Hitherto
the prophecy of this book has presented to us a very remarkable mixture of
light and shade, prosperity and adversity, mercy and judgment, in the
conduct of divine Providence towards the church in the world: now, at the
close of all, the day breaks, and the shadows flee away; a new world now
appears, the former having passed away. Some are willing to understand all
that is said in these last two chapters of the state of the church even here
on earth, in the glory of the latter days; but others, more probably, take
it as a representation of the perfect and triumphant state of the church in
heaven. Let but the faithful saints and servants of God wait awhile, and
they shall not only see, but enjoy, the perfect holiness and happiness of
that world. In this chapter you have, I. An introduction to the vision of
the new Jerusalem, ver. 1-9. II. The vision itself, ver. 10, &c.
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The
New Jerusalem.
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A. D. 95.
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1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for
the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more
sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 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 shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat
upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me,
Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto
me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give
unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he
shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
We have here a more general account of the happiness of the church of God in
the future state, by which it seems most safe to understand the heavenly
state.
I. A new world now opens to our view (v. 1): I saw a new heaven
and a new earth; that is, a new universe; for we suppose the world to be
made up of heaven and earth. By the new earth we may understand a new state
for the bodies of men, as well as a heaven for their souls. This world is
not now newly created, but newly opened, and filled with all those who were
the heirs of it. The new heaven and the new earth will not then be distinct;
the very earth of the saints, their glorified bodies, will now be spiritual
and heavenly, and suited to those pure and bright mansions. To make way for
the commencement of this new world, the old world, with all its troubles and
commotions, passed away.
II. In this new world the apostle saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,
coming down from heaven, not locally, but as to its original: this new
Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, prepared as
a bride adorned for her husband, beautified with all perfection of
wisdom and holiness, meet for the full fruition of the Lord Jesus Christ in
glory.
III. The blessed presence of God with his people is here proclaimed and
admired: I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, &c., v. 3. Observe, 1. The
presence of God with his church is the glory of the church. 2. It is matter
of wonder that a holy God should ever dwell with any of the children of men.
3. 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. 4. The covenant,
interest, and relation, that there are now between God and his people, will
be filled up and perfected in heaven. They shall be his people; their
souls shall be assimilated to him, filled with all the love, honour, and
delight in God which their relation to him requires, and this will
constitute their perfect holiness; and he will be their God: God himself
will be their God; his immediate presence with them, his love fully
manifested to them, and his glory put upon them, will be their perfect
happiness; then he will fully answer the character of the relation on his
part, as they shall do on their part.
IV. This new and blessed state will be free from all trouble and sorrow;
for, 1. All the effects of former trouble shall be done away. They have been
often before in tears, by reason of sin, of affliction, of the calamities of
the church; but now all tears shall be wiped away; no signs, no
remembrance of former sorrows shall remain, any further than to make their
present felicity the greater. God himself, as their tender Father, with his
own kind hand, shall wipe away the tears of his children; and they
would not have been without those tears when God shall come and wipe them
away. 2. All the causes of future sorrow shall be for ever removed: There
shall be neither death nor pain; and therefore no sorrow nor crying;
these are things incident to that state in which they were before, but now
all former things have passed away.
V. The truth and certainty of this blessed state are ratified by the word
and promise of God, and ordered to be committed to writing, as matter of
perpetual record, v. 5, 6. The subject-matter of this vision is so
great, and of such great importance to the church and people of God, that
they have need of the fullest assurances of it; and God therefore from
heaven repeats and ratifies the truth thereof. Besides, many ages must pass
between the time when this vision was given forth and the accomplishment of
it, and many great trials must intervene; and therefore God would have it
committed to writing, for perpetual memory, and continual use to his people.
Observe, 1. The certainty of the promise averred: These words are
faithful and true; and it follows, It is done, is as sure as if
it were done already. We may and ought to take God's promise as present
payment; if he has said that he makes all things new, it is done. 2.
