New heaven and earth and Jerusalem

Following the completion of the final judgments being implemented as recorded in Revelation chapter 20, John next records information regarding the new heaven and the new earth – together (refer to Revelation 21:1 – 22:5).

Revelation 21:1-4:

^21:1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth went-away, and the sea yet is not.

^.2And I saw the city, the holy (city) - new Jerusalem - descending out-from heaven from God, having been prepared² as a bride having been orderly-arranged² for her adult-male. ^.3And I heard a great sound out-from the throne saying, "Look!, the tent of God (will be) with the men, and He will tent with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them - their God, ^.4and He will wipe-out every tear from their eyes, and the death yet will not be, neither mourning nor crying-out nor pain yet will not be - because the first-things went-away."

John writes: And I perceived (knew with my mind)...

·         a new heaven and a new earth (the heaven and earth referred to here will be newly-made and different compared to the old heaven and earth previously in existence, new in comparison to what existed previously, new replacing the former heaven and earth),

o    for the first heaven and the first earth went away (the first of two referenced in this context – the first/former heaven and earth are those in existence today),

o    and the sea is not still on earth where it was before (the sea is no longer, it is not there anymore).

And I perceived (knew with my mind)...

·         the city (the fortified, walled town),

o    emphatically and specifically the holy city (this city is sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God, the city that corresponds to the essence of God which is holiness - He is the standard of being holy) -

§  new Jerusalem (not the city that was previously on earth which exists during the 1,000 years referred to in Revelation 20:4-6 – but this is referring to the Jerusalem which will be newly-made and different compared to the old Jerusalem previously in existence, new in comparison to what existed previously, new replacing the former Jerusalem) -

·         descending (moving downwards, coming down)

o    out-from heaven (from the sky above)

o    from God,

·         having been prepared and she continues prepared (made ready; refer to Revelation 19:7-9)

o    as a bride (an unmarried woman about to get married; refer to Revelation 19:7)

o    having been orderly-arranged and continuing orderly-arranged (ornamented, adorned)

§  for her adult-male (the grown-man to whom she is promised, the bridegroom who will be her husband after the marriage).

And I heard a great sound (a large voice or uttered-tone, loudly) originating from the throne (the high seat designated for a king and so it would include all the regal authority associated with that position - referring here to God's throne - emphasizing His royalty) saying...

·         "Look (behold, see, pay attention - calling attention to what is being spoken)!,

·         the tent of God (God's covering or sheltering structure)

·         will be in company and association with the men (human-beings, mankind),

o    and He will tent with them (God will pitch or spread His tent, tabernacle with mankind; the context indicates that this will be a permanent dwelling place in a covered sheltered structure and not a temporary dwelling as previously; refer to Revelation 7:15 and 15:5),

·         and emphatically they will be His people (in Greek there is a definite word for “they” plus the verb meaning “they will be” giving emphasis – they themselves will be God's people; the word “people” is a singular noun laos meaning: a mass or group of people collectively as one unit, one united assembly [some Greek texts have the plural form "peoples"]),

o    and God Himself will be in company and association with them -

§  their God (the God of them [some Greek texts omit this phrase "their God"]),

·         and He will wipe-out (erase, blot-out, smear and completely obliterate)

o    all/every tear from their eyes (refer to Revelation 7:17),

·         and the death (the end of life, the point of dying, being without life; "the death" refers to lacking God's life which is holy spirit-life – here referring to the cause with its effect on people which had previously resulted in their death)

o    will not still be (the death will no longer be in existence, it will not be there anymore; refer to Revelation 20:14),

·         neither mourning (lamentation)

·         nor crying-out (outcry, shouting, wailing in pain or grief)

·         nor pain (by reason of their labor or stress resulting in pain)

o    will not still be (these will no longer be in existence, they will not be there anymore) -

§  because the first-things went-away (the things pertaining to the former or previous age have gone away)."

Notes:

In verse 1 above, the heaven and the earth which will go away at that future time refers to those currently in existence:

·         First/old heavens and earth – Genesis 1:1 to Genesis chapters 7 and 8 (refer to II Peter 3:5 and 6).

·         Second/current heavens and earth – Genesis 8 to the end of Revelation 20 (refer to II Peter 3:7-10).

·         Third/future heavens and earth – Revelation 21:1 onwards (refer to II Corinthians 12:2-4 and II Peter 3:13).

In verse 2 above, the root of the Greek verb translated as “orderly-arranged” is the same as the noun usually translated “world (kosmos)” which is the ordered arrangement that God created, the universe – arranged as an ornament, adornment, cosmetic.

