Las Vegas has been labeled “Sin City.” Vice and sinful pleasures abound 24/7. Yet long before Vegas, the first “sin city” was called Enoch after the man who built it, a descendant of ungodly Cain. The inhabitants of that first city had overturned God’s creatorial order in marriage and developed a world of music and industrial prosperity. Sound familiar?
What a contrast to the last city of Revelation 21. A sign at its entrance reads: “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.” As the Revelation of Jesus Christ unfolds, the great conflict of the ages has now reached its climax. Satan’s head has been crushed by the seed of the woman, and he has been cast into the Lake of Fire. The eternal destiny of sinners has been appointed, and now, every “new creature,” in Christ is assigned a new home in a new city. It is called The Holy City, New Jerusalem, also called, “The City of the Lord” (Isa 60:14, KJV). There is not much holy about the character of Jerusalem today, but the last city will be truly holy in purpose and character. Its gates are closed to sin, unlike the cities of the world today. This “great city” has a number of great features.
A Great Location
It comes down from God out of Heaven. Every other city has earthly builders, but this metropolis has been prepared in heaven and is coming out of it. It is likened to a bride prepared for her husband, a description of the unique beauty of God’s capital city – the perfect residence for the church (Rev 3:12).
A Great Foundation
Abraham looked for “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:10, KJV). The first city was built on the foundation of man’s entrepreneurship, but the last has one foundation – Christ and His finished work! The precious stones of the foundation reflect the eternal beauty and value of its chief architect and builder: “Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners (Heb 7:26, KJV).
A Great Population
The first city was populated by the ungodly descendants of Cain but Revelation 21:24 uses that great gospel word “saved” to describe the nations that will populate the last city. Billions will enter, saved through the blood of the Lamb, the only grounds for being found in the Lamb’s book of life, the heavenly register of the redeemed of all ages.
A Great Continuation
Hebrews 13 says we have “no continuing city” on this earth but we “seek one.” The gates of the last city will never close at night, for there is no night there. The light will be provided by the glory of God, forever and ever. The great illumination of this city will be the Lamb Himself.
Are you sure your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? For all who are traveling on the narrow road that leads to the last city, it is our responsibility to evangelize the “sin cities” of our world, and pray that God will awaken and save more souls to populate “the city that never sleeps!”
