The Chronology of Rev. 20:15 Followed by Rev. 21:1
Generally speaking, it has been the belief that Rev. 21:1 followed in time Rev. 20:15.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
This has been the accepted understanding by many because of the words pertaining to the "new heaven" and "new earth" follows words concerning the "lake of fire". There seems to be very little consideration for an in depth understanding of the verses of Revelation 21:1-8 that would answer some apparent questions. To begin with, the Bible reveals that in the future the mountains would be laid low and there would be a change in the axis of the earth which would indicate a new earth and a new heaven. The following is a very brief example of future conditions. For a much more complete examination of the subject please see the "The new Heaven and the New Earth" paper.
Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Then there is the statement that there will be "no more sea". It is taken for granted by so many that there will be no more "seas" on what is thought to be the new earth. This is also examined in the new heaven and new earth paper.
Revelation 21: 2 describes the Spiritual holy city of "New Jerusalem" descending to the confines of the earth prepared as a "bride" adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This would be an appropriate occurrence at the beginning of the millennium. Not after the lake of fire after the wife of Jesus has done work for more than 1000 years.
But, the alarm bells should be quite loud for the reader because of what is stated in verse three.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with menG444, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
G444 anth'-ro-pos From G435 and ὤψ ōps (the countenance; from G3700); manfaced, that is, a human being: - certain, man.
I have always understood that after the lake of fire it is only the righteous spirit beings that are left and they exist in an eternity. After the "lake of fire" there will exist no human beings! So how can verse 21:3 picture human beings if it represents a time after the lake of fire? It can't.
The following shows us how much the Lord will rejoice in the physical city of Jerusalem that emerges at the beginning of the millennial rule of Jesus. Following that, Ezekiel describes how Jesus will sit on a throne, and be dwelling with Israel. I would imagine that there would be a percentage of the time that He will spend "in the house" and a percentage in the spiritual city of Jerusalem and elsewhere.
Isa 66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
Isa 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
Eze 43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
Eze 43:5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
Eze 43:6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
Eze 43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
A very, very brief outline for Ezekiel chapters 40 thru 48 is as follows.
Chapters 40-42 provide the dimensions of the physical millennial temple.
Chapter 43 gives specifics of "the house".
Chapter 44 gives ordinances.
Chapters 45-46 give divisions and ordinances.
Chapter 47 fully describes healing waters (in much detail) and inheritances.
Chapter 48 gives specific inheritances for the tribes of Israel.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
In the physical Jerusalem emerging at the end time of Satan's rule, Isaiah 65:19 clearly gives the picture of what would be happening at the very beginning of the millennium.
Isa 65:19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
Also in verse 4 it says there will be "no more death". Taking everything in context we can see that the "culture of death", which is the hallmark of Satan's desires to thwart God's expectation for mankind, would be no more.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Verses 6 and 7 Jesus states that He will give (future tense) to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely and "he that over cometh" (future tense) I will be his God. Looking it from the perspective from the beginning of the millennium we can easily understand why the future tense is used for these statements. And then finally, the unrighteous shall have their part in the lake of fire.
Getting back to the millennial city of Jerusalem, there is a very strong pronouncement in the last verse of the book of Ezekiel. It is in the 48th chapter and the 35th verse.
Eze 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
We finally get to Rev 21:8 and it prompts one to go to Rev. 22:14-15
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
The fullness of the awesome meaning of these verses is given in the paper titled "The Bride of Christ" (Her abode and Her Destiny). That paper provides the picture of the bride relating to Rev. 21:9 and how it also relates to Rev. 21:8 and Rev.22:14-15. In essence, it reveals how the bride has the responsibility to determine who is ready to enter the Spiritual City, having the potential (the indwelling of the Holy Spirit) of eternal salvation.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
I believe all of this can clearly reveal to us that Isaiah 28:10-11 applies to Rev. 20:15 and Rev. 21:1. The Bible has many, many areas that are not in a chronological order. So then it prompts one for the need of a concerted effort to understand certain sequence of scripture, especially when there are questions that are associated with the sequence.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
There is a dramatic change in time from the timing of the "lake of fire" in Rev. 20:15 to the beginnings of the millennium spoken of in Rev. 21:1. It is abrupt but the change is there.
There are certain beliefs relating to 2 peter 3:10-13. This study in Revelation can be used for a foundation to deal with those beliefs. A detailed study of 2 Peter 3 is provided in the paper titled "2 Peter 3:8-14". Everything in Rev.21:1-8 complements 2 Peter 3 as relating to the beginnings of the millennial rule of Jesus.