He gives us his titles of honour as a pledge or surety of the full
performance, even those titles of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end. As it was his glory that he gave the rise and beginning to the
world and to his church, it will be his glory to finish the work begin, and
not to leave it imperfect. As his power and will were the first cause of all
things, his pleasure and glory are the last end, and he will not lose his
design; for then he would no longer be the Alpha and Omega. Men may
begin designs which they can never bring to perfection; but the counsel
of God shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. 3. The desires of
his people towards this blessed state furnish another evidence of the truth
and certainty of it. They thirst after a state of sinless perfection and the
uninterrupted enjoyment of God, and God has wrought in them these longing
desires, which cannot be satisfied with any thing else, and therefore would
be the torment of the soul if they were disappointed but it would be
inconsistent with the goodness of God, and his love to his people, to create
in them holy and heavenly desires, and then deny them their proper
satisfaction; and therefore they may be assured that, when they have
overcome their present difficulties, he will give them of the fountain of
the water of life freely.
VI. The greatness of this future felicity is declared and illustrated, 1. By
the freeness of it--it is the free gift of God: He gives of the water of
life freely; this will not make it less but more grateful to his people.
2. The fulness of it. The people of God then lie at the fountain-head of all
blessedness: they inherit all things (v. 7); enjoying God,
they enjoy all things. He is all in all. 3. By the tenure and title by which
they enjoy this blessedness--by right of inheritance, as the sons of God,
a title of all others the most honourable, as resulting from so near and
endeared a relation to God himself, and the most sure and indefeasible, that
can no more cease than the relation from which it results. 4. By the vastly
different state of the wicked. Their misery helps to illustrate the glory
and blessedness of the saints, and the distinguishing goodness of God
towards them, v. 8. Here observe, (1.) The sins of those who perish,
among which are first mentioned their cowardliness and unbelief. The
fearful lead the van in this black list. They durst not encounter the
difficulties of religion, and their slavish fear proceeded from their
unbelief; but those who were so dastardly as not to dare to take up the
cross of Christ, and discharge their duty to him, were yet so desperate as
to run into all manner of abominable wickedness--murder, adultery,
sorcery, idolatry, and lying. (2.) Their punishment: They have
their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the
second death. [1.] They could not burn at a stake for Christ, but they
must burn in hell for sin. [2.] They must die another death after their
natural death; the agonies and terrors of the first death will consign them
over to the far greater terrors and agonies of eternal death, to die and to
be always dying. [3.] This misery will be their proper part and portion,
what they have justly deserved, what they have in effect chosen, and what
they have prepared themselves for by their sins. Thus the misery of the
damned will illustrate the blessedness of those that are saved, and the
blessedness of the saved will aggravate the misery of those that are damned.
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The
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A. D. 95.
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9 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 show thee the bride, the Lamb's
wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and
high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her
light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone,
clear as crystal; 12 And had a wall great and high, and
had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of
Israel: 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 in them the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden
reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And 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. 17 And he
measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four
cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the
angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of
jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with
all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the
second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the
eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh,
a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were
twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the
city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And
I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the
temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of
the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is
the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved
shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their
glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be
shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And
they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in
the Lamb's book of life.
We have already considered the introduction to the vision of the new
Jerusalem in a more general idea of the heavenly state; we now come to the
vision itself, where observe,
I. The person that opened the vision to the apostle--one of the seven
angels, that had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, v.
9. God has a variety of work and employment for his holy angels. Sometimes
they are to sound the trumpet of divine Providence, and give fair warning to
a careless world; sometimes they are to pour out the vials of God's anger
upon impenitent sinners; and sometimes to discover things of a heavenly
nature to those that are the heirs of salvation. They readily execute
every commission they receive from God; and, when this world shall be at an
end, yet the angels shall be employed by the great God in proper pleasant
work to all eternity.
II. The place from which the apostle had this glorious view and prospect. He
was taken, in ecstasy, into a high mountain. From such situations men
usually have the most distinct views of adjacent cities. Those who would
have clear views of heaven must get as near heaven as they can, into the
mount of vision, the mount of meditation and faith, whence, as from the top
of Pisgah, they may behold the goodly land of the heavenly Canaan.
