Part 6 The Millennium New Heaven & New Earth
So now we delve deeper into how Context and Perspective shapes the Book of Revelation and whether it is chapter 20 or 21 that is largely parenthetic. As the following chart will reveal, John must catch up on his narrative of the last days on earth by bouncing back and forth between events as they occur in Heaven, and then run back in time a bit to tell us what has been going on upon the Earth in the meantime, and so on, throughout the entire book. What we do notice is more frequent back and forth at the very end as John ties up the loose ends.
Perspective Shifts
With respect to which segments of Revelation are in chronological order and which sections are parenthetical, these determinations vary depending upon the reader, because these decisions can be very subjective and colored by one's preferred paradigm. However, where there is a shift in perspective, I would argue, is not quite so subjective. After all, if events are happening from the perspective of one upon the earth, that is, for the most part, very plain, even if it is a vision. As well, when the perspective is Heavenly, an unnatural perspective from God's realm, this too is largely straightforward.
These shifts in writing perspective can also inform us of parenthetical segments. As with any narrative, fictional or factual, even in film and television, simultaneous events can only be recorded in parentheticals. In this case, not all parentheticals are reflected, as one may follow a chronological event, still on earth, but elsewhere or else-when. Here are the shifts in perspective within the Book of Revelation:
With respect to the subject at hand, it is helpful to begin in chapter 19 and cross-check with this chart to see what I mean.
Notice the shift in Revelation 19:11-21 from an Earthly Perspective, to a Heavenly Perspective in chapter 20:1-6. We are in a Heavenly Perspective closing out chapter 20 when we see Revelation 21:1 all the way into 22:5 as an Earthly Perspective.
According to Daniel B. Wallace (2009):
“The Book of Revelation alternates between heaven and earth. "Before each of the three series of judgments, the seals (ch.6), the trumpets (ch.8-9), and the bowls (ch.15-16), John will see a vision from heaven introducing a celebration of the result of a judgment about to be released upon the earth or a vision of significant figures in the tribulation, or a symbolic representation of the reason for God's coming judgment upon the earth. Then it shows angels carrying out God's command in the series of judgments and their results on the earth.
“...The futurist approach usually argues that “all of the visions from Revelation 4:1 to the end of the book are yet to be fulfilled in the period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ.” ...There is much to warrant this approach as the primary one, especially (1) the probability that 1:19 is intended to give the outline to the book; (2) the terminus ad quem of Christ’s second coming virtually demands this, since “as the events lead up to this terminus in close succession, one may reason backward and say that the bulk of these events must still be future since the consummation with which they are associated has not yet been attained and since the symbols seem to call for a rapid succession of acts rather than for a protracted process”; and (3) “the more literal an interpretation that one adopts, the more strongly will he be construed to be a futurist.”
Therefore, Revelation 20 must be parenthetical. The shift in perspective would seem to offer weight to that argument. Revelation 21 picks up the narrative after the first part of Revelation 19 as it must. As an example, let us look at the real-time time-line of where the Great Tribulation ends and the sequence from the wedding tradition is fulfilled as with our prior accounting.
Rev 19:1, 2 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
Rev 19:7-9 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."
Rev 19:11-13 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
[skip Revelation 20 parenthetical here]
Revelation 21 picks up where chapter 19 ends and resumes the narrative:
Rev 21:2, 3 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Rev 21:9, 10 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God...”
Hopefully, with the verses presented above without the large chapter 20 parenthetic concerning judgment (plus skipping the smaller parenthetic verses similarly within chapters 19 and 21) the flow pops out as similar to what we know of the ancient wedding tradition as presented above. Not that I am encouraging skipping around as a habit. This is an exercise for the purpose of illustration. But perhaps now you will be encouraged to go back and read those final three chapters completely and consecutively.
What we would hope pops out is that the Bridegroom in chapter 19 is stepping out publicly now even as the Marriage Supper is being announced and that chapter 21 picks up the narrative with the Bride, we who dwell in New Jerusalem, being presented and ready to join the Marriage Supper, as is fitting. She (we) is adorned for her husband and later described as Wife. Then our new home is described in greater detail by John.
The traditional time-line would have us believe:
the Bridegroom steps out for the marriage supper without the bride (as seen above, she/we are in New Jerusalem).
the Bride sits within her home, New Jerusalem, for a thousand years
New Jerusalem never comes down during Christ's Millennial reign
The seven angels that poured out the final bowl judgments were just kind of hanging out up there for a thousand years before announcing the arrival of the Bride/Wife in New Jerusalem.
