New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:1-2) 新天新地（啟示錄 21:1-2）

New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation)

新天新地（啟示錄）

Rev 21:1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
Rev 21:1  我又看見一個新天新地；因為先前的天地已經過去了，海也不再有了。

Rev 21:2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:2  我又看見聖城新耶路撒冷由神那裡從天而降，預備好了，就如新婦妝飾整齊，等候丈夫。

👉Chuck Honor (WVBS course notes)

Remember – there is nothing left that is physical, all is spiritual and needs to be understood as such. 
記住——這裡沒有什麼是物質的，一切都是屬靈上的，需要這樣理解。

1. A new vision –
   Gone is Satan, Gone is the Beast and False Prophet, Gone is Babylon and Gone are those whose names are not written in the Book of Life!
   一個新的景象 —
   撒旦消失了，野獸和假先知消失了，巴比倫消失了，那些名字沒有寫在生命冊上的人消失了！

New heaven and a new earth - gone is the old heaven and the old earth!
新天新地——舊天地都不見了！

Earth - gē  - physical earth!
地球-gē-物理的地球！

New - kainos - new in quality or kind (used here).
新的-kainos-品質或種類的新（用在這裡）。

New - neos - new in time, but same as the old (not used here).
新-neos-時間是新的，但品質與種類與舊的相同（不用在這裡）。

We say “this is a new day.” But, it is just like all of the preceding days (24 hours including light and dark).
我們說「這是新的一天。」 但是，它就如同前幾天一樣（都是24小時，都有晝夜）。

Here it is new in that the old has become obsolete and is replaced by what is new in kind.
在這裡，它是新的，因為舊的東西已經過時了，被新的東西所取代了。

Illustration of naval boats sitting in a harbor –
好像海軍艦艇坐落在港口——

kainos – two brand new ships; one is an aircraft carrier and the other is a submarine.
Kainos——兩艘全新的船隻；一艘是航空母艦，另一艘是潛艇。

neos - two identical aircraft carriers, one built last year and one built this year.
Neos - 兩艘相同的航空母艦，一艘是去年建造的，一艘是今年建造的。

The first heaven and the first earth have passed away - the old heaven and the old earth have become obsolete and are replaced.
第一個天地已經過去了——舊天舊地已經過去，被取代了。

They have fled away; no place is found for them; the things that could be shaken have been removed, and only the unshakable kingdom remains (cf. Heb 12:27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.)
他們消逝了；不再存在了；因為可以動搖的東西已經被移除了，只剩下不可動搖的國（參見 希伯來書12:27 這個表達方式，「再一次」，表示移除那些可以動搖的東西，就像受造之物都要挪去，使那不被震動的常存。）

Now:
現在：
Heaven = the dwelling place of God. 

天＝神的居所。

Earth = the dwelling place of man.
地 ＝人的居所。

Therefore:
所以：

The new heaven and earth = the new dwelling place of God and man together. 

新天新地＝人和神在新天地中同住。

No more sea - this alone suggests a totally new state of existence. 

不再有海 - 這句話完全暗示了一個全新的景況。

Without the sea and its waters life as we know it could not exist. The cycle of life ceases. 

沒有海，那其中的生物就無法存活。其中的生命循環被中止了。

The sea has fulfilled its last function in the book of Revelation in giving up its dead (20:13).
在《啟示錄》中，海交出其中的死人後，就完成了海的最後功能（20:13）。

Some have said that this brings an end to seven things:
有人說，這結束了七件事：

Sea, Death, Grief, Crying, Pain, Night and All that is under God’s curse.
海、死亡、悲傷、哭泣、痛苦、黑夜以及神所詛咒的一切。

Literal or not this list represents the whole range of evil.
無論從字面或靈性上，這份清單都代表了整個邪惡的範疇。

The sea in Revelation has been the source of the Beast (12:3) and the throne of the harlot (17:1).
啟示錄中的海是野獸（紅龍）的來源（12:3）和大淫婦的寶座（17:1）。

But now the sea is gone with all other representatives of evil.
但現在海和所有其他代表邪惡的事物都消失了。

“The sea, forever in motion, is a type of perpetual unrest, or anxiety. But the sea of unrest, the sea on anxiety is no more; the ‘peace that passeth understanding’ now prevails” (Swete, p.130).
「海永遠在搖動，是一種永久的動盪或焦慮。 但動盪的海，焦躁的海已經不在了；『理解所帶來的和平』現在佔了上風」（Swete，第130頁）。