III. The subject-matter of the vision--the bride, the Lamb's wife (v.
10); that is, the church of God in her glorious, perfect, triumphant state,
under the resemblance of Jerusalem, having the glory of God shining in its
lustre, as uxor splendit radiis mariti--the bride comely through the
comeliness put on her by her husband; glorious in her relation to
Christ, in his image now perfected in her, and in his favour shining upon
her. And now we have a large description of the church triumphant under the
emblem of a city, far exceeding in riches and splendour all the cities of
this world; and this new Jerusalem is here represented to us both in the
exterior and the interior part of it.
1. The exterior part of the city--the wall and the gates, the
wall for security and the gates for entrance.
(1.) The wall for security. Heaven is a safe state; those that are there are
enclosed with a wall, that separates them and secures them from all evils
and enemies: now here, in the account of the wall, we observe, [1.] The
height of it, which, we are told, is very high, seventy yards (v.
17), sufficient both for ornament and security. [2.] The matter of it: It
was as jasper; a wall all built of the most precious stones, for
firmness and lustre, v. 11. This city has a wall that is impregnable
as well as precious. [3.] The form of it was very regular and uniform: It
was four-square, the length as large as the breadth. In the new
Jerusalem all shall be equal in purity and perfection. There shall be an
absolute uniformity in the church triumphant, a thing wanted and wished for
on earth, but not to be expected till we come to heaven. [4.] The measure of
the wall (v. 15, 16): Twelve thousand furlongs each way, each
side, which is forty-eight thousand furlongs in the whole compass, or
fifteen hundred German miles. Here is room sufficient for all the people of
God--many mansions in their Father's house. [5.] The foundation of
the wall, for heaven is a city that hath her foundations (v. 19); the
promise and power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong
foundations of the church's safety and happiness. The foundations are
described by their number--twelve, alluding to the twelve apostles (v.
14), whose gospel doctrines are the foundations upon which the church is
built, Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; and, as to the
matter of these foundations, it was various and precious, set forth by
twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellency of the
doctrines of the gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the
personal excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(2.) The gates for entrance. Heaven is not inaccessible; there is a way
opened into the holiest of all; there is a free admission to all those that
are sanctified; they shall not find themselves shut out. Now, as to these
gates, observe, [1.] Their number--twelve gates, answering to the
twelve tribes of Israel. All the true Israel of God shall have entrance into
the new Jerusalem, as every tribe had into the earthly Jerusalem. [2.] Their
guards which were placed upon them--twelve angels, to admit and
receive the several tribes of the spiritual Israel and keep out others. [3.]
The inscription on the gates--the names of the twelve tribes, to show
that they have a right to the tree of life, and to enter through the gates
into the city. [4.] The situation of the gates. As the city had four equal
sides, answering to the four quarters of the world, east, west, north, and
south, so on each side there were three gates, signifying that from all
quarters of the earth there shall be some who shall get safely to heaven and
be received there, and that there is as free entrance from one part of the
world as from the other; for in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek,
Barbarian, Scythian, bond, nor free. Men of all nations, and languages,
who believe on Christ, have by him access to God in grace here and in glory
hereafter. [5.] The materials of these gates--they were all of pearls, and
yet with great variety: Every gate one pearl, either one single pearl
of that vast bigness, or one single sort of pearl. Christ is the pearl of
great price, and he is our way to God. There is nothing magnificent enough
in this world fully to set forth the glory of heaven. Could we, in the glass
of a strong imagination, contemplate such a city as is here described, even
as to the exterior part of it, such a wall, and such gates, how amazing, how
glorious, would the prospect be! And yet this is but a faint and dim
representation of what heaven is in itself.
