Revelation wants the reader to understand that people made up the history of the past two thousand years. It is the 'chosen people' out of those that lived in those two thousand years that will be the inhabitants of the "New Jerusalem". In other words one has to believe in the resurrection of the dead! Therefore everything that has been established in the preceding chapters contributes, or is linked to the charts of time of the New Jerusalem (see p ) and the "manner of fruits" (see p ). It was for this reason, and because Revelation is extremely complex, that I advised you to consult the diagrams.

Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

What this means is that at some point we are going to find ourselves in a world with only earth and heaven. Having interpreted the previous chapters, we know that, figuratively speaking, if there is no "sea", there will be no revolting populations — in other words, there will be peace.

Revelation 21:2I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

"coming down out of heaven"

I think that through these words Revelation wishes to tell us that we have to use everything we learn about the New Jerusalem in this chapter to interpret the foregoing chapters. It also conveys that man will be given some insight into the meaning of the history of the past two thousand years once he realizes that this is the way to interpret Revelation. Man will also be given an indication that the signs of the end time are at hand.

Revelation 21:3—4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

These verses convey that when Revelation has been correlated with history the time that God will dwell with men is imminent.

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End."

These words literally mean that God Almighty is the Beginning and the End of all things on earth and in heaven, but it has a very special meaning concerning the interpretation of Revelation. The dates that have been established so far all had to do with the times of the thousandth anniversary of Christ's lifetime on earth. These were:

From what has been established, it is possible that we might see indications of the end time by the year 2004. We also know that when the time of "three and a half days" has been measured (see Rev 10:6, p ) "there will be no more delay". As has been indicated Revelation does not measure in detail after that date.

It has been established that 288 years is one day in Revelation. The time of the first millennium measured from 4BC to 1004 is three and a half days. The time of the second millennium, measured from 996—2004 is also three and a half days. This time is substantiated by the correlation of the number of man with historical facts in the time 1266—1932. By the addition of 66 years to 1926 and 1932 the time of the number of man is extended to the years 1992 and 1998. Therefore in 1999 we have almost reached the total time measured in Revelation in the two millennia, that is seven days.

In Matthew 24:22, Christ said: "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive." If there is to be time after 2004, it is possible that this might refer to "seven days" calculated from AD12 (presentation at the temple); AD26 (baptism) and c AD30 (death). In other words the "seven days" "cut short" might mean that the end time (and perhaps the Second Coming) will be some time between 2004 and 2030. For Christ says he is the Alpha and the Omega. Once again, I only mention this as a possibility. I believe that Revelation would not have laid so much emphasis on the time up to 2004, if the end time were not to be soon after that date.

We know that the "spring of the water of life" refers to the years 1500 and 1932 (see p ). These were the times indicated as the beginning of the fall of man. From the interpretation we know that the waters have dried up. Therefore God, who knows how difficult it is for us to adhere to abstract beliefs, is giving a final indication to man at the end of the twentieth century that those who overcome sin will still be able to drink from the fountain of life and will inherit the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

The fiery lake of burning sulfur can be established at this point. It most probably relates to a final battle where the use of explosives, guided missiles and bombs will be used. This is said because of the significance of the words "even causing fire to come down from heaven" as one of the indications of the "number of man" (see Rev 13:13, p ). This was indicated as the time of Desert Storm.

The words "plague of sulfur" appears in Revelation 8:18, which referred to the history of the Middle East section of the earth (see map, p ). Revelation 19:20 likely refers to the final battle, Armageddon, that will take place in the Middle East section of the earth (because of the references to the Euphrates in Rev 9:14 and 16:12). This also includes Eastern Europe.

Armageddon is not the end. We know this from Revelation 20:10, for the destruction of Satan takes place after this. "And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur where the beast (the rule of the West that did not distinguish Christianity as the Absolute Truth) and the false prophet (man, the humanist, who believed that all could be accomplished by the intellect and not by dependence on Christ) had been thrown." In verse 8 above, it is the place where those who are judged to go to the final death will go.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming out of heaven from God.

We know that this is the first angel for the first angel with the first bowl of wrath indicated the time of the "number of man" (666 years) from 1266—1932 and the extension of that time by the addition of 66 years to 1932 (1932+ 66 = 1998. See Rev 16:2, p ), which is the same time as the "number of man" (Rev 13:13—18. This is again specifically indicated in verse 17 of this chapter.)

This vision of the "mountain" has to be brought into relation with Revelation 14:1 (KJV):"And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four, having his Father's name written on their foreheads."

