The Pathway Machine
A Response To The SAB - Revelation 21
Revelation 21:1 - 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.
[SAB] "John saw "a new earth," the old earth having been destroyed. But the JWs say, contrary to this verse, that the earth will last forever and will never be destroyed. They have to say this because they believe that heaven filled to capacity (144,000) in 1935. The overflow crowd will stay here on earth."
Response: There is a parallel scripture at 2 Peter 3:7 in which the heavens and the earth are destroyed by fire. Fire is often used in scripture to note a complete destruction because once something is burned there is no fixing it. It can't come back. Since the heavens include stars like the sun which wouldn't be harmed by fire, the destruction of earth isn't meant to be literally burned. There are also different ways in which the terms translated as earth (Hebrew Erets; Greek ge) can be used. The ground, land or shore as opposed to the seas, for example, as well as the planet, a country or territory, or people of the globe. Since the Bible says that the earth (planet) will last forever (Ecclesiastes 1:4) the destruction of earth in this case refers to something else.
At Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22 Jehovah told Isaiah that he was forming a "new heavens" and "new earth." This was fulfilled when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E with a "new earth" (country) having been cleansed and a "new heavens" (government) having been replaced. M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia (1891, Vol. IV, p. 122): "In Isa. lxv, 17, a new heaven and a new earth signify a new government, new kingdom, new people."
All that was happening in Isaiah's day is reflected in what John refers to at Revelation 21:1. Then, unfaithful Jerusalem was destroyed and it's kings replaced with the rule of others. There wouldn't be another king of the Jews until Christ. The destruction of the earth and heavens here is similar in that the unfaithful people are removed and the land is cleansed; the governments of earth under authority of Satan are replaced by another king.
Revelation 21:1 - "And there was no more sea."
[SAB] For an old sailor like me, this verse, if it were true, would be one of the saddest verses in the bible.
Response: The term sea, in Bible times, referred to any large body of water that was smaller than an ocean and wholly or partially enclosed by land. Rivers, such as the Euphrates and Nile were called seas. (Jeremiah 51:36 / Isaiah 19:5) The term can also be used in a variety of ways, mostly symbolic.
The sea or a flood is used in the Bible to signify an overwhelming movement of an opposing army on a city like with the Babylonians or Persians and Medes. (Jeremiah 50:42; 51:42 / Daniel 9:26)
James compared the faithless with a wave of the sea being blown about by the wind. The book of Revelation uses the Greek word abyssos, meaning very or exceedingly deep in comparison to the sea. (Revelation 11:7; 13:1)
Revelation 21:1 is a reference to the masses of people who are alienated from God and is a familiar use of the term in the Bible. (Revelation 17:1, 15 / Daniel 7:2-3, 17, 23 / Isaiah 57:20)
The Messiah King is foretold to rule from sea to sea, which is an illustrative reference to the entire globe that also indicates that the sea being no more isn't in reference to a literal end to the sea. (Zechariah 9:9-10 / Matthew 21:4-9)
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:3 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.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:4 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.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:5 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.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:6 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.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
No Annotation
Revelation 21:8 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.
[SAB] "The lake which burneth with fire and brimstone"
All liars, as well as those who are fearful or unbelieving, will be cast into "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone."
Response: The lake of fire is symbolic for everlasting destruction. Death, which can not literally be hurled or damaged by fire is thrown into it, and Satan, a spirit creature also can't be harmed by literal fire. (Revelation 20:10, 14 / Exodus 3:2 / Judges 13:20)
The Bible itself explains what the Lake of fire symbolically represents. The second death. In verse 8 itself as well as 20:14. Death and haides are also thrown into the lake of fire, which symbolizes their eternal destruction.
The second death is an eternal destruction from which there is no possibility of resurrection.
The Greek basanistes, translated as tortured or tormented is used in some translations as "jailers." The tormentors are the jailers. See Matthew 18:34 Revised Standard Version. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia observed: "Probably the imprisonment itself was regarded as 'torment' (as it doubtless was), and the 'tormentors' need mean nothing more than jailers." (Edited by J. Orr, 1960, Vol. V, p. 2999)
Revelation 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
No annotation.
Revelation 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
No annotation.
Revelation 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
No annotation.
Revelation 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
No annotation.
Revelation 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:23 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.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:24 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.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
No annotation.
Revelation 21:27 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.
[SAB] "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that ... maketh a lie."
Main
Navigation
Revelation
Subcategories
- Absurdity
- Injustice
- Cruelty & Violence
- Intolerance
- Contradictions
- Science & History
- Interpretation
- Family Values
- Women
- Good Stuff
- Prophecy
- Sex
- Language
- Homosexuality
- Highlights
Bibles
