 describes as the new Jerusalem. Only those recorded in the census have true citizenship with the redeemed in the new, heavenly Jerusalem.
But even the mention of this new, heavenly Jerusalem assumes that it will be seen against the backdrop of an old, earthly Jerusalem, does it not? To put it all in its historical context, you need to see that this chapter - and really the whole prophecy of Revelation - deals with the contrast between the Jews of the 1st century and the Christian Church, which emerged as the true form of Jewish religion. We've seen this time and again throughout our studies, so I'm only going to touch on it by way of contrast. If Charles Dickens had written a commentary on the Revelation, he would have undoubtedly called it "A Tale of Two Cities." Consider some of the contrasts between the false church of the 1st century Jews and the true church fulfilled in Jesus Christ:
- New, heavenly Jerusalem (21:2,10) vs. old, literal Jerusalem (cf. 11:1ff.)
- New Jerusalem is a chaste bride (21:2,9) vs. old Jerusalem as a harlot (17)
- Nations' glory brought into new Jerusalem (21:24,26) vs. old Jerusalem extorted from the nations (18:12-17)
- Only clean permitted in new Jerusalem (21:27) vs. unclean found in old Jerusalem (21:8)
- Healing/refreshment in new Jerusalem (22:2) vs. murder in old Jerusalem (17:6 / 18:24)
- Different names on citizens of each city, either of the Beast or of Christ (cf. 17:5 / 22:4)
- New Jerusalem occupied by those written in Book of Life (21:27) vs. those not written in the Book of Life (20:15)
- New Jerusalem reflects the glory of God (21:2,11,23) vs. old Jerusalem which glorified itself (18:7)
- New Jerusalem is the dwelling of God (21:3) vs. old Jerusalem as the dwelling place of demons (18:2)
- New Jerusalem has no temple (21:22) vs. old Jerusalem had a temple
Clearly, then, since the prophecy of Revelation deals primarily with the destruction of literal Jerusalem of the 1st century (chs.6-18) - those who broke God's covenant in Jesus Christ - then it is a good and necessary consequence that the new, heavenly Jerusalem of ch.21 be interpreted as the true Christian Church of the New Covenant and not the Old. Any other conclusion is the result of goofing around with the prophecy. Paul, in contrasting the Old Covenant church with the New, referred to the Church as "Jerusalem above" (Gal.4:26). And also at Hebrews 12:22 the Old Covenant church of sacrifices and priests and a temple is contrasted with the New Covenant Church, which is called "the heavenly Jerusalem." It is the Church of those who have benefited from the New Covenant, wherein Jesus Christ has died, risen, and ascended into heaven to obtain redemption for sinners. Those whose trust is in Him constitute the Christian Church, no matter what age of history in which they lived.
But the Christian Church - in what sense? Some interpreters say it is the church on earth, recognizing that the highly figurative language speaks to the reality of salvation in Christ. But although the language legitimately can be understood to describe salvation in Christ - as Paul did at 2Cor.5:17, saying that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation - there are indicators in the text and context that the vision refers to the way things are after the Final Judgment. First, the chronological arrangement of Revelation seems to demand it. Chapters 1-3 spoke to the state of the Church in Asia Minor in the 1st century.
Chapters 4-18 spoke to events concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Chapter 19 dealt with the destruction of Rome (c.476), that power that was used of God to destroy those who broke His covenant. Chapter 20 dealt with events of the Church age - from the crucifixion to the Final Judgment at the end of history. It seems necessary, then, to understand Chapter 21 as what follows (and not precedes) the Judgment. Secondly, and in this light, there is no direct mention of the righteous at the Final Judgment.
