There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. (Matthew 26:7)
In one of my Bible readings this week, I came across an account of a woman anointing Jesus. All four Gospels record such an event. A detached, casual reading of the event can make the reader conclude that all four accounts are the same. Indeed, if we check the cross-references in our Bibles, they all seem to point to the other accounts leading the reader to assume they are all the same account. However, a close and careful examination of the four accounts will reveal a different story.
We have two, arguably three, different accounts of Jesus’ anointing. Luke’s account places the anointing long before the transfiguration while He was still in Capernaum (Luke 7:36-50).
Luke 7:36-39 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. (37) And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, (38) And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. (39) Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
Matthew 26:6-9 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, (7) There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. (8) But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? (9) For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mark 14:1-5After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread … (3) And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. (4) And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? (5) For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
John 12:1-6 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. (2) There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. (3)Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (4) Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, (5) Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? (6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Matthew and Mark place the anointing after the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11) and two days before the Passover. John places the anointing the day before the Triumphal Entry (John 12:12). Matthew and Mark place the anointing in the “house of Simon the Leper.” John seems to place the anointing in the house of Lazarus following the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Neither Matthew nor Mark names the woman who anointed Jesus. Had she been Mary, they certainly would have known who she was. John names Lazarus, Martha, and Mary who anointed Jesus. Matthew records that the “disciples” were indignant about the waste. Mark only records that “there were some that had indignation within themselves.” The difference and precision in detail between Matthew and Mark’s account and the account of John are too distinct to be an error in recording. Therefore, these are two separate anointings. Luke’s account came too early to be confused with these that took place just before the crucifixion. Luke records that the anointing took place in the house of a Pharisee named Simon – not a leper – and the woman that anointed Jesus was “a sinner.” Surely, Mary, named by John, would not have been identified as a “sinner.” She is the one that “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word” (Luke 10:39). Also, Luke’s account records nothing said about the cost of the ointment being used.
In all, we have three separate accounts of Jesus being anointed by women. Even though there are some similarities, the differences are too great to conflate them as one or two. The lesson here is to let the Bible speak for itself. The experts, while we can learn much from them, are also fallen men after all; they can make mistakes too.
Matthew and Mark describe the same anointing. John records a second anointing by Mary, Lazarus’ sister (Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead, John 11). Both accounts take place before the Passover when Jesus would be crucified. In both instances, Jesus commented that the anointing was for His burial (Matthew 26:12; John 12:7). Jesus knew that the cross lay before Him, and He went willingly to take our sin upon Himself. He paid a debt He did not owe to cancel the debt we could never pay. Reader, our sin debt was paid by Jesus who bought our pardon with His blood. All we have to do is accept that pardon. Have you done that? If not please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
Throughout church history, false teachings and outright heresies have arisen due to the faulty hermeneutic of taking Scripture, especially a single verse, or even a single phrase within a verse, out of context. So it is with the verse above.
The “lost” frequently stymie the witness of Christians by misquoting this Scripture – “Judge not” – and they stop there without reciting the remaining portion of the verse. The well-meaning, albeit unprepared, Christian studders and stammers not knowing how to respond. They think, “That’s true. Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ I don’t want to be a judge or be judged.” Thus, the Christian is defeated and the lost person continues in his lost condition thinking himself in a superior condition to that of the Christian.
Did Jesus really mean that we should suspend all judgment? We need to read beyond that single phrase or the single verse. In the verses that follow in the same seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives several examples where judgment must be employed, but let us first inspect the first verses more closely.
The Greek word translated “judge” in this verse is krinō which means, “to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: – avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem…”[1] Simply put, it means to make a judgment for condemnation. Ultimately, that kind of judgment is reserved for God alone. However, the Christian is free to exercise discernment as to the condition of a lost person, and knowing the consequence of that condition, the Christian is obligated to try and redirect the lost one from the road to perdition to the way of salvation. Scripture is clear on this point. “When I [God] say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 33:8-9, emphasis mine). In order to recognize “that wicked man,” one must exercise judgment, not in a condemning way, but by way of discernment.