Here Revelation connects the time, after the time of the "number of man" (Rev 13) with mount Sion.

Later (p ) the number 144 is also related to the thickness of the wall of the New Jerusalem. These indications led to the realization that there was a new division of time connected to the time after 1860, which is the last 144 years before the thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ. This enabled me to establish the chart of the "manner of fruits" that revealed much of the interpretation of Revelation.

It should be noted that the Lamb stood "on the top" of Mount Sion (2004). This is brought into relation with the "bottom of the mountains" in the following passage — the beginning of a period that is 'related' to "three days".

In the book of Jonah the time from the "bottom of the mountains" under the sea, is symbolically the beginning of three days. Therefore, when Jonah reached the shore, he was figuratively speaking at the 'top of the mountain' and it was the end of the third day. Jonah was swallowed up by a fish in "the sea". In Revelation the "beast out of the sea" started in 1140 and ended in 1932. This was the time of "three days". The time "from the bottom of the mountains" until Jonah was "vomited" out was three days.

You will recall that the time 1140—1932 was measured in the colours of the gemstones of the foundations of the New Jerusalem. In the following verses that relate to Jonah's stay in the belly of the fish "in the sea", we have a subtle symbolical measurement of BOTH the time of the three days of the second millennium and the time established as the time of the chart of the "manner of fruits" (1860—2004).

Jonah 2:3—10 (KJV)For thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and they waves passed over me.

[Time measured in the second millennium: "beast out of the sea" 1140—1932 also 1932 and the reference to the sea 1883—1932 in Rev 8:8—9, p ; later to 1949 in Rev 18:17.]

Then I said I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again towards thy holy temple.

The reader will recall that the time connected to the drinking of the balsam — "the little scroll" — — that made John feel sick (vomit; 1988) was also in the time that the living waters had "dried up" (c1970 - see page ), the end of the period of 144 years.

This is part of the role of the book of Jonah in the verification of what has been established in Revelation.

Here the words of Christ must be noted:

Revelation 12:39 He answered: "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights

in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

Revelation 21:11 It shone with the glory of God and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper clear as crystal.

 

"jasper"

Here is the first reference to the JASPER of the "breastplate" worn by the high priest of the temple. The reader will have to become familiar with the positions of the various stones of the breastplate of the high priest, for it is the form of this breastplate that is going to be used to verify what has been said in Revelation. (See diagram, p .)

The significance of the breastplate is that the gemstones on the breastplate are arranged in four rows of three stones. As mentioned, it was from this arrangement that I realized the foundations of the New Jerusalem could possibly be measured in groups of four stones that would form the time of four generations (72x4 = 288), and the time of a "day" (288 years). The gemstones of the breastplate of the high priest differ from the stones of the foundations of the New Jerusalem, but these differences also have meaning.

For example, the position of the jasper on the breastplate is the LAST stone in the bottom right hand corner.

Also look at the FIRST position of the jasper on the diagram of the Holy City (p ) . In other words symbolically, the jasper, "clear as crystal", is brought into relation with "the sea of glass, clear as crystal before he throne of God " (Rev 4:6). Therefore the beginning and end times of the New Jerusalem relate to the times of Christ (indicated through the stones of jasper and crystal) and are the thousandth and two thousandth anniversaries of the birth of the Risen Christ. The fact that the last date is related to the throne itself substantiates the significance of the year 2004.

Revelation 21:12—13 It had a great high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the twelve names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.

It should be noted that the gemstones on the breastplate of the High Priest of the Old Testament had the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on them. In Revelation the gemstones of the New Jerusalem differ from those of the original breastplate of the Old Testament. What Revelation is indicating here is that the history of the Christian Nations and the Christian Church, which was linked to the chart of the New Jerusalem in the preceding chapters, will constitute the ultimate New Jerusalem. Here the "oneness" of Christ with his followers in the Christian Nations, that was established earlier, has to be taken into account.

The cardinal points of the earth indicate the entire earth. Revelation is also dividing the time of the foundations of the New Jerusalem into four sections (the reader has become familiar with this in the interpretation of the previous chapters).

The twelve gates indicate that there is an entrance for all men who "have washed their robes".

The foundations of the city are built on all the followers of Christ. Here we are going to find the connections to what was said in the previous chapters of Revelation.

What Revelation is saying here is that the angel that talked to John (see Rev 21: 9 above), is one of the angels that had the "bowls of wrath". This angel was the one that cast the first bowl of wrath and measured the time of the "number of man" (1266—1932) and then up to the time 1998 (see Rev 16:2). It was from this verse that I combined the measurement of the temple and the "number of man" in the interpretation of Revelation 17 and 18.