They are there, sure enough, but the text at 20:11-15 focused on the judgment of the wicked. They were not written in the Book of Life (20:15) and that is what saves someone from being thrown into the Lake of Fire. That statement then serves as a transition into chapter 21, where the righteous are rewarded because they were written in the Book of Life (21:27). Thirdly, 21:7 refers to only those who "overcome" as inheriting the blessings of chapter 21. Throughout the Revelation, "overcoming" was a reference to faithfulness through physical death (probably martyrdom, in the context of the book). Over and over in the letters of chapters 2-3, the overcomers are promised the things of which we now read in chapter 21, what they will receive in the life to come.
Finally, 21:8,27 contrast the overcomers with the wicked and say that these latter can be found in the Lake of Fire. In light of all that, it is rather apparent that the events of chapter 21 refer to what happens to the elect after the Final Judgment. It does not refer to the "militant church" now fighting on earth, but the "triumphant church" vindicated in the immediate presence of God - now in an introductory sense for those who have gone to be with the Lord, and later for all those who will be saved through the Final Judgment.
Indeed, God has eternal blessings reserved for His elect. Let's look at 1) How they are Described, and 2) What they will Receive.
1. How the Elect are Described
The first description given of the elect is a bride, 21:2…21:9…The presentation of the bride in chapter 21 is what was anticipated from 19:7-9…Immediately after the destruction of the harlot (1st century, literal Jerusalem), there is the announcement that the fiancée of Christ, the Church so engaged at Pentecost, would be presented in marriage. Rev.21 is that presentation. Paul noted that Christ, like the earthly husband, would present to Himself the Church in all her glory. And at Rev.21, here comes the bride - all dressed in the righteous acts of the saints, adorned for her husband. She has been chosen by Him to be His wife. He has provided for her pure garments to reflect not only her beauty, but also the character of their relationship together. They are committed with an undying, covenantal love of giving and receiving.
Have you ever witnessed a wedding? Of course you have. Isn't it such an energized moment when the bride is prepared, ready to make her appearance? Such time that has gone into making the bride look as beautiful as she is - not as she can be! When she is ready to enter, everyone's heart pumps faster. All distractions cease. All commotion stops. All eyes look to her. It is her moment. And that is what is in Revelation 21 - the Church, after much preparation in history, has been made ready for her presentation to Christ.
There is a second description given of the elect. They are a city, 21:2…21:9-10. That's an interesting mixture of metaphor. The bride is the city. In stoning the harlot and destroying the old Jerusalem, Christ took a new wife and built a new city. As Psalm 122 says, "compactly built and strong." As Peter said "living stones built into a spiritual house." Christ built this city one stone at a time. He contracted with the Holy Spirit to bring these stones together, cut them to fit with each other, and then fit them into the proper place so that it would be the perfect dwelling for Christ to live. The stones, of course, are sinners. Pulled from the quarry of sin and death by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, and fashioned into something useful for and pleasing to the Lord. The Church is the city whose builder and maker is God.
But both these metaphors are intentional because they speak something of God's relation to His people. Concerning the bridal metaphor, God is sovereign, and His Church is subject. God initiates and His wife responds. Concerning the city metaphor, God is active, His Church is passive. God builds, His Church is built. Concerning both, God chooses, and His wife and city are chosen to be what they are.
2. What the Elect will Receive
There are so many blessings that the elect receive as their eternal inheritance, that it is impossible to cover them fully in a sermon. But they can all be grouped into basic categories of blessings. The elect receive the blessings of rejuvenation (21:1-6 and 22:1-5), glory (21:9-11,18-27), and perfection (21:12-17).
The elect receive the blessing of what I'll call rejuvenation. The idea is "newness." Note - v.1 (new heaven and earth), new Jerusalem (v.2), God making all things "new" (v.5). The word that is used in each of these, is the word kainoj. It does not refer to a chronological newness (something that has not been before) - like a neighbor that has just moved into town. Rather, the idea is of qualitative newness (something that already is, but has been renovated or returned or restored to its original beauty) - like a piece of furniture that has been knicked and faded over time and with usage. "Rejuvenation" is a fitting word. In addition, there are several pictures that speak of "renewal" or "rejuvenation." All tears are wiped away, and the implication is that they are replaced with smiles (v.4). No longer will there be death. The implication is that only life remains. All mourning, crying, and pain ceases and laughing and vitality are restored once again.
