Now the good news continues. After the defeat of all corruption and evil, a new heaven and a new earth are described in Revelation 21.
Revelation 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.
Foretold by Isaiah (Isaiah 65:17), foreseen by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40-48), and alluded to by Jesus (Matthew 19:28), all things will be new. Whether this means brand new or renewed during a symbolic thousand years of peace, remains an open question.
New Jerusalem
Revelation 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.
Jerusalem above is symbolic of our mother, the church (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22-24). She is populated by the saints. A significant hill in Jerusalem is mount Zion and also symbolizes the church (Hebrews 12:22-24). The church is the Bride of Christ (Matthew 25:1-13; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:21-24; Revelation 19:7-8). This Bride is not dressed for a worldly fashion parade, but for her husband.
Revelation 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.
When we speak of going to heaven when we die, we often overlook the time when heaven and earth will be one and God will dwell with men.
Revelation 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.
We may ask questions about lost loved ones, children who died in infancy and people groups whose ancestors died without even knowing about Jesus. There is plenty of speculation, but one thing is sure, that if there will be no more tears, there will be no more reason for tears. Beyond speculation, we don’t know the answers, but we do know that God is a God of grace and mercy and His justice is righteous.
Revelation 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.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15).
Revelation 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.
The task of making all things new is finished and access to eternal life is still available to those who want it. One crucial task was done on the cross and that work is finished completely by this renewal. It is completed in the Lord’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension return and renewal of heaven and earth.
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Cheap grace without a life of overcoming is not a Christian life. The “double cure” of forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39) to make overcoming possible, is the Christian life.
Revelation 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 burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
This list of sins begins with fearfulness. Fear is the opposite of faith. The second death results after a resurrection and is the final destination of all sinners. Some take this as a literal death, and others take it as eternal suffering that is like a death. Either way, there is a bad and a good eternity. Let’s choose the good eternity.
Revelation 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.
This pure woman is the bride of Christ, and is a contrast to counterfeit religion, apostasy and heresy.
Revelation 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,
Zion is actually a small hill in historic Jerusalem, but the true church has the stature of a “great and high mountain” spiritually speaking. So many are redeemed in the church that they fill a whole city, new Jerusalem which will come down out of heaven.
Revelation 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;
The splendor or “kabowd” of God has been experienced before in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 40:35; 1 Kings 8:11).
Revelation 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:
New Jerusalem, the church, will have traffic in and out. The twelve gates signify the ancient stamp of physical Israel upon spiritual Israel, the church.
Revelation 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
As Israel camped in the wilderness, with three tribes on each point of the compass surrounding the tabernacle, so this echoes that arrangement.
Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
This echoes the description of the church “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-22 NKJV).
Revelation 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
This is similar to an ancient vision of a new city and a new temple (Ezekiel 40).
Revelation 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.
These symbolic measurements may picture perfection more than reality. The distance is 12,000 times the distance an ancient runner would run to win a race. We all run the Christian race to obtain our prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).
Revelation 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.
Though this may be the height of the wall, it could also be its thickness.
Revelation 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
The masonry of the wall was like a translucent stone or quartz, possibly red, brown or green.
Revelation 21:19-20 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; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
One can research the details and original meanings of each stone, or one can just grasp the general picture of a foundation far more beautiful than anything adorning the counterfeit religion of the whore of Babylon.
Revelation 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.
This reveals that our home in eternity will be fabulous.
Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Local churches from our world will be united and absorbed into the heavenly congregation. We who are united with God, are also part of that temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16)
Revelation 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.
A brightness that we cannot see while in this earthly body will be visible when in our heavenly body.
Revelation 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.
A precursor to this is found in the prophecy of Isaiah 60:3-14. There will still be kings and nations in eternity (Revelation 2:26-27).
Revelation 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
There will be no need for the shutting of gates, for the holy nations are welcome and there is perfect security. Eternally rejuvenated, there is no need for bodily rest, but eternal rest (Hebrews 3-4), in a different manner to our rhythm of daily physical rest on earth. There is peace and safety and no spiritual darkness, no heresy, calamity or distress.
Revelation 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
What greater gift can any nation among the redeemed offer but themselves to God!
Revelation 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.
Where only those made holy live, nothing unclean or unholy will be. Where only those who smell good to God will live, no immoral stench will exist. Where only truth exists, no falsehood can be found. David was inspired to write, “all men are liars.” (Psalm 116:11) Yet, with repentance, confession, and forgiveness is life forever in Jesus.
This present earth is filled with corruption of every kind, but there will be a new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem where peace and rest from all evil will last forever.
