The New Heaven And New Earth Series

Tom Lowe

12/29/17

Book of Revelation Commentary

Lesson: V.D.1: The New Heaven and New Earth, God Dwelling with His People in the New Jerusalem Coming Down Out of Heaven (21:1-8)

Dear reader, please know that I didn’t intend to be so wordy [long-winded]; but I found this passage so interesting and having such a wonderful message that I just had to share it all with you. I hope you will agree!

Scripture (Rev. 21:1-8, KJV)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

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.

Commentary

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.

AND I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. In John’s vision, he saw a heaven and earth that might appropriately be called new, having such transformations and such changes in their appearance that they seemed to be just created. He does not say that they were created now, or that the old heavens and earth were obliterated; but all he says is that there were such changes that they seemed to be new. If the earth is to be renovated by fire, such a renovation will give the world the appearance of being newly created; and such changes to the world might be accompanied with an apparent change in the heavens, so that it too might be said to be new.

The description given here relates to scenes after the general resurrection and the judgment ?for those events are described at the close of the previous chapter. 2 Peter 3:13 reveals that the ancient Jews anticipated A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH: “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” The ancient Jews believed that God would renew the heavens and the earth at the end of seven thousand years. They founded this supposition on Isaiah 65:17: “Take notice! I'm about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things won't be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” This prophecy began to have its accomplishment in the early days of the Gospel, when through the preaching of it a new face appeared on things in Judea, and in the Gentile world, so that the whole world looked like a new world.

FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WERE PASSED AWAY ?John's vision is of a new heaven and a new earth, reminding him that THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH HAD PASSED AWAY. John had seen THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH “pass away” just five verses earlier: “Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them” (20:11).

FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WERE PASSED AWAY ?they had passed away by being changed, and a renovated universe had taken their place. [See the notes on the first clause.] John's point is that the “earth and sky” that disappeared (20:11) are now replaced with “a new sky” and “a new earth;” in other words, a new world—a whole new human environment. All is now light. For all things are new and full of righteousness and purity. This is the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13), where former things will not be remembered or come to mind (Isaiah 65:17).