Not nearly as irresistible as the death grip you can't relinquish on your deafening silence re the last two chapters of Revelation. So...let me lay it out for you with a few key excerpts and brief commentary. Sit back and enjoy the lesson.
Rev 21:1
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
NIV
This must occur
after your literal 1,000-year earthly kingdom ; for this latter kingdom was part of the
old order of things, i.e. "the first heaven and first earth". And this is really problematic for you Dispens since Jesus clearly said that his kingdom is
NOT of this old order --
"not of this world" (Jn 18:36). Conversely, the new creation that ushers in the visible, eternal kingdom marks the end of the old order (Rev 21:4) and the beginning of the new (Rev 21:5).
Rev 21:4; 22:3
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away"....Rev 22:3 No longer will there be any curse....
NIV
So...no more death, mourning, crying, pain or curse in the NEW ORDER, which means in the so-called earthly millennium, all these things would still exist, which further implies sin will still reign in this earthly millennium, since SIN is the cause of all these negative experiences. Sin is the cause of
everything that is wrong in this world! (How ya doin' so far, Mr. Genez? Are ya hangin' in there, enjoying a real biblical lesson for a change? I hope so; I'm just getting warmed up.)
Rev 21:10-14
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
NIV
I know, I know...You're going to try to tell me that the 12 "gates" and the 12 "apostles" still represent all Jewish messianic believers under the Old and New Covenant economies, right? What else can you say since given your false presuppositions as to the identity of the saints who will be dwelling in the new [world] order? But...stay tuned...
Rev 21:22-27
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25
On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26
The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
NIV
Oh my...Kings and nations will bring their glory and honor into the City? OR...are you going to try to con us into believing that the "kings" and "nations" consist of the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah? Or that the "Lamb's book of life" includes only Jewish believers? If the latter, you had better feast your eyes on Php 4:3 in which Paul told Gentile believers in Philippi that all his fellow workers, most of whom were Gentiles, have their names written in that book! Or for that matter, see what Jesus told His church at Sardis about the "book of life" (Rev 3:5). But if you're still not convinced, then consider the original audience of this book. Besides, I know you're a staunch believer in understanding things in their context, right?
Rev 1:20; 22:16a
20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,
and the seven lampstands are the seven churches..
.Rev 22:16a "
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches..."
NIV
Not very likely that those seven churches consisted only of Jewish believers. Don't you agree?
My next question to you is this: Do you have the courage, humility and honesty in you to admit you are wrong about who will occupy the restored earth?
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