Genesis 創世紀	Revelation 啟示錄
God created heaven and earth 神創造天地	New heaven and earth 新天新地
Lights created 光被創造	Lamb is the light 羔羊耶穌是光
Paradise is lost 樂園（伊甸園）消失了	Paradise is regained 樂園恢復了
Cunning and power of the Devil 魔鬼的狡猾與能力	Devil in the lake of fire 魔鬼在火湖里
Man sent away from God 人離開了神	Man at home with God 人與神同住家中
Man barred from tree of life 人不准吃生命樹	Man eats of the tree of life 人吃生命樹

2. New Jerusalem - same word for new here as in verse 1.
   新耶路撒冷——這裡和新耶路撒冷的同一個詞，就像第1節一樣。
   
   Our new abiding place!
   我們新的居住之地！
   
   Remember, this is still a vision!
   記住，這仍然是異象！
   
   This is a spiritual city not physical.
   這講的是屬靈的，而非具體的城。
   
   This is the city that was looked forward to in Revelation 3:12.
   這是我們在啟示錄 3:12 所期待的城。
   
   A bride all pure and clean, not like Babylon all full of evils.
   一個純潔乾淨的新娘，而非像充滿邪惡的巴比倫。
   
   “A young lady is apt to be thoroughly prepared looking her best on the day of her wedding. So with those who constitute ‘the bride’ of Christ” (Morris, p. 244).
   「一位年輕女士會在婚禮當天做好充分的準備，使自己看起來最好。 那些作為基督『新婦』的人也會如此」（Morris，p. 244）。
   

👉Lonnie Woodruff on https://www.abiblecommentary.com/howtounderstandthebookofrevelation.htm 

21:1

Assuming you have studied verses 9 through 22:21, you will recognize that this verse does not fit the time frame of the remainder of this vision. This verse introduces a new heaven and a new earth. If we interpret this verse in light of 2 Pet. 3:13, which says, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” we must assume that this is speaking of our final eternal abode called heaven. Since the bride, the Lamb’s wife (v. 9), is a symbolic description of God’s church, which is in existence today, this places a description of heaven before the description of the church. There can be little doubt that the placement of this verse causes many to interpret the remainder of Revelation as a description of heaven. We recognize this fact, but believe there are some logical explanations concerning the placement of this verse.

假設你研究了第9至第22節，你會意識到這節經文不符合其他部分的時間框架。 這節經文介紹了一個新天地。如果我們根據彼得後書3:13來解釋這節經文 “但我們照他的應許，盼望新天新地，有義居在其中”，我們必須假設這是在說我們最後的永恆居所，天堂。 新娘（羔羊的妻子）（第9節）是對今日神的教會的象徵，這節經文，則是對天堂的描述，而非對教會的描述。 毫無疑問，這節經文導致許多人將《啟示錄》的其餘部分解釋為對天堂的描述。 我們認識到這一問題，但關於這節經文的位置有一些合乎邏輯的解釋。

To begin with, we must recognize that the subjects of verse 1 and 2 are different. Verse 1 is referring to a new heaven, but verse 2 is speaking of the holy city of God that came down out of heaven. That holy city which came down from heaven is the church of our Lord. Heaven is the final dwelling place for those who have been faithful members of his church during their lives on this earth. Since the subjects of verse 1 and 2 are different, we must be dealing with two different visions. Verse 2 is the beginning of the vision of the new Jerusalem or the church. If verse 2 is the beginning of a new vision, verse 1 must be the concluding verse to the previous vision.

首先，我們必須認識到第1節和第2節的主題是不同的。 第1節指的是新天地，但第2節指的是從天而降的神的聖城。 那座從天而降的聖城是我們主的教會。天堂是那些在世上作祂教會忠實成員的人的最終住所。由於第1節和第2節的主題不同，我們處理的是兩種不同的異象。第2節開始是新耶路撒冷／教會的異象。 如果第2節是新異象的開始，那麼第1節就是前一個異象的結尾。

Considering the subject of chapter 20, not only is it possible that this verse concludes that vision, but it serves that purpose extremely well. In fact, without this verse the vision of chapter 20 almost seems to be incomplete. To understand this, consider the last section of that vision (vv. 11-15) which is a description of the judgment scene. Verse 11 describes a great white throne from which God is about to judge the world. Also notice that the earth and the heavens have fled away. In the last two verses of the chapter, a description of the final abode of those who have followed the devil is given, but a description of the final dwelling place for those who have followed Christ is not given. This is the purpose of verse 1. After God judges the world, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. This will be the final dwelling place for those who have followed Christ. This present heaven and earth will flee away as God begins to judge the world (v. 11), and a new heaven and earth will come into existence (v. 1). This completes the vision of chapter 20.