The verse (7:1) concludes with, “that ye be not judged.” In other words, “Do not condemn, so that you are not condemned.” In the Ezekiel passage above, judgment (discernment) must be exercised to identify the “wicked man” and “to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity.” The condemnation to the Christian comes for failing to warn the “wicked man” – “his blood will I require at thine hand.” It is not our place to condemn anyone, not even the “wicked man.” In fact, that is exactly what we do when we recognize a lost person, and we fail to witness to them. We have effectively condemned them to an eternity in hell.
Jesus continues: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2). Consider an occasion where you judge (discern) that someone is lost and you resist the Spirit’s prompting to share Christ with that person. Now consider Jesus looking at you with the same regard you gave to that lost person. Is that not a frightening thought?
Jesus gives self-examination as the prerequisite for making a judgment. He uses hyperbole in His example of inspecting a mote (speck) in someone’s eye while having a “beam” in one’s own eye. “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). We need to keep our own sin in check before trying to correct the sin in others.
Jesus does not call us to suspend all judgment. Indeed, the verse that follows cannot be accomplished without a certain degree of judgment and discernment. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6, emphasis mine). Jesus uses the terms “that which is holy” and “your pearls” synonymously to represent the precious Gospel that we have. “‘Dogs’ signify people who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doctrine; people of special sourness and malignity of temper, who meet it like growling and quarrelsome curs, Php_3:2; 2Pe_2:22; Rev_22:15. “Swine” denote those who would trample the precepts underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and sensual; those who would not know the value of the gospel, and who would tread it down as swine would pearls, 2Pe_2:22; Pro_11:22”[2] (emphasis mine). Obviously, one needs to make a judgment call to discern who are the “dogs” and the “swine.”
Identifying false prophets requires judgment. Jesus warns against false prophets who disguise themselves “in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (7:15). They can be known. Jesus says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (7:16). Their “fruit” is what they produce. Do they bear the “fruit of the Spirit”?[3] Paul sums up the fruit of the Spirit like this: “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). If you suspend judgment when you come under a false teacher, how will you know that the teacher is teaching truth? If you suspend judgment, you will swallow everything a false teacher feeds you because, after all, he/she is a seminary graduate with a Ph.D.! Do not let letter suffixes cloud your judgment.
Do not be intimidated by those who misquote and misuse Scripture. Remember, Satan excels in twisting Scripture. He did it with Eve in the Garden of Eden,[4] and he tried it with Jesus in the wilderness.[5] Those who throw up the “judge not” roadblock are only parroting Satan’s tactics. Don’t fall for it. Stick to your guns. Stick to the Word. Don’t even flinch when you hear “judge not!”
Reader, do you know the Lord Jesus? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” He is coming soon and you need to be ready. You can read more about that on my “Revelation” page.
Notes:
[1]Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, (Published in 1890; public domain).
[2]Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, (Published in 1847-85; public domain).
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)
Have you ever imagined traveling in a time machine and going backward or forward in time to witness what happened in the past, or to see what would happen in the future? I am sure many people have, and several science fiction movies have attempted to portray what that might be like.
Jesus granted John the privilege of actually traveling into the future to record the events that would take place at “the end of days.” Much of what John witnessed seems unpleasant, but the end result climaxes in a completely remade planet and universe – a New Heaven and a New Earth.[1] John then sees an indescribable city descending from heaven to the New Earth with space enough to accommodate the billions of God’s children throughout the ages. The city is the New Jerusalem where God will dwell among His people.
What John witnessed defies any hitherto known reality. John could hardly believe his eyes. It was incredible! It was unbelievable! And when we read John’s attempt at describing it, our mind’s eye cannot visualize it, so we may be tempted to brush it off as fantasy. In anticipation of such an occurrence, his angel tour guide reassures John and encourages him to believe what he sees. “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done” (Revelation 22:6, emphasis mine). It may be too much for our feeble minds to take in, but the guarantee comes directly from God, and we can rest assured that it will all come true because He is faithful to keep His promises.
