Revelation chapters nineteen through twenty-two begin with final events just before and during the Second Coming of Jesus (Rev. 19) and then give readers a glimpse of the future beyond that event; through the millennium (Rev. 20) and into eternity (Rev. 21 and 22). These four chapters of the book of Revelation offer the clearest and most detailed account in the Bible of events just before, during and after the Second Coming. While there are hints of a millennium elsewhere in the Bible (1 Cor. 15:20-22; Isa. 26:19-22), this is the only place where such a time period is clearly laid out. The account of the thousand years comes between the Second Coming of Jesus and his third and permanent return to this earth.
These chapters of the book of Revelation introduce the following themes and issues:
1. Will God Transform the Old Earth or Make a New One? The meaning of the term “new” earth.
2. Relation of Babylon’s Fall to the Fifth Seal.
3. Three Views of the Millennium.
4. Will Eternity End Up Boring? What Will God’s People Be Doing With All That Time?
5. The Backgrounds That Explain the New Jerusalem.
6. The Shape of the New Jerusalem, Pyramid or Cube?
In addition to the above, I plan to explore God’s purpose for both the thousand years of Revelation 20 and for biblical prophecy. I will conclude with some thoughts on how to respond to the teachings of Revelation.
Will eternity end up boring?!!! HA!
I can say this with confidence: boredom is self-inflicted. Anyone bored in this life is missing the boat, and in their case, eternity could be boring to them. But how could eternity be boring when God and Jesus are our teachers and always present? I can’t imagine what it’s like to be bored in this life, and expect eternity to be infinitely more amazing than this present world. “All that time”….I can’t wait!
Ok, just had to comment on that one.
And….the New Jerusalem is not a cube. Don’t Satan’s counterfeits prove this?
Tell me more about the cube.
It has been Satan’s method to counterfeit God’s manner of working. Satan didn’t just work to eliminate the Sabbath, but led men to replace it with a counterfeit “holy” day. In many pagan religions we have seen a “trinity” of gods, as well as blood sacrifices of both animals and humans. Now what else do many pagan cultures have in common?
Pyramids. (as well as winged serpents and/or dragons.) In cultures that seem to have no historical connection(yet they all came from the tower of Babel, perhaps itself, as I expect, a pyramid?), their religious architecture has pyramids. And as I have thought about a giant cube, vs a pyramid-like shape for the holy city, the pyramid(or perhaps a mountain) seems to be the more practical shape. Besides, the walls would have to be as high as they are long for a cube wouldn’t they? How can walls that are closer to 1500′ be considered a cube when the walls are nearly 350 miles long? So with the city having the same height, it would be more as a mountain, and not a cube, as I reason from the measurement of it’s walls. Isn’t that what God calls it(Isa 11:9)?
With a cube, how would the water of life flow through the city? But if a great mountain…can you imagine the beautiful waterfalls that would be present as the river of Life made it’s way from God’s throne to the 4 corners of the city, and beyond? And imagine the view while approaching the city along the earth as it’s peak rises up slowly until at last you see the wall spreading in both directions for as far as you can see? With a cube, God’s throne at it’s peak (what peak??) would be hid from anyone at ground level approaching the city. But the mountain(pyramid shape…?) would allow that glorious light to be seen from every direction and elevation.
It’s a mountain. You’ll see. 😉 A nearly 350 mile high mountain.
I need to ask; would the cube be solid or hollow? Why are the walls relatively so low in the description of John?
Your comments assume that the description of the city in Rev is literal. But it is built on earthly models from the past to give us all we can handle (John 16:12). If the cube is literal it would be awesome and physics would probably be different than what we know today. More likely the cube is representative of the spiritual message of the narrative.
The ziggurat was a cross between a cube and a pyramid. Some of the Mayan “pyramids” are similar to ancient Mesopotamian ziggurats.
“Your comments assume that the description of the city in Rev is literal. ”
Yes, of course, as vague as they are. Yet all the particular details are not there, and don’t need to be since we would most likely not fully understand or appreciate them. I acknowledge that the description could be only symbolizing God’s “city”.
We really don’t know. What we do know is that our eyes will one day behold it’s glory, whether saved or lost, and if we continue in faith, we will dwell in it forever.
Amen.
Exactly.