[Reference: Genesis 3:16-19; Isaiah 25:8, 51:6, 65:17-19, 66:22; Ezekiel 37:27; Zechariah 8:8; Matthew 5:18, 24:34 and 35; Romans 8:19-22; II Corinthians 5:16 and 17, 6:16, 12:2-4, 15:26; Galatians 4:25 and 26; Hebrews 5:7, 8:1, 2 and 10-12, 9:11-15, 11:10 and 16, 12:22-29; II Peter 3:7-13; Revelation 3:12, 7:15-17, 13:6, 15:5-8, 16:10, 11 and 17, 19:7-9, 20:11 and 14, 22:3.]

 

First Corinthians chapter 15

^.3for I gave-over to you among (the) first-things that-which also I received: that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the writings; ^.4and that he was buried, and that he was raised-up² the day, the third (day), according to the writings;

In truth, I gave over to you (I handed over, delivered beside or alongside, handed along to you), as part of the first things that I taught you, that-which also I received (the information that the Lord Jesus Christ presented to me and I took it beside or alongside myself):

·         that Christ died on behalf of our sins (in the interest of the sins of all of us – he died in our place, instead of us because of our sins)

o   in accordance with the writings (the previously written old covenant writings foretold of Jesus Christ's crucifixion, death, etc);

·         and that he was buried (in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, 72 hours),

·         and that he was raised-up and continues raised-up (Jesus was caused to rise up alive from being dead by God – and he is still alive today!)

o   the day, emphatically and specifically the third day (72 hours having passed, for that was the legal requirement for a person's death to be completely established),

o   in accordance with the writings (the old covenant writings also foretold of Jesus Christ's resurrection).

The truth that the Christ (Messiah) would die on behalf of the sins of mankind, so as to save mankind, was not a secret. God had first spoken of it in Genesis 3:15 and God continued to speak about man's redemption by the blood of the sacrifice of the redeemer throughout the ages. It had also been written down in the old covenant writings by the prophets.

The Lord Jesus Christ himself did not commit any sinful acts against God his Father (refer to II Corinthians 5:21). He gave himself to be the sacrificial offering encompassing or encircling our sins (our aberration from God's Word), thereby making sure that everything was included and no sin was forgotten-about or left-out.

Paul repeats that the information regarding the Christ had already been foretold and written-down. God's people were to know this and to have looked forward to it coming to pass. Now it has come to pass – and Christ has been raised up from among the dead-people never to die again. He is alive!

[Reference: Genesis 3:15, 4:4; Leviticus chapter 1; Isaiah 53:2-12; Daniel 9:26; Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:38-40, 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 26:32, 27:57-60, 28:1-10; Mark 9:12, 10:34; Luke 22:37, 24:46; (plus many other old covenant scriptures referring to the reign of the Christ after his resurrection); Acts 2:22-27, 3:12-26, 10:34-43, 26:13-23; Romans 5:6-8, 10:8-10; I Corinthians 11:23; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4 and 12; I Thessalonians 5:10; Hebrews 10:12; I Peter 2:21-24, 3:18.]

Colossians 2:6 and 7

^.6Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord you must walk in him, ^.7having been rooted² and building-yourselves-on in him and making-yourselves-firm with the belief according as you were taught, exceeding in thankfulness.

Following-on logically from the previous verses…

·         as you received Christ Jesus the Lord (in comparison to how you took Christ Jesus the Master who was presented to you beside or alongside yourselves, emphasizing the truth that he is the Master and confirming the validity and authenticity of his lordship, including dominion and authority – in the way/manner that you believed the good-message of what God gives to believe regarding Christ and thus you received the gift of holy spirit)

·         you must walk (the verb “to walk” literally means: to move the feet around, to go on foot; but figuratively it means: to walk around during the everyday living of life, to behave oneself, to conduct oneself – it is imperative that you are behaving, conducting yourselves during the everyday living of your lives)

o   in him (within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus the Lord; this is referring to being receptive to the spirit of Christ in you, accepting what Christ communicates to you and obeying him),

·         – and this can occur because –

·         you have already been rooted and you are continuing rooted (as a tree's root spreads all around the earth underneath it to receive the nourishment it needs to sustain itself and to remain where it is situated to receive sunlight, etc)