Then, from some unspecified source, we hear the words of Jesus. “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7, emphasis mine). The Greek word translated as “quickly” is tachu from which we get our English word “tachometer.” Since Jesus said this almost 2000 years ago, it makes us wonder, “What is His definition of quickly?” It also gives fodder to the skeptics of whom the Apostle Peter warned. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4, emphasis mine). Peter also reminded us that God’s timing is not like ours. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8, emphasis mine). Peter is not providing a formula by which we can calculate God’s timetable. Rather, he applies simile (“as”) to emphasize that God’s measure of time does not correlate to ours. God is infinite. He is “timeless.” He is not bound by time. His attribute of omnipresence – being everywhere present at all times – also applies to our understanding of time. He exists in the past, present, and future simultaneously, which explains why He can tell the end from the beginning.[2] Considering the word “tachu” with the application of a tachometer, which measures the revolutions per minute (RPM) of an internal combustion engine; the faster the engine turns, the higher the RPMs the tachometer reads. In the same way, as we begin to see the things described in Revelation, they will rapidly increase in number and intensity the nearer we get to execution time. Even now, we see the rapid decline in morality and what used to be the “social norm.” The plans of the globalists – the “One-Worlders” – are being implemented worldwide at this moment. It is happing “quickly,” and this is probably what Jesus meant by the word “tachu.”
Many “Christians” today pay little attention to the Book of Revelation for a variety of reasons; however, Jesus says, “blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Sadly, far too many pastors avoid teaching it because they fear that it breeds controversy and contentions. Fear is not of God; it is of Satan whose silencing the Word of God is part of his strategy. If taught rightly, there should be no controversy and those who object are the ones that need to hear it the most. Other pastors will not teach it because they do not understand it themselves. There is only one remedy for that. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Still, others think it might incite fear in people for the things that are about to come. Good! If they are lost, fear might be the incentive they need to get saved. If the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational view is taught, Christians have the hope of the Rapture and a greater incentive to share the Gospel with friends and family. The study, preaching, and teaching of this book is a blessing, says Jesus.
“And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:8-10, emphasis mine). John is so overwhelmed by all that he has seen – the Rapture he experienced, the Great Tribulation, the Millennial Kingdom, the Great White Throne Judgment, the New Heaven, New Earth, and the New Jerusalem – that he falls at the feet of the angel and worships him. Note that the angel refuses the worship and directs the worship to God who alone is worthy of worship. The angel instructs John not to seal up the prophecy, “for the time is at hand.” The Prophet Daniel wanted to understand the prophecies of the end-times given to him, and he was given much different instructions. Daniel says, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:8-9, emphasis mine). Daniel was not given the insight to understand the end-times. However, in the end, “the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10). Revelation is NOT sealed, and it is written for “the wise” to understand, and now, more than ever, “the time is at hand” for the wise to understand.
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11). At this point in the Revelation, all accounts have been settled. Those that are unjust and filthy have been condemned to the lake of fire for all eternity, and they will continue eternally in the same state in which they were found guilty. The righteous and the holy (by the righteousness imputed on them by Christ) will continue in that same state for eternity.
For those of us living today, Jesus once again speaks. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:12-13, emphasis mine). We see again the Greek word “tachu,” indicating that things are quickly winding up. Jesus comes with His reward in hand to give every person according to their works. For the unrepentant, unbelieving Christ-rejectors, their reward is the lake of fire. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). For those who place their trust in Christ, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus claims authority as the great “I AM.”[3] “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” He is the timeless, everlasting God!
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15, emphasis mine). This is meant for us today. This is not future; it is now. “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What are those commandments? “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1, emphasis mine). “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31, emphasis mine). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12, emphasis mine). “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39, emphasis mine). Those who keep His commandments are on the “inside” (now) and have the right to the “tree of life” (i.e., eternal life). Those on the outside are the “dogs.” In John’s day, dogs were not the lovable pets that we love and cherish today. In his day, dogs were nasty, filthy, mangy, scavengers kept outside of the house. God regards sinners with the same contempt. Their sins are listed in the text; however, their main fault is their rejection of Christ and their refusal to obey His commandments. They will remain outcasts forever unless they repent while there is time. “The time is at hand!”
