Revelation 22:15

Dr. Couch, I recently heard of a strange view of Revelation 22:15 that says "the dogs and the sorcerers and immoral persons" out side the new city of Jerusalem has to do with carnal believers who are not allowed inside the new city and its gates. I know of "good guys" who hold to this view. ANSWER: The verse reads: "Outside [the eternal city of Jerusalem] are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." As you well pointed out no Bible scholar worth his salt would hold to the view that this has to do with believers. While we take the Bible literally, it still has illustrations and metaphors to get across these literal concepts. I point out in my "Handbook to Revelation" that 21:27 is a key to understanding what is going on in 22:15. 21:27 reads: "Nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into [the new, eternal city of Jerusalem], but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." This is called "a future of emphatic negation." 22:15 is also a form of hyperbole as well as a metaphor. The lost are in hell. But the point is that nothing sinful, unclean, or evil, even if it were not confined to hell, shall ever enter the new Jerusalem. This is a form of exaggeration in order to get across a point. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (11/10)

What is Going on in Revelation 21:24-27

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Revelation 21:24-27? What does it mean that the nations are walking by the light of the new, eternal city of Jerusalem in the eternal state? And what about the kings of the earth who bring their glory into the new Jerusalem? ANSWER:  This is all hyperbolic language used by John to describe the importance of the new Jerusalem in the period of the eternal state. The people of the nations, and their rulers (their kings), are being honored as they enjoy the new Jerusalem. On earth presently, kings and rulers are given special honor as world heads of state. That will continue in the period of eternity. There is no question that the people of the nations, and the kings described here, are all saved and redeemed! They are believers who are then enjoying the blessings of salvation, but too, there are certain things in eternity, that are still honored in the blessed period of redemption. Kings who were believers and faithful servants during history will still be recognized in glory!    What throws us is that the language is somewhat similar to what we would say today. This tells us that some things will continue in this new state, this new situation, during eternity! Hindson adds: "God's servants shall reign forever and ever" (22:5). Do not imagine heaven to be a place of inactivity or lazy self-indulgence. We who are even now positionally seated with Christ in 'heavenly places' are destined [to be] joint-heirs with Him (Eph. 1:3, 20; 2:6)."    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Oct. 2009