Revelation Chapter 21

All things new. This chapter begins a new section of Revelation.

a. Jesus, the Lord of the Churches (1:1 - 3:22)

b. Jesus, the Lion over the nations (4:1 - 20:15)

c. Jesus, the Lamb among believers (21:1 - 22:21)

"From the smoke and pain and heat it is a relief to pass into the clear, clean atmosphere of the eternal morning where the breath of heaven is sweet and the vast city of God sparkles like a diamond in the radiance of his presence"

---

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

A new heaven and a new earth. A familiar theme in Scripture: For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create a Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy (Isaiah 65:17-19). Of old, You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; yes all of them will grow old like a garment, like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end (Psalm 102:25-27). Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:12-13).

New (the Greek word kaine) means new in quality, as in "fresh"; rather than meaning recent or new in time. Is this new heaven and new earth the Millennial earth, or is it something beyond? It definitely seems to be past the Millennial earth; this is what we think of as "heaven" and "eternity".

In this chapter we see that the history of time is finished; the history of eternity is about to begin." "The eternal state is clearly indicated in the absence of sea, for frequent mention of bodies of water occur in millennial passages (cf. Ps. 72:8; Isa. 11:9, 11; Ezek. 47:10, 15, 17, 18, 20; 48:28; Zech. 9:10; 14:8). The evidence of Revelation 21:1 is so specific that most commentators do not question that the eternal state is in view."

Is this a new earth, or one that has been remade? Jesus said that heaven and earth shall pass away, but His word would live forever (Luke 21:33). In Isaiah 65:17, God says prophetically that He creates (bara) a new heavens and earth; the word is used in Genesis 1:1 of creation ex nihilo (out of nothing). Some take this "newness" as being only a spiritual and moral change; but there seems to be a genuine physical transformation in mind - there was no more sea. No more sea: to the Jewish mind, the sea is a symbol of separation and evil; it is the source of the satanic beast (13:1) and the place of the dead (20:13). It is associated with the heathen (Isaiah 57:20) and with Gentiles in a more general sense.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The New Jerusalem descends from heaven. This is the Jerusalem of hope (Hebrews 12:22); the Jerusalem above (Galatians 4:26); the place of our real citizenship (Philippians 3:20). Holy and new distinguish the city; Jerusalem gives it a continuity with earth, especially with the place of our redemption. The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them: the Mosaic tabernacle was a symbol of God's presence; this is the reality of His presence. The essence of God's desire and man's purpose is succinctly stated: to live with God; and to be His people.

The New Jerusalem is distinguished by what it does not have--no tears, sorrow, death or pain; and later, no temple, sacrifice, sun, moon, darkness, sin or abomination. "There is no just ground for imagining from this text that the saints will shed tears in heaven concerning the failures of their former life on earth. The emphasis here is on the comfort of God, not on the remorse of the saints." Some have speculated that the New Jerusalem is in existence during the Millennium as a "city suspended in the sky" - a heavenly city for the redeemed, who would have free access between the New Jerusalem and the "old" (but Millennial) earth.

Observations: The place of eternal life is expressed as a city - this is the heart of the New Jerusalem's character. "The consummation of the Christian hope is supremely social. It is no 'flight of the alone to the Alone' but life in the redeemed community of heaven." (Hunter). Man has never known a community unmarred by sin - Adam and Eve only knew a limited community, and community in a larger context only came long after the Fall. Here, in the New Jerusalem, we have something totally unique: a sinless, pure, community of righteousness. The Christian concept of heaven as a city - a place of life, activity, interest, and people - is very different from Hindu conception of a blank "Nirvana". Problems arise when believers expect such a community now, or fail to realize that it only comes down from heaven - this city is not, and never can be, the achievement of man, but only a gift from God.

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

All things new. This is one of the few times in Revelation where we clearly see God speaking directly from His throne. This statement is in the present tense, I am making everything new; this is the consummation of God's work of renewal and redemption, having begun here and now in our present time. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day . . . Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 4:16; 5:17).

"Presumably this means not only that everything will be made new, but also that everything will stay then new. The entropy law will be 'repealed.' Nothing will wear out or decay, and no one will age or atrophy anymore." This is a brief glance at the thinking behind God's eternal plan - He had to allow sin and its destruction in order to do a greater work of making all things new. Our instinct is to romantically consider innocence as man's perfect state, and wish Adam would have never done what he did. But we fail to realize that redeemed man is greater than innocent man; that we gain more in Jesus than we ever lost in Adam. God's perfect state is one of redemption. John is probably so astounded by these words that he forgot to write - and must be told to do so.

