Revelation 21:10-11

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.  Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

·         The entire city of Jerusalem, both heavenly and earthly, will be dynamically connected and considered “Jesus’ Throne of Glory”, because everyone and everything related to the City will be under His direct influence and serving His governmental purposes. In the Catholic world, Vatican City is but a dim earthly glimpse of this ultimate heavenly reality.  (CS)

·         Jesus’ Throne of Glory in the earthly city of Jerusalem will actually be inside of the Holy of Holies in the Millennial Temple (Ezek. 43:4-7). Jesus’ kingly throne and “presidential oval office” will be in the prayer room or the House of Prayer that is leading the global prayer movement across the earth. (CS)

Revelation 21:9

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

·         God has a variety of work and employment for His holy angels.  They readily execute every commission they receive from God.  (MH)

·         This heavenly city is literal, but it is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife because it is the place where all God’s people are gathered. In this sense the New Jerusalem is certainly like the bride; but this association doesn’t diminish the reality behind the image. The city is associated with the bride to awe us with a sense of its beauty.  (DG)

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

·         But the Jesus-rejecting and apostate are specifically prohibited from entering the New Jerusalem. (DG)

·         Cowardly: Is cowardice enough to send a person to hell? “John is not speaking of natural timidity, but of that cowardice which in the last resort chooses self and safety before Christ.” (Morris) John Trapp spoke of these “Cowardly recreants, white-livered milk-sops, that pull in their horns for every pile of grass that toucheth them, that are afraid of every new step.”  (DG)

Revelation 21:7

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

·         Those who overcome (by faith in Jesus, as in 1 John 5:5) enjoy a special relationship with God  (DG)

·         The tenure and title by which they enjoy this blessedness as the sons of God, a title most sure and indefeasible (MH)

Revelation 21:6

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”  And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

·         This is an authoritative announcement, coming from the throne of God itself. This is one of the few times in Revelation where we clearly see God speaking directly from His throne.  (DG)

·         This statement is in the present tense, “I am making everything new.” This is the consummation of God’s work of renewal and redemption, having begun here and now in our present time.  (DG)

Revelation 21:5

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”  And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

·         This is an authoritative announcement, coming from the throne of God itself. This is one of the few times in Revelation where we clearly see God speaking directly from His throne.  (DG)

·         This statement is in the present tense, “I am making everything new.” This is the consummation of God’s work of renewal and redemption, having begun here and now in our present time.  (DG)

Revelation 21:4

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

·         All the causes of future sorrow shall be for ever removed (MH)

·         “‘Every tear,’ for they be many; - tears of bereaved affection, such as Mary, and Martha, and the widow of Nain wept; - tears of sympathy and mercy, such as Jeremiah and Jesus wept over the sins and the calamities of Jerusalem; - tears of persecuted innocence, tears of contrition and penitence for faults and crimes against the goodness and majesty of heaven; - tears of disappointment and neglect; - tears of yearning for what cannot now be ours; - these, and whatever others ever course the cheeks of mortals, shall then be dried forever.” (Seiss)

Revelation 21:3

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.  God Himself will be with them and be their God.

·         The blessed presence of God with His people is here proclaimed (MH)

·         The presence of God with His people in heaven will not be interrupted as it is on earth, but He will dwell with them continually (MH)

Revelation 21:2

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

·         This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state (MH)

·         This is the Jerusalem of hope (Hebrews 12:22), the Jerusalem above (Galatians 4:26), the place of our real citizenship (Philippians 3:20).  (DG)

Revelation 21:1

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.

·         A new world now opens to our view (MH)

·         To make way for the commencement of the new world, the old world passed away (MH)

Revelation 20:15

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

·         “As there is a second and higher life, so there is also a second and deeper death. And as after that life there is no more death, so after that death there is no more life” (Alford)

·         “The devil and the damned have punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succor, crying without comfort, mischief without measure, torments without end and past imagination.” (Trapp)

Revelation 20:14

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.