·         and you are building yourselves on (being in the process of building or edifying yourselves in the walk/behavior category on top of something, as a house is built upon its foundation whereby the rest of the building stands on top of its foundation and is supported by it – building yourselves upon the foundation)

o   in him (again this is achieved within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus the Lord)

·         and you are making yourselves firm (sure, steady, definite)

o   with the belief (by/in the faith, the trust relative to God and the things of God, the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety)

o   according as you were taught (just as, according to how, in comparison to the way that you were given instruction),

·         exceeding in thankfulness (abounding over and above the number or measure already attained by you in gratitude being shown towards God; this word "thankfulness" in the Greek comes from the same root word as the word "grace" plus the word "well" or "well-off" and therefore "thankfulness" is the expression made by the freedom of will of the recipient expressing well his gratitude to the giver of the grace, the bestowed unmerited or undeserved favor, given-to and received-by him – thankfulness for all that God and the Lord Jesus Christ have accomplished for you and continue to do).

[Reference: Romans 10:8-10; I Corinthians 3:10-15; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:7-10; Jude 1:20.]

Luke 16:13 - God and mammon

^.13Not-one household-servant is able to serve-as-a-slave to two lords, for either he will hate the one and he will love¹ the different-one, or he will hold-fast-to one and he will despise the different-one. You are not able to serve-as-slaves to God and to mammon."

Not one household-servant (no servant living in his masters’ house) is able to serve-as-a-slave (has the able-power or capability to serve in the position and capacity of being a slave, a bound-person carrying-out service) to two lords/masters (there's no doubt about this fact; even if a person tries to serve as a slave to 2 different masters he is not serving as a slave to either one of them), in truth...

·         either he will hate the one (have active ill-will towards one of them) and he will love¹ (the word "love¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love, Godly-love) the lord of a different kind/sort,

·         or he will hold-fast-to one (firmly-hold one of the lords, as though holding him up before himself firmly in order to support him and keep him up) and he will despise the different-one (think down on/against the other kind of lord).

You are not able to serve-as-slaves to God and to mammon (you do not have the able-power, you do not have the capability to serve as slaves to God and to mammon, because you cannot serve as slaves to two lords)."

Revelation of Jesus Christ 22:16

^.16"I Jesus sent my angel to witness these-things to you, on the churches. I am the root and the genus of David - the star, the shining (star), the early (star)."

John writes the next words that he hears – the Lord Jesus Christ says:

·         "Emphatically I Jesus sent (in Greek there is a definite word for “I” plus the name “Jesus” plus the verb meaning “I sent” giving great emphasis – I emphatically myself Jesus sent)

o    my angel (refer to Revelation 1:2)

§  to witness (to attest with information, to give the declaration of knowledge that my angel personally has and therefore can state and confirm it on the strength of his own authority) – to witness what? –

§  these-things (the revelation of events, etc, pertaining to and proceeding from me; refer to Revelation 1:1 and 2)

§  to you (plural pronoun – all of you),

§  emphatically on the churches (based upon and with regard to the churches; the motivating purpose or object for witnessing these things being the assemblies of people; Jesus sent his angel to witness this revelation to John so that John would then witness this revelation to the churches; refer to Revelation 1:4, 11 and 20, plus chapters 2 and 3).

·         Emphatically I am (in Greek there is a definite word for “I” plus the verb meaning “I am” giving emphasis – I myself am)

o    the root (the word "root" is used like a tree’s root relative to the tree itself and the nourishment that the root provides to produce fruit – here the Lord Jesus Christ calls himself the root in the figurative sense)

o    and the genus (the decent, kind, race, class, sort of being, lineage)

§  of David (King David was the first king whom God chose and anointed to rule over God's people; refer to Revelation 5:5) -

o    the star,

§  emphatically and specifically

§  the shining star (figuratively I am a star that is bright, brilliant, radiant, beaming-light),

§  the early star (figuratively I am the star that shines early in the morning, signifying the beginning of the new day for mankind; refer to Revelation 21:23)."

Hebrews 1:7

And towards (with a purposed reference to) indeed the angels God says…

·         “The One making (producing)

o   His angels - spirits (the angels belonging to Him into being spirit-beings; this is what God makes them, and once an angel is made God will not change his consistency, his make-up; an angel remains a spirit being, angels will not be changed by God into some other kind of being, once an angel is made it is a completed action)

§  even His official-servants - flame of fire (emphatically those angels belonging to God have/hold the office of service, they carry-out their work and official-duty pertaining to public service attending to their superior, the only true God; in their actions God makes them into being flame of fire, bright and burning fire, blazing, flaming fire, indicating God's purification and righteous judgment in action, being implemented and carried-out; refer to Psalm 104:4).”

