Principles of Interpretation: There are patterns to Revelation which should be considered when trying to understand it. One pattern is that each new section is introduced by a scene from the temple. There is significance to these introductions. Do not ignore them. They are a key to understanding the section. Another pattern is that the book is written in symbolic language. The King James Version translates verse 1 as “he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” To signify is to show in signs, i.e., symbols. Those symbols are based in the rest of the Bible, both Old and New Testament. As such, look to the rest of the Bible to interpret Revelation rather than using Revelation to interpret the rest of the Bible. This also means that you need to let the Bible interpret itself rather than attempting to have it fit into today’s headlines. In short, do not treat Revelation as separate from the rest of the Bible. Instead, expect that the events described in Revelation have been presented in other parts of the Bible. A third pattern in Revelation is the idea of judgement. There are courtroom scenes and wrath and complaints about God not bringing justice. In fact, humans are not the only ones under judgment. God Himself is on trial, and the repeated verdict is that God is just, holy, and worthy. From the beginning claim that this is the Revelation of Jesus to the promise in the last chapter that we shall see God’s face, Revelation is an examination of who our Creator is and whether He is worthy of our loyalty.

Disclaimer: There are four basic methodologies used to interpret the book of Revelation in modern society: futurism, historicism, idealism, and preterism. Many modern churches have embraced the idea of the secret rapture, which is a form of futurism. On the other hand, some churches say that Revelation deals solely with events that were happening in the apostolic era. This is called preterism. Other churches teach that Revelation does not describe any specific time period. Instead, the symbols are philosophical and/or spiritual ideas. The series of studies that I am posting is based on historicism, which says that the Bible teaches that Revelation begins with the time of John and describes the interactions of the church with a hostile world throughout history culminating in the final future eradication of sin from the universe. This view denies a secret rapture. I do not want you to be in confusion about the basic premises of this series of lessons. If you disagree with the historicist viewpoint, please study for yourself to be certain that the interpretations that you have been told by others and simply accepted make sense with the whole Bible. As you study, first ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit; then study the verses, and let the Bible interpret itself. Even if you disagree with my comments, you may find the verses and background information that I provide useful. Finally, I want to emphasize that I myself am still studying Revelation and my understanding is deepening each time I open the book and read. Revelation is a distillation of the whole Bible; as such, the limited space of this blog and my limited understanding means that these lessons are not nearly as in-depth as they could (and maybe should) be.

References: See the end of this post for sources and references.

Revelation 21:1-4

(1)  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (2)  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3)  And I  heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  (4)  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

• There is a new heaven and earth—recreation.
  • Isaiah 65:17  (17)  “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
  • 2 Peter 3:9-13  (9)  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  (10)  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  (11)  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, (12)  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  (13)  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
• There is no more sea.
  • There are two possible interpretations.  This could be literal or symbolic.  Ranko Stefanovic in Plain Revelation says “This may mean that the oceans we know today will cease to exist.  The phrase may also be understood metaphorically as the absence of evil.  The sea is where the enemy of God and His people comes from (13:1).  By removing the sea, evil, which caused fear and suffering, is also removed.”
  • There is also the idea that the sea is what separates John from those he loves.  He is in exile on the island of Patmos.  The sea forms the walls of his prison.  With the sea gone, there is freedom. 
• New Jerusalem is prepared as a bride adorned for her husband
  • John 14:1-3  (1)  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
  • This is not some rebuilt Jerusalem in the Middle East.  This is a city made by God.  It is coming down from heaven.  Hebrews 11:10  (10)  For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
  • Hebrews 11:16  (16)  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
• Death, mourning, crying, and pain are no more.  The results of sin are completely erased.
  • Isaiah 65:18-19  (18)  But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness.  (19)  I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.
  • Isaiah 33:20-24  (20)  Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.  (21)  But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass.  (22)  For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.  (23)  Your cords hang loose; they cannot hold the mast firm in its place or keep the sail spread out. Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided; even the lame will take the prey.  (24)  And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.
  • Isaiah 35:4-6  (4)  Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”  (5)  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; (6)  then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
  • Philippians 3:20-21  (20)  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (21)  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Revelation 21:5-8

(5)  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  (6)  And 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 from the spring of the water of life without payment.  (7)  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  (8)  But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

• Alpha/Omega—The point here is that this is a promise from the Father and the Son.  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega.  He started this world out and He will recreate it.  He will do what He promises.
• The thirsty are given the water of life.  John 4:10-14  (10)  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”  (11)  The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?  (12)  Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”  (13)  Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, (14)  but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
• The cowardly, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars receive the second death in the lake of fire.
  • Isaiah 60:18  (18)  Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.
  • Matthew 25:41-46  (41)  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  (42)  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, (43)  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’   (44)  Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  (45)  Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  (46)  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 21:9-14

(9)  Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  (10)  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,  (11)  having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.  (12)  It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—(13)  on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.  (14)  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

• The city is compared to three things:  ancient fortified cities, the restored temple (Ezekiel 40-48), and the restored Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3).  John would have had no concept of modern skyscrapers, so he was given comparisons to things that he was familiar with.  We also have no concept of the kinds of materials that God has.  We should keep this in mind as we try to picture the New Jerusalem.
• The city has the glory of God.  Whenever God was present, there was a radiance from the glory of God
• The radiance of the city is like jasper, yet it was clear as crystal.  Ranko Stefanovic suggests that this is how John saw the city as it descended at a distance.
• Twelve gates
  • Twelve angels—I am not sure of the significance of the 12 angels at the 12 gates.
  • Names of 12 tribes inscribed
    • Ezekiel 48:30-35  (30)  “These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, (31)  three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel.  (32)  On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan.  (33)  On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun.  (34)  On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.  (35)  The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.”
    • Revelation 7:4-8  (4)  And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:  (5)  12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, (6)  12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, (7)  12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, (8)  12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
  • There are three gates on each side—North, South, East, and West.  This speaks of the universality of the city.  Everybody has unlimited access to God’s presence.
    • Luke 13:29  (29)  And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.
• There are twelve foundations.
  • The twelve apostles’ names are on the foundations.
    • James 1:1  (1)  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
• This city has both those followers of God before Jesus’ advent and after Jesus’ incarnation.  The twelve tribes represent the Old Testament people of God, and the twelve disciples represent the New Testament people of God.  This is a city for the people of all ages.