“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16, emphasis mine). This message is contemporary. It is relevant for us today. It is meant for the churches, not only for the seven churches that Jesus, through John, addressed but for the churches throughout the Church Age.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Here is the invitation. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to the heart of every person to convict them of sin,[4] to convince them of their need for the Savior.[5] The Bride, the Church, the local body of believers, is the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works. Together they issue the invitation, “Come.” It is not through coercion but through the preaching of the Word of God. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:13-14, emphasis mine). All who respond to the invitation are welcome to partake of “the water of life freely,” i.e., eternal life.
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19, emphasis mine). Anyone (including myself) who handles the Word of God should take this warning very seriously. As humans, we are prone to error, and we can misinterpret Scripture occasionally for any number of reasons: lack of understanding, lack of maturity (spiritual growth – sanctification – is a process), lack of knowledge, etc. Such “mistakes” are understandable and excusable to some extent; they can be corrected. However, this admonition is for those who purposefully tamper with God’s Word in order to have it say what they want it to say. This warning is not only for the Book of Revelation, but it applies to all of Scripture because it is all prophecy, i.e., telling forth the Word of God. The Old Testament has a similar admonition. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2, emphasis mine). Anyone who handles the Word of God – pastors, evangelists, teachers, authors, etc. – needs to take this warning seriously.
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20, emphasis mine). “He which testifieth” is the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminds us once again that His return is imminent. As we see the events predicted in this prophecy falling into place at an alarming rate, we know that the full force of this prophecy cannot be that far off. For those of us who have placed our faith in Christ, we can say with the Apostle John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” We may even add “quickly.”
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). “Grace” is the free, unmerited, gift of the Lord (Master, Owner, Possessor) Jesus (Yahweh Saves) Christ (Messiah, the Anointed One). That gift is eternal life, not only future, but in this present life. Eternal life, for the believer, starts right now and never ends. This physical, corrupt flesh must be done away with, but our spirit lives forever. The Apostle Paul says, “For this corruptible [flesh] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [flesh] must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). He explains how this takes place. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). So, whether our dead bodies are resurrected and rise from their resting place or our living bodies are instantly changed at the Rapture, they will be renewed to incorruptible bodies suitable to be in the presence of Holy God. That is the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” that is with us always.
“Amen.” It is the same word in Hebrew and in Greek meaning, “it is true.”
Reader, Jesus is coming quickly, as He promised. Are you ready to meet Him? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
And 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. (Revelation 21:1)
With the Great White Throne Judgment[1] out of the way, sin has been purged from the earth. However, the creation was cursed with Adam’s sin, and even with the near Edenic conditions of the Millennial reign of Christ, the planet retains remnants of the curse. God told Adam, “… cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (Genesis 3:17-18). The purging of the curse will come by fire. The Apostle Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10, emphasis mine). Earth, i.e., the planet, will not cease to exist, for God promised that it would exist forever. The psalmist states, “[God] Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever” (Psalm 104:5, emphasis mine).
God, speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, says, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17, emphasis mine). The Hebrew word translated as “create” is bârâ’, and it is only used when referring to God’s creative power. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) ex nihilo, out of nothing, with only His spoken word. John witnesses fulfilled prophecy when he reports, “And 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” (Revelation 21:1).
However, this time God does not need to create out of nothing. All the raw materials already exist, they only need to be purified by fire and reconstituted. Indeed, John does not see the creation of a new heaven and new earth, but rather a heaven and earth that have been made new, i.e., renovated. What is conspicuous in this New Heaven and New Earth is the absence of a sea. Often in Revelation, the “sea” is used in reference to the masses of people,[2] and sometimes they are those that are “the lost.” Since the lost were sentenced to an eternity in the “lake of fire,” it is possible that “no more sea” refers to these. We see that reaffirmed a few verses down. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). However, “the sea” more often refers literally to Earth’s large bodies of water.[3] Here too, the word can be taken literally. That raises the question, how can the earth function without water? I believe Dr. Henry M. Morris, Jr. provided the best explanation.
