Part
8
The
Eternal
Kingdom
On The New Earth
(Portions
of this below were taken from a paper called “The
Kingdom of God And The Eternal State,” by Nathan
Busenitz.)
By the
time we’ve reached the 21st chapter of Revelation, the
recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages and
administrations (dispensations) of God have come and gone. Christ has
gathered His church, the “body
of Christ” in the Rapture (1Thes 4:15-17). The Tribulation
and the Great Tribulation
have passed. The battle of Armageddon
has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Rev 21:17-21).
Satan was chained for the thousand-year Kingdom reign of Christ on
earth; Satan was released
and deceived “the nations” once
again, causing them to rise up in rebellion against God and to come
against the
Holy
City
once more. God defeated
Satan’s final insurrection and Satan
has received his just punishment, eternity in “the
lake of fire” (Rev
20:1-10.) The Great White
Throne Judgment has taken place, at which the Book
of Life has been opened and the lost of all ages have been judged
(Rev 20:11-15) unto “the
lake of fire.”
In Rev
21 we see that the Heaven and Earth have been purged and made refreshed.
But the New Earth could not appear until after
the Millennium. This is because the dead lost (unsaved) who were
to be judged were being held “in
the heart of the
(old) earth” (Matt
12:40, cf. Gen 37:35) in the place called Sheol/Hades/Hell.
The underworld had also formerly contained Paradise where the righteous
dead were held until Jesus rose from the dead, from Paradise,
taking them to
Paradise
in heaven (read Eph 4:8-9). The lost remained held in Sheol/Hades/Hell
until their resurrection to stand at the Great
White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium (Rev 20:12), just
prior to the appearance of eternal Kingdom on the Renewed Earth.
Having
refreshed the Earth, God the Father will then bring the heavenly city,
the New Jerusalem (the city with
“no
Temple
” Rev 21:22), to the New Earth. Only God’s believing children of
the Kingdom will dwell with Him in the New Jerusalem. New Jerusalem is
the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises to Abraham and to his
faith “seed,” believing
Israel
. Heaven’s genuine
Paradise
, “The New Jerusalem” will be brought to earth. It is “that
city” that Abraham
had sought,
“whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:10).
Immediately following the
Millennium and the demise of the Devil and his angels, we see the
eternal
Kingdom
of
Heaven
brought down to the “new
earth” (Gk. kainos, remade, refreshed earth, Rev 21:1), centered
in the New Jerusalem. No
unbelievers will dwell on the new earth in the eternal
“Kingdom.” The eternal
“Kingdom will be occupied by two sorts of people;
1) The once dead believers,
now in resurrected glorified bodies. There will be no more marriage
or reproduction for the resurrected
glorified saints (Rev 20:6, Luke 20:35-36, Matt
22:30) who live in the Millennial and eternal Kingdoms on earth.
2) The Messianic
believers who survived the
Tribulation and Millennium in physical bodies will
have access to the city with its “river
of life” and “tree of
life” (Rev 22:2)….for
healing and restoration of their physical bodies. The physical believers
on earth will reproduce for eternity.
“And
he shewed me (in the New Jerusalem) a
pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out
of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In
the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was
there the tree of
life, which bare twelve manner
of fruits, and
yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the
nations (ethnos, ethnics, the believing non-Jews). 3
And there shall
be no more curse: but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his
servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:1-3)
The
Sin-nature in man is ended. The lost who faced the Great
White Throne Judgment, and Satan with his “spirit
of error” (1Jn 4:6), and “death
and hell” (Rev 20:14) as “the
last enemy” (1Cor 15:26) are cast into the “lake
of fire.”
“And
I saw a GREAT WHITE THRONE,
and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them. 12
And I saw the
dead (ALL the dead of
ALL ages who did not believe),
small and great, stand
before God; and the books were opened: and another
book was opened, which is THE
BOOK OF LIFE: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according
(due) to their works. 13 And
the sea gave up the dead which
were in it; and death and
hell delivered up the dead which
were in them: and they were
judged every man according (due) to their works. 14
And DEATH AND
HELL WERE CAST INTO THE
LAKE
OF
FIRE
. This is the second
death. 15 And Whosoever
Was Not Found Written In THE BOOK OF LIFE was CAST
INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE” (Rev
20:10-15).