Revelation 21:15-17

(15)  And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.  (16)  The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.  (17)  He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement.

• Measure the city, gates, and walls:  The city is 12,000 stadia; the wall is 144 cubits.
  • “Consider its dimensions for example. “The city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal” (Revelation 21:16). A furlong is approximately one-eighth to one-ninth of a mile (see Revelation 21:16; margin). This would make its perimeter, the measurement all the way around it, about 1500 miles or about 375 miles on each side. That’s approximately the length of Washington State. This city would stretch from Idaho (possibly touching Montana in the Idaho panhandle) to the other end of Washington, down into Oregon and back over to Idaho. That’s one big city! Even the wall that surrounds this city is tall. “And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits” (Revelation 21:17). A cubit is about 18 inches. That means this wall is about 216 feet high (see Revelation 21:17, margin). That would be the height of a 20-story skyscraper and then a little. And this measures just the wall which surrounds the city.”  (Unlocking Revelation)
• The city is a cube.
  • In Plain Revelation, it says “the cube generally consists of twelve edges.  Each edge is 12,000 stadia long, which totals 144,000 stadia for the entire city.  Revelation 7:4 shows that 144,000 is the number of the totality of God’s people.  The New Jerusalem is a colossal city, large enough to accommodate all of God’s people—all who ever lived on the earth.”
  • The only structure in the Bible that was in the shape of the cube was in the temple—the Holy of Holies.  1 Kings 6:20  (20)  The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar.
  • The ark of the covenant was in the Most Holy place.  It represents God’s throne.  The New Jerusalem is where God will reign.  Jeremiah 3:16-17  (16)  And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again.  (17)  At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.
  • In the Old Testament temple, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, but things will be different in the New Jerusalem.  Revelation 7:14-17  (14)  I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  (15)  “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.  (16)  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.  (17)  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
• Human measurement equals an angel’s measurement—Sorry, I don’t understand the significance of this.  I will have to study further.

Revelation 21:18-21

(18)  The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.  (19)  The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,  (20)  the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.  (21)  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

• The wall is jasper.  Jasper can be various colors, but the most common is red.  However, Jasper is usually not uniformly colored.  It can have stripes, spots, bands, and other shapes.  Thus, I picture this wall as being red with other colors streaking through it.
• The city is pure clear gold.  Its transparency causes me to wonder if it is truly gold, or simply golden in color.
• The foundations are adorned with jewels—1. Jasper.  2. Sapphire.  3. Agate.  4. Emerald.  5. Onyx.  6. Carnelian.  7. Chrysolite.  8. Beryl.  9. Topaz.  10. Chrysoprase.  11. Jacinth.  12. Amethyst.
  • The high priest wore jewels as part of his clothing.  They represented the twelve tribes of Israel.  Exodus 28:17-21  (17)  You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; (18)  and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; (19)  and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; (20)  and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree.  (21)  There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.
  • God seems to create lots of objects decorated with precious jewels.  Even Lucifer was decorated with precious jewels.  Was this because he operated in a capacity similar to the high priest?  Ezekiel 28:13  (13)  You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.

Revelation 21:22-27

(22)  And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.  (23)  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  (24)  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,  (25)  and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.  (26)  They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.  (27)  But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

• There is no temple because God and the Lamb are the temple.
• There is no need of the sun or moon because of the glory of God and the Lamb.  In other words, there will be no night
  • Isaiah 24:23  (23)  Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
  • Isaiah 60:19-20  (19)  The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.  (20)  Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.
• Nations walk by the city’s light /Kings of earth bring glory into it.   Isaiah 60:3  (3)  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
• The gates never shut.  Isaiah 60:11  (11)  Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession.
• Only those in Book of Life enter there.  Isaiah 4:3  (3)  And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,

References:

• Andrews Study Bible–In some lessons, I refer to study comments from this Bible.
• God Cares: The Message of Revelation for You and Your Family-A book by C. Mervyn Maxwell that examines how the prophecies of Revelation relate to an individual’s life.
• Plain Revelation–A book by Ranko Stefanovic that summarizes the meaning of various sections of Revelation
• Revelation of Jesus Christ–A book by Ranko Stefonovic that comments on each verse of Revelation.
• Salvation in Signs and Symbols–a series of shows where two pastors and two others study through the books of Revelation and Daniel. These programs can be accessed at 3abnplus.tv . Scroll down to 3ABN Dare to Dream Network and choose Salvation in Signs and Symbols from the list there.
• Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary (Volume 7) (Copywrite 1957)–This is the old green set of commentaries, not the new commentary series that is in the process of being published and should be released after 2022. (Boy, I would love to get my hands on that set when it comes out!)
• A Song For the Sanctuary: Experiencing God’s Presence in Shadow and Reality by Richard M. Davidson.  The focus of this book is the sanctuary.  Since Revelation is full of sanctuary imagery, Dr. Davidson also examines how the sanctuary imagery and other symbols are used in prophecy.
• Table Talk–A series of shows where four pastors discuss various topics. These programs can be accessed at tabletalk.online . Season 4 focuses on Revelation.
• Unlocking Revelation–A series of pamphlets that can be downloaded for free from lightbearers.org and clicking on Resources