·         The last echoes of sin are now eliminated. Death is the result of sin, and it is gone. Hades is the result of death, and it is gone. The last vestiges of sin’s unlawful domination are done away with.  (DG)

·         The lake of fire: When a person refers to “Hell,” the lake of fire is what they usually have in mind. The Bible uses three main words to describe where the ungodly may go when they die.  (DG)

Revelation 20:13

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were condemned, each one according to his works.

·         The earth will then be resurrected from its present state, even as our natural bodies will have been changed dramatically from their former state (1 Cor. 15:35-49). (CS)

·         The earth will be renovated not annihilated. Scripture declares that the earth continues forever (Ps. 37:29; 78:69; 104:5; 105:10-11; 125:1-2; 1 Chr. 23:25; 28:8; Isa. 60:21; Ezek. 37:25; Joel 3:20). The earth is only “new” in the sense of being “re-newed” and resurrected from its present state. The phrase “passed away” (Rev. 21:1) is the same Greek words as in 2 Cor. 5:17, where we, having been saved, are “new creatures” all old things “passing away”. However, although old things have “passed away” we are not different people in substance. We are merely changed not annihilated or done away with utterly.  (CS)

Revelation 20:12

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

·         None are so mean but they have some talents to account for, and none so great as to avoid the jurisdiction of this court; not only those that are found alive at the coming of Christ, but all who have died before (MH)

·         Books opened – the book of God’s omniscience, and the book of the sinner’s conscience (MH)

·         Another book – the book of the scriptures, the statute book of heaven, the rule of life (MH)

Revelation 20:11

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.  And there was found no place for them.

·         There is absolutely no hiding from this throne. No one can escape the judgment that it represents.  (DG)

·         At the judgment seat of Christ, what we have done will be judged. Our motives for what we have done will be judged. Paul presents essentially the same idea in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, where he speaks of a coming assessment of each one’s work before the Lord. In that passage, he makes it clear that what we have done, and our motive for doing it, will be tested by fire, and the purifying fire of God will burn up everything that was not of Him. We won’t be punished for what was not done rightly unto the Lord, it will simply be burned up, and it will be as if we never did those things. We will simply be rewarded for what remains. Sadly, some will get to heaven thinking they have done great things for God, and will find out at the judgment seat of Christ that they really did nothing.  (DG)

Revelation 20:10

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

·         The presence of the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire after a thousand years argues against annihilationism. In eternal punishment, a thousand years is just the beginning. It never ends. Commentator John Trapp thought this eternal aspect of hell so terrible that he called it “another hell in the midst of hell.”   (DG)

·         Forever and ever: Is this really eternal punishment? Yes it is; the words mean exactly what they appear to mean. “There would be no way possible in the Greek language to state more emphatically the everlasting punishment of the lost than here in mentioning both day and night and the expression ‘forever and ever,’ literally ‘to the ages of ages.’” (Walvoord)

Revelation 20:9

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city.  And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

·         We don’t know if the saints referred to here are glorified saints who reign with Jesus, or earth-inhabitants who come to faith in Jesus during the Millennium. Either way, the strategy of this vast Satanic army is clear: to destroy God’s people, and the “headquarters” or “capital city” of His administration, Jerusalem (the beloved city).  (DG)

·         We shouldn’t even call this a final battle, because there is no battle. The fight is over before it begins. At this point, God finally deals with the devil and his followers forever.  (DG)

Revelation 20:7-8

Now when the thousand years have expired, satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

·         No sooner is satan released than he falls to his old work of deceiving the nations, and so stirring them up to make war with the saints and servants of God (MH)

·         The Millennium is important because it will reveal the depths of man’s rebellious nature in a perfect environment. Some people seem to believe that man is basically good, and deep down he really wants God’s righteous rule. Many believe that man is really innocent, and corrupted only by a bad environment. The Millennium will answer these questions before the great judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).  (DG)

Revelation 20:6

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.  Over 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.

