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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 7 - YES, I AM COMING SOON! (REVELATION 19:11 - 22-21)
PART 7.6 - THE NEW JERUSALEM: THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB (REVELATION 21:9 - 22:5)

6. Nations Walk in the Light of the City of God (Revelation 21:24-27)


REVELATION 21: 24-27
24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 25 Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. 27 There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

This paragraph of the Book of Revelation raises a lot of questions. Where do the nations come from on the new earth? Why do they live outside the city of God? Is there a missionary movement in the new existence? Where do the kings come from who worship God and His Lamb in New Jerusalem? What kind of gifts and honor do the nations bring to the triune God into the capital? John does not answer these questions. From previous paragraphs we may learn that these people do not come out of the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20-21; 20:13-14), instead their names are also written in the Book of Life of the Lamb (Revelation 20:15; 21:5.8). They are not condemned, but have received their renewed life through the grace of God (Revelation 21:5).

Likewise as there were an inner, middle, and an outer circle of the twelve disciples of Jesus, whereby all of this disciples, except of Judas, became a jewel block of the foundation of the city of God, so among the saved there are distinctions and levels of their holiness and willingness to make sacrifices. The jury of Christ (Matthew 25:31-46) indicates that practiced love is the standard of His judging. The people who really love and serve others are not aware of their honor to serve the Lord himself when they are serving the wretched. Not an exalted position, not wealth or knowledge is decisive for who will live closer with God and His Lamb or more distant from them, but practical love, faithfulness, meekness and gentleness.

Likewise as the blessed had not saved themselves in this existence, so they do not live by their own strength in the new world to come. The bright glory of God remains their elixir of life further on. They grow, work and praise solely by grace coming from God and His Lamb. Therefore the royal priests bring the spiritual gifts growing out of the strength of the triune God back to New Jerusalem so that they, now being strengthened in their faith and knowledge of God, may stimulate the entrusted nations to serve in the joy of the Lord.

The gates of the holy city will never be shut, as in the new world there is no difference between day and night and there are no enemies of God any longer. The various nations of the new earth have the right to draw near to their creator and Savior at any time so as to offer Him the new fruits of His strength through grace. There is a permanent giving and receiving between city and countryside. Both of them gain glory by this exchange. The glory of God increases by the implementation of His image in his creatures. (Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 6:9; and other verses.).

Even though the gates of the city are open every time, John had to warn the churches in Minor Asia that not everybody who thinks of himself being a Christian will get the right to enter New Jerusalem. If your body, soul or spirit is unclean and you do not live a holy live, then you will exclude yourself from the holy city. In case of lies it is particularly thought of misrepresentation, cutting and confusion of the gospel, as there is a root of all kinds of evil. The vision of New Jerusalem and the description of the Bride of the Lamb may stimulate us to look up the 1000 commandments of Christ in the four gospels and to live according this standard.

In order to comfort in a special manner the souls afflicted because of their deficient holiness John points out to them that only those will get the right to live in the new earth or to get the citizenship of New Jerusalem, who accepted the forgiveness of their sins by the Lamb of God and avoid the sin by the power of its spirit so that their name will not be blotted out from the Book of Life of the Lamb (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12.15). The cross of Christ remains the only narrow gate through which we are able to enter the live of God. If you, however, do not do His will, then He will not know you (Matthew 7:13.21.23).

PRAYER: We thank You, heavenly Father, that You accepted the lost son longingly and lovingly, and You invited everyone to his reception party gladly and joyfully. Please help us to live, today and in eternity, from Your grace only, so that we may not build our future on our words and diligence at all, since the blood of the unique Lamb alone cleanses us from all sin, and has prepared for us the right to enter our new home with You. Amen.

QUESTION:

  1. Why will the liars and the unclean not dwell in the heavenly capital?

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