There will, in fact, be no need for a sea on the new earth. The present sea is needed, as was the original antediluvian sea, as a basic reservoir for the maintenance of the hydrologic cycle and the water-based ecology and physiology of animal and human inhabitants of the earth. In the new earth, however, there will be no animals at all, and presumably all the men and women who live there will have glorified bodies with no more need of water. Their resurrected bodies will be composed, like that of the Lord Jesus, of flesh and bone (Luke 24.39; Philippians 3:21) but apparently with no need of blood (1 Corinthians 15:50) to serve as a cleanser and restorer of the body’s flesh as at present. This, in turn, eliminates the major need for water on the earth (blood is about 90 percent water, and present-day human flesh is about 65 percent water).[4]
For those who might lament the absence of oceans and all the aquatic activities that go along with that, the New Heaven and New Earth will more than make up for the lack of seas. As we consider the features of the New Heaven and New Earth, we need to keep in mind that John was literally at a loss for words to describe what he witnessed. The place is too wonderful to be expressed in human language, so John could only use the words available to him in his time.
The Apostle Paul experienced what he called the “third heaven.” The experience so overwhelmed him that he could not tell whether the experience was actual or a vision. Speaking of himself in the third person, he said, “And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:3-4, emphasis mine).
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). Before going to the cross, Jesus promised, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3). This is the place of which Jesus spoke. It comes down from heaven to the newly re-created earth, and it is unimaginably beautiful like “a bride adorned for her husband.”
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3). A “tabernacle” is literally a tent designed for portability. However, the deeper meaning is that of a “habitation” or a “dwelling place.” I have always maintained that “Zion” is a name referring to the dwelling place of God. In the Old Testament (OT), Jerusalem is often referred to as Zion, as is the mountain upon which the Temple stood. Hence, when people speak of Zion, they are thinking of either Jerusalem or the Temple. However, the name comes from the fact that God chose that place as His earthly dwelling. “So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more” (Joel 3:17, emphasis mine). Now, “the New Jerusalem,” the new Zion, descends from heaven where God will dwell among His children.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). All the things that cause pain, sorrow, and tears no longer exist. How many of us can recall even one day without experiencing any of these things? I dare say that even if such days come on occasion, they are rare indeed. In the New Jerusalem, such days will be the norm, and all things that cause tears, sorrow, and pain will not even come to mind.
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:5-8, emphasis mine).
“He that sat upon the throne” is Jesus. I do not like “red letter” Bibles that supposedly print the words of Jesus in red letters, because that often tends to be subjective based on the editor’s understanding of the text. These verses are a perfect example. I recently bought a new KJV Bible. I bought the Bible online, so I was not able to examine it closely before buying it, and when it arrived, I discovered that it is a red-letter edition. In my new Bible, the words of the person speaking are not in red print indicating that the person speaking is God the Father, not Jesus. However, in my e-Sword ™[5] electronic Bible, the words of the speaker in this passage are in red print, suggesting that it is Jesus speaking. My old KJV Bible is all black lettering. It leaves it to the Holy Spirit working in the reader to make that determination. Anyhow, I long ago determined that the speaker is indeed Jesus. The first indication is that John sees Him sitting upon the throne. Jesus said that “God (the Father) is a Spirit” (John 4:24). The Father does not have a physical form that He can be seen occupying a single place. After that, the speaker says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Jesus is the Creator,[6] and He is the One that promised to prepare a place for us.[7] Then, the speaker identifies Himself as, “the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,” the same title with which Jesus first introduced Himself to John[8] in the Book of Revelation.
