Revelation 19–21:8 — The Marriage of the Lamb, the Reign of Christ, and the Eternal State (part 2)

most justly settle the eternal doom of those who acknowledge but obey not the Holy Scripture. But there will be another book opened -the book of life {Rev. 20:12}

-- another swift and solemn witness against the Christless part of the human race. It seems opened to show that their names are not there. It is a balance by which they are weighed, and found wanting {Dan. 5:27}.

It is the book of Divine sovereign grace, in which they had no interest. It is a final test: for whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).

Though great and small are in this judgment, the fact of each being judged according to their works prohibits the thought of infants being here. In time of old, Jehovah said by Moses, Your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. (Deut. 1: 39).

But further. Death and Hades must be dealt with judicially too. Some one has said that “Heaven and earth will pass away but to be revived; but Death and Hades never.” Christ has power over death; and after Satan is cast into the lake of fire, death has to be judged, but of course after the wicked dead are raised. Then Christ asserts His rights, and Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire, so that after this there will be no more death. Can any triumph be more mighty in its operations, or more complete in its accomplishment? It is Christ subduing all things unto Himself. All must acknowledge that He is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. He is Lord of all. This is followed by the eternal state. We may real the first eight verses of the twenty-first chapter as completing the section which commenced with the judgment of the great whore in the nineteenth chapter. The order is the same as we find in 1 Cor.15, which tells us that Christ must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; for He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, All things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under Him; and when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that did put all things under Him, that God may be all in all {see 1 Cor. 15:25-28}.

Here we find in the Revelation, that the casting of Hades and Death into the lake of fire concludes the subjection of everything by the Lord unto Himself. The kingdom, therefore, must now be delivered up unto God, that God may be all in all. The first heaven and earth having passed away, we have now a new heaven and a new earth. Peter tells us that the present heaven and earth are reserved unto fire, that the elements will melt with fervent heat, and that the earth and all things therein shall be burned up. He also tells us that this will take place in the day of the Lord. Other Scriptures show that it will be neither at the dawn nor the meridian of that day, but at the close of that day, or, as we have before seen, at the termination of the millennium. We further learn from the apostle Peter, that this eternal condition will be characterized by righteousness dwelling. Now, we have righteousness preached and imputed to them that believe, and righteousness suffers; in the millennium righteousness will reign -in righteousness He doth judge and make war {Rev. 19:11};

but in the new heaven and new earth righteousness will dwell, for it is final and changeless in its character. John also informs us, that, after the destruction of the present heaven and earth there will be no more sea {Rev. 21:1}.

In our present constitution, natural life could not be sustained on the earth without sea, and the broad ocean flowing between different countries often acts as a restraint upon man’s evil passions, checking war and bloodshed. But then, sin and curse will no more be known. John sees the holy city descending from God out of heaven. Though still prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, she is not presented in relation to the Lamb, as in the millennial state; for the kingdom is delivered up unto God. Still the bride is distinctive, as Ephesians tells us that it will be throughout all ages (Eph. 3:21).

The Church may be the tabernacle in which God abides, manifesting. His glory to us. We get no longer “nations,” but “men”; for nations which owe their origin to sin, though they exist in the millennium, are no longer known after the Lord has destroyed the works of the devil, and subdued all things unto Himself. But man, whom God created upright, in His own image, and placed in the earth — a creature with whom He could come down and hold converse, is, in the eternal state, to know God coming down to dwell with them: For they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God (Rev. 21:3).

Death, as we have seen, being cast into the lake of fire, is taken away for ever; so that we are told,

Notes on the Revelation 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 (Rev. 21:4).

It is quite clear that this is post-millennial, because in that dispensation we are told that a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed, and the child shall die a hundred years old. (Isa. 65:20). This great change in the eternal state is accounted for in the next verse by a voice from the throne, saying, Behold, I make all things new {Rev. 21:5}.

The seer is commanded to write that these words are true and faithful; and they come to us attested by Him who is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End {Rev. 21:6}.

The description of this state concludes with two thoughts in widest contrast, but running side by side — namely, the eternal happiness of the saved, and the eternal misery of the lost. The former inherit all things, drink freely of the fountain of the water of life, and stand in love before God as His sons. The latter, consisting of the fearful and unbelieving, the abominable, etc., have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Rev. 21:8). Thus, after the passing away of the present heaven and earth, and the judgment of the great White Throne, we are permitted to look at the saved in their eternal inheritance of full, unmingled blessing, and the eternal misery and torment of the wicked and unbelieving. Moreover, let us not forget that the distinction is still preserved, as it has been all through Scripture, between the heaven and the earth. The Church is always seen in connection with heaven. Her calling, standing, and eternal destiny are heavenly. She is made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6, 7).

And she is seen here again, coming down from God out of heaven. But Israel’s calling, blessings, and destinies are earthly; and, as it seems, for ever. How, when the earth is being burned up, that people will be preserved, and brought into the new earth, I know not; but it appears that they will have a place in the new earth: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain (Isa. 66:22).

The people of Israel and their name are, therefore, to be as enduring as the new heaven and earth. This is deeply interesting, and if in that perpetual state of blessing the land shall be specially marked out, and the place where our Lord was crucified had in everlasting remembrance, it is no more than we should expect, that an act so stupendous, and connected with such everlasting results, should be recognised in the new earth. Scripture seems to favour the thought; for God made covenant with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac, and confirmed the same unto Jacob by a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan (Psa. 105:9-11);

and Isaiah says, They shall inherit the land for ever (Isa. 60:21).

It is also an interesting question, whether the deliverance of creation from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God or the liberty of the glory of the children of God (Rom. 8:21), can have its full accomplishment in the millennium? How blessed it is to see all things subdued by Christ, and brought under the power of God! Celestial glory and terrestrial glory preserving each its separate qualities, and yet both to the praise and glory of God, and such as He can rest and delight in. Death destroyed, curse no more known, and every creature, whether in the new earth or in the new heaven, realizing the presence and blessing of God, who is all in all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen {Rom. 11:33-36}.