Download The Lamb Wins! –The Book of Revelation for the 21st Century

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‘blessed are those who wash their robes’ (v14) – white robes symbolise holiness and freedom from
sin – in contrast with those outside who continue in sinful rebellion – v15 (‘dogs’ sometimes
symbolise evil in Scripture eg Philippians 3.2 - apologies to any dog lovers!)
‘the bright Morning Star’ (v16) – Jesus’ coming will herald a brand new day
The final words of the Book
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‘Come’ (v17) – what are we going to do with what we have heard – the invitation is here to come to
Jesus and drink the water of life as Christ’s free gift – will you accept?
A final warning is to be found in v18-19 – it is tempting to start adding into or picking apart to
words of the prophecy – don’t do it says John – the consequences could be far-reaching and
terrifying
And after all we have heard we certainly need the grace of the Lord Jesus (v21)!
Questions
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In which ways can the Church today be a reflection of this Holy City?
We can often be negative or apologetic about the state of the Church – is there anything from this
passage to encourage us?
As in previous weeks, there are several passages which clearly say that not everyone will be a part
of the Holy City. How can we encourage those who find this message difficult?
How can we anticipate our future life today and create in our fellowship a foretaste of heaven?
Share with the group what you have learned from studying Revelation.
How have you changed from studying this book – what will you do differently from now on?
Numbers of the week – 12,000 and 144
The holy city is 12,000 stadia wide, long and high, a perfect cube - that’s about 1,4000 miles in each
direction! The walls are 144 cubits thick (or high) – that is about 200 feet. As usual the numbers are
symbolic
 12 is the number of Israel
 10 is probably the number of completeness
 so 12,000 is the number of Israel times the cube of the number of completeness
 given that the city is where God’s people are dwelling (or in fact are God’s people) this number
represents the complete and perfect total of all God’s people
 how about the walls? - 144 is the square of the number of Israel (12 x 12)
 why is the wall this thick (or high)? Because it is not for defence – there is nothing left to attack it.
The wall (which is Israel squared) is really saying, the number of the true Israel is now complete.
The Lamb Wins! –The Book of Revelation for the
21st Century
Week 11 – The Lamb Wins! – Revelation 21.1-22.21
We’ve reached the grand finale of Revelation, rounding off not just this book but the
whole Bible itself. It’s been quite a journey, a journey of contrasts - praise and terror,
peace and suffering, worship and judgement, heaven and hell. But eventually our journey
comes to an end. There are contrasts here too – the glorious New Jerusalem, the beauty of
the bride of Christ and refreshment in the everlasting river of life – and yet also judgement
and the torment of the fiery lake of burning sulphur. Even at its climax Revelation is not
comfortable reading. But the end of this remarkable book is full of comfort for those who
know and love the Lord Jesus. Let’s explore chapters 21 and 22 together…
May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31 June 7 June 14 June 21 June 28 July 5 July 12 -
Cracking the Code – Revelation 1.1-20
Letters from Heaven 1 – Revelation 2.1-29
Letters from Heaven 2 – Revelation 3.1-22
The Eternal Throne – Revelation 4.1-11
Worthy is the Lamb – Revelation 5.1-5.14
Breaking the Seals – Revelation 6.1-8.1
Sounding the Trumpets – Revelation 8.2-11.19
The Battle with Satan – Revelation 12.1-15.4
The Day of Reckoning – Revelation 15.5-18.24
The Thousand Years – Revelation 19.1-20.15
The Lamb Wins! – Revelation 21.1-22.21
Do try to read the passage for the week ahead of time – or why not listen to David
Nunn reading it at www.blueskiesvideo.co.uk?
Where we left off last time….
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The end of chapter 20 saw Satan finally bound and punished by being thrown into an eternal lake of
fire (20.10) together with everyone who has ever lived facing judgement. All who rebel against
God are punished eternally – only those whose names are found written in the Book of Life survive.
But what happens to them?
Now John’s vision opens to show us the glorious future that awaits all who know and trust in the
Lord Jesus
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A new heaven, a new earth – and the new Jerusalem – 21.1-17
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The next scene is glorious – the cosmos completely changes and a new city comes down out of
heaven from God. Let’s take a moment to look at John’s description.
As ever the picture is metaphorical, symbolic. So what can we learn from the vision?
‘a new heaven and a new earth’ (v1) – the old earth had been comprehensively damaged and
destroyed – the Lord needs to provide a replacement for us.