考慮到第20章的主題，這節經文不僅有可能得出這樣的結論，而且它非常符合這一目的。 事實上，如果沒有這節經文，第20章的異象幾乎是不完整的。 要理解這一點，請考慮該異象的最後一段（第11-15節），是對審判的描述。 第11節描述了一個偉大的白色寶座，神即坐在當中審判世界。 還要注意，大地和天空已經消失。 在二十章的最後兩節，是對那些跟隨魔鬼的人的最後住的描述，但沒有對那些跟隨基督的人的最終居住地進行了描述。 所以，這就是第二十一章第1節的目的。在神審判世界之後，將有一個新天新地／天堂。 那將是那些跟隨基督的人的最後住所。當神開始審判世界時，現在的天地將過去（第11節），一個新的天地將出現（第11節）。於是這完成了第20章的異象。

This interpretation also aids in understanding the meaning of the phrase “and there was no more sea.” throughout Revelation the “sea” is symbolic of the masses of people dwelling upon this earth who are not Christians. (See comments on 12:16.) After judgment there will be no more sea. Only those people who have been faithful to Christ will be residents of the new heaven and new earth.

這種解釋也有助於理解“海也不再有了”一詞的含義。在整個啟示錄中，“海”象徵著居住在地球上的「廣大非基督徒」。 （見12:16的評論。） 大審判之後，將不再有海。 只有那些忠於基督的人才會成為新天新地（天堂）的居民。

21:2 

This verse introduces the last section of the book of Revelation, which describes the holy city of God. Here John sees the holy city as a bride adorned for her husband. It is almost impossible to even imagine how this vision may have appeared because it is hard to comprehend how a city could be adorned as a bride. This is truly figurative language, and it must be interpreted by letting the Bible define the symbols.

這節經文介紹了《啟示錄》的最後一部分，神的聖城。 在這裡，約翰將聖城視為「為丈夫打扮的新娘」。幾乎不可能想象這異象是如何出現的，因為很難理解一座城如何被裝扮成新娘。 這真的是象徵性的語言，必須讓聖經定義這些象徵。

The first symbol which must be defined is the holy city or, as it is also called, the new Jerusalem. Many commentators today believe that this refers to heaven or that eternal abode of the saints. As we study this symbol, let us use the Bible’s definition as it is given in Heb. 12:22, 23: “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn.” This verse defines the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, as the church. This must be the intended meaning because it is also referred to as “a bride adorned for her husband.” Rom. 7:4 says that we are “become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead.” The church is married to Christ today; it is the bride of Christ. We do not have to wait until judgment to be the bride of Christ or to be married to him. We are Christ’s bride today. Therefore, the holy city, which John saw in this vision, was the spiritual city of God, the church. (For more information, see the section entitled “The Holy Jerusalem” at the conclusion of v.8.)

必須解釋的第一個象徵是「聖城」，或者也被稱為「新耶路撒冷」。 今天，許多解經家認為，這指的是天堂或聖徒的永恆居所。 當我們研究這個象徵時，讓我們使用聖經中給出的定義。 希伯來書12:22, 23：“你們乃是來到錫安山，永生神的城邑，就是天上的耶路撒冷。那裡有千萬的天使，有名錄在天上諸長子之會所共聚的總會……” 這節經文將神的聖城，天上的耶路撒冷，定義為「教會」。 這一定是預期的含義，因為也被形容為“新婦妝飾整齊，等候丈夫”。 羅馬書7:4說，我們“你們藉著基督的身體，在律法上也是死了，叫你們歸於別人，就是歸於那從死裡復活的。” 今天，教會與基督結婚；教會是基督的新娘。 我們不必等到審判時才成為基督的新娘或與祂結婚。 我們今天就是基督的新娘。 因此，約翰在這個異象中看到的聖城就是神屬靈的城，就是教會。 （更多資訊請參閱第8節末段“神聖耶路撒冷”的部分。）

Also notice that this holy city is pictured as coming down from God out of heaven. This should serve to show that the holy city and heaven are two different places. The bride of Christ (the church) has already descended from God out of heaven. This took place on the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection. Since John performed such a major part in the establishment of the church, certainly he would have recognized that it would be symbolically described as a holy city, a new Jerusalem, or as a bride adorned for her husband. This spiritual city, the new Jerusalem, replaced the physical city of Jerusalem as man’s place of worship to God. When this took place, God’s chosen people no longer dwelt in a physical earthly kingdom (Israel), but rather in a spiritual heavenly kingdom (the church).

