A New Heaven, A New Earth, A New Jerusalem

1. The City of God from afar (21:1-8)

“From the smoke and pain and heat [of the preceding scenes] it is a relief to pass into the clear, clean atmosphere of the eternal morning where the breath of heaven is sweet and the vast city of God sparkles like a diamond in the radiance of his presence” (J.B. Moffatt, EGT, 5:477).

“God originally created the earth and heaven to be man’s permanent home. But sin and death entered the world and transformed the earth into a place of rebellion and alienation; it became enemy-occupied territory. But God has been working in salvation history to effect a total reversal of this evil consequence and to liberate earth and heaven from bondage to sin and corruption (Rom 8:21)” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:592).

John now sees a vision of heaven

a new heaven and a new earth

the first heaven and earth passed away

there is no longer any sea

John sees the holy city, the new Jerusalem, “coming down out of heaven from God”

the city has been made ready “as a bride adorned for her husband”

“Thus the Holy Jerusalem is not only mankind’s eternal home but the city where God will place his own name forever. God’s presence will blot out the things of the former creation. In a touching metaphor of motherly love, John says that God ‘will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ These tears have come from sin’s distortion of God’s purposes fro man. They are produced by death or mourning for the dead, by crying or pain. An enemy has done this to the old order. Now God has defeated the enemy and liberated his people and his creation” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:594).

John now hears “a loud voice from the throne” in heaven

the tabernacle of God is among men

He will dwell among them

they shall be His people and He will be their God / he will be among them

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes

there will no longer be any death

there will no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain

the first things have passed away

Jesus [who sits on the throne] now speaks to John

He is making all things new

He tells John to write these words down for they are “faithful and true”

Jesus says “It is done” / His works of redemption have been fully accomplished

Jesus gives eternal life “without cost” / free to us; costly to Him

Jesus gives these blessings to those who overcome as an inheritance; Father/Child relationship

Verse 8 gives a contrast with those who reject Christ and his gospel; the second death

“The names of God, ‘the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ emphasize his absolute control over the world as well as his creatorship of everything…Here salvation is beautifully depicted by the image of drinking at the spring of life. Twice in these last two chapters of Revelation, God offers an invitation to those who sense their need and are drawn toward him…Nothing is required except to come and drink…This is the essence of salvation—intimate, personal relationship with God himself, age upon age unending. For John this is really what the heavenly city is all about” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:594).

2. The City of God up close (21:9-22:5)

An angel carried John away to a high mountain to view the bride of Christ / the new Jerusalem

the holy city was coming down out of heaven from God / it displayed the glory of God

Verses 11-21 give a detailed description of the holy city

her “luminary” [brilliance] was like crystal clear jasper / a costly stone

it had a great high wall with 12 gates

each gate had an angel

each gate had a name written on it for one of 12 tribes of the sons of Israel

there 3 gates on each side: North, South, East & West

The wall of the city has 12 foundation stones

each foundation stone had a name of one of the 12 apostles of the Lamb

The angel had “a measure, a gold reed” to measure the city, its gates, and its wall

The city is laid out as a square with each side measuring 1500 miles

The wall of the city measured 72 yards

The wall was jasper and the city was pure gold

Each foundation stone was made of a different precious stone

The 12 gates were 12 pearls; each gate was a single pearl

The city street was pure gold, like “transparent glass”

John saw no temple in the city; “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple”

“As long as there is uncleanness in the world, there is need for a temple where God’s presence and truth are in contrast to the uncleanness. But in the new city no such symbol is needed any longer” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:597).

There was no need for the sun or the moon; the glory of God and of the Lamb gives light

The light of the Lamb gives light to the nations

The kings of the earth bring their glory into the light of the Lamb / into the light of the city

The gates of the city will never be closed / there is no security risk in the new Jerusalem

the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into the holy city

NOTHING UNCLEAN / NO ONE WHO PRACTICES ABOMINATION OR LYING WILL EVER ENTER

Only those whose names are found in the Lamb’s book of life are permitted to enter the city

“One thing is absolutely certain. Nothing impure will ever enter the city’s gates…No idolatrous person may enter. Only those can enter whose names are in the ‘Lamb’s book of life’ and who thus belong to him through redemption” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:598).

John see the river of the water of life which comes from the throne of God and of the Lamb

The river is clear as crystal and runs down the middle of the street

The tree of life is on either side of the river

It bears twelve crops of fruit, once each month

Its leaves are for the healing of the nations

The curse is gone

The throne of God and the Lamb is in the city

The bond-servants of Christ will serve Him; they will see His face; His name is on their foreheads

There is no more night; there is no more need for a lamp or the sun

The Lord God will light up the city and its inhabitants; they will reign forever and ever

“Here Paradise is regained…The tree of life spreads all along the great street of the city (v.2). What was once forfeited by our forebears in Eden and denied to their succeeding posterity is now fully restored…The image of abundant fruit and medicinal leaves should be understood as symbolic of the far-reaching effects of the death of Christ in the redeemed community, the Holy City. So powerful is the salvation of God that the effects of sin are completely overcome. The eternal life God gives the redeemed community will be perpetually available, will sustain, and will cure eternally every former sin” (Alan F. Johnson, EBC, 12:599).