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

Light Source in City of Light & Genesis 3

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.” Something’s been revealed. Evil can be seen. The “knowing” matches the “light” of 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.

Fall from Eden

Now we come to the gate. God sends Adam and Eve out, through the gate, to serve the ground from which he (we) were taken.

At that point, it’s implied the gate to the Garden of Eden was closed and mankind banished. Jesus changed that, because the gates will never again be shut.

Doorway to Eternity

The main entrance back into the city also has a parallel in Genesis 3. So God drove out the man.

Then we come to the place profane opposite the gate. 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. The identity of the cherubim is not revealed.

I can’t help but point out what happens in the resurrection scene, right after the angel rolls away the stone. The guards tremble with fear and become like dead men. I believe the guards of the resurrection, and the guard of Genesis 3, are symbolically the same guard. After the resurrection, the tables have turned dramatically.

The narrative in Genesis 3 feels like it ends here, and in one sense it does. Mankind is banished from eternity. But the parallel continues: with the Genesis 3 narrative outside the Garden of Eden, and the Revelation narrative leading back into the city.

Book of Life

Only those whose names are written in the book of life are allowed back into the city. In Genesis 3, the man, Adam, knew Eve, his wife. The name Eve (eev)
Life; life-giving; living; (root = to live; to prosper; to keep alive; to give life). Mother of all who have life.
Source: EDBN means, “Life.”

A book of life, and a woman whose name means life in Genesis 3. The connection is unmistakable.

Breath of God

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. In Genesis 3, Eve gives birth to another child whose name is Abel. Abel is a shepherd, like Christ, the Lamb.

The name Abel (a’-bel)
A breath; vanity; vapor; (roots = [1] vanity; transitoriness; breath; i.e., breath of the mouth; fading away; [2] mourning; from root to mourn, to lament). Withering; fading away. A meadow.
Source: EDBN 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. To me, the fact scripture works together this way is simply amazing. The design:

• Reveals a deeper spiritual story.
• Radically simplifies the bible, while demonstrating its depth.
• Makes scripture universally comparable.
• Allows the bible to reveal the bible in amazing ways.

But perhaps most importantly, the design shows that 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.

He is the one who sits on the throne, in the middle of the City of Light, saying, “Behold. I am doing something new.”