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The Book of Revelation
Unit 25
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THE VISION OF THE LITTLE LAMB'S BRIDE - Chapter 21 verse 9 to chapter 22 verse 5
vv.9-10
In chapter 17:1, one of the seven angels that had the 7 bowls, showed him the seductive whore . Here in verse 9, one of the seven angels shows him the little Lamb's bride. The plagues were spiritual devastations poured out on the wicked. In contrast , the bride is the spiritual glory of the city of God's children.In Chapter 5:5-6 John is invited to see a lion, but when he looks he sees a little lamb. Here is another paradox. He is invited to see the little Lamb's bride and is shown a city, spiritual Jerusalem.
"he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain" From this vantage point John is able to have a panoramic view of the enormous* city. Spiritual beauty is best appreciated from a spiritual height. [*a cube of 1,500 miles in every direction v.16]
"descending out of heaven from God" This vision is of the little Lamb's Bride coming down "out of" heaven.
Its source is God. The LORD has masterminded and laid its foundations [Hebrews 11:10] on which are the apostles names [verse 14]. Compare with Isaiah 14:32 "The LORD has founded Zion".
"descending" The ongoing process of the gospel. We are born from above [anwqen John 3:3]
v.11
"Having the glory of God" We become partakers of the divine nature through the knowledge of him who called us by his glory and virtue. [see 2.Peter 1:2-4]"her light" Sheer transparent pure spiritual illumination. See verse 23.
vv.12-14
There is a high wall cannot be penetrated by evil. There are three gates on each of the four sides guarded by angels. This divine strategy allows access to those who come from any quarter provided they are genuine [see v.27]. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10:1."the twelve tribes" The Old Covenant prepared the way for the New Covenant.
"twelve foundations" having "the names of the twelve apostles" It is built up on the Apostles' teaching. [Acts 2:42 The new church "continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching", Ephesians 2:20 "... built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone"]
"of the little Lamb" The "apostles" are the gospel envoys of the little Lamb "stood, as though it had been slain" (chapter 5:6). "... we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God" 2.Corinthians 5:20.
vv.15-17
"twelve thousand furlongs" These proportions are so evidently figurative (a cube of 1,500 miles in every direction) and yet figurative of great spiritual grandeur.In chapter 11:1-2 John is told to measure the sanctuary [naos] of God, and the altar of incense, and those who worshiped in it but to omit the outer court because it is abandoned to the Gentiles. Only the genuine saints were measured. the bogus saints were ignored. In the Old Covenant temple, the sanctuary was the Holy Place in which the cleansed priests were allowed to go. It represented the church where the saints are.
"measure" Everything about spiritual Jerusalem is checked and measured against the perfect standard and everything is right, perfection in quality, size and symmetry.
The Holy of Holies was as broad as it is long, as it is high, a cube. It was the place where God made his presence known. Spiritual Jerusalem is God's dwelling place [compare verse 3].
vv.18-21
Things considered to be precious and perfectly glorious by folk in this world are used to illustrate the spiritual glory of the Jerusalem "from above" (Gal.4:26). Even these descriptions are transcended, e.g. the street of transparent gold in verse 21.
v.22
The saints find their sanctuary in the Lord God and the standing slain little Lamb.
vv.23-26
Their spiritual illumination is not from any earthly philosophy but all of it is from God's glory, and the little Lamb's 'philosophy' who is called the Word (logos) of God. "... he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God." Revelation 19:13.2 Peter 1:2 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his glory and virtue:
v.27
"no way shall there enter .. anything that defiles .." We endure the defiling sulliedness of this world whilst striving to be pure. There is no sulliedness in the Jerusalem that is from above, not even one single lie. Everyone can be trusted."the little Lamb's book of life" Not even those whose names that were in, but are subsequently blotted out of the book of life will be there, but the "overcomers" will be there. [Revelation 3:5]
Chapter 22
v.1
"the throne of God and of the little Lamb" The throne is occupied by God and the little Lamb. The saints give total unreserved allegiance to both because the little Lamb "has redeemed them "to God by" his "blood". [chapter 5:9]They quench their spiritual thirst from the river that comes from the throne of God and the little Lamb. It is transparently pure, and their source of life. It is the official thirst quencher from the official source. Jesus said:
"Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst; moreover the water that I will give him will be a well of water in him, springing up into everlasting life" [John 4:14]"If any man thirsts, let him come to me, and drink. 38 He who puts his trust in me, as the scripture has said, out of the depths of his inner being will flow rivers of living water." 39 (However he said this of the Spirit, which those who put their trust in him would receive: seeing the Holy Ghost had not been given then; because Jesus had not yet been glorified.) [John 7:37-39]
v.2
"the tree of life, which bears twelve kinds of fruits" The tree of life straddles the river of life. The twelve kinds of fruits refers to the teaching of the apostles of Christ. The source of the apostles' teaching is from the river that flows out of the throne of God and the little Lamb."yields her fruit every month" The saints spiritual hunger is fed by the apostles teaching which is always readily available, always applicable. Other sources are fakes:
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. [Isaiah 8:20]"the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations" The healing power of the leaves refers to the manner in which the teaching of the scriptures can heal the spiritual sickness of the nations. Just as natural leaves are used in medicine, so the spiritual leaves, sourcing their life from the throne, are medicine for spiritual sickness and this medicine works perfectly. No other medicine can. We must apply these leaves to heal the sicknesses of the nations.
vv.3-4
"no more curse" see verse 4. The curse of death comes from submitting to Satan's rule. There is no curse for those submitting to the rule of God and the little Lamb. In this city the little Lamb's servants are not idle or disobedient. They serve him."they will see his face"
Matthew 5:8 The pure in heart are blessed because they will see God.1.John 3:1-3 Behold, what kind of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God. So the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, we are now the children of God, and it is not yet apparent what we will be: but we know that, when he appears, we will be like him; for we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.
"and his name shall be in their foreheads" These are "the servants of our God" who were sealed with the name of their God in their foreheads and protected .[UNIT 7 ch.7 v.2 and UNIT 10 ch.9 v.4].They are the innumerable 144,000 who did not succumb to pressure to live like the beast or think like the beast. [UNIT 17 ch.13 v.16, UNIT 18 ch.14 v.1 and UNIT 23 ch.20 v.4]
They are God's property, not Satan's. They are secure. Satan cannot get them. The Lord Jesus assures us:
"My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than everyone and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father‘s hand." John 10:29
"no night" see verses 23 and 25 above. The light ,that the LORD God gives to the little Lamb's servants, totally dispels their spiritual darkness."they shall reign for ever and ever" Under Satan's influence we are his slaves not able to control our passions as we should. In the light that God gives, the saints are in control and in that light they always will be. No other source of light or philosophy of life is needed. No other source can do this.
SUMMARY
NOT DONE
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