THE WORLD MADE NEW – Ron McGatlin
“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful. Behold, I make all things new.’” Revelation 21:5.
Mankind is made new in Christ Jesus, and the world is being made new in a similar way. Christ, in and with man, is making the world new in a worldwide transformation. The evil fallen world of darkness is passing away as the way of the love of God removes the old and establishes the new world of love and light.
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’” Revelation 21:2-4.
HEAVENLY TRANSFORMATION ON EARTH
This is heaven coming to earth and God dwelling with man in this life.
John physically witnessed the beginning of this transformation two thousand years ago in the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Years later, he received this prophetic vision of the fulfillment of what Jesus is now bringing forth in the current world transformation.
In understanding the parabolic, symbolic language throughout the book of Revelation, we must depend on the Holy Spirit to interpret a passage’s meaning. One reason for the parabolic language is to hide the true meaning from evil men and opposing political and religious authorities. Another reason is to help believers clearly understand the spiritual truth through a natural picture.
Verse 1, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”
The new heaven and earth do not imply the physical planet and atmosphere being destroyed and new ones made. Rather, all the works of darkness and evil are destroyed and replaced with heaven’s life and God’s kingdom ways of love and light. This is like a person becoming a new creation in the born-again experience of salvation. The person is in the same body, yet is a new creation, a new person. Likewise, the world is becoming a new creation or “made new,” yet still the same planet.
The “no more sea” refers to the masses of unstable, unloving people who are troubled, strife-filled, and driven by every wave of evil darkness, who will not turn to God in Jesus. They are removed as the world is cleansed of all evil darkness.
Verse 2, “Then I, John, saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
The “New Jerusalem” Is the spiritual ruling capital of God on planet earth, the place of God’s dwelling that sets and produces the order or rule of the world. It is the Bride/Wife of Christ Jesus. It is spoken of as a ruling city and the “Lamb’s Bride”. In this verse, the city is spoken of as the prepared and adorned Bride, ready for her husband. The city, New Jerusalem, is also referred to as the “Lamb’s Wife” in verse 9.
The spiritual City, New Jerusalem, is the Bride of Christ. It is the people of God in whom Jesus lives and rules on earth with LOVE as “God Himself” is with His people.
Verse 3, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
The fallen world is being cleansed, and the reality of heaven and God Himself, in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, is fully dwelling with man in this current transition. The world is being transformed to as it is in heaven. This is heaven come to earth, the manifestation or coming of Christ Jesus in His kingdom on earth.
Verse 4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Verse 5, “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’”
This is life with God in this transformed world of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. This is what we are now currently transitioning toward in this life and in this world.
AWAKENING FROM SEEING IN SHADOW
Verses 6-8, “And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’”
Verse 6 declares, “IT IS DONE!” The speaker, Jesus, is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and this is the end and a new beginning as it really is in heaven. As overcomers, we inherit all things as sons of God.
In the rest of Chapter 21, God is filling in more on how it works and providing a more complete description of the whole story in all its glory, in the fullness of His rule, in the picture form of the New Jerusalem, the ruling city, His Bride/Wife on earth. Probably every descriptive word in the description of the New Jerusalem has some spiritual, symbolic significance and may be revealed, now or later, as God determines that we are ready to receive it and need it.
Verse 8, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
These are those being removed from the world, who will not come to Jesus for salvation and a new life in God.
Verses 9-10, Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
The parabolic symbolism is very clear in these verses and helps us realize that the entire, very colorful description of New Jerusalem is by the Spirit, telling us about the awesome things God is doing in bringing this world to “as it is in heaven.” It is interesting to note that the Bride of Christ is now seen as the Wife of Christ, indicating the maturation of the Lamb’s intimate marriage.
The history and description of God’s works on earth, beginning in verse 11, continue to the end of Chapter 21.
DESCRIBING THE NEW WORLD, THE BRIDE/WIFE OF GOD IN JESUS
The description of the great city, the New Jerusalem, begins with the glory light of God in verse 11 and, in verse 12, shifts to the foundational history. The walls and gates are the twelve tribes of Israel. And the foundations are the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. The three gates on each side, east, north, south and west, indicate full availability to all peoples of this world of all cultures made new through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord, Savior and King. Nothing that defiles can enter.
“11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
In verses 15 through 21, the city’s measurements and construction materials are described. The city is of pure gold and adorned with many colorful precious stones. None of the material of the city, the wife of the lamb, is perishable; nothing will tarnish or rust. The Lamb’s wife is pure and holy forever.
I have not yet been given revelation on the importance of the colors of the precious stones, and only a bit on the measurements. I do know that the colors are significant and that 12 is a very important number in spiritual biblical language. It relates to completeness and full provision of a completed grouping. The twelve thousand furlongs in length and breadth is 144,000, which relates to the chosen and sealed special servants in Revelation chapters 7 and 14.
The height of the Bride/Wife, New Jerusalem city, is also twelve thousand furlongs. A biblical furlong is 606 to 607 feet.
THE MADE NEW WORLD ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
“22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:22-27.
We do not suddenly stop reading a parabolic symbolic vision and begin reading it as a totally natural written presentation. This is not saying the sun and moon do not shine, but that the Spiritual glory light of God is spiritually much brighter. The people walk in His light, not just natural understanding. The gates are not shut because there is no evil darkness to attack or harm us. Nothing of evil darkness can enter.
Remember, in this vision, John saw the New Jerusalem City COMING DOWN TO EARTH from Heaven. This is not heaven somewhere else. It is heaven coming to earth.
SPIRITUAL SUPERNATURAL REALITY REPLACING RELIGION
God is not improving our belief systems or our stored knowledge of human reasoning and premature conclusions. Through love impartation and out of the mouths of the unlearned, heavenly wisdom of love is released from the heart of God. All wisdom and technical knowledge begins with knowing God and communing with Him in love.
The shadowy future of spiritual-supernatural life values and projected events are being replaced by living reality life in the Spirit now. God’s way is no longer, “Precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” This was the way we were told by religion to grow in the things of God. I’ve heard these exact words from teachers many times in the past.
This saying is quoted from Isaiah 28. It was written to a proud and wayward people of Ephraim who would not hear.
“To whom He said, ‘This is the rest with which
You may cause the weary to rest,’
And, ‘This is the refreshing;’
Yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the Lord was to them,
‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little,’
That they might go and fall backward, and be broken
And snared and caught.” Isaiah 28:12-13.
Today, those who are in love with God and have spiritual “ears to hear” can receive the whole concept of a significant spiritual reality and truth from God at one time. This Spirit-to-spirit communication can be received in an instant and unpacked or brought into the mind as needed. Hearing by Spirit is more complete and in much more depth than line upon line, precept on precept, and here a little, there a little.
We do not need to know everything about anything. We only have to fully know the One that does. As sons of God in a loving relationship with Him, we can receive a direct answer to every situation or need without having to know all the circumstances surrounding it.
The academic style of education is the only way for those without God to gain the knowledge needed to meet life’s needs. Learning all the detailed facts of every possible situation of life, line upon line, is time-consuming. Years of the most productive time of our lives are consumed in this process.
Living and walking in the Spirit in love with God gives us the privilege of communing with the God of all knowledge and wisdom to make decisions and deal with the issues of life.
By obeying His words to us and walking in His ways at all times, we live abundantly without trying to figure things out in our own minds. Our greatest life is found in hearing and obeying God.
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” 1John 2:27.
Ron McGatlin
https://openheaven.com
basileia@openheaven.com