Comparing scripture with scripture.
THE WORLD TO COME
Hebrews 2:5 "For He has not put in subjection to the angels the world to come, of which we speak."
Mark 10:28-30
"Then Peter began to say to Him, Lo, we have left all and have followed You.
And Jesus answered and said, Truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now [Greek: νῦν nŷn] in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come, eternal life."
Revelation 13:8 tells us that only those whose names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world will not worship the beast:
THE THEME THAT RUNS THROUGH THE PAGES OF THE REVELATION
Revelation 2:7:
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give him to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.".
THE PROMISES TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME:-
Revelation 20:4-15
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they were záō (alive in their bodies) and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first anástasis (resurrection of the body). Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
THE BELOVED CITY
The "cities" mentioned in the Revelation are:-
1. "Babylon the Great".
2. The city "spiritually called Sodom and Egypt".
3. The cities of the nations which fell when the 7th bowl of wrath was poured out.
4. "New Jerusalem".
There are no verses in the Revelation where "Babylon the Great", or the city "spiritually called Sodom and Egypt", or the cities of the nations which fell when the 7th bowl of wrath was poured out, are called "the holy city",
but the Revelation calls New Jerusalem "the holy city" three times:
A NEW CREATION & THE KINGDOM OF GOD'S ANOINTED ONE
Galatians 6:15 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."
2 Corinthians 5:17 "So that if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Revelation 21:5 "And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful."
No Christian would argue that the Kingdom of Christ exists, and is to exist in His creation.
Paul's words above seem to link a new heavens and earth to the bodily resurrection of the sons of God, at which time it will be revealed who the sons of God are, because as Paul says,
"just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him." (1 Corinthians 15:22-23).
Whether it be in the current creation that is now still subject to the bondage of decay or a new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13), the Kingdom of Christ exists in the creation.
So if we strip away the chapter divisions in the book of Revelation, there are noticeable themes that come up across different chapters. so that the same theme being spoken about in one chapter often has already been introduced in a previous chapter, such as the following theme:
THOSE WHO OVERCOME:
A.K.A "THE BRIDE OF CHRIST"
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. And a great voice came out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done!" (Revelation 16:17).
Revelation 7:15-17 & 21:3-4
"It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. And He sitting on the throne will dwell among them.
They will not hunger any more, nor thirst any more, nor will the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them and will lead them to the fountains of living waters. And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away. And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The above promises are made in two different chapters in the Revelation:
WHERE IS NEW JERUSALEM?
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who 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, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:22-24).
New Jerusalem is also on the current earth wherever the Spirit of Christ dwells, i.e in each and every believer and follower of Christ (collectively "the church").
"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:2).
"Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth: In the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28 NETfree).
"At the renewal of all things" NIV
"When the world is made new" NLT
"In the new world" ESV
"In the regeneration" NKJV
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Revelation 3:12).
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Revelation 3:21).
"Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They were alive in the body and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4).
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations" (Revelation 2:26).
The only people who exist in the sea in Revelation 20:13 are the dead. For those who had been resurrected there is no more "sea" to exist in, because death will no longer exist for them.
Nor will there be any curse. They are the bride of Christ, the wife of the Lamb, also described in Hebrews 12:12 as Mount Zion, and in the Revelation as New Jerusalem.
Revelation Chapter 7 vs. 13-17 is talking about the experience of the bride of Christ following His return. So is Revelation 21:1-7, and the exact same promise regarding their experience is being repeated there.
Revelation 19 vs.7-9, 14 & 19 are describing the same bride of Christ at the time of His return.
Revelation 21:8 is talking about the same thing that Revelation 20:11-15 is talking about:
"But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8);
and Revelation 21:27 states that only those who are written in the Lamb's book of Life will be in New Jerusalem:
"And there shall in no way enter into it anything that defiles, or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." (Revelation 21:27);
Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of Life did not worship the beast in Revelation 13:8;
and in closing this message to His churches, Jesus repeats the above again, saying,
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city. But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie." (Revelation 22:12-15).
Revelation 21:1 to Revelation 22:5 are describing the blessedness of the saints who had been resurrected at the time of Christ's return, at least some of whom will be reigning with Him during the thousand years, over:
"The nations of those who are saved" who will "walk in the light of New Jerusalem" "And its gates may not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there." (Revelation 21:24-25).
Death, the sea and any curse will no longer exist for those who will be resurrected at the time of the return of Christ. The second death has no authority over them.
"But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8).
The sea will still exist for the above dead (the rest of the dead who did not live again until the thousand years were completed), and THEY will experience the second death when the sea containing only the dead will deliver up the dead in it (Revelation 20:13).
There is NO death, NO curse, NO sea for those who are the bride of Christ (New Jerusalem) who will be resurrected when He returns. The new heaven and new earth commences when the millennium commences.
*** The only people who can die a second death are those who have been resurrected from the dead.
Adam did not possess eternal life | immortality in himself. That's why he died, though Satan had told him "You will not surely die". Christ alone has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16), Christ alone has (eternal) life in Himself (John 5:26). He is God.
The creature's (eternal) life is IN CHRIST.
The Gog-Magog armies...
... are not dead people. They are people who will be destroyed by fire coming down from God out of heaven. They did not exist in the sea. The sea did not deliver them up.
The spotlight on Matthew 19:28 and Revelation 20:4-6 is on a few who will reign over (the nations of the many) resurrected saints during the thousand years.
THE END OF THE AGE
When the scene of Christ and His armies of saints coming for battle with the beast and his armies opens, heaven is opened, so that John sees what is in heaven:
"And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war." (Rev.19:11).
The same chapter calls the armies of saints who follow Christ on white horses "the bride of Christ" (as does Revelation Chapter 21).
Revelation chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19 all mention a final kingdom / empire ("the beast") - one that is going to be cruel and will make war against God's people and overcome them (Revelation 13:7).
The beast will give a false prophet all its authority and power, and the false prophet will cause all to build an image of the beast, will give a spirit to the image of the beast, and this image of the beast will speak, and will cause all who refuse to worship the beast or its image, or receive its mark or the number of its name, to be killed.
Revelation Chapter 20 appears in-between the opening and closing visions seen by John in:
(A) Chapter 19, which is talking about Christ's judgment of the beast and the end of the world as we now know it; and
(B) Chapters 21-22, where John is being given a vision of a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The destruction of the beast and false prophet is mentioned in Revelation 16:12-21; Revelation 19:19-20; and Revelation 17:12-14, and what follows at some point after the destruction of the beast and false prophet is mentioned both in Revelation Chapter 20 and Revelation Chapter 21.
THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
Revelation Chapters 21 & 22
are describing the Kingdom of Christ after He has made all things new; and
Revelation Chapter 20:4-6
is talking about saints who did not worship the beast or his image, saying that they "shall reign" with Christ for a thousand years in His Kingdom, and saying,
"Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection of the body [anástasis]: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6).
These are the same people who are being spoken about in Revelation 7:13-17 (those who had come out from great tribulation and had "washed their robes, and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb").
Yet death and hades is only said to be cast into the lake of fire at the close of the thousand years (Revelation 20:14):
"But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection of the body [anástasis]. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection of the body. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years." Revelation 20:5-6.
THE TWELVE GATES
Revelation 22:14-15
"Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city. But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.
Revelation 21:7
"Nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into New Jerusalem, nor anyone who does what is detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."
THE CITY WALL
The city has a high wall (Revelation 21:12), which implies a border to keep those mentioned in Revelation 21:27 and Revelation 22:15 outside, and there are 12 gates that have the names of the 12 sons of Israel inscribed on them, through which the resurrected saints may enter into the city, and the wall has 12 foundations, and in them the names of the 12 apostles:
"Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:20).
So as we can see, the Revelation uses a great deal of metaphor and symbolism. What's written in the Revelation about New Jerusalem and the new heavens and new earth are metaphorical descriptions of a reality that both has existed ever since the veil in the temple separating the holy of holies from the holy place was torn in two when Christ died and rose again from the dead, and will come into existence in its fullness after Christ has returned.
Passing through the 12 gates of New Jerusalem = passing through the gates into the presence of God, where there is no need for the light of the sun, "for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.", and the gates both are, and will be open, and remain open for the saints, both now and in the new heavens and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. (Revelation 21:23).
THE GATES / THE WAY
The only way to God the Father is through Jesus Christ:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
The only way to come through Jesus Christ is through faith in Jesus Christ.
It's also the only way that anyone can enter through any of the twelve gates of New Jerusalem.
The saints in Christ are able to enter into New Jerusalem through 12 gates, but the unholy and unsaved cannot enter. They must remain outside the city.
1. "Those whose authority will be over the Tree of Life" "may enter in by the gates into the city, but outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie." (Revelation 22:14-15).
2. "The nations of those who are saved will walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it." "And they (the kings of the earth) shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it." (Revelation 21:24, 26).
3. From the beginning of the thousand years and forever "there shall in no way enter into New Jerusalem anything that defiles, or any making an abomination or a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." (Revelation 21:27).
The kings of the earth mentioned above are the same kings of the earth mentioned below:
"Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6).
Isaiah 65:20 (above) is difficult to understand the meaning of, but the rest of the context agrees with Isaiah 60.
What is clear is that the New heavens and new earth, and new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven is about the eternal experience of the bride of Christ (those who had overcome).
CONCLUSION
So we have
1. The new heavens and new earth of Revelation chapters 21:1 to 22:5; and
2. The thousand years of Revelation chapter 20,
being linked together as a common theme, giving us a picture of what will follow the appearance of Christ; and though there will be no more death for the bride of Christ after He has appeared (they will not experience the second death and they will reign with Christ for a thousand years), all the dead whose names are not found in Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (which is the second death), together with death and hades when the thousand years have been fulfilled.
This agrees with what Peter said in 2 Peter 3:10-13.
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