The descent of the city Revelation 21verses 9-10.
"And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials
, full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither; I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
A spiritual vision of the great city, the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed saints of God.
There are a number of features here we must observe:
- The same angel who was involved in the vial judgments of chapter 16 and who revealed to John the true nature of the counterfeit city Babylon in chapter 17 , now presents the glorious city of God. There is a lesson here for everyone; there is a very attractive alternative to rebellion and judgment. This city is big enough to take everyone who will trust Him. God has a wonderful lifestyle promised to all who will put their trust in Him. There is no need for any to perish. The stark choice is ours to make and it is forever. Choose the city of God, which we are about to consider. The judgment of God or the glory of God for all eternity.
- There is an obvious contrast here with the great whore, Babylon of chapters 17&18, and the bride of Christ desctibed here. The whore, making herself available to anyone for the sake of selfish gain; the bride loyal to Christ alone. The whore with eyes firmly placed on material things of the earth; the bride with her eyes on heavenly virtues. The whore is proud and cruel in her demeanor; the bride humble and caring for the needs of others. The whore is sinful, the bride is holy.
- The location of the vision was an exceeding high mountain. We have encountered this before in Matthew 4 verse 8, when Satan took Jesus to an exceeding high mountain to show Him the kingdoms of the world in all their gory. From these scriptures we learn that high-ranking angels have the ability to have others envision the future concerning the unseen world. In the one Satan displays the glory of wordly kingdoms, whereas the angel here displays to John"s wondering eyes the glory of the new heaven.
- Finally we learn the origin of the new city, and without doubt, it descends from God out of heaven. This corrects a misunderstanding by many, that we will dwell forever in heaven. The truth is that heaven is coming down to earth! We will all dwell in the city on the new earth, and all the earth, and the new heaven will be ours to explore but our dwellinhg place will be the new earth. This is so because God is there with His people(Revelation 21 verse3). A number of scriptures clarify this.
- John 14 verses1-3: Jesus told His disciples about HIS FATHER"S HOUSE. In that house there are many abodes; He was going there to prepare a place for them. That house ,the dwelling place of God , is in heaven but it is coming down to earth. It is where Christ is, there also are the redeemed saints.
- This is made clear in Hebrews 12 verses 22-24, "ye are come to mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly, and church of the firstborn which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant," If ever there is a scripture which describes heaven as it is today, it is this one. The city of the living God, God's dwellingplace, or in the language of Jesus My Father's house, is equated with the heavenly Jerusalem, the same Jerusalem that is described in Revelation chapter 21.
- Galatians chapter 4v26 "Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.' The heavenly Jerusalem is now above, but is coming down , with God the Father the Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints of all ages and it will be our base, our headquarters, for all eternity on the new earth.
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