Today John the Apostle is being “positioned” to better see a “City.” (The City of all cities!) New Jerusalem, our eternal abode. At least to those of you reading these words who have been saved by the Grace of God, washed in the Blood of Jesus.
Our verse today, Revelation 21:10. “And he (an angel) carried me (John) away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”
Today, before John begins an actual description, he is “transported” to an optimum vantage point. The verb “carried” is “apophero,” meaning “to tote” (if you are from the country), otherwise “to be moved.” Looks like here John may have been actually (literally) “picked up” and “relocated” by the Spirit of God!
Is that possible? In Acts 8:39 the Spirit did exactly that to Philip the Deacon, the Preacher. “And when they (Philip and an Ethiopian Eunuch) were come up out of the water (baptism), the Spirit of the Lord caught away (“haparzo,” meaning “to snatch”) Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he (the Eunuch) went on his way rejoicing.”
And what about Enoch, the man of God? “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took (“laqach,” meaning “to fetch”) him.” Genesis 5:25
Not to mention the coming “Rapture” of the Church!
The phrase “in the spirit” (our King James Bible not always capitalizing the noun for spirit, even when the Holy Spirit is in view) uses the preposition “en,” which can also mean “by.” In fact, that’s precisely how “en” is translated 141 times in our New Testament. “John carried BY the Spirit.”
The massive mountain perch is necessary because of the sheer size of the City John is soon to see, in detail! Note: “a great and high mountain!” In Greek “mega” and “hupselos,” both “big” and “lofty.”
Then the “display” begins. The verb “shewed” being spelled “deiknuo,” meaning “to put on display, to show as proof, to publicly reveal.”
The moniker “holy Jerusalem” is found only here in all Scripture. “Holy City” is found 3 times in Revelation alone, however. And 10 times total in the entire Bible.
“Descending” is a blended Greek verb. Using as a prefix “kata” (meaning “down”) and its fusion with “baino” (our word “base,” as in basement) meaning “to walk.”
Something this big (a city 1,200 miles in every direction, width and height and breadth, a cube) descending slowly from the (old) heaven! The one that has now been “melted” into oblivion, according to Peter. “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Where, then will God “live?”
In this City, the New Jerusalem, forever!
Read again the first verse of our chapter, Revelation 21. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
All I can say today is “Wow!”
And this little discussion of our future home has just begun! (Since we’re only in verse 10 … of the chapter’s 27 total verses!)
“And he (an angel) carried me (John) away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”
Amen!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell