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Commentary on Revelation

Chapter 21

The new heaven and the new earth

Rev. 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

In 20:11 the earth and sky fled from the presence of God and no place was found for them. The figure of heaven and earth passing away is a common one. In Isaiah 13 God dismantles the earth and the stars to depict the judgment of Babylon by the Medes. In Isaiah 34 the heavens are dissolved and rolled together as a scroll to depict a judgment against Edom. God depicts the judgment of the ungodly by figuratively bringing their world to an end. See Nahum 1 with regard to Nineveh. See Micah 1 and Zeph. 1 with regard to Judah. The destruction of the world in Revelation depicts the judgment of the Roman world just as similar language was used in the past to depict the judgment of Babylon, Edom, Nineveh, and Judah. The end of the world is not being discussed here any more than it was being discussed in Isaiah 13, Isaiah 34, Nahum 1, Micah 1, or Zeph. 1. Remember the context of this chapter. The language of judgment is language of destruction. The language of blessing which we see in this chapter is just the opposite - it is language of creation. A new heaven and a new earth are created in which the previous oppressor does not exist. The creation of a new heaven and a new earth in the Bible is used to depict the removal of some specific enemy or some other radical change in circumstances. In Isaiah 65 God creates a new heaven and earth because the former troubles have passed away. 2 Peter 3:13 says that the Church looks for a new heaven and a new earth - that is, the hope of the Church is a new environment. (The new heaven and new earth in 2 Peter may or may not refer to the new heaven and new earth in Revelation 21. The symbol of "a new heaven and a new earth" depicts a radical change in circumstance. The particular change under consideration must be determined from the context.)

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; 3 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."

The new Jerusalem is the Church; the new dwelling place for God's people, the bride of Christ, the holy city. It comes down from Heaven in contrast to the beasts of Rome which came up out of the earth and sea. God's people have been referred to in this book as dwelling in Heaven and the wicked have been referred to as dwelling on earth. Now that the wicked and their world are gone, the Church is pictured as returning to a world which has been made new. Why will every tear be wiped away? Why will death be no more? Why will there be no more crying or pain? Because the former things have passed away. Remembering the context of this passage, what are the former things which have just passed away? The blood thirsty harlot and her two beasts. Rome is no more. The condition of the Church has changed dramatically. But couldn't this language apply to Heaven? Sure it could, but not if considered in context. Has similar language been used elsewhere to refer to events other than the end of the world? Yes, in Isaiah 14:3; 65:19; 30:19; and 25:8 Isaiah says that Israel will have no pain, Israel will cry no more, Israel's tears will be wiped away, and Israel will no longer experience death. Why does Isaiah say these things? In order to emphasize that Israel's past troubles will be no more which is the same way the language is used in Revelation. The Roman persecution will be no more. Not convinced yet? Well, how about this? When will every tear be wiped away? When will death be no more? When will there be no more crying or pain? Verse 3 says that it will occur when the dwelling of God is with men. When will this be true? It already is true. 1 Cor. 3:16 says that we are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in us. Eph. 2:22 describes the Church as a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. God dwells with men now. These descriptions concerning crying, tears, pain, and death should not be taken literally. This language is symbolic and we must consistently treat it as such. Here, as in Isaiah, these descriptions depict the state of God's people after a specific enemy has been removed by God. What about the phrase "no more death"? Death was a weapon which Rome used against the Church. Death is personified in the book. In Isaiah 28:14-18 the Judean leaders, who bribed the Assyrians to leave them alone, are described as having made a "covenant with death." Assyria, the oppressor, is called death. Rome, who also had the power of death, could accurately be called "death" and in that sense death would be no more. Further, Ezekiel 37 describes the Jews under Babylonian captivity as already being in their graves. Thus, when the captivity ended, death, in another sense, would be no more. When God defeated Rome he defeated Rome's power to inflict death. Rome would never again have the power of death over God's people.

5 And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment. 7 He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death."