Jesus is the Word of God;[9] therefore, the words He speaks “are true and faithful.” God’s Word never fails. To those who “thirst” for life, i.e., eternal life, He will give “of the fountain of the water of life freely.” This could be an actual fountain of water, but it is more likely symbolic of eternal life continually springing forth without end. Jesus made the same claim to the Samaritan woman at the well. “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14, emphasis mine). Those that enter the New Jerusalem are the “overcomers.” They will inherit “all things,” and He will be their God, and they will be His children. The Apostle Paul explains it in legal terms. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17, emphasis mine). “All things” belong to Him, and as His children, we jointly inherit “all things” with Him. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, emphasis mine). No extra commentary is needed here.[10]
Revelation 21:9-21 describes the appearance of the New Jerusalem. I will leave the text of the passage to the reader. The description was clearly beyond John’s language to describe. Its beauty is obviously beyond words. It is not some ethereal, misty, dreamlike apparition. It is a real, physical, three-dimensional place, exceeding the most beautiful city on Earth built by man. The dimensions are given as 12,000 furlongs square or 1500 miles per side. (21:16). Because the width, length, and height are all equal, some have suggested that it is a cube. However, others have suggested a four-sided pyramid with the throne of God, from which the river of living water flows, is at the apex (22:1). Whether cubical or pyramidical, its height (1500 miles) extends to what we now recognize as outer space. If superimposed on the United States, its footprint (2.25 million square miles) would extend from Maine to Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to 600 miles west of the Mississippi River.[11] Clearly, there is sufficient space for every believer that has ever lived. I would be amiss to venture at a number, but surely it must be in the billions.
“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 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” (Revelation 21:22-23, emphasis mine). In the previous chapters, we saw that “heaven” was arranged in a manner for which the earthly Temple was patterned.[12] In the New Jerusalem, the Temple is no longer needed. The earthly Temple had the Holy of Holies where the presence of God dwelt, and no man could enter there, except for the high priest and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement. In the New Jerusalem, God dwells with and among His people without restrictions. The sun and moon are not seen in the New Jerusalem, because the glory of God and the Lamb overwhelm the light they produce. That does not mean the sun and moon cease to exist. Remember that the New Jerusalem comes out of heaven down to Earth. It does not occupy the entire surface of the earth (which has no sea), so outside its gates, there will still be a need for the sun and moon.
“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. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it” (Revelation 21:24-26, emphasis mine). Apparently, the New Earth will have people living in it outside the gates of the New Jerusalem, none of whom were sentenced to the “lake of fire.” Those are all excluded as Jesus said, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). The “fearful” are those who were timid to identify with Christ. Of them, Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). The “unbelieving” are simply those who rejected the Gospel and Jesus’ free gift of salvation. There is only one way to obtain eternal life and that is through faith in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, emphasis mine). In the Law of Moses, several practices were considered unclean and an abomination to the Lord. However, two extend beyond the Mosaic Law and are a perpetual abomination to the Lord; they are homosexuality[13] (actually, any sexual perversion) and idolatry.[14] The “abominable” are also prone to the other sins listed: murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers (i.e., drug abusers), etc. All of these reside in the eternal lake of fire and have no place in the New Earth and New Jerusalem.
The word “nations” here is the Greek word ethnos from which we get our English word “ethnic” referring to “people groups.” The New Earth and New Jerusalem will be populated by people from every ethnic group on this present earth. The children’s chorus “Jesus Loves the Little Children” that says “red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight” will be perfectly demonstrated in the New Earth and New Jerusalem. Evidently, there will be “kings” over the various groups and they will “bring their glory and honor into it.” I do not believe this is a tribute or sacrifice of any sort, but just their presence as the representatives of “the redeemed” will give glory and honor to the Lord and to the city. Mankind contributes nothing toward his salvation.[15] It is all by the grace of God, and all the glory goes to Him. The inhabitants of the New Earth have constant access, in and out, to the New Jerusalem. The gates of pearl are never shut (21:21).
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27, emphasis mine). Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, those to have their glorified bodies, bodies free from sin, sickness, and death, bodies that are ageless, will reside in the New Earth and New Jerusalem.
