Some
Questions on the Book of Revelation
1. Why
does the Bible say there will not be
a temple in the New Jerusalem?
LW: John wrote, “I
did not see a temple in the city,
because the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are its temple.” (Revelation
21:22) A temple became necessary in
Heaven when the plan of salvation was
put into operation. Before sin
existed, there was no need for a
temple, altars, or atonement. When
the work of the Two Witnesses is
completed on Earth, the temple in
Heaven will be vacated (Revelation
15:5-8) because salvation will never
again be offered. At the close of the
1,260 days allotted to the Two
Witnesses, everyone on Earth will
either have the seal of God or the
mark of the beast, and the
intercession of Jesus will no longer
be needed. This is important to
remember: People will not be in the
valley of decision when mercy comes
to an end. The door closes after all
people have made their final decision
and they are sealed or marked. That
is how it was in Noah’s day.
John says the Father and the Lamb is
the temple on the new earth because
worship will occur wherever they may
be!
2. The Bible
says the New Jerusalem is 12,000
furlongs in length, width, and height
and the city walls are 144 cubits
thick. (Revelation 21:16,17) Does
this really mean the holy city is
12,000 furlongs (1,420 miles) tall?
LW: Even thought
we have to accept the measurements
given at face value, I do not have a
good answer. If we accept the idea
that God observes the natural laws of
physics (which he created), the
physical dimensions of New Jerusalem
are puzzling for the finite mind
because it is hard to imagine a city
that is 1,420 miles square and 1,420
miles high. If the holy city were on
Earth today, it would tower 1,420
miles into space! For the sake of
comparison, Earth’s atmosphere
reaches about 62 miles high, and the
International Space Station orbits
Earth about 200 miles above Earth.
Some artists have rendered the holy
city as though it were shaped like a
pyramid – having a four-sided
base with a very tall spire in the
center. Still, it is hard to conceive
a physical structure reaching 1,420
miles into space.
History reveals that a
Roman furlong was 625 feet in
John’s day and a cubit was 18
inches. Therefore, 12,000 furlongs
amounts to approximately 1,420 miles
and wall 144 cubits thick amounts to
216 feet. If we align these
dimensions with Earth’s gravity
and its orbital mechanics, the size
and mass of a 1,420-mile cube would
severely impact our weather, our
rotational period and the orbit of
Earth around the Sun, as we know it.
One would have to wonder if there
would be any gravity on the top
floors of the holy city. Interesting
issue.
Since the laws of
physics that we live under do not
seem to accommodate a 1,420-mile cube
sitting on Earth, here are a couple
speculative ideas that I offer in
fun. Suppose the new earth is
expanded to the size of the planet
Saturn. If so, a 1,420-mile cube
sitting on its surface would not be a
great problem. The diameter of Saturn
is about 10 times the size of Earth.
To put this in perspective, 764
planets the size of Earth can fit
within Saturn. (For that matter,
1,321 planets the size of Earth can
fit within Jupiter!)
Here is another
speculative idea and one that I
favor. I hope from now on, every time
you eat a doughnut you will be
reminded of this idea. (Smile) Maybe
the shape of the new earth will be
changed from that of a sphere to that
of a toroid. (A toroid looks like a
doughnut.) Don’t laugh yet!
Suppose that when the New Jerusalem
descends from Heaven, the Mount of
Olives splits from East to West as
the Scripture says, and a great
valley (actually, a large hole) opens
up through the middle of the earth to
accommodate the city of God. (See
Zechariah 14:4.) In this scenario,
Earth would flatten out to look
something like a huge doughnut
revolving around its hub, the
celestial City of God.
We know that
the holy city will not need the Sun
or the Moon for light, for the glory
of God gives it light. (Revelation
21:23) The Bible also says that God
will live among men. (Revelation
21:3) Since I’m this far out,
consider one more thing: Perhaps God
will take the new earth out of its
orbit around the Sun and transport it
on a travel itinerary to see an
infinite number of galaxies which the
Lamb has created. If so, the New
Jerusalem would be something like a
big diesel pusher “RV”
where happiness and joy, homes and
gardens, animals, and victorious
humans will forever live. I know
these thoughts are outrageous, but we
know that God has an exciting future
planned for the redeemed, and I
really like the idea of God’s
children being known throughout the
universe as “happy
campers.” In this scenario, the
holy city (God’s throne) would
literally be the center of the earth.
I cannot think of a sweeter idea or a
better companion for a 1,420-mile
cube than a revolving doughnut!
(Contrary to what many people say, I
am not full of gloom and doom!
Smiling…)
3.
Revelation 22:18,19 says that if
anyone adds anything or takes away
from this book of prophecy that God
will punish that person. Do you think
that people who are teaching an
incorrect understanding of Revelation
right now will be punished?
LW:
The short answer is “no.”