·         In John 5:28-29, Jesus described two resurrections: Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.  (DG)

·         The two events are separated by this 1,000 year period, because the rest of the dead are not given their resurrection bodies until the thousand years were finished. (DG)

Revelation 20:5

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.

·         None but those who have served Christ and suffered for Him shall be favored with the first resurrection (MH)

• This is a resurrection of blessing (blessed and holy is he); This is a resurrection of power (over such the second death has no power); This is a resurrection of privilege (they shall be priests of God . . . shall reign with Him a thousand years)  (DG)

Revelation 20:4

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.  Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.  And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

·         The honor bestowed upon them:  they were raised from the dead and restored to life (MH)

·         These saints reign with Jesus for the same period of time that Satan is bound (a thousand years). They administrate the kingdom of Jesus Christ over the earth, reigning over those who pass from the earth of the Great Tribulation to the earth of the Millennium. (DG)

Revelation 20:2-3

He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.  But after these things he must be released for a little while.

·         Neither the strength of the dragon, nor the subtlety of the serpent, was sufficient to rescue him.  (MH)

·         The term of this confinement – a thousand years – after which he was to be loosed for a little season (MH)

Revelation 20:1

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

·         The final importance of satan is perhaps indicated in the fact that it is not the Father who deals with him, nor the Christ, but only an unnamed angel.” (Morris)

·         This is a dramatic declaration that satan is not God’s opposite or equal; and that God could easily stop satan’s activity at any time. Yet God allows satan to continue, because even in his evil, he indirectly serves the purposes of God. (DG)

Revelation 19:21

And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.  And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

·         “A lake of burning brimstone would not only be intensely hot, but malodorous and fetid as well.” (Mounce)

·         The lake of fire is what we normally consider Hell. It is real, and there is nothing more important than avoiding it.   (DG)

Revelation 19:20

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.  These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

·         “The battle of Armageddon is the laughter of God against the climax of man’s arrogance.” (Barnhouse)

·         The beast and the false prophet receive special treatment. They are cast alive into the lake of fire before the Great White Throne of judgment holds court (Revelation 20:11-15).  (DG)

Revelation 19:19

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

·         Some find it hard to understand how man could be so foolish to try and keep Jesus and this heavenly army off the earth in a pitched battle. They suggest that these armies initially gather to battle against each other, and then turn their fury on the returning Jesus. This may be the case, but we should never underestimate man’s folly and hatred of God.  (DG)

·         This is just the logical extension of man’s constant war against God since the fall. It is no more unbelievable than the idea that God came to earth and men murdered Him.  (DG)

Revelation 19:17-18

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

·         This shows how bright this angels shines with the glory of God. The angel can be seen, even though it stands before the sun. “The angel is standing in the light of the sun with the angel himself possibly shining with even greater brilliance.” (Walvoord)

·         The repetition of flesh (5 times) is revealing. “The race has walked in carnal enmity against God, living after the flesh, and now the day of His patience is at an end.” (Barnhouse)

·         It also shows that men of all stations are judged. The high and the low together, if they remain hardened in their rejection of Jesus, will be judged. “The divine judgment upon the wicked is no respecter of persons or station, and is the great equalizer of all.” (Walvoord)

Revelation 19:16

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

                                        KING OF KINGS

                                        AND LORD OF LORDS.

·         The name is on His thigh for prominence, being easily visible when seated on a horse. At the same time, no one knew [the name] except Himself - that is, no one can comprehend Him perfectly.   (DG)

·         Clarke is among those who believe that the name written that no one knew except Himself is actually the tetragrammaton, the four letters YHWH that make up the name Yahweh, the sacred and secret name of God.   (DG)

Revelation 19:15

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.  He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

·         The weapons of His warfare:  a sharp sword (MH)

·         The idea isn’t that Jesus holds a sword in his mouth like a buccaneer, or that He is “spitting swords.” This is a dramatic way of referring to the power of His Word. “Christ conquers by the power of His Word” (Johnson). Five times in the Book Revelation, John emphasizes that Jesus’ sword comes out of His mouth.  (DG)