ALL unbelievers
born during the Millennium will have died in the final rebellion (Rev
20:9). ALL these dead unbelievers
are judged by Christ (John
5:22) at the “GREAT
WHITE THRONE” (Rev
20:11). They will be punished “according
to (due to) their works” (Rev
20:13) they have done. Paul tells us, “There
is none righteous no not one”
(Rom 3:10), so no works will save or reward any of the lost. Rather,
the self-serving works of unbelievers only serve to store up “wrath”
against them. “…after
thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up (amass) UNTO
THYSELF WRATH AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH and revelation of (by) the
RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD” (Rom 2:5). All the lost
are eternally lost as seen when the “Book
of Life” is opened and their names are NOT found. “whosoever
(their name) was
not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire.” (Rev 20:15).
There will be no recourse or further chance to receive Christ’s
salvation.
John wrote, “And
I looked, and, LO, A LAMB
(Christ) STOOD
ON THE MOUNT SION…” (Revelation 14:1). In the
book of Revelation the slain “Lamb
of God” occupies the center of the glory of the universe from
the City. No believer can ever boast of his own righteousness. All will
acknowledge their own unworthiness and proclaim the praises of the One
who died that they might be justified and “glorified”
(Rom 8:17, 30) and live eternally. The unsaved and the fallen
angelic host will also acknowledge Jesus as Lord in that
day. Jesus, who humbled Himself and submitted Himself to death of
the cross, is now seen as the “Lord
of lords.”
“…
DEATH OF THE CROSS… God also hath highly exalted Him, and
given Him A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE
EVERY NAME… that AT
THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE
SHOULD BOW, of things IN
HEAVEN, and things IN EARTH, and things UNDER
THE EARTH… and that EVERY
TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS that JESUS
CHRIST IS LORD, to the GLORY
OF GOD THE FATHER” (Phil.2:8-11).
Jesus
said He came specifically to “the
lost sheep of the house of
Israel
” (Matt 15:24). He preached
the
“gospel of the kingdom”
to
Israel
, through whom the world is to “be
blessed.” God told Abraham, “in
thy
seed…
shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis
28:14). Christ will
reign with and through
Israel
’s
glorified saints as His agents
on the earth in the Millennial and eternal Kingdoms.
Israel
has never been promised heaven. Only “the
Church, which is His body” is
promised heaven (Philip 3:20-21). Believing
Israel
has been promised to co-reign with Christ in the
Kingdom
of
God
on earth, as the “priest
of God”
(Rev 20:6, below, cf. 5:10).
“…
THEY (the believers of
Israel
) SHALL BE PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, and SHALL
REIGN (Gk. basileou, rule)
WITH HIM (Christ) A
THOUSAND YEARS.” (Rev.
20:6b, cf. v4, 1:6, 5:10)
“But
ye (Israel) are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1
Peter 2:9)
After
His Millennial reign, Christ’s reign will extend that reign to the ETERNAL
KINGDOM ON
THE RENEWED EARTH, upon which will rest the
Holy
City
, New Jerusalem. God,
who cannot lie, promised
Israel
’s King David an eternal
seed, an eternal
throne, and an eternal
kingdom.
David’s seed
is the Messiah, the
Christ, who will rule
over the His
Kingdom
forever from David’s throne (cf. Isa 9:7, Rev 5:5-7).
“I
saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH:
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea. (Rev.
21:1) “And (the
New Jerusalem) had … TWELVE
GATES, and at the gates twelve angels, and
names written thereon… of THE TWELVE TRIBES of the CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL (Rev. 21:12) “22
And I saw NO
TEMPLE Therein: For The Lord God
Almighty And The Lamb Are The Temple Of It. 23
And The City Had No Need of The Sun, Neither of The Moon,
To Shine In It: for THE GLORY
OF GOD DID LIGHTEN IT, and THE LAMB IS
THE LIGHT thereof. 24
And the nations of them
which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of THE
EARTH do bring their glory and honour into it.” (Rev.