The final chapters of Revelation point toward the rejuvenation of what was worn out by the curse of sin through Adam's sin. The paradise that was lost through Adam is regained through Christ. Many subjects that are in the opening chapters of Genesis are presented as rejuvenated or restored in the final chapters of Revelation. We see the tree of life again as a source of renewal or "healing" at 22:2. Like the rivers that watered the Garden of Eden, we see a river flowing from the throne into the street of the city (22:1). And more obviously, there is no more curse (22:3) or death (21:4). All these things were at the beginning of God's story, and they are here at the end - but either restored or reversed. This is what is behind God's statement, "I make all things new." "I reverse what was set in motion by sin. I restore in Christ what was lost through Adam. I allowed sin, the fall, and the curse, so that I could glorify Myself by reversing it. I allowed sin to make righteousness all the more pleasant. I allowed death to make life all the more beautiful."
Dorian and I are currently in the process of restoring the original woodwork in our house. It's quite a job! Sometimes it looks like I'm destroying my house, I know. I wish I could say, "I am making all things new" in the way God does and with the success He does! We had professionals do the stairs - sanding, staining, coating. Then I did the stringer molding - staining, mitering, installing. Now we're on the door trim upstairs. We're stripping the previous layers of paint - two coats of white, back to lime green, back to avocado-brown. It is ugly - not just the mess it makes stripping it off, but also the color choice of previous generations! And as I got to thinking about this project, I started noticing some parallels between this and God's restoration. I wonder what it was like when the first coat of paint went on the wood. What was he thinking - covering up this beautiful wood?
This is like God to Adam with the fruit in his mouth - what is he doing to my beautiful garden? Also, there is a sense of delight in restoring something back to its original beauty - like my telling you about it, God can't help but interrupt the vision with "I am making all things new!" And also, we would get nowhere without Stripease or Cittrus. No paint would come off, no wood would be seen, no restoration would happen. That's like Jesus' resurrection to the whole work of God's rejuvenation.
All rejuvenation is rooted in Jesus' resurrection. Redemption and rejuvenation is not limited to the spirit. We are not Gnostics who deem only spiritual elements as good. When God created the materials of the universe and man He deemed him who was taken from the dirt as "very good." God's purpose for the creation involves material things. Therefore, if God is to restore man it must of necessity involve his body. "We believe in the resurrection of the body," the Christian Church has always said. And since it involves the body, you have to see that God resurrected Jesus as not only a sign that His crucifixion was acceptable for forgiving sin, justifying sinners, quenching God's anger, and securing full salvation. You have to see that it was an example that it was itself the beginning of the new creation. An earthly, mortal body went into the grave and came out a glorified, immortal body.
All rejuvenation is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By Jesus' resurrection, the newness of life that Paul talks about repeatedly in his epistles became a reality for the believer. No longer would a sinner need to be in bondage to sin. The resurrection meant that even as Jesus came out of that grave on the new Sabbath morning, so the sinner could walk in the power of new life - resurrection life - free from sin, free from the death of condemnation. Only as a result of Jesus' resurrection would the Holy Spirit come and indwell the Church, giving new life, sustaining new life even as He brooded over the waters in the first creation. Only as a result of Jesus' resurrection can the believer have the confidence that at the point of physical death, the soul will be lifted into the immediate presence of God. And then at that great moment when Christ calls the dead out of the tombs, will the body then be raised in glory and reunited with the soul forever to endure the bliss of eternal life. All rejuvenation is made possible by Jesus' resurrection. It has cosmic implications; not only for the salvation of an individual sinner, but for the rejuvenation of the entire creation.