Either the former things do not pass away for a thousand years, or they have, but Jesus' own renewal has become “former things,” and then they too pass away
Either Jesus is just now after a thousand years making all things new, or he is doing it again.
So I would again suggest that here is a great place to break and prayerfully reread the final three or four chapters of Revelation in as many translations as preferred.
The Revelation 20 Parenthetic Purpose
Next we will revisit those Parentheticals as we look at Revelation 20.
Several parentheticals are already in play in the rest of the book.
The pattern of information that John is conveying:
v. 1-3: Satan during entire Millennium
v. 4-6: Unbelievers vs. Believers during Millennium
v. 7-10: Satan at the End of Millennium
v. 11-14: Unbelievers vs. Believers at the End of Millennium
If Revelation 20 is chronological, sin ought not to exist by the end of the Millennium. John is going back and, it would seem to me, he is also filling in some blanks to catch us up. By the end of this chapter we have the Great White Throne Judgment. John does not recount the presentation of the bride in the New Jerusalem until the next chapter, so if it is not a parenthetical, we have questions.
Of the New Jerusalem, one example offered by Jack Kelley is:
“In Matt. 24:29 Jesus said the Sun and Moon would no longer shine after the end of the Great Tribulation. Rev. 21:22-27 will describe the nations walking by the light of the New Jerusalem. After the 2nd Coming the New Jerusalem will replace the Sun as Earth’s source of light.”
Another example; the end of Chapter 20 is the Great White Throne Judgment.
But
in Chapter 21, speaking of the New Jerusalem, we read:
24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. – Rev. 21:24-27
Well, how could there be even a question of anything like this entering the city? If this portion of Revelation is chronological and not parenthetic, it’s all in the Lake of Fire! Add to that, we have a similar passage in the next chapter about the New Jerusalem:
14 ”Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” – Rev. 22:14,15
Obviously way outside. Remember, the unbelievers at the end of the Tribulation are judged, tossed in Hades awaiting the Great White Throne judgment. Only that faithful remnant of believers that survived to the end are introduced into the Millennial Kingdom (aside from those of us who are by then immortal and have gone on before). This remnant of mortal believers however go on to lead mortal, albeit extended and supernaturally, healthy lives and bearing children in the Kingdom, with Jesus on the throne of David.
These mortals will not die, be sick or fight wars. They will go on to productive lives and have children. Their children will have children and so on for a thousand years. By the time we get to the end of this period there are a lot of people repopulating the world. With no death, a lot of people on earth. Strange as it may seem, because these folks have only hearsay and no memory of this world in which we now live, not all will be believers, even with us walking around, Jesus on his throne and no devil or powers of darkness around to encourage sin and evil.
Yet, Satan is loosed for a time at the end so folks can choose on this day whom they will serve. Amazingly, many will side with Satan against the Holy City and Christ. Jesus will put them down with a word, but even Gog and Magog are back at it, we are told, or perhaps this is idiomatic for Gog and Magog-like behavior. Incredible!
So if Revelation 21 where the Holy City New Jerusalem with us dwelling within, presented as the bride, is in chronological order rather than a parenthetic, how is there a rebellion against this city and why is evil forbidden to enter it when we have already had the Great White Throne Judgment in the previous chapter?
That seems a redundancy.
The interpretation that chapter 20 is parenthetic was shared by the late Jack Kelley:
“There are several clues in the text that support this interpretation. First, Rev. 20:7 begins, “when the thousand years are over” indicating that John has skipped to the end of the Millennium. Second, Rev. 21:1 is a direct quote from Isaiah 65:17 where the context is clearly Israel’s Kingdom Age, aka the Millennium, and third the first 5 verses of Rev.22 are a summary of Ezekiel 47:1-12, which is also about the Kingdom Age in Israel. If you think about it for a minute you’ll see there’s neither need nor purpose for a river of life in the New Jerusalem, it being the exclusive home of the redeemed Church. There will be no more sickness or death there, so we won’t need healing, and there won’t be anyone from the nations there either (Rev. 21:27). That plus the similarity of wording confirms that in Rev. 22:1-2 John was describing the River of Life on Earth, just like Ezekiel had done.”
In Part 7 we will see how God's eternal promises to Israel affect the timing and nature of the New Heaven and New Earth, the arrival of the Bride within the New Jerusalem and the nature of the Kingdom on earth.