Revelation 21:1-8

Revelation 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.”

The New Heaven and New Earth are first introduced in Isaiah

The hearers get the negatives and future inhabitants the positives

The passing of the old Heaven and Earth?

A Chrysalis? Maybe?

The end of the scary and demonic sea.

Revelation 21:2 “I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”

What was the role of old Jerusalem? The place of God’s presence.

What was the fate of old Jerusalem? To be conquered.

New Jerusalem protected by the bride groom

Revelation 21:3 “Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.”

Fulfillment of a promise made to Israel through Moses

Exodus 19:5–6 “Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.””

They have moved from covenant failing to covenant keeping…how?

Jesus is the newer and better Moses.

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”

The effects of the curse are taken away.

Revelation 21:5 “Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.””

The end of the curse means a new reality.

Revelation 21:6 “Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.”

What is done? The victory of God. Across all time.

The Victory of God will mean that we return to a Greater Eden, the four rivers the “water of life.” Prefigured in Holy Baptism.

Revelation 21:7 “The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.”

Again fulfillment of Exodus 6:7 “I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the forced labor of the Egyptians.”

The Inheritor must conquer, must be faithful to team Jesus.

Revelation 21:8 “But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””

What do we make of this list? Have any of us successfully avoided this list?

We need Jesus, without him we will never conquer.