The Early Church · Not dated
Chapter 49
A New Heaven and a New Earth
I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”
For parents
In John’s visions, an angel calls the birds to eat the flesh of kings, captains and all people; the beast and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire, and the rest are killed with the sword and the birds eat their flesh (Revelation 19:17–21). Revelation 20 tells of the souls of those who had been beheaded, and of fire from heaven devouring those who surrounded the camp of the saints. The devil is thrown into the lake of fire, where “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever,” and anyone not found written in the book of life is cast into it (20:4, 9–15). The great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual sin is judged (19:2), and murderers and those who commit sexual sin are named among those whose part is in the lake that burns with fire or who are outside the city (21:8; 22:15); none of it is told in detail.
“After these things,” wrote, “I heard something like the loud voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying:
‘! Salvation, power and glory belong to our God,for his judgments are true and right.He has judged the great who corrupted the earth with her sexual sin,and he has made her payfor the blood of his servants, shed by her hand.’
“Then came a second cry:
‘Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.’
“The and the fell down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne. ‘! Hallelujah!’ they said.
“A voice came from the throne, saying:
‘Give praise to our God, all you his servants,you who fear him, the small and the great!’
“I heard something like the voice of a great crowd, like the voice of many waters, like mighty thunder, saying:
‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the , reigns!Let’s rejoice and be glad beyond measure,and let’s give the glory to him,because the wedding of the has come,and his wife has made herself ready.’
“She was given bright, pure, fine linen to dress herself in, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the .
“He said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.”’ He said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’
“I fell down at his feet to worship him. He said to me, ‘Look, don’t do it! I am a servant like you, and like your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.’”
“I saw heaven opened,” John wrote, “and look, there was a white horse! The one who sat on it is called Faithful and True. He judges and makes war in righteousness.
“His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written, and a name written that only he himself knows. His clothes are sprinkled with blood. His name is called ‘The Word of God.’
“The armies in heaven followed him on white horses. They were dressed in white, pure, fine linen.
“Out of his mouth comes a sharp, double-edged sword, to strike the nations with. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
“He has a name written on his clothes and on his thigh: ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.’
“I saw an angel standing in the sun. He called out with a loud voice to all the birds that fly in the sky, ‘Come! Gather together to the great supper of God, so that you can eat the flesh of kings, captains and mighty men, of horses and those who ride them, and of all people, both free and slave, small and great.’
“I saw the , the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against the one who sat on the horse, and against his army.
“The beast was seized, and with him the who had done the signs in front of him. With those signs he had deceived those who had received the and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the that burns with .
“The rest were killed with the sword of the one who sat on the horse, the sword that came out of his mouth. And all the birds ate their flesh until they were full.”
“I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.”
“I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.”
“And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up over the width of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
“I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the sky fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth,” John wrote, “for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.
“I saw the holy city, , coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride made beautiful for her husband.
“I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying:
‘Look, God’s dwelling is with people.He will make his home with them, and they will be his people,and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.Death will be no more.There will be no mourning, no cryingand no pain any more.The first things have passed away.’
“The one who sits on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making all things new.’ He said, ‘Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.’
“He said to me, ‘I am the , the Beginning and the End. I will give freely from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. I will give these things to whoever overcomes. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
“‘But as for the cowardly, the unbelieving, sinners, the , murderers, those who commit sexual sin, , those who worship , and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.’”
“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls loaded with the seven last came,” John wrote, “and he spoke with me. ‘Come here,’ he said. ‘I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’
“He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, with the glory of God. Its light was like a very precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
“Its wall was great and high, with twelve gates, and at the gates were twelve angels. Names were written on them, the names of the twelve tribes of the . Three gates faced east, three north, three south and three west.
“The city’s wall had twelve foundations, and twelve names were on them, the names of the Lamb’s twelve .
“The one who spoke with me had a golden reed to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city is square, as long as it is wide. He measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand twelve stadia, about 1,380 miles. Its length, width and height are the same.
“Its wall is one hundred forty-four , about 216 feet, by a man’s measure, that is, an angel’s.
“Its wall was made of jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass.
“The foundations of the city’s wall were decorated with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst.
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like glass you can see through.
“I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, because the very glory of God lit it up, and its lamp is the Lamb.
“The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Its gates will never be closed by day, because there will be no night there. They will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter.
“Nothing unholy will ever come into it, and no one who does anything abominable or tells a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s .”
“The angel showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal,” John wrote. “It flowed out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of the city’s street. The was on both sides of the river. It grew twelve kinds of fruit and gave its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
“There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
“There will be no night. They need no lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will be light for them. They will reign forever and ever.
“He said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show those who serve him the things that must happen soon.’
“‘Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is anyone who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’
“Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw it all, I fell down at the angel’s feet to worship. He was the one who had shown me these things.
“He said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a servant like you, and like your brothers the prophets, and like those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’”
“He said to me,” John wrote, “‘Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is close. Whoever acts unjustly, let him go on acting unjustly. Whoever is filthy, let him go on being filthy. Whoever is righteous, let him go on doing what is right. Whoever is holy, let him go on being holy.’
“‘Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, to pay back each one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“‘Blessed are those who do his commandments, so they can have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through the gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, those who commit sexual sin, the murderers, those who worship idols, and everyone who loves what is false and does it.
“‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the . I am the root and the offspring of , the Bright and Morning Star.’
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Whoever hears, let him say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come. Whoever wishes, let him take the water of life freely.
“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book. If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
“The one who testifies these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus!
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.”