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The invitation and a warning. It is done! God's eternal purpose in Jesus is now accomplished; Ephesians 1:10 has been fulfilled: that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; in Him. All things have been resolved or "summed up" in Jesus; It is done!

Drinking and thirst are common pictures of God's supply and man's spiritual need; drinking is an action, but an action of receiving - like faith, it is doing something, but it is not a meritous work in itself. Those who overcome (by faith in Jesus, as in 1 John 5:5) enjoy a special relationship with God. But the Jesus-rejecting and apostate are specifically prohibited from entering the New Jerusalem. Cowardly: "John is not speaking of natural timidity, but of that cowardice which in the last resort chooses self and safety before Christ."

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
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,

The nature of the New Jerusalem. An angel will show John the city in greater detail. Is this city literal? Or, is it just an exotic symbol of the Church, the Bride of Christ? It is certainly like the Bride; but this association doesn't diminish the reality behind the image. The city is associated with the Bride to awe us with a sense of its beauty.

Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light [was] like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, [and] had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The city's brilliance, wall, gates and foundation. The wall is not needed for defense; but it gives the city perimeters (this is no cosmic nirvana) and show us that some will be excluded from the city (only the righteous can enter). The names of the tribes on the gates communicate the unity and heritage that the people of God have with Israel. Israel's tribes will never be forgotten by God. Some have thought the arrangement of gates harkens back to the camp layout used during the Exodus (Numbers 2). The foundations are an eternal testimony to the apostles, and their permanent place in God's plan. The New Jerusalem and the church are founded upon the apostles (Ephesians 2:20). A vital question: is your faith apostolic?

Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred [and] forty [and] four cubits, [according to] the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

The dimensions of the city. Its length, height and width are equal; it is either a cube or a pyramid. An equidistant cube is reminiscent of the Holy of Holies; the entire city is the Most Holy Place. The size is enormous; 12,000 furlongs equals 1,500 miles. This is from Maine to Florida; the square footage would approximate the moon's.  "A city of this size is too large for the imagination to take in. John is certainly conveying the idea of splendor. And, more importantly, that of room for all." Henry Morris, guessing that there will have been 100 billion people in the human race, and that 20% of them will be saved, calculates that each person would have a "block" with about 75 acres on each face to "call their own". Here, a man's cubit is equivalent to an angel's.

Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city [were] garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation [was] jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The beauty of its structure. When we read of jasper and pure gold and all kinds of precious stones, we should take these as literal representations; yet they express realities of another world. John's use of material riches to describe the city "is his way of bringing out the very great value of what God has for His people". The exact definition of the gems is difficult; but the impression is of unending, staggering beauty. "The symbolism is not meant to give the impression of wealth and luxury, but to point to the glory and holiness of God." (Johnson). If there is any Biblical reference point for the variety of gems, it is probably the High Priest's breastplate  (Exodus 28:15-21).

"The constant mention of transparency indicates that the city is designed to transmit the glory of God in the form of light without hindrance." If the dimensions and descriptions seem confusing or impossible, there are two main principles to keep in mind. Understand the ideas communicated in the details (glory, beauty, splendor, and so forth). Understand that this is the city whose architect and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10); we should expect it to be beyond us.

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.

The temple of the New Jerusalem. God is all in the city. In the ancient world, it was unthinkable to have a great city without many different temples. Here, the temple is not removed, but expanded; everything is holy and the dwelling place of God. Before Jesus, the temple was a prophecy; in the Christian era, God's people are His temple; in the Millennium, it will be a memorial; here the temple is everywhere. "The inhabitants need no place of worship or sacrifice, the object of all worship being present, and the great sacrifice Himself being there". Heaven will be a place of pure worship - the "means" we use (buildings, music systems, customs, etc.) will not distract us from the object of our worship.

Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Access into the city. What about these kings of the earth? Who are they?  "How encouraging to note that not all were destroyed when the nations came to do battle against Jerusalem and the Lord Himself. There will also be 'kings of the earth' who will be a part of the eternal state." "Among the mysteries of this new heaven and earth this is set forth to us: that, besides the glorified church, there shall still be dwelling on the renewed earth nations, organized by kings, and saved by means of the influences of the heavenly city." Does verse 27 mean that such people will threaten the city? No; "the exhortation warns present readers that the only way to participate in the future city is to turn one's loyalties to the Lamb now."