‘there was no longer any sea’ (v10) – the sea in scripture is often a threatening place, never still, a
symbol of changefulness and turmoil (see eg Isaiah 57.20). This will all end.
‘a bride beautifully dressed for her husband’ (v2) – now we realise what (or rather who) the city is
– she is none other than the Church, the Bride of Christ (see last week’s notes)
‘the dwelling of God is with men’ (v3) – it would be ludicrous for a bride and groom not to live
together after they are married – the Lord will now dwell with his people forever
‘no more death or mourning or crying or pain’ (v4) – I often read these verses at a funeral – this life
often brings pain and sorrow – but one day the Lord will change all this
‘he who overcomes will inherit all this’ (v7) – this brings us back to the messages to the Seven
Churches – the Lord expects us, in his strength, to overcome the world
but it is absolutely clear that not everyone will inherit – verses 21.8, 21.7 and 22.15 list the kind of
behaviour which is rebellion against God. This is not meant figuratively – God is a holy God and
those who practice such things will not inherit his kingdom (take a look at 1 Corinthians 9.9-11 for
Paul’s take on this). The same punishment as for the beast, the false prophet and the devil awaits
such people (v8 and also 19.20 and 20.10).
The Holy City (God’s people) is described symbolically (this is Revelation after all)
‘shone with the glory of God’ (11) – when Moses met with God face to face his face shone (Exodus
34.29) – likewise we will live with God and shine with his glory
‘a great, high wall’ (v10) – there are no enemies left so the walls are not needed for defence. But
they signify that we will be totally secure in God’s presence. However only those whom the Lord
admits may enter (there are angels at the gates – see v12)
Some of the descriptions go back to the prophecy of Ezekiel – an apocalyptic book of the Old
Testament – eg the description of measuring the city (v15-17) can be found in Ezekiel 42.16-19; the
description of the gates (v13) in Ezekiel 48.31-34. As usual don't get too hung up on the details –
John was just describing images that struck a chord with his readers. But note that the new
Jerusalem is a combination of the historic people of God and the New Testament people of God the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written over the gates (v13) and the names of the Twelve
Apostles are written on the foundations (v14).
The precious stones of which the foundations are made probably refer back to the stones on the High
Priest’s breastplate in Exodus 18.15-21 – there the stones represent the tribes of Israel – here the
foundations are made represent the apostles. Jew and Gentile have truly become one in Christ.
The city is perfect – just like the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple it is a perfect cube – and it
is 12,000 stadia (about 1,400 miles long, wide and high, a perfect number (see Numbers of the week
overleaf)
‘The glory of God gives it light’ (v23) – the city needs no light and no sanctuary because the glory of
God is its light and the presence of God is its sanctuary.
The River of Life – 22.1-6
The John sees a vision of the ‘river of the water of life’ (v1). God’s people are going to know a time of
wonderful healing and refreshment. This vision refers back to several Old Testament passages
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A river flowed out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2.9-10)
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Ezekiel had a vision of a river flowing out of the restored Temple and down to the Dead Sea,
growing deeper as it went and bringing life everywhere (Ezekiel 47)
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On both sides of the river saw ‘the tree of life’ (v2) with 12 crops of fruit – in other words the tree
was fruitful all the year round – and it has healing leaves
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So the point being conveyed is that paradise of the Garden of Eden spoiled by Adam’s sin is being
reversed
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‘his servants will serve him’ (v3) – do you want to know what we will be doing in heaven?
Worshipping and serving God forever!
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‘they will see his face’ (v4) – even Moses was not permitted to see the face of God because God was
too holy to be viewed by sinful man (they would die in the process - Exodus 33.20) – but in the new
heaven and the new earth God’s people will be able to look on the face of God and live
Jesus is coming back – 22.7-21
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Jesus is coming soon (v7) – of course ‘soon’ in terms of eternity might be a bit longer that in our
timescales!
‘do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book’ (v10) – the words of the prophecy are
intended for publication, not hidden away (in contrast to cult religions which often only allow their
secrets to be known to those initiated into it – Mormonism and Freemasonry are two modern day
examples) – no one who reads these words will have any excuse for not knowing what will happen
in the future
‘Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong’ (v11) – of course the angel is not encouraging
people to sin! This is really a declaration of what will happen until the words of the prophecy are
fulfilled (whatever happens the sinful will continue to sin, the good will continue to do good)
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ (v13) – the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet – the Father
uses these words to describe himself in Revelation 1.8 – now Jesus uses them about himself. These
two verses are very useful to quote to Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny that Jesus is God!