21:22-24) “And
there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of
the sun; for the Lord God giveth
them light: and THEY
(Christ and His redeemed) SHALL
REIGN (rule) FOR EVER
AND EVER.” (Rev.
22:5)
A
simple survey of Revelation 21–22 reveals several general
characteristics of this divine kingdom. First, it will be a geo-physical
kingdom—located on a new earth within a new universe (21:1). It
has geographical features: the absence of a sea (21:1), the presence of
a city (21:2), a high mountain (21:10), a river with banks (22:1–2),
and a tree that produces fruit (22:1–2). It occupies physical space
(21:16–17) and encompasses the physical activity of its inhabitants
(21:24). The apostle John describes it as a land of bright color and
exquisite beauty, like dazzling jewels (21:19–21). There is even a
reference made to the marking of time in terms of months and seasons
while in eternity future (22:2).
It
will also be a socio-political kingdom—complete with a capital
city, the New Jerusalem (21:2).
The city itself has gates, high walls, foundations, engraved names, and
streets (cf. Isa 62:3–5). Its inhabitants communicate through speech
and writing (21:3, 5). There is government hierarchy (21:24), an ongoing
economic system (21:24), and some form of national distinctiveness
(21:24, 26). But most importantly, the King’s throne is present on the
new earth (22:1, 5). Though His people will reign with Him (22:5), they
are also His willing bond slaves—with His name written on their
foreheads designating that they belong to Him (22:4; cf. Isa 62:2).
Third, it will be a spiritually-perfect kingdom. Sin and
its effects will be gone (21:4), thus, there will no longer be any
separation between God and man (21:2–3).
There will no longer be any spiritual thirst (21:6–7) Instead,
the essence of life will revolve around face-to-face communion with God
(22:4–5). No sinful influences or unregenerate people will be in the
New Jerusalem, but only those who have been redeemed, and therefore love
to worship and serve their Lord and Master (22:3).
The
Lord’s will be a divinely-glorious kingdom. The New
Jerusalem will be the crown jewel of the new earth, radiating the
glorious light of God (21:11).
·
The Triune God—Father (21:22), Son
(22:1, 5), and Holy Spirit (21:10)—will be present in the midst of His
people.
·
The Shekinah glory of God will
permeate the entire world (22:5), such that there will be no need for
the sun or the moon (21:23; cf. Isa 66:20–22), or even a lamp (v. 23).
·
The redeemed will bask in radiance
of His presence, as they worship Him in perfect purity (22:3–4).
·
They will continually enjoy the
essence of eternal life—fellowship with God (cf. John 17:3)—as they
drink of the water of life (Rev 21:6) from the river of life (22:1)
which flows from His heavenly throne now on earth.
How
large is the New Jerusalem? The answer varies
slightly depending on the version of the Bible. The NIV version says it
is 12,000 stadia in length and width (Rev. 21:16), where a stadia is 607
feet. This translates to 1,400 miles. The KJV and other versions say
12,000 furlongs (Gk. stadion),
which translates to 1,500 miles. Regardless of whether the city is 1,400
miles or 1,500 miles in length and width, it is shaped like a square at
the base. These measurements are meant to be literal since they are
described as man’s measurements (Rev. 21:17). Even more astounding
than the size at the base is the height that is also at least 1,400
miles (Rev. 21:16). This means New Jerusalem is either a cube or
pyramid. This goes well beyond Earth’s atmosphere and into space. If a
building in the city is this high and has a generous 12 feet per story,
the building would be over 600,000 stories!
The
Apostle John relates the grand consummation of salvation history by
focusing on four major themes.
1.
the punishment of the King’s enemies (20:11–15),
2.
the perfection of the King’s territory (21:1–8),
3.
the physical properties of the King’s capital city
(21:9–21), and
4.
the personal presence of the King Himself (21:22–22:5).
Outlined
another way, these four themes center around four items.
·
the Great White Throne Judgment
(20:11–15),
·
the New Heavens and New Earth
(21:1–8),
·
the New Jerusalem (21:9–21),
and
within the New Jerusalem, the throne room of God (21:22–22:5).
