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We look upon Rome and Romanism as one of many corrupt streams that flow
from Babylon, but do not believe that this most corrupt daughter can be
called the mother of all the abominations of the earth. The issues are
vaster and deeper than can be contained within the history of the professing
church, and we believe that the united testimony of Scripture demands a
future rebuilt Babylon followed by utter destruction at the coming of the
Lord.
The consummation of the book is the marriage of the Lamb and the reader
is referred to the article Bride and the Body1 which deals with this great
subject. He Who said on the cross `It is finished', will one day, as a
sequel, say from the throne, `It is done', for He will make all things new.
The structure of Revelation 21:1-5 is as follows:
A
a
1.
New heaven and New earth.
b
1.
Former heaven
and earth pass away.
c
1.
No more
sea.
B
2.
The Holy City.
B
3.
The Tabernacle.
A
c
4.
No more
death.
b
4.
Former things
passed away.
a
5.
All things new.
At the close of 22:1-5 we find paradise restored. It will be seen
therefore that there are to be a series of steps ever back to `as it was in
the beginning'.
(1)
The Millennium -- Jerusalem on earth, a holy city. Special
feature The Temple (Ezek. 40 to 47).
(2)
The New Heaven -- Jerusalem, heavenly city.
Special feature The Tabernacle.
(3)
The New Earth -- Paradise. `The day of the age' (2 Pet. 3).
Special feature The Tree of Life.
We have already suggested that the new Jerusalem is closely associated
with the `overcomer', and a glance back to some of the promises in Revelation
2 and 3 will show that some of them are not fulfilled until after the
Millennium:
`To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which
is in the midst of the paradise of God' (2.7)
`He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death' (2:11).
`He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I
will not blot out his name out of the book of life' (3:5).
`Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and
he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God,
and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from My God' (3:12).
In these four passages, we have four items that are connected with our
subject:
(1)
The
paradise of God.
(2)
The
second death.
(3)
The
book of life.
(4)
The
city of God.