So, God's rejuvenation extends to the creation as a whole. Acts 3:20-21 talks about Jesus as "the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things." Romans 8:21 talks about the whole creation groaning and being set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. What is this but an expectation of what we read in Rev.21 - of God lifting the curse of death for sin and restoring the creation to its original, beautiful luster? On this basis, we have the hope of experiencing the refreshment of the free water of life and the fruit of the tree of life; of life the way it was designed to be had Adam obeyed.
So, the elect are blessed with spiritual, bodily, and eternal rejuvenation.
But they are also blessed with glory. Notice the glory that is present in this city - 21:10-11…It is not that the city has glory in and of itself. Verse 11 - "having the glory of God." Have you ever looked on a precious stone and seen the glimmer and sparkle on someone? What do you think when you see it? Wow! It is attractive. It's purpose is to have you think more highly of the person who wears it. That they are not a mere "common person." They are wealthy, powerful, respected. I remember seeing a documentary on the jewels of Buckingham palace. Huge gems and small gems, but all reflecting the light about them. That's what fine jewelry will do it. It reflects the light that is around. And that's how you should understand the elect city in relation to God. It reflects the glory of God and responds beautifully to the light around it.
It is God's glory that indwells the city because He has come to dwell in the midst of it - 21:3. For this reason, the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it because the glory of God has illumined it and its lamp is the Lamb (21:23 or 22:5). It is such a bright light that the nations walk by it (v.24). The kings of the earth bring their glory into it (vv.24,26). The glory of God in the city means that there is no nighttime but only daytime (v.25).
Can you imagine trying to live without the sun or light? All vegetation would die. We would have no food. We would have no means of sustaining our lives. If we had no light we could not accomplish anything! Such is the way it is with Jesus Christ. Nothing is possible without Him. And as man has spent countless ages trying to live apart from God, it has been a continual proof of Romans 3:23, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Only through Jesus Christ is glory given. It is at this point and in this place that the saints of God are glorified. Having been predestined, called, and justified, they are then glorified. The matter of factness of Paul will be fulfilled in the new Jerusalem. They have received the first tokens of glorification by their bodies which have been "raised in glory" and "transformed into conformity with the body of His glory." They are the city that has the glory of God through Jesus Christ, for He is the Source, Giver and Sustainer of all life, and since His glory fills the new Jerusalem, it means that our singular focus will be the God who is responsible for accomplishing our redemption. People will walk by His light. No matter where they walk, God's glory is there.
The glory of the city is seen further in the material of the walls, 21:18…It is seen in the stones, 21:19-20…It is seen in the gates, 21:21…Everything - the walls, the stones, the gates, the people, the light around you - will be a reminder of how God has glorified His people with eternal glory! To Him will be the glory forever, for from Him and of Him is the glory.
The elect - the bride and city of Jesus Christ - are blessed with eternal rejuvenation, eternal glory, and finally, perfection. This goes along with glory. Jesus called His people to this at Mt.5:48. Man is utterly unable to achieve this of himself. The Word of God in some measure brings relative perfection to the saints (i.e., maturity) - Col.1:28. But in the truest sense, the Church will be made just like Christ - perfect and free from sin. Notice the manner in which this idea of perfection is expressed about the city - everything is perfectly in order, symmetrical, and complete. The city's design (vv.12-14,16),… measurements (vv.16-17) … The Church in all her imperfections of doctrine and life, will be made perfect in knowledge and holiness.
Such are the basic blessings which God bestows on His people for eternity - rejuvenation, glory, and perfection. They are everything man wants out of life, but cannot achieve. But there is one principle you should keep in mind in the here and now, lest you fall short of the rejuvenation, glory, and perfection of God - overcome sin (21:7-8) with chapters 2-3 and 12:11.
Messiah's Church Reformed Presbyterian
Telephone: (315) 451-2148
meeting at 8181 Stearns Road
Clay, NY 13041