Revelation 21:1-8

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more – or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.” And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!” Then he said to me, “Write it down, because these words are reliable and true.” He also said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.””

— ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭8‬‬ 

Again, “then I saw” is sequence of vision, not necessarily chronology, but in this case, (once we reach the end of book), it’s more logical these things are more toward end.

New heaven and new earth: Different ways of looking at this, whether the first ones are destroyed (support would be 2 Peter 3) or simply renewed. The point is that creation is redeemed, restored, remade, however we want to describe it. God’s plan of redemption is not limited to humans. If you like Paul more, see Rom 8.

No sea: I don’t want to disagree with John, but I don’t think he’s saying there’s no more water in “heaven” or the eternal state. The sea was one of those places of absolute fear, where chaos and sea creatures lives. Storms. Death. So for there to be “no sea” = perfect peace and lack of worry over these things. It’s a beautiful picture.

Holy city/New Jerusalem. More description later in chapter, so see that section. John uses mixed metaphors to describe it, and so the symbol is a city, but the referent is probably an entity—the bride. All the descriptions later in the chapter are about her purity, having been brought through trial/tribulation/persecution. 

Residence of God is among humans. Focus is on God living with His people. This has been the goal since the beginning. He’s always been with them in some way, but to finally live with them in the fullest sense will the fulfillment of all His intentions and purpose. This is more than being inside the people of God/the temple, which is coming down from “heaven,” but that may be what’s allowing John to picture this. 

V. 4 is obviously one of our favorites. No more pain, suffering, tears. God with us forever. Simply the best. All those things belong to the former age. But the new has come in its fullest sense. Right now, the new has broken into the old age, but when the old age completely fades, we will simply inhabit a new age/world. 

Alpha and Omega. Repeat of vision of Jesus from the beginning. Not only shows His power and sovereignty, but here it identifies Jesus with God. 

Whoever is thirsty—see John 7:37-39. Jesus offers living water. Free of charge. Ch 22 will have the river of life flowing down the middle of the city. 

One who conquers is repeat from all the letters in Ch 2-3. How do we conquer? That’s what the book has been about. Endurance. Holding to faith. Suffering in the middle of tribulation. We win by losing. Just like the lamb who was slain. We conquer by uniting with His victory. And in the end we gain life.

Those who do not unite with Him, i.e., this vice list, characterizes those of Babylon. We saw this in ch 17-18. They do not enter the city. They do not gain life. The whole book has been dividing between the two cosmic teams. Only one wins.