Symbolically this means that the whole history of the past two thousand years relates to those who died for their Christian faith. (It was established that the measurement of "stadia" was related to the death of the martyrs. See Rev 14:20, p .)

What is of significance is that we here have 12 000 stadia. We have to go back to Revelation 14:18 where the images of "fire" and "stadia" appear. On page it was said that these words had to do with the persecution of Christians and with the "seven hills".

Revelation 14:18—20 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle. "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe."

The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.

They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses bridles for a distance of 1 600 stadia.

On page , 1 600 stadia were divided into 12 000 stadia and it was said that the answer was about 7 times (7, 5 — to be exact). It was said then that this had to do with the persecution of Christians and "the seven hills". This was correct for what was indicated in Revelation about the "the great city" was that it was also a time of retribution for what had been done to the martyrs.

These words were related to the deaths of martyrs "outside the city" (see p ), although they also indicate THE TIME outside the measurement of the "great city" (see chart, p ). The verification of this comes from the words of the prophets in the Old Testament and is to be found in the book Jonah:

Here the indication is that the "great city" of Revelation is also the length of "three days" (1140—1932; 1140 is about the time of the first king of the line of seven kings of the Holy Roman Empire, in the interpretation of the "heads" of the "beast out of the sea"). Those living in this generation (1932—2004) should note that the time 1932—2004 falls "outside the city". There is still time to "wash robes" to enter through the gates!

Revelation 21:17—18He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick by man’s measurement, which the angel was using.

The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

Refer to the chart of the New Jerusalem on page to see how the time of 144 years forms the "outside" of the times of the two millennia.

It is from this information (and what is to follow) that the charts of the foundations of the New Jerusalem and the "manner of fruits" were established. The chart of the "manner of fruits" is only verified in the final chapter. The indication that two charts were involved was deduced from the two measurements of the length of the "city" and the thickness of the walls.

"cubit" has two meanings

1. It indicates the time "year"

You will recall that the "number of man" was measured in years, and this was also the measurement used by the angel who cast the first bowl of wrath. Therefore if the angel was using "man's measurement", the time of the wall of the New Jerusalem must ALSO be measured in years. A "cubit" in Revelation is also a "year".

2. The measurement of a "cubit" is also the measurement of a man's arm from the elbow to the point of the third finger. When the high priest put on the breastplate, he would have to cross his arms in front of his chest in order to fasten the "chains" of gold cord of the breastplate. You will remember that Revelation referred to the measurements of the times of "three nights" linked to the year 1898 in Revelation 20:1, as "chains" of periods of time ("holding in his hand a great chain"). It was from this indication that I realized that the 'great chain' of the measurement of the temple (1068—1932) and the great chain of the number of man (1266—1932 and 1998), must symbolically be "crossed" (see diagram, p ), or placed alongside each other, in order to interpret Revelation. In this way the combined chart of the New Jerusalem and the "number of man" was conceived in order to interpret Revelation 17 and 18.

Symbolically it means that those who lived the life of man, but always kept the measurement of the temple (the life of Christ and his teaching) in his heart, will be among the chosen. 144 cubits symbolically indicates 144 persons and 144 000 ( 000 — symbolically the three sections of the earth) the total number of persons to enter the New Jerusalem.

Take note of the word "glass" for in Revelation it is synonymous and indicative of the stone "crystal" that indicates the appearance and presence of the Almighty God and the Risen Christ. It also indicates the end time. (See Rev 4:6 and 15:2.)

Revelation 21:19—20 The foundations of the city were decorated with every knd of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper,

the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

As mentioned, the ancient people considered pearls as among the most precious of gems. Metaphorically, it is used to indicate something of great value and especially for wise sayings. I believe that the meaning here is to indicate that in the time 1860—2004, the time of the wall of Jerusalem, God will have mercy on those who tried to adhere to the teachings of Jesus Christ in an ever greater sinful and anti-Christian world.

The fact that there was no "temple" in the New Jerusalem, possibly indicates that time cannot be measured beyond 2004 (measurement of the temple from the birth of Christ was the "seven days" up to the time 2004).

Revelations 21:24—27 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

[There will always be a way into the Holy City for the righteous Christian. This conveys that "darkness" should not be measured beyond 2004.]

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

An adherence to Christian morality, sincerity and truthfulness are the attributes of those whose names are in the Lamb's book of life.