All things are new: The former things (that is, Rome) has passed away and the Church consequently finds itself in a new environment. The world of Rome has been destroyed and a new world has been created for the Church. It is done: Satan and Rome have been defeated. Their world has been destroyed. The blood of the martyrs has been vindicated. A new world has been created which does not include Rome. The Church has come down from Heaven to enjoy its new environment. Everything has been finished with regard to Rome. It is done. Those who stood with Christ received fountains of living water. Those who stood with Rome received death in a lake of fire.

The new Jerusalem

The city

9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."

What are we about to see? Heaven? No. The angel says that we are about to see the Bride of the Lamb. The following verses describe the Church. Although many consider these verses to be a description of Heaven or of the Church in Heaven after the end of the world, the context suggests that these verses describe the Church's condition after the removal of Rome. Could it also describe the Church in Heaven? Possibly, but we will see below such a view has some rather big problems to work around.

10 And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed; 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Ezekiel's vision of the temple in Ezekiel 40 also takes place while Ezekiel is on a high mountain. This chapter parallels Ezekiel 40 in many of its descriptions. The holy city comes down from Heaven and has the glory of God. Again, recall that the city is pictured coming down from Heaven because a new Rome-free world has been created in which it may dwell. The Church is the body of Christ who reflects the glory of God (Hebrews 1:3). The glory of God is compared to the radiance of rare jewels, jasper, and crystal in verse 11. It had a great high wall: What is "it"? The Church. Recall verse 9. It has 12 gates guarded by 12 angels with the names of 12 tribes inscribed on each gate. The wall had 12 foundations with the names of the 12 apostles inscribed on each. Twelve is the number of God's people and this city is the dwelling place of God's people. Eph. 2:20 says that the Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. The city of God described here is the Church - not Heaven.

Its measurements

15 And he who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its breadth; and he measured the city with his rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and breadth and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits by a man's measure, that is, an angel's. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

Why is the city measured? Ezekiel measured what he saw in Ezekiel 40-43 in order to stress its holiness and separation from what is common (See Ezekiel 42:20). John measures the temple in Rev. 11 for the same reason. Recall our comments there. What are the measurements? The city is a cube - 12,000 by 12,000 by 12,000 stadia. (This description causes trouble for literalists since 12,000 stadia is about 1500 miles.) The walls surrounding the city are 144 (12 squared) stadia high. The foundations of the city are adorned with 12 precious jewels and the 12 gates are made of 12 pearls. The streets are made of gold, transparent as glass. The Church is described as a precious and beautiful city in the shape of a huge cube. The number 12 (which depicts God's people) appears in every measurement. Note that the holy of holies in Solomon's temple was also in the shape of a cube (1 Kings 6:20). This city is where God dwells - this city is the Church.

Its light

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates shall never be shut by day - and there shall be no night there; 26 they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Why is there no temple? In the Old Testament the temple stressed the separation between God and man. God lived in the inner sanctuary where only the High Priest could enter. In this city God dwells with his people (see 21:3). There is no separation between God and Christians. Every Christian has direct access to God through Jesus. Why is there no need of sun or moon? Because the glory of God and the Lamb provide all of the light. Isaiah 60:19-20 uses this same image to describe the condition of Israel after the restoration of the temple and the holy city. The gates of the city will never shut. Isaiah uses this image, also. See Isaiah 60:11. There will be no night because the glory of God and of the Lamb are always present. By its light shall the nations walk: If this is a description of the Church after the end of the world then who are these nations? The Church on earth is the light of the world. We are Christ's ambassadors. The nations of the world are pictured as being drawn to the city by the light which it casts into the world. Compare Isaiah 2:2. They shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations: Isaiah 60:10-14 uses this same image to describe the vindication of Jerusalem. Here it describes the vindication of the Church. If this is a description of the Church after the end of the world then who are these kings of the earth who live outside the city in darkness? Nothing unclean will enter: The city is holy and secure. Compare Isaiah 52:1-2. Only those who have been made clean by the blood of Christ are allowed to enter this city. This chapter has provided a description of the triumphant and victorious Church on earth. The Church shines among the nations and brings light to those living outside in darkness. The nations are drawn to it by the light which it casts. Isaiah 2:2 said that all nations would flow to the Church from the moment it was established. A brief glance through a concordance reveals that the language used here in this chapter to describe the Church was used in the Old Testament to describe the present Church age under the rule of Christ.