“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 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” (Revelation 22:1-2, emphasis mine). Since there is no sickness or death in the New Earth and New Jerusalem, the need for “water of life” and a “tree of life” is perplexing. Dr. Morris[16] gave a good explanation for not having the need for a “sea,” so, why the need for water at all? Dr. Morris suggests …
Although the text does not say so, we are probably justified in inferring that this river (like the river in Eden which was its typological forerunner) parts “into four heads” (Genesis 2:10), which in turn descends from level to level, providing abundant water for every need (aesthetic as well as physiological) of the residents of the city. [What physiological needs we will have, I do not understand since earlier he said our glorified bodies would have no need for water.]
Eventually, it’s four distributaries will, presumably, reach ground level and then flow out through the four walls of the city, north, south, east, and west whence it, like the eyes of the Lord, will “run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9). Since there is “no more sea” (Revelation 21:1) the inexhaustible waters of this mighty river will supply whatever hydrologic needs the new earth may have. There surely will be an abundance of luxurious grasses and herbs and trees everywhere, as in the original “very good” created world (Genesis 1:11, 31), and the whole earth will be a well-watered paradise of abundant resources and fulfilling ministries for the servants of God.[17]
The text says that the leaves of the Tree of Life are for “the healing of the nations.” The Greek word translated as “healing” is therapeia and it means “service rendered by one to another” or “household service.” There is no sickness in the New Earth and New Jerusalem from which to be healed; therefore, a better understanding is that “the leaves of the tree were for the service of the nations.”[18]
“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: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 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 shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:3-5, emphasis mine). The curse[19] has been purged by fire.[20] In our natural, physical state, we cannot see God and live.[21] However, that is not so with our glorified bodies; we “shall see His face” in all of His resplendent glory. “There shall be no night there,” i.e., in the New Jerusalem because the glory of the Father and of the Son will illuminate the entire place. However, as I stated before, the sun and moon will still light the New Earth, outside the city walls. The earth will still continue its annual orbit around the sun, and its rotation will continue to give day and night to the remade planet. However, within the New Jerusalem, the light of God and the Lamb will outshine the sun. And we “shall reign forever and ever” with Him.
Please, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Reader, what do you think? Do the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem sound like a good place to spend eternity? You will spend eternity somewhere, either in God’s new creation or in the lake of fire. There are no other options. If you want eternity in the New Earth with access to the New Jerusalem, then your name must be recorded in the Book of Life, and there is only one way to ensure that your name is written in that book. If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (Revelation 20:7)
At the beginning of the Millennium when Jesus comes again, “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” is bound and imprisoned in the “bottomless pit” for a thousand years.[1] At the end of 1000 years (20:7, above), he will be released for “a little season” (20:3), “And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8). Who are these that are deceived? They are not the saints who reign with Christ. The saints – the Bride and the Tribulation saints – have glorified bodies “like unto his glorious body”[2] that are incapable of sin, and they are immune to Satan’s deceptions. The ones who Satan deceives are the progeny of those that survived the Tribulation and entered the Millennium in their natural bodies – some believers and some non-believers – and retained the ability to reproduce. At the end of 1000 years of perfect conditions and “pre-flood” lifespans[3], billions of people will inhabit the earth. These are those who Satan incites to rebel. The “Gog and Magog” mentioned here are not the same to which the Prophet Ezekiel refers;[4] but rather, it is the “spirit” of Gog and Magog that seeks to destroy the people of God.
After 1000 years of perfect peace with Jesus reigning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, why does God turn Satan loose on Earth again? Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment with only one prohibition, yet they sinned and rebelled by disobeying God’s only command.[5] That took place probably within the first week following Creation. Now, after the Edenic state of Jesus’ Millennial reign, once again Satan is allowed to test mankind proving the depravity of mankind and the holy righteousness of God. God, speaking through the Prophet Jeremiah, says, “The heart [of mankind] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins [i.e., “the seat of emotion and affection”], even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9-10, emphasis mine). It is a sad but true commentary. People sin because they are sinful even in a perfect environment.