The book of Revelation promises a
blessing to those who will read it
(Revelation 1:3) and, as you have
indicated, it also promises a curse
if its words are changed. The
blessing is available right now, but
the curse pertains to a specific time
in Earth’s history when the book
of Revelation will be presented to
the people of Earth as a testing
truth. God knows that down
through the ages, honest and sincere
people tried to understand this book
of prophecy. Even today, there is
mass confusion about the book of
Revelation. Even though most of what
is said about Revelation is wrong,
God does not hold people accountable
for wrong unless (a) we know better
and do it anyway, or (b) we reject
the clearest evidences of truth or
the prompting of the Holy Spirit. In
other words, the curse pronounced in
Revelation 22 is only applicable
during the testing time (the Great
Tribulation) when people will
knowingly and willingly alter the
Word of God to justify rebellion.
During the
Great Tribulation, God will enable
the 144,000 to present the book of
Revelation in the clearest of terms.
Every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people will hear a pure gospel, the
gospel of Jesus Christ. (The gospel
given today is highly contaminated
with human error. Step back and just
look at the confusion that is called
Christianity.) The 144,000 will speak
for God – no lie will be found
in their mouths. (Revelation 14:5.)
The 144,000 will present a gospel in
direct opposition to the lies (and
laws) of Babylon and this opposition
will be met with intense persecution.
Babylon will wield great power and to
counteract God’s 144,000
servants, the devil will empower two
million false prophets. (Of course, I
do not know the actual number of the
devil’s false prophets, but I do
recall that one true prophet faced
down 450 false prophets on Mount
Carmel. See Revelation 13:4; 1 Kings
18.) The important point to remember
is that God’s servants will
present Revelation’s story that
will be inflammatory and the
devil’s prophets will alter and
distort the words of Revelation to
deceive those who want to be
deceived.
4. Why
is there a half hour of silence in
Revelation 8:1?
LW:
Revelation 8:1 says, “When he
had opened the seventh seal, there
was silence in heaven for about half
an hour.” The brevity of
this verse is misleading. The story
surrounding the seven seals is a very
large topic and I do not have enough
space in this report to write much.
In a nutshell, here’s the seven
seals story. Before anything was
created, the Father wrote down a
complete history of sin. Because He
has perfect foreknowledge, He
described in perfect detail the lives
and choices of everyone who would be
affected by sin. His book included
the actions of the angels in Heaven
(where sin began), as well as all
human beings who would live on Earth.
After writing this book, He did a
peculiar thing. He blotted out the
names of each person who would choose
rebellion and forfeit eternal life.
Then, He sealed up the book with
seven seals (so that no one could
read it) and He named it, “The
Book of Life.” No one (not even
Jesus) knows what is in the book.
Only the Father knows. The Father
wrote this book to prove several
things at the end of sin’s
drama. When the 1,000 years in
Revelation 20 have ended, the Book of
Life (Revelation 20:12) and everyone
will clearly see three things:
First,
everyone will see his or her life
accurately recorded in a book that
was written perhaps billions of years
before life occurred! The Father will
prove to everyone that He sees
everything and knows every specific
detail about every being. Wow! What a
thought! Second, the Father will
prove that He knew billions of years
ago who would choose eternal life and
who would not. The wicked will see
their names blotted out of the book.
(Remember, the Book of Life remains
sealed up until the 1,000 years have
ended. Mankind is not to be judged
out of this book. Mankind will be
judged from the book of records
(deeds) which angels record in real
time. Jesus uses the books of record,
not the Book of Life during the
judgment process.) The Father will
show everyone the contents of His
book because He wants everyone to see
that even though He knew who would
choose to be saved and who would
choose to be lost, He loved everyone
the same, and most of all He did not
and would not manipulate the choices
of one soul, even though He foreknew
what each one would do. Finally, the
Father wants everyone to see what
Jesus did to save sinners. Then
Father will present the birth, death,
and resurrection of Jesus to every
person. Everyone will see the cruelty
that Jesus willingly endured to save
mankind. The Father also wants the
universe to understand that Jesus is
fully God, just like Himself. The
Father also wants the universe to
know that Jesus is a co-eternal
member of the Godhead, that Jesus has
all the powers, rights and substance
as the Father. This final disclosure
will complete “the revelation of
Jesus Christ.”
So, consider
the setting: At the end of the 1,000
years, the Holy City will descend
from Heaven with the saints on board.
The wicked, from Cain to those who
perished at the Second Coming, will
be resurrected to see the Holy City!
At this moment, Jesus will break open
the seventh seal and open the Book of
Life. How does God reveal the three
things written above? I believe God
will display the book on a giant
panoramic screen in the sky (heaven).
As each person watches, he or she
will be spellbound by God’s
foreknowledge, enduring love,
patience, grace and fairness. This
revelation will silence the wicked
and humble the righteous – for
what can anyone say? The silence will
last half an hour.
“By
myself I have sworn, my mouth has
uttered in all integrity a word that
will not be revoked: Before me every
knee will bow; by me every tongue
will swear. They will say of me,
‘In the Lord alone are
righteousness and strength.’ All
who have raged against him will come
to him and be put to shame.” (Isaiah
45:23,24)
Larry Wilson
