Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Revelation Chapter 21
Metaphysically Interpreting 21:1-8
21:1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. 21:2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven of God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 21:3And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying,
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he shall dwell with them,
and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God: 21:4and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and death shall be no more;
neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain, any more:
the first things are passed away.
21:5And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true. 21:6And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 21:7He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 21:8But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.
December 12, 1937: Rev. 21:1-7
What are the new heaven and the new earth in which "the sea is no more”? These words describe the ideal life of men, when it shall be realized on earth and made manifest in mind, soul, and body. In it there will no longer be belief in any form of negation (the sea), either in thinking or acting. Instead, the basis of our life in common will be the solid ground of understanding and good will.
What must be overcome before we can inherit the new heaven and the new earth? We must do away with all ignorance of true and righteous living and all ill will. We shall accomplish these things as we make ourselves worthy citizens of a new order through practicing the works of the Christ. Under the divine law, we inherit what we have earned by previous efforts.
September 28, 1941: : Rev. 21:1-7
Why does John’s vision of the new heaven and the new earth bring comfort to man? John represents the love faculty in man. His vision pictures the realization of divine love, when man shall have come into a full consciousness of spiritual truth. Man craves this comfort.
Why is it said "the sea is no more"? The sea represents the " universal race thought, which is to be dissolved into nothingness as man grows increasingly conscious of God.
What does the New Jerusalem represent? It represents spiritual consciousness, as well as an association of all people in peace based on spiritual understanding, purity, and a willingness to be united in Christ.
What is the "great voice out of the throne”? The throne, which is the sovereign power of Divine Mind, re-echoes this power as a great voice, promising God's continual presence with man."
Does this lesson contain an entire prophecy of spiritual maturity to be reached by man? Yes. The verse “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more” looks forward to a time when man shall have reached the stature of Christ.
“Behold, I make all things new.” Does this verse contain a prophecy or a statement of law? A statement of divine law. All things are made new now to those who enter spiritual consciousness and see life as it is in Christ.
“I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” How did Jesus state this truth to His hearers during His ministry in Galilee? In the words “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.”
Is man’s part in the abundance eternal life merely one of acceptance? His part is to overcome in himself the personal or worldly consciousness that separates him from the kingdom of Truth. Unless he overcomes this, he does not inherit the gift of eternal life.
December 28, 1947: Rev. 21:1-7
Why should the "first heaven" pass away with the "first earth"? Because man's first conception of heaven and earth was only partially true, base don insufficient understanding of the mental realm. As man's understanding evolves his thoughts approach the thoughts of Divine Mind. His conception of heaven also evolves and the old passes away.
In the new order, why is the sea no more? The sea represents the universal race thought, which is to be dissolved into nothingness, as we grow increasingly conscious of God.
How does the new Jerusalem come “down out of heaven from God”? The new Jerusalem represents spiritual consciousness, which is of God. Inasmuch as we must rise out of sense consciousness before we can know spiritual consciousness, the latter is represented as coming down out of heaven (the realm of the ideal). In an external sense the new Jerusalem represents the perfect society, composed of all men, who have learned to express the ideal of brotherhood.
Of what are the words “made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” a figure? Of man’s readiness to be united with the Christ life and to take it as his own.
What are the rewards of spiritual consciousness? Complete satisfaction of man’s whole nature (God with him and he with God), lasting joy (“He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes”), eternal life in its perfection (“Death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more”).
How shall we be affected when “all things” are made new? Our actions will be Godlike, for we shall know God as omnipresence.
Why is the knowledge of the holy called understanding? The word “holy” means whole and denotes wholeness or completeness of understanding.
Must we await the realization of the new earth before looking for the new heaven? No, the reverse is true. We may proclaim the new heaven as it exists already in Divine Mind and begin to express it in the earth now. In this way we shall fulfill our work of bringing the new earth into manifestation. We are “his people”, not his “babes in Christ”, and we must prove ourselves to be such.
“Behold, I make all things new.” Does this verse contain a prophecy or a statement of law? A statement of divine law. All things are made new now to those who enter spiritual consciousness and see life as it is in Christ.
