One way to make a pronounced and clear description about something, especially something we are unfamiliar with is to contrast it with something we do know. This descriptive technique is used often by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John in the last couple chapters of Revelation to give an emphatic and clear picture of what things in the Messianic Kingdom or Eternity especially for places where God will bless his people with the words "No" or "No More". Following are specific examples where these expressions are used in Revelation.
One of the things there will be none or no more in eternity starting at the beginning of the Messianic Age with the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Christ) the Son of God setting up God's Kingdom on Earth will be the power of the devil - the serpent or Satan to deceive the nations. The devil has been doing this with all nations all the time since the beginning of human history when he came through the physical serpent in the Garden of Eden and succeeded in deceiving Eve and getting Adam to deliberately take of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge or Good and Evil and brought death, disease and suffering to the human race. This also resulted in our fallen nature and the devil or Satan getting dominion over the Earth from Adam that will last until the Lord Jesus the Messiah comes to set up God's Kingdom on Earth at His Second Coming in power and great glory at the beginning of the Messianic Age. This period of the devil no more having power to deceive the nations will last throughout the 1000 year Messianic Age after which the devil will be loosed to deceive and test the obedience to God and Jesus of the nations and their people one last time at the end of the Messianic Age and then the devil will be cast into the Lake of Fire where he will be confined so he will never again or no more deceive the nations even though there will be the people and some rulers of all the nations in the New Jerusalem, the New Earth and the New Heavens forever. The scripture reference in Revelation 20 of the devil no more being allowed to deceive the nations in Revelation 20 is as follows:
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem): and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10
The second death in God's Word - the Holy Bible is eternal spiritual death or separation of those who die in their sins of their spirit or heart and body from God in the Lake of Fire. If we pass from spiritual death to spiritual life in this life on Earth through personally receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour who died for our sins and rose again from the dead to give us God's eternal life we will never again have to worry about experienceing the second death or eternal spiritual death because our sins that cause this death are dealt with through Jesus as God in the flesh bearing them for us. The first resurrection has two or three distinct phases. The first was for those Old Testament saints who rose from the dead with and immediately after the Lord Jesus in Matthew 27:50-53, the second phase is just about to take place and will involve all the Christians or Church Age or Dispensation believers and is often called the rapture or "catching up" of the Church as in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the third phase is the resurrection of tribulation age saints who are the believers primarily but not solely referred to in Revelation 20:4-6. Although not part of the First Resurrection still part of the Resurrection of Life will be the Resurrection of those among believers with mortal bodies living in the Messianic Age. This will be at the end of the Messianic Age as part of the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20. They will be the ones written in the Book of Life and so will still go to Heaven. The lives of Christians will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ as in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 at the beginning of the Tribulation when we have just arrived in Heaven and the lives of tribulation saints will be judged at the end of the Tribulation at the Judgement of the Sheep and the Goats as in Matthew 25:31-46. I possible passage dealing with the time and place of God's judging and rewarding Old Testament saints is in Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8-9. Jesus could have also given gifts or rewards to the rebellious when he was in hades after His death and before His resurrection and dwelt among them but He gave blessed rewards and will dwell among the saved or faithful including those of the Old Testament in Heaven forever. God also dwells among the lost or rebellious in Hell but with the wrathful or judging part of His nature. Since the heavens and the earth will flee away and there will be no place to survive in a mortal body at the end of the Messianic Age there must be a resurrection of all the people living with mortal bodies in the Messianic Age for them to be ready to have an eternal body to enjoy the New Jerusalem, the New Earth and the New Heavens or endure the Lake of Fire forever. This is at least partially referred to in Gospel of John 5:27-29 and Daniel 12:1-3. Also the fact that no one will survive in their mortal bodies at the end of the Messianic Age is expressed more clearly in Isaiah 51:6. Once the eternal age starts it will true in the fullest sense that those that take part in the First Resurrection or the Ressurrection to Life can be then eternally sure that the Second Death will have no more power over them (us). The scripture about God assuring the Second Death will have No More power over those who take part in the first resurrection or the ressurrection to life in Revelation 20 is as follows:
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6