2. The interior part of the new Jerusalem, v. 22-27. We have seen its
strong wall, and stately gates, and glorious guards; now we are to be led
through the gates into the city itself; and the first thing which we observe
there is the street of the city, which is of pure gold, like transparent
glass, v. 21. The saints in heaven tread upon gold. The new
Jerusalem has its several streets. There is the most exact order in heaven:
every saint has his proper mansion. There is converse in heaven: the saints
are then at rest, but it is not a mere passive rest; it is not a state of
sleep and inactivity, but a state of delightful motion: The nations that
are saved walk in the light of it. They walk with Christ in white. They
have communion not only with God, but with one another; and all their steps
are firm and clean. They are pure and clear as gold and transparent
glass. Observe,
(1.) The temple of the new Jerusalem, which was no material temple, made
with men's hands, as that of Solomon and Zerubbabel, but a temple altogether
spiritual and divine; for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the
temple thereof. There the saints are above the need of ordinances, which
were the means of their preparation for heaven. When the end is attained the
means are no longer useful. Perfect and immediate communion with God will
more than supply the place of gospel institutions.
(2.) The light of this city. Where there is no light, there can be no lustre
nor pleasure. Heaven is the inheritance of the saints in light. But
what is that light? There is no sun nor moon shining there, v. 23.
Light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to behold the sun. What a dismal
world would this be if it were not for the light of the sun! What is there
in heaven that supplies the want of it? There is no want of the light of the
sun, for the glory of God lightens that city, and the Lamb is the light
thereof. God in Christ will be an everlasting fountain of knowledge and
joy to the saints in heaven; and, if so, there is no need of the sun or
moon, any more than we here need to set up candles at noon day, when the sun
shineth in its strength.
(3.) The inhabitants of this city. They are described here several ways.
[1.] By their numbers--whole nations of saved souls; some out of all
nations, and many out of some nations. All those multitudes who were sealed
on earth are saved in heaven. [2.] By their dignity--some of the kings and
princes of the earth: great kings. God will have some of all ranks and
degrees of men to fill the heavenly mansions, high and low; and when the
greatest kings come to heaven they will see all their former honour and
glory swallowed up of this heavenly glory that so much excels. [3.] Their
continual accession and entrance into this city: The gates shall never be
shut. There is no night, and therefore no need of shutting up the gates.
Some one or other is coming in every hour and moment, and those that are
sanctified always find the gates open; they have an abundant entrance
into the kingdom.
(4.) The accommodations of this city: All the glory and honour of the
nations shall be brought into it. Whatever is excellent and valuable in
this world shall be there enjoyed in a more refined kind, and to a far
greater degree--brighter crowns, a better and more enduring substance, more
sweet and satisfying feasts, a more glorious attendance, a truer sense of
honour and far higher posts of honour, a more glorious temper of mind, and a
form and a countenance more glorious than ever were known in this world.
(5.) The unmixed purity of all who belong to the new Jerusalem, v.
27. [1.] There the saints shall have no impure thing remaining in them. In
the article of death they shall be cleansed from every thing that is of a
defiling nature. Now they feel a sad mixture of corruption with their
graces, which hinders them in the service of God, interrupts their communion
with him, and intercepts the light of his countenance; but, at their
entrance into the holy of holies, they are washed in the laver of Christ's
blood, and presented to the Father without spot. [2.] There the saints shall
have no impure persons admitted among them. In the earthly Jerusalem there
will be a mixed communion, after all the care that can be taken. Some roots
of bitterness will spring up to trouble and defile Christian societies; but
in the new Jerusalem there is a society perfectly pure. First, Free
from such as are openly profane. There are none admitted into heaven who
work abominations. In the churches on earth sometimes abominable things are
done, solemn ordinances profaned and prostituted to men openly vicious, for
worldly ends; but no such abominations can have place in heaven. Secondly,
Free from hypocrites, such as make lies, say they are Jews, and are not, but
do lie. These will creep into the churches of Christ on earth, and may lie
concealed there a long time, perhaps all their days; but they cannot intrude
into the new Jerusalem, which is wholly reserved for those that are called,
and chosen, and faithful, who are all written, not only in the register if
the visible church, but in the Lamb's book of life.
