Chapter 21 continues to describe the things that occur after the second appearance of Jesus Christ and it is important for you to understand them.  Closely examine each verse and my commentary.  Pray for understanding!  You need to know, and remember, what the resurrection really is and what happens during the Millennium.

Rev. 21:1  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

With regards to impact being the most likely method, there is nothing strange, or different, or even rare about the Earth being impacted by a large object from outer space.  It has happened many times before since the Earth began to form.  In fact, that is how it grew to the size that it is today, by absorbing and assimilating the bolides that have impacted on it.  Now, I know that commentary like this is terribly unpleasant to think about but  it is time for someone to stand forth and tell the truth.  The Earth will be totally changed by some form of catastrophism at some time in the future, and in fact from a biblical perspective that it is very likely to happen soon.

Now, concerning this catastrophe, many Christians think that they will escape the bad things that are coming upon us at the end of this age by being raptured away to Heaven or some other place of safety.  But, don't be fooled and taken in by those teachers who preach a flyaway rapture doctrine.  The Bible doesn't support that idea and it is a falsehood designed to make us have a warm and fuzzy feeling about escaping Antichrist and the terrible events that signal the end of this age.  Regardless of what they say, it ain't gonna happen!

Those of us that are living at the time of the end are all going to go through the tribulation (actually the temptation) of the Antichrist, and likewise the tribulation that accompanies the second appearance of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  That's right, we will all suffer the same ultimate fate and there will be no difference in what happens to the righteous and unrighteous except the saints will take it a little better.  Why?  Because they have hope while the general population of the planet will think that there is none.  In other words, there will be differences in the way we understand what is happening and the way we react to it as individuals.  Those who are biblically ignorant or unsure will have great mental distress, while those who understand what is happening will be troubled and sad at the fate of mankind and all the other life on Earth, but they will also be rejoicing because they know that their salvation draweth nigh.  Christ talked about this very thing.

Luke 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:26  Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Rev. 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev. 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Rev. 21:4  And 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. 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Rev. 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Matthew 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Rev. 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Some will say that this is a dangerous concept to teach because it might cause some to decide to put off repenting until after Christ returns, but I tell you that those who are destined to repent in this world will do so, and all others will not.  Those who do not see the light and change now will have to wait for their salvation until Christ appears, after which they will have opportunity to repent and be converted.  They will be taught God's truth and disciplined for a thousand years after which Satan will be released again for a little season (Rev. 20:3).

Just as those who were resurrected at Christ's return overcame Antichrist while living in the flesh during this Earth age, these must be tempted by Satan again at the end of the thousand year Millennium when he is loosed for a little season.  Those who overcome his last temptation will be resurrected in the second resurrection back up to the status of children of God, but their other rewards will never be as great as those given to the ones who overcame in the flesh during this present evil world age.

Rev. 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The so-called lake of fire mentioned here doesn't appear until the end of the Millennium, so this statement is made concerning those who refuse to change during that time.  Don't feel sorry for them, look at what they are in their hearts still.  They either cannot, or will not, receive the truth and change, so they will perish just as surely as the devil who rules over some of them will.

Rev. 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

At this point, something should be pointed out about the Bride and our relationship with to her.  We are not necessarily the Bride.  Some of us who hear the call, repent, and overcome in this world age are only invited guests to the great wedding supper of God, we are not the Bride.  For example, the ten virgins in Matthew 25 are bridesmaids only, not the Bride.  Who is the Bride?  Let's continue and find out.

Rev. 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

What was a city in ancient times?  It was more than our modern concept of a city today which is just a piece of land with buildings on it where people live, work and play.  Cities, like Nineveh, Babylon,  Troy, Athens, Carthage, and Rome, represented powerful kingdoms with their great cultures and governments, usually built around some religious system.  Jerusalem can be included with other great cities because it has always been extremely influential culturally.   They were the great centers of civilization, and as such they epitomized the lofty ideals of mankind.  In the minds and hearts of western man they were spiritually put on a pedestal much like women were in some societies, and consequently it was easy to characterize them as great women.

The fallen woman of Revelation 17 and 18 which has had such profound influence in the world for millennia is characterized as a great city, and is called Babylon the Great.  In contrast to her, here we see the city of New Jerusalem which is said to be the virtuous Bride of Christ.  Both are figuratively represented as women in scripture, one is characterized as a whore, and one a virgin bride.  Up until now the corrupt city-kingdom of Babylon the Great has ruled western civilization, and in large measure, the Earth, but now she is to be replaced by a another city-kingdom, the New Jerusalem.

Some scholars of modern day churchianity try to define the Bride of Christ as the church, and in a sense that is possible except for a couple of things.  First, church is ekklesia in the Greek and refers to a group of people, an assembly.  The people who are part of the church, or ekklesia, all have an invitation to the wedding supper but they are not necessarily the bride.  Some are bridesmaids, and some are simply invited wedding guests.  See Matthew 25:1-13 and Luke 14:15-24.

In addition, as you will soon see below, the city New Jerusalem whom John associates with the Bride is figuratively constructed upon the twelve tribes of Israel, and the twelve Apostles.  No gentiles are indicated, and some churches call themselves gentile.  With that in mind, how can these gentile churches be part of the bride?

In any case, just as the whore Babylon the Great ruled the Earth in a corrupt way, the New Jerusalem is the virtuous Bride and will be the center of righteous government and education for the world after the Bridegroom appears.

Rev. 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Rev. 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Rev. 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Rev. 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb

Rev. 21:15  And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

Rev. 21:16  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

The second sentence of this verse is probably talking about the gates to the city mentioned in verse 15.  There are twelve of them in all, and it is not unreasonable that they would be the same width, heighth, and depth.  That would probably be 144 cubits which is the height of the wall mentioned next.

Rev. 21:17  And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel

Rev. 21:18  And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

Rev. 21:19  And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

Rev. 21:20  The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

Rev. 21:21  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Rev. 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

Rev. 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Rev. 21:24  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Rev. 21:25  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Rev. 21:26  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

Rev. 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.