Study notes
The vision describes God's creation of a new heaven and earth (compare Genesis 1:1 with Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). The old creation has vanished because it was subject to decay (see Romans 8:20–21; 2 Peter 3:7, 10).
the sea was no more: The sea symbolized chaos or the abyss (see study note on Revelation 9:1–12) and was sometimes depicted as a roaring monster (see Psalms 46:3; 74:14; see also Job 3:8; 41:1–34; Luke 21:25). The new creation will be free from all such evil.
The final scenes of the new heaven and earth show a new community and home for God's people, created and given by God. These scenes uplift persecuted Christians. John shares his main vision (Revelation 21:1–8) and expands on it in two parts:
In Revelation 21:9–27, he describes the new Jerusalem as a place of holy perfection;
in Revelation 22:1–5, he portrays the new Jerusalem as the ultimate garden of Eden, which Adam and Eve could have experienced if they had not sinned.
In the vision, John saw things that Isaiah and other writers in the Bible had talked about. He saw God make heaven and earth new. The world was no longer the way it had been before. There was no sadness, pain or death. This was because God had destroyed sin, death and all evil.
God lived fully with people in what John called the Holy City. John also called it the new Jerusalem. John had seen it come down from heaven. This showed that heaven and earth were made one.
God the Father was the one