Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (vanished), and there is no longer any sea. [Is 65:17; 66:22] |
Bible Question:
Almost every funeral that I have attend, where a believer has gone home to be with the Lord, the one officiating will say; “Brother or sister, so and so, has gone to a place where there is no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain”. The conditions spoken of in Revelation are brought out to those in attendance at the funeral, as immediate conditions for the deceased. In “my” estimation, the situation is being placed out of setting and it isn’t correct to infer that the one who has just passed away will actually be enjoying "all" of the benefits mentioned in the verse in Revelation 21:4 upon their arrival with the Lord. Rev. 21:1-5 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. [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. [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. [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. [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. Are there any thoughts that would suggest otherwise on the timing of the events taking place in Rev. 21:1-5 The way I see it, verse 4 can’t precede verses 1-3 and the key to the timing is found in the first 3 verses. Have a nice day, CDBJ |
Bible Answer: Greetings CDBJ, I agree with you when you say that Revelation 21:4 can't precede verses 1-3 in the timing of events on the First Day of the Millennial Reign of Christ. The apostle John describes, in succession, the following series of events that occur on the first day of the Millennial Reign of Christ in Rev. 20-21: 1. Satan will be bound and thrown into the abyss (Rev. 20:1-3). 2. The Sheep and Goat Judgment (Rev. 20:4; Matt. 25:31-46). 3. "Beheaded" martyrs will be resurrected (Rev. 20:4). 4. The creation of the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:1). 5. The new Jerusalem will come down from heaven to earth over Mount Zion (Rev. 21:2). The creation of a new heavens and a new earth is spoken of by Isaiah (Isaiah 65:17,18) and by Peter (2 Peter 3:13) as well as John in Revelation (21:1-4). Why will the Lord create a new heavens and a new earth? Because the earth will be in a state of total devastation by fire (2 Peter 3:7,10; Zeph. 1:18; Matt. 13:39-40; Rev. 6:16-17). And it is in this setting, that the time in which all "creation waits eagerly" (Rom. 8:19), or "the regeneration" (Matt. 19:28, Acts 3:21) happens, and Christ Himself will dwell with us (Rev. 21:3), and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and the old order of things will have passed away. Blessings to you, Makarios |