John identifies seeing most of the regions there, attempting to nurture the garden because Adam-and-eve did inside the Genesis. To have John, the newest fulfillment regarding God’s goal using Jesus manage result in the fix regarding human beings to their put since co-rulers of God’s business, happy to work with Jesus when deciding to take creation on the uncharted area.
A different Jerusalem
But it’s not simply a return to a garden; it is a step forward to the a different sort of Jerusalem, good urban area where person countries as well as the range really works with her into the peace and balance before Goodness. John first revealed brand new design since the a wedding out of paradise and earth. Heaven is depicted since both an area and you may a bride, decreasing off God’s heavenly domain and you will getting on earth, similar to the steps Jacob saw within his dream. John known as urban area-bride an effective “this new Jerusalem.” It was therefore wonderful that he can just only identify it of wise stones.
Jerusalem itself try a strong icon to possess John. It absolutely was the initial and simply area where Goodness existed inside the a permanent holy domestic, the initial urban area where leaders worshiped the actual Author. In the middle of one’s Israelites’ Assured Homes, Jerusalem illustrated a perfect Promised Residential property: each of restored design. John portrays the reunion from paradise and environment while the origin from an alternate Jerusalem. In place of the old Jerusalem which was corrupted and you can dishonored because of the very away from Israel’s leaders, the newest Jerusalem could be influenced by a good divine queen. This new area is oriented by the God, maybe not by person hands.
Although not Another Forehead
John try a master of Hebrew Scriptures, with his attention of one’s the newest manufacturing try a beneficial kaleidoscope off photographs pulled regarding biblical poets and prophets. Their goal was to perform a graphic collage off Old testament metaphors you to definitely forces us to reckon on concept of these types of photo.
An excellent example is John’s physical descriptions of your the newest Jerusalem within the Revelation –21. He states the heavenly city possess four corners, for each which have about three doors, comparable to the brand new a dozen people of Israel. He then says a dozen huge basis rocks, and this correspond to this new twelve apostles. After that, John states the new beautiful urban area is a perfect cube, each side are several,100 stadia, or step 1,400 kilometers. Then the audience is informed that structure were 144 cubits high, or around two hundred base.
Plus more shocking spin of the many, there’s absolutely no forehead strengthening regarding the the new manufacturing! The clear presence of God while the lamb which had been immediately after limited to your temple now permeate every rectangular inches of the brand new business. There is another type of mankind indeed there, fulfilling the fresh new getting in touch with wear them the way in which straight back on page hands down the Bible. Humankind have a tendency to code in God’s photo, integrating that have Goodness in the bringing it production towards the fresh and you will uncharted region. And so comes to an end John’s apocalypse together with epic storyline of entire Bible.
Which appears like a routine you to defies mathematics, and some some body leave it at that. However, John wasn’t seeking to file a plan. He had been having fun with several distinctive line of Old-testament recommendations to craft good deeper meaning. Why don’t we break so it down:
The image regarding a neighbor hood on a leading slope that have 12 gates add up to the latest a dozen people regarding Israel is adapted out of Ezekiel’s eyes of the the Jerusalem when you look at the Ezekiel forty.
The idea of a beneficial cube comes from step 1 Leaders six:19–20, and therefore determine your Holy away from Holies inside Solomon’s temple try cubic.
The outcome away from combining these records simply makes sense to the a a symbol peak. If you try to attract they, new number only aren’t effective. But John’s goal would be to discuss that Ezekiel’s concept of good new Jerusalem might possibly be one giant forehead with the same attributes since the Holy from Holies during the Solomon’s temple.