Nations In Heaven

[Dave T]

Revalations 21:24 - 27 talks about nations. Do you think there will be nations in Heaven?

[Michael:D]

Interesting question...
Of course I immediately put this into the eSword gizmo and did the compare and contrast and looking up the root of nations (ἔθνος G1484) - This would be a great source of study fuel...

My first impression is that the term Nation might refer to the multitudes of the saved people who now by the grace of God occupy heaven. Since this follows a detailed description of the Gates of Heaven and refers to a "within" of those gates it's as though this is still part of an attempt to describe the "Look" of heaven. Perhaps there will be souls from throughout the cosmos and when looked upon "in the big picture" they take on a patch-work appearance. Whatever the case, heaven will have to be an enormous place to accommodate all the people that are bound for glory. 

Maybe "Nations" is just referring to the sources of the souls rather than various groupings taking place in heaven? 
We will know for sure one day

[GregD]

I believe that verse 10 gives us a clue as to what John saw here:

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

It is my belief that this is the New Jerusalem and it is on the Earth, not in Heaven. We see that it is huge by the way, 12,000 furlongs or 375 miles wide, deep and tall. Verse 1 tells us that God has created a New Heaven and a New Earth. I have seen commentaries that say the Earth would be recreated many times larger than it is now. That would have to be the case if the size of this city is literal and I believe it is.

The nations are those that are established outside the walls of Jerusalem. We see those set up in Mat.25:31-46, the so called separating of the sheep and goats. The "unprofitable servants", from the parable that Jesus has just finished explaining, are sent outside the walls of the city where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.