End-Time Insights

The contrast between two incompatible cities, New Jerusalem and Babylon, is foundational to understanding Revelation’s message . The Book of Revelation uses different terms to portray God’s People. For example, they are the “ servants of God ,” the “ saints ,” and the “ brethren .” Churches are “ lampstands ” and “ witnesses .” The servants of the “ Dragon ” are contrasted with the followers of the “ Lamb ” as cities, “ Babylon ” and “ New Jerusalem .”

The Book of Revelation often uses several terms and images to portray the same reality. For example, the people of God are called the “ servants of God ,” the “ saints ,” and the “ brethren .” Churches are represented by “ lampstands ” and “ Two Witnesses ,” and the cosmic conflict between the “ Dragon ” and the “ Lamb ” is presented by comparing two very different “ cities .”

New Jerusalem will be populated in fulfillment of the promise to bless all nations through Abraham and his seed – Revelation 21:24-22:5. The Book of Revelation  concludes with an image of the immense and glorious city of “ New Jerusalem ” populated by the “ innumerable multitude ” of men redeemed from every nation and people by Jesus. It represents the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham of “ land ” and “ blessings to all nations .” All this has been accomplished through the shed “ blood of the Lamb .”

The kings and nations of the Earth are found in New Jerusalem because of the Lamb’s redemptive work . The Apostle Paul describes the proclamation of “ Christ crucified ” as “ God’s wisdom and power .” The proposition that God overthrew Sin, Satan, and Death through the execution of a lowly man from the small village of Nazareth is “ foolishness ” to men and contrary to this world’s “wisdom” and ideologies. Even the spiritual “ powers and principalities ” did not understand what God was doing and sealed their fate by crucifying the “ Lord of Glory .”

If anyone fails to keep the words of the book, he will be excluded from citizenship in the city of New Jerusalem – Revelation 22:6-21.  The book of concludes with an epilogue that recalls the earlier promises to “ overcoming saints ,” reiterates warnings against faithlessness, summons believers to render homage to God alone, and calls for Jesus to “ come quickly .” Testimony from uncontestable sources attests to the trustworthiness of the “ words of the book .”

New Jerusalem is populated fully in fulfillment of the covenant promise to Abraham to bless all the nations – Revelation 21:24-22:5.  The city of “ New Jerusalem ” with its massive dimensions has been unveiled, and it will take far more than a tiny remnant of surviving “ saints ” to populate it. John next sees the “ city ” inhabited by the “ innumerable multitude ” of men and women redeemed from every nation -and ethnic group by the “ Lamb ,” including some if not many of the “ kings of the earth .”

The physical dimensions and shape of New Jerusalem are presented demonstrating it is ready to be populated – Revelation 21:9-23.  At the start of chapter 21, John saw a glimpse of “ New Jerusalem descending from heaven .” But now, he sees it unveiled in all its glory. This next section concentrates on the city’s physical dimensions and shape.  Its enormous size staggers the human imagination, but the sufficient room necessary to contain the innumerable multitude destined to inhabit the “ holy city .”

Philadelphia was located fifty kilometers southeast of Sardis and straddled a major road into the interior, making commerce and trade with the other cities of the province vital to its economy. It was established in 189 B.C. by the king of  Pergamos  and came under Roman rule when the last Pergamene king bequeathed the kingdom to Rome in 133 B.C.

The next paragraph presents “ New Jerusalem ” to the book’s audience and concludes its third literary division. Having witnessed the destruction of “ Babylon ,” the “ False Prophet ,” the “ Beast from the Sea ,” and the “ Dragon ,” John receives a vision of what awaits the faithful, a portraited of the holy city, “ New Jerusalem, descending from heaven to the earth .”