Matthew chapter 12

^12:1In that time, Jesus journeyed on the sabbaths by means of the sown-fields, but his learning-disciples hungered and they began to pluck ears (of grain) and to eat. ^.2But the Pharisees having seen said to him, "Look!, your learning-disciples do that-which is not permitted to do in a sabbath."

During that period or season of time (perhaps during the week of the special Sunday sabbath of the day of Pentecost in 27 A.D.), Jesus passed on the following weekly sabbath from one place to another through the fields which had been sown with grain and still had some ripe stalks in them. His learning-disciples (students) were hungry and they started to pluck ears of grain (the heads of the stalks, usually wheat at that time of year in May/June, or some barley that had not been harvested) and to eat them.

But when the Pharisees saw what was going on, they said to Jesus, "Look (behold, see, pay attention)!, your learning-disciples are doing what is not permitted to do (not available or possible to be done) during a sabbath."

[Reference: Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 23:25; Mark 2:23 and 24; Luke 6:1 and 2.]

Philippians 3 - upward calling

^.13Brothers, I do not calculate myself to have taken-hold², but one-thing: indeed forgetting the-things behind but stretching-out-on the-things in-front,

^.14I pursue according to (the) target into the prize of the upward calling of God.

Paul writes: I pursue (in the good sense of following or proceeding earnestly after)...

o   in accordance with (in conformity and proportion to/with)

o   the target (the object that is to be scoped, watched, looked at intensely by me so as to determine my own action carefully; the Greek word translated “target” comes from the same root as the words translated “overseers” in Philippians 1:1, and the verb “to scope” in Philippians 2:4 and 3:17)

o   into the prize (with a view to, directed to, and resulting in the garland, which is only awarded to the victor/winner of a race)

o   of the upward calling of God (this prize pertains to God's upward invitation, the calling which is above, over, in an upward direction; figuratively referring to the fact that this calling is heavenly, coming or proceeding from God [some Greek texts include the words “in Christ Jesus”]).

God has issued His invitation to all of mankind by means of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all holy-people accepted it at the moment when we believed what God says regarding Himself and His son, and thus we received the gift of holy spirit.

Paul uses athletic terminology in verse 14 which draws attention to holy-people and the truth of being together moving in the direction of the same objective, being on the same team in the same contest.

At a future time we will receive all that God has promised to us in Christ Jesus our Lord – we will receive the prize to be awarded to every holy-person who is running in the race at the present time.

[Reference: I Corinthians 9:24 and 25; II Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 1:18, 4:1 and 4; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; II Peter 1:10.]

Acts 18:1-3 - Paul

^18:1After these-things, having been separated from Athens, he went into Corinth, ^.2and having found some Judean, Aquila by-name, a Pontusian by genus, recently having come² from Italy, and Priscilla his wife – because-of the-thing (which) Claudius throughly-arranged² (for) all the Judeans to be separated from Rome – he came-towards them, ^.3and because-of being like-crafted he remained with them and he worked, for they were tent-makers by craft.

After the events in Athens and separating (departing) out from that location, Paul went westward into Corinth. Corinth at that time was a large city and the political capital of Greece in the region of Achaia where the Roman proconsul officiated. It was at the west end of the isthmus with two harbors, Lechaeum and Cenchrea, and was therefore a busy trade route with many people passing through it. Paul arrived there about 52 A.D. and stayed for about 18 months.

In Corinth he found a Judean named Aquila who was born in Pontus and who had come away from Italy a short time before this with his wife Priscilla because of an edict which Claudius the Roman Emperor had made that all the Judeans must leave Rome. Paul went towards them and he remained with them in their home because both he and Aquila were of similar craft (skill, trade, art, occupation) and they worked together being tent-makers (using leather or cloth of goats' hair or linen; some scholars suggest that they were saddle-makers).

Paul had not found them so that he could get a 'free-ride' or a 'free-ticket' or a 'free-breakfast, lunch and dinner' or so that he would not have to pay any rent charges, etc. No! The great Apostle Paul worked. He earned his stay in their house and he did not abuse their hospitality.

[Reference: Romans 16:3-5; I Corinthians 1:2, 4:12, 16:19; II Corinthians 1:1; II Timothy 4:19.]

Luke 10:1

^10:1But after these-things the Lord upwardly-pointed-out seventy different-people and apostled them by-two before his face into every city and place where he used-to be about to go.