Of what value is exaltation to us? It gives us a clearer vision of the ideal. “The holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” can be seen only from a high place in consciousness (“a mountain great and high”).
December 26, 1948: Rev. 21:1-7
What is the effect on us of our realizing Truth? It gives us a renewal of life in mind and body ("a new heaven and a new earth"). Whenever the Spirit of truth reveals more of Truth to us, we awaken to a new conception of life and being.
What is the "new heaven" conceived by John? It is a peaceful, joyous state of being characterized by good will, harmony, and unselfish zeal for the good of all.
Why is the sea to be no more? Because it represents the negative state of the race mind, which is to be supplanted by the affirmative state of faith, knowledge, and understanding of Truth.
What is represented by the "holy city"? An aggregation of ideals in the hearts of men. These ideals belong to men by virtue of their having been realized and made manifest by men's concerted effort. A conception of joy, peace, beauty, and wholeness, this city comes "down out of heaven from God " as a perfected creation ("made ready as a bride adorned for her husband").
What is represented by the “tabernacle”? It represents the temporal body of man, as distinguished from the “Temple,” which represents the enduring, spiritual body of man.
Where do we find release from sorrow, death, and pain? In spiritual consciousness, the realm of Divine Mind. Where God is, there can be nothing negative or unfulfilled.
June 26, 1921: Rev. 15:1-8
What do heaven and earth represent? Heaven and earth represent two states of mind, the ideal and its manifestation. According to this Scripture, we are to have new ideals, with manifestation in the earth to correspond.
In this connection, what does "sea” represent? The sea that is "no more" is the universal mortal thought of the race, which is to be dissolved and cast into the bottomless pit of nothingness.
What does the New Jerusalem represent? The New Jerusalem represents an association of al! people in peace, based upon spiritual understanding,! purity, and a willingness to be united with Christ—“made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
What are some of the promises contained in this near civilization? The worship of God shall be set up on the earth, and heaven shall be consciously with men, and there shall be no more sorrow, nor death, nor pain, nor anything that results in mourning, for, "Behold, I make all things new.
When will this be? It will begin just as soon as we realize that Christ is here, and affirm with him: "They-are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
Will this new condition on the earth be wholly manifest instantly? No. it will be in Divine Order. "There will first be an expression of the universal life. “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
Will all people be conscious of this new heaven and new earth? The Scripture says: "He that; overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God. and he shall my son.”
Metaphysically Interpreting 21:9-27
21:9And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. 21:10And 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, 21:11having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: 21:12having a wall great and high; having 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: 21:13on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 21:14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
21:15And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 21:16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. 21:17And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 21:18And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass. 21:19The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 21:20the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
21:22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 21:23And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. 21:24And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. 21:25And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): 21:26and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it: 21:27and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life.
March 28, 1920: Rev. 21:21-27
As the result of Peter and John following the spiritual guidance of the Master, what Truth is revealed to them? The plan of redemption is revealed: how the spiritual standards hold fast, and how every “jot” and “tittle” must come under the law.
What is the Holy City? The Holy City is the prefect Spirit body; that divine habitation fashioned for the redeemed soul, and “not made with hands.”
What spiritual truth is back of “each one of these several gates were of one pearl”? Pearls represent purity. The gates of pearl are the doorways through which the purified thoughts may pass in and out. It is only these gems, or pure ideas, that open into the heavenly kingdom.
Define “and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” “Pure gold” typifies pure wisdom. The “street” means the point of contact each soul makes with the manifest world. To reach that high place in spiritual understanding where we know that we are all one in Spirit, means that we can fully understand the command to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Then the feet are clad in sandals of light, and the pathways (streets) are as pure, undefiled wisdom, like “transparent glass.”
What is the source of light in the redeemed consciousness? The spiritual consciousness is illumined by the splendor and glory of Divine Mind, expressing its intelligence and understanding through its perfect ideas.
December 28, 1947: Rev. 21:22-27
In the new consciousness (new Jerusalem) will anything of the old remain? All real values will remain. If we have realized dominion in any real sense it will remain ("The kings of the earth bring their glory into it"). Whatever ideals of honor, rectitude, and brotherly love have been realized, will remain ("They shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it").
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-23-2013
