Let’s go back to the beginning in Genesis 3, when God banishes mankind from the Garden of Eden. We’ll compare it to Revelation’s City of Light. Together, they provide a fascinating contrast.

Light Source

Jesus, is lamp of the city and a light of revelation. Genesis 3 reads, “Behold,” as in look at this. The man, Adam, “has become like one of us knowing good and evil.”

To me, light is a symbol of something revealed – something made known. The “knowing” matches the “light” of the city.

In the City

The kings of the earth are allowed into the city, which I believe symbolizes eternity. In Genesis 3, it says, he (Adam) might take of the tree of life, and eat and live forever, in the city, which is eternal.

Inner Gate

Now we come to the inner gate. In the fall from Eden, God sends Adam and Eve out, through the gate.

The bible implies God closed the gate, banishing mankind from the garden of Eden. In the City of Light, this is no longer the case – its gates remain open forever.

Main Entrance

The main entrance back into the city also has a parallel in Genesis 3. So God drove out the man. Here, God places a guard with a flaming sword that turns every direction to keep mankind from the tree of life and out of the Garden of Eden.

The bible calls these creatures, “cherubim.” I believe they are the strangest and most mysterious things in the entire bible.

Outer Gate

Then we come to the place profane opposite the gate. This is where Adam and Eve begin to have children. Their first child is named, “Cain,” which name means possession or to purchase.

The connection is subtle, but I believe it speaks of the coming Christ who will purchase us from our sins, by his blood, e.g. those who become profane. Cain will also murder his brother, another connection to the profane.

After the fall from Eden, notice Adam and Eve now live outside the entrance to eternity. The parallel continues: with the Genesis 3 narrative outside the Garden and the Revelation narrative leading back into the city.

Book of Life

Only those whose names are written in the book of life may enter the city.

Eve give birth to her second child “Abel.” Abel means, “Breath.” I believe this symbolizes a spiritual being. I think it’s noteworthy that that Abel, the spiritual one, is a brother. Like we, made brothers of Christ, who allows us into his city.

Shepherd

Then, the story returns to the middle, with a river of life, shining like crystal, that flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. At the end of the fall from Eden scene, it says Abel is a shepherd, like Christ, the Lamb. The connection between these two passages unmistakable.

The name Abel means, “breath,” which must be the Spirit of God that flows like a river of life, shining like crystal.

Hidden Structure: Revealed

At this point, I hope you are beginning to see the structure designed into the words of the bible. It reveals a city – a city of light – hidden within words of the bible.

To me, the fact scripture works together this way is simply amazing. It allows the bible to reveal the bible in amazing ways, and to uncover a place of eternity in the Kingdom of Christ – the City of Light.

But perhaps most importantly, the design shows the Revelation of Jesus Christ is not a single book. Rather, it is the entire bible: Jesus is the word, and the voice, behind it all.