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References for Chapter 21

Hebrew words can be singular, plural or dual. Masculine single words do not have a specific ending. Feminine single words end in (-ah). Plural words end in (-im) if masculine, or (-ot) if feminine. Dual words have a distinctive ending (-ayim) for both masculine and feminine words. The following words are some of the dual words that are found frequently in the Old Testament:

Eyes (`enaim)
Feet (rag’layim)
Ears (`oz’nayim)
Hands (yadayim)
Bosom (shadayim)
Lips (sephatayim)
Legs (kera`ayim)
Hips (mothnayim)
Loins (khalatsayim)
Handmill (rekhayim)
Cymbals (metsiltayim)
Egypt (mitsrayim)
Nickname for Babylon (merathayim)*
Jerusalem (yerushalam or yerushalayim)

*The actual name of Babylon is “Babel.” The derogatory nickname above is translated literally as “double insolence.”

Heb 7-10 (In Christ, a new priesthood, new law, new temple, and new sanctuary). In particular 7:11-12, 23-24; 8:5-6, 13; 9:1, 8-9, 11, 23-24; 10:19-20
Is 65:17-25 (God creates a new heavens and new earth with joy and no weeping)
Is 61:10 (Israel clothed in salvation, like bride adorned for the bridegroom)

NB: The Lamb prepares to marry the bride in Rev 19:7. In Rev 21:2, the bride, the new Jerusalem, comes out of heaven from God.

Ez 37:25-28 (God dwells with Israel, setting his sanctuary among them)
Is 25:6-9 (God wipes the tears from all faces)
2 Cor 5:17-21 (Those in Christ are a new creation)

NB: Jesus identifies himself as the “Alpha and the Omega” in Rev 1:8, and again in Rev 21:6.

Is 55:1 (The thirsty come to the water without payment)
2 Sam 7:14 (God will be a father to David; David a son to God)
Mt 4:8-10 (The devil took Jesus to a mountain to see the kingdoms)
Ez 40:1-5 (God took Ezekiel to a high mountain to see Jerusalem rebuilt)

NB: In Rev 4:3, the one on the throne appeared with jewels of jasper. Rev 21:11 describes the new Jerusalem as radiant like a jewel, like jasper.

Ez 48:30-35 (The city has 12 gates named for the 12 tribes)
Eph 2:19-22 (The apostles are the foundation of the temple)
Ez 45:2 (The new sanctuary is built on a square plot of 500 cubits on each side)
Ez 48:16 (The new city is square, measuring 4,500 cubits on each side)
1 Kings 6:20 (The holy of holies is a cube, measuring 20 cubits on each side)
Ex 28:17-20 (The high priest’s breastpiece is inlaid with 12 precious stones, identical with Rev 21 except for garnet/chrysoprase)
Is 60:1-22 (Your light comes, enlightening nations; your gates remain open; no sun or moon; the Lord is your light forever)
Ez 44:9 (No foreigners shall ever enter the sanctuary)