還要注意，這座聖城被描繪成從天而降的。 這應該表明聖城和天堂是兩個不同的地方。 基督的新娘（教會）已經從天而降。 這發生在基督復活後的第一個五旬節。 既然約翰在教會的建立中扮演了如此重要的角色，他肯定會知道教會將被象徵性地描述為一座聖城、一座新耶路撒冷或為她丈夫裝扮的新娘。 這個屬靈之城，新耶路撒冷，取代了物質的耶路撒冷，成為人類對神的敬拜所在。 當這種情況發生時，神的選民不再住在一個物質的屬世的國（以色列），而是住在一個屬靈的天上的國（教會）。

Rev 21:16  The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.
城是四方的，長寬一樣。天使用葦子量那城，共有四千里，長、寬、高都是一樣；

Rev 21:17  And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements.
又量了城牆，按著人的尺寸，就是天使的尺寸，共有一百四十四肘。

👉Lonnie Woodruff on https://www.abiblecommentary.com/howtounderstandthebookofrevelation.htm 

The angel measures the city and finds it to be in the shape of a square with its length and width measuring 12,000 furlongs, The city is also 12,000 furlongs high. Using our present-day measurement of a furlong as 220 yards, 12,000 furlongs are equal to 1,500 miles. This makes the city 1,500 miles square and 1,500 miles tall. If these numbers were literal, this city would almost be too large to comprehend. Attempts such as this by using literal measurements are futile in determining the meaning of these numbers.

天使測量了這座城，發現它呈正方形的形狀，其長度和寬度為12000弗隆，這座城市也高達12,000弗朗。 使用我們目前測量的220碼的弗朗，12,000弗朗等於1500英里。 這使得這座城市面積為1500英里，高1500英里。 如果這些數字是字面上的，這個城大到無法理解。 想透過使用字面意義的測量，無法解釋這些數字的含義。

The number “12,000” is figurative. It is used to describe the church. The number “12” is descriptive of organized religion which has been set up by God. The old law was given to the twelve tribes of Israel, and the law of Christ was given by the twelve apostles. If we take “1,000,” the number of ultimate completeness, and multiply it by”12,” the product is “12,000” which represents the complete, religious city of God. It represents the church of all ages. All who have ever lived and have been obedient to God’s commands are inside the wall of this city. This is a descriptive measurement of a spiritual city.

數字“12,000”是比喻。 它被用來描述教會。 數字“12”描述了神建立的有組織的宗教。舊約律法賜給以色列十二支派，基督的律法賜給十二使徒。 如果我們取“1,000”，代表最終完整性的數字，並將其乘以“12”，則結果為“12,000”，代表神的完美的宗教城市。 它代表了所有教會的所有階段。 所有曾經活著遵守神命令的人都在這個城的城牆之內。這就是對屬靈之城的描述。

ＧＥＮＥ：furlong (an eighth of a mile) 是KJV的原字，但NASB用stadia (607-738呎）。

Rev 22:12  "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
「看哪，我必快來！賞罰在我，要照各人所行的報應他。

When Christ comes again, it will be to reward those who have been faithful to him. There will be no second chance, no period of tribulation for the wicked, and no setting up of an earthly kingdom for a “thousand years.” Everything on this earth will be finished and judgment will take place. Everyone will be judged according to their works or “the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). (For comments on “Behold, I come quickly,” see v.7.)

當基督再次降臨時，將獎勵那些對祂忠誠的人。惡人不會有第二次機會，不會有磨難期，也不會建立地上的“千年”王國。 地球上的一切都將完成，審判將發生。 每個人都將根據自己的行為，“在他身上所做的事情，根據他所做的事情，無論是好是壞”受到審判”（哥林多後書。 5:10). （見第7節 “看哪，我必快來”的註解。）

ＧＥＮＥ：童年時等不及長大；長大後回頭一看，童年真短。人的一生非常短暫，但我們為基督所做的，會永遠留下來。

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
證明這事的說：「是了，我必快來！阿們！主耶穌啊，我願你來！

Jesus once again announces that he will come quickly. This is the third time this statement has been repeated in this chapter. (See vv. 7,12.) We should be constantly aware that Jesus could come at any time. We must be watchful and keep ourselves prepared for this great event. This has been a constant admonition throughout the book of Revelation.

耶穌再次宣佈祂很快就會來。 這是本章第三次重複這種說法。 (見vv. 7,12.) 我們應該不斷意識到耶穌可以隨時來。 我們必須警惕，並為這一重大事件做好準備。 這一直是整個啟示錄的警告。

John answers, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Christians should look forward to Christ’s second coming. One of the main purposes of Revelation is to comfort and assure Christians that their situation will be much better after Christ returns than it is now. Many times Christians also get caught up in the pleasures of this life and forget that our life to come will be much preferred to this one. Let us strive to live our lives so that we might truly be able to say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

約翰回答說：“主耶穌啊，我願你來!” 基督徒應該期待基督的第二次降臨。 啟示錄的主要目的之一是安慰和向基督徒保證，在基督回來後，他們的處境會比現在好得多。 很多時候，基督徒也會沉浸在今生的樂趣中，忘記了我們未來的生活將比今生更受喜愛。 讓我們努力活著，這樣我們才能真正地說：“主耶穌啊，我願你來!”