Satan incites a rebellion against Christ and His saints, but the rebellion is short-lived. “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them” (Revelation 20:9). God responds instantaneously, decisively, and completely – no more second chances.
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10, emphasis mine). There exists a false image of Satan and his demons ruling in hell and torturing its inhabitants. However, Satan and his “angels” will be no better off than any of the other inhabitants of “the lake of fire.” Jesus said that the lake of fire was “prepared for the devil and his angels.”[6] The Beast and the False Prophet are already there waiting for the Dragon,[7] and soon they will be joined by those whose names are not found in the Book of Life.[8]
With Satan permanently disposed of, John’s focus turns to Jesus on His throne. From the text, it is not clear whether His throne is in heaven or on earth where He has reigned for the last thousand years. Since Chapter 19, John has been reporting on events taking place on Earth; therefore, it seems feasible that Jesus’ throne could be the one He occupied in the Holy of Holies of the Millennial Temple as described by the Prophet Ezekiel. However, it could be His heavenly throne, which would have more space for the billions of people that are to be judged. Its location is irrelevant. Its significance lies in the seriousness of what takes place there.
“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” (Revelation 20:11). The One on the great white throne is Christ, who is the Word,[9] who shed His blood a ransom for many,[10] and who conquered death and the grave by rising again.[11] He offered Himself for whosoever would accept His free gift of salvation through faith.[12] By His sacrifice, He earned the right to judge those who have despised His free gift of salvation. Now, He sits in the full splendor of His glory that overwhelms earth and heaven.
“And I saw the dead, 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 to their works” (Revelation 20:12). These are those who have died without Christ from the beginning of time – small and great, peasants and kings, nobodies and celebrities – they all stand before God – Jesus is God.[13] The books were opened. We are not told, but I have concluded that the “books” include the detailed record of the life of every individual of both good and bad deeds, actions, and thoughts. Every person has his or her own complete, detailed biography. Among the books is the Bible, the Word of God, the standard against which each person will be measured. Too many people who even bother to ponder eternity believe that their good deeds will be weighed against their bad deeds, and in their pride, they think that their “good” will outweigh the “bad.” Actually, all of their deeds, good and bad, will be measured against God’s perfect standard, His Word, and only perfection by that standard will pass the test. On that day, the truth of Romans 3:10 will be undeniably evident: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;” “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
To be fair, “another book was opened, which is the book of life.” This book records the name of every person who has ever lived. However, only those adopted as children of God[14] remain recorded in the Book of Life; all others are blotted out, i.e., removed. When interceding for the sins of the children of Israel, Moses pleaded, “… unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” (Exodus 32:31-32, emphasis mine). Moses knew the significance of that book, and he was willing to have his name blotted out of that book in order to preserve his people.
“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 to their works” (Revelation 20:13, emphasis mine). Judged “according to their works,” no one will measure up to the perfect standard that Holy God demands.
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Revelation 20:14). Death and the grave (i.e., hell, hades, the abode of the dead) cast into the lake of fire signifies that these cease to exist. There will be no death or dying in the lake of fire. Death separates the spirit from the body. When the body ceases to function, the spirit lives on, either in hell (the abode of the dead) or in the presence of the Lord (for the believer). For the believer, Paul says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8, emphasis mine). Everyone (except those caught up in the Rapture) will experience the first death. Scripture says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Since God is the Giver of Life, eternal separation from His presence is the ultimate death. Since physical death and the grave are cast into the lake of fire, the “second death” means eternal separation from the One who gives life – alive in one sense without the ability to die, yet dead in the sense of living apart from the One who gives true life. What a horrible thought!
Those being judged at the Great White Throne Judgment are given one more chance. Their “works” measured next to God’s perfect standard fall woefully short. To ensure a fair trial, their names are searched in the Book of Life. However, because they rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior, their names will have been blotted out of the Book of Life. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
How about you, reader? The lake of fire was created for Satan and his angels; it was not meant for you. However, the lake of fire is the destiny of anyone not found in the Book of Life. There is only one way to ensure that your name is written in that book. If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
Ernie's Musings 