After the events that occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles in October 27 A.D. (refer to John 7:11 – 10:21)...

·         the Lord (referring to Jesus who was the Master in this situation)

·         upwardly-pointed-out (indicated in an upward direction with God's involvement, he showed by raising aloft and making it public regarding)

·         seventy different-people (70 people of a different kind/sort, referring to the fact that these men did not include the 12 apostles listed in Luke 6:13-16 and referred to in Luke 9:1 and 2, plus they responded correctly to Jesus [some Greek texts read "seventy-two"])

·         and apostled them by-two (he sent them forth/away from himself on this specific mission or assignment in pairs)

·         before his face (ahead of, in front of, in advance of, prior to himself time-wise)

...into every city and place (directed to all of the towns and locations) where during that past time emphatically he was about to go (in Greek there is a definite word for “he” plus the verb meaning “he used-to be about” giving emphasis – where he himself was on the point of coming after a pair of these 70 people went into a city or place).

The number seventy is significant in that it emphasizes the numbers seven (7 indicates 'spirit') and ten (10 indicates 'order'), which is spiritual order in light of God's spirit realm, and Jesus was utilizing that along with the 70 people during this occurrence. By sending them in groups of 2, emphasis is given to the words and actions being true; they were witnessing to the same truth regarding God and the things of God that was told and given to them by Jesus via words or actions.

Acts 21:18 and 19 - Paul goes to Jerusalem

^.18But on the coming (day) Paul entered together with us towards James and all the elders arrived, ^.19and having greeted them he told-out one-by-one each of-which-things God did among the Gentiles by means of his ministry.

The following day Paul, in conjunction with Luke and the other holy-people traveling with him, went towards James (refer to Acts 15:13) into his house or another meeting place.

All the elders also arrived (came to be, became present) at this meeting. These elders (elder men) were those having more knowledge, wisdom, dignity, etc, relative to God and the things of God; they were elders of the church of holy-people in service to/for God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “elders” is not referring to the literal meaning of being older in age than other people, nor were they elders of the Judean/Israeli Sanhedrin council.

·         When Paul had greeted them (saluted them, drew them to himself),

·         he related (recounted, led the details out, unfolded)

·         one-by-one (according to one, every one after another) each of the things that God did (performed)

·         among the Gentiles (people belonging to nations other-than Israel/Judah)

·         by means of Paul's ministry (the duty or function of service which he had been given by God and the Lord Jesus Christ to benefit other people).

Now we are told why Paul had this urgent desire to go to Jerusalem – he wanted to tell 'headquarters' regarding the Gentiles hearing God's Word and believing it and receiving God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul wanted them to again hear and thus know the truth of what God and the Lord Jesus Christ had revealed to him regarding the good-message that God has given mankind to believe since the day of Pentecost when the gift of holy spirit was first made available. This gift of holy spirit is God's essence within a person who believes, both to Judeans/Israelites and Gentiles/nations thereby making that person a child of the only true God.

[Reference: Acts 14:23, chapter 15, 16:4, 20:17; Romans 15:15-32; I Timothy 5:17-20; Titus 1:5.]

Ephesians - the mystery

The mystery of the Christ (the secret pertaining to the resurrected Christ, which has been revealed) is that:

·       the Gentiles (people belonging to nations other-than Israel/Judah, different ethnic groups to the descendants of Israel)

·       have the availability to be:

o   inheritors-together (people who inherit together, joint heirs, people who have the inheritance, the assigned lot, the allotted-portion in conjunction with one-another, fellow-heirs, co-heirs)

o   and people-bodied-together (people who body together, having the joint body, people who are limbs of the same body, members of one body in conjunction with one-another, fellow-bodied, co-bodied)

o   and sharers-together (people who share together, joint partakers in association with one-another, fellow-sharers, co-partakers)

·       of the promise (the proclamation, the declaration of the message of God’s intention)

o   in Christ Jesus (within the cause and sphere of action, character, and attributes of Christ Jesus, emphasizing the truth that he is the Anointed-one, the Messiah; Jesus has been resurrected; this does not say 'with the group of people who are descendants of Israel' nor does it say 'as an extension to Israel' – because the resurrected Christ has created a new body, a new man, as previously explained in Ephesians 2:15-18)

§  by means of the good-message (through the teaching of the good-message, the gospel, the evangel concerning the Christ, for people to hear and believe it in order to become born spiritually by receiving the gift of holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ; refer also to Ephesians 1:13).