God saying in His word here that the effect of the heavens and earth passing away and many people especially those who died in their sins or without Christ or all ages since the Garden of Eden is that there was found No Place for them is that in one way or another all these unbelievers or unfaithful people were trying to hide from God all their lives or hoped or thought God wouldn't force them to give account for their godless or selfish lives, thoughts, motives, words and actions or relationships but that in the end they have nowhere or No Place to hide from God and His judgment of them for their sins. The foundational criteria of this judgment is whether they believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in this life on Earth or not and so whether they are written in the Book of Life or not as in Revelation 20:12, 15 and Revelation 3:5 with 1 John 5:4-5. No matter what good works people at this judgment may have done or how much they might be a good person in the eyes of the world and themselves if they didn't trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savious in this life and become written or not blotted out of God's Book of Life they will be cast into the Lake of Fire and eternal punishment. However their works or how much they were a good person for these people will still be considered justly by God but this will only be to determine whether they will endure a lesser or greater degree of punishment for their sins since they will all be sinners still bearing and unforgiven of their sins. The possible Messianic Age believers in mortal bodies on earth then that might also be there then will have their names in the Book of Life and will go with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, holy angels and believers of all ages or dispensations in the New Jerusalem, New Earth and New Heavens because they confessed their sins to God in Jesus' name and asked Jesus to be their personal Lord and Saviour like all other believers in one way or another. Their works or lives after they were saved will perhaps be judged for them also at the Great White Throne Judgment but as with other believers of other ages it will not be for their souls and place of destiny but the degree of blessed rewards or crowns for the extent or committment and faithfulness to God in His service after their salvation. The scripture reference in Revelation 20 of there being No Place for those taking part in the Great White Throne judgment is as follows:
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15
Although it isn't the case as much since the widespread use of intercontinental commercial aircraft flight, even now and much more before the seas especially what we call oceans are and were a barrier to people being able to get together for good as well as adversity. There will only be good will of all the people, angels and God on the New Earth and there will be no more sea to obstruct us from getting together and spending time with each other. Death, sorrow, crying and pain which all include diseases or other afflictions or the body, mind (the intellect), the soul(emotions) or spirit (our will and religious or adoring or worshipping aspect) are all results of the curse on all the human race starting with our first parents when they Adam and Eve took part of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil against God's Word or instruction and belief in him and experienced the curse he warned of that as soon as they ate it or touched it they would die. This also included spiritual death or separation from God and suffering or sorrow that way as well as with that related to the body, mind or soul. People in this life have to get spiritual life through the new birth and God's Holy Spirit in a new spirit or heart through faith in Jesus Christ and have improved guidance for our bodies, mind and soul in this life to get God's perfect freedom from death, sorrow, crying or pain in eternity. I hope you the reader have already realized this is your life or will as soon as possible and certainly before physical death or even before the quickly approaching rapture of the Church in view of 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. The description of God's saved people through the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15 who was fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah dwelling in the New Jerusalem, the New Earth and the New Heaven with God and Jesus and without a sea, death, sorrow, crying or pain in Revelation 21 is as follows:
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. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. 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. 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. Revelation 21:1-4
One of the purposes of the temples of God in the Bible including the Tabernacles was to provide a place where a holy God could dwell in the midst of an unholy people. This provided a way that the people of Israel would not be consumed by God's glory and that God would not be defiled by the sin of the children of Israel and people of the nations in their midst. However in the New Jerusalem and the New Heavens and New Earth all the humans there will be holy in heart and body and can dwell freely with God and God with them (us) at His level of holiness without the barrier of a temple between us. Although this scripture does say that there will be no temple there and I believe what this says, we need to also consider all relevant scriptures when we talk about what God says on a matter. There is also a verse earlier in this chapter that the tabernacle of God is with men. Although most Christians, especially those that believe replacement theology that the church has permanently and totally replaced Israel that I don't think is sound teaching, believe that tabernacle in Revelation 21 just means to dwell as God dwelling among his people. Although tabernacle does have this meaning to some degree, the meaning of tabernacle elsewhere in the New Testament such as in Hebrews 8 and 9 means an actual physical structure either the tabernacle or tent God directed Moses to make in the wilderness or the heavenly tabernacle that I believe is also a physical structure. These works are also the same Greek word as in Revelation 21:3. More recently in my own Bible study I have found that a verse almost identical to Revelation 21:3 about God dwelling in the midst of a tabernacle or tent among his people and being their God and they his people is found in Ezekiel 37:27. However, I believe the reference in Ezekiel 37 is specifically talking about the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the literal Israel not any reference to the so-called spiritual Israel or the Church. Even though the word tabernacle is used in Ezekiel 37 which means a tent or portable building the context about the Millennial Kingdom there and the extended mention of the temple later in Ezekiel probably means this is a reference in this case to the Millennial Temple which is seen by the Jews as a continuation of God dwelling with them that started in the tabernacle God directed Moses to build. The reference in Revelation 21:3 I think is talking about a much more modest building than a temple that would instead be more like a tent than an imposing building made or stone and wood and precious metal such as Solomon's Temple or probably the Millennial Kingdom Temple. The tabernacle in Revelation 21:3 will probably be especially a reference to the believing remnant of Israel that will be God's eternal chosen earthly people just as the Church will be God's chosen eternal spiritual people. However the Church might also come before God who it seems will dwell in this tabernacle probably with his throne in the midst of the Church and Israel in the New Jerusalem on the New EArth. There will also be no need of the sun and moon and there light in the New Jerusalem. This does not mean or say that there will be no sun or moon or their light there. It would say more that God's glory will be so great in the New Jerusalem all the time that we wouldn't notice it much whether the sun or moon were shining or not because their light is much fainter than God's glory and that of the Lamb - Jesus Christ. The sun and moon could still shine more obviously on other parts of the New Earth where the New Jerusalem will be on part of. Since the light for the New Jerusalem will not be based on the sun or moon but on God's glory which will be of great splendour and continuous there will be no time of darkness or night in the New Jerusalem for ever. There will also in no means enter into the New Jerusalem (or the New Earth or New Heavens) anything that defiles that is that is still stained with or that causes or likes sin but only those who are in Christ and the new born again nature and spiritual, heavenly or incorruptible bodies or the overcomers in Revelation 3:5 and 1 John 5:4-5. The scripture portion in Revelation 21 of no more temple, no more need of the light of the sun and moon, no night and no one entering in that defiles into the New Jerusalem in eternity is as follows followed by references from REvelation 21 and Ezekiel 37 of God dwelling in the midst of his people in eternity and in the preceding Millennial Kingdom:
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 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. 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. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 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. Revelation 21:22-27
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. Revelation 21:3
My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Ezekiel 37:27
Because only humans and angels there will be those that will wholly and gladly serve God and the Lamb Jesus the Son of God and all the human sin of those there will have been dealt with in our lives on the old Earth in time there will be no more curse in the New Jerusalem (or the New Earth or the New Heavens). The natural features will also reflect there be no more curse and humans and angels there in perfect harmony with God with the main body of water the river of the water of life and the most prominent tree both for display and for food being the tree of life. Because there will be no more curse there is nothing of sins on our part that need separate us from God so God and the Lamb (Jesus) would feel free and welcomed to dwell in our midst in the New Jerusalem. We will see not just Jesus' face but also God (the Father's) or the LORD or Jehovah of the Old Testament 's face. His name will be in our forefheads probably also physically but also probably spiritually in the sense of God's name and character being characteristic of our will and thoughts all the time although with everyone there still retaining (the good parts of ) their personality or identity. As in Revelation 21 there will be no need of the sun there because of God's glory. Also there will be no need of a candle which probably means that through crystal, transparent gold or transparent precious stones God's glory will also pervade or be everywhere inside the buildings including believers' eternal homes in the New Jerusalem. This will all again be because God and the Lamb Jesus are the light of the New Jerusalem. Christians and believers from among the Jews or Nations(Gentiles) in God and His Messiah Jesus from all ages or God's different administrations or dispensations where he deals with mankind in different outward ways including to test people's faith in Him in different ages will reign with God and the Lamb Jesus for ever and ever because He will have found us faithful to Him in this life. I hope the reader has started or will as soon as possible start on this life of faithfulness to God and Jesus through putting your faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) as your personal Lord and Saviour that He died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new, God-given and eternal life and start a relationship with God with a new heart and His indwelling and guiding and enlightening including in His Word the Holy Bible Holy Spirit so you can also reign with God, Jesus and us (believers) for ever and ever in the New Jerusalem and the New Earth and New Heavens. The scripture reference of no more curse and no more need of the light of the sun or of candles and no more night in the New Jerusalem in eternity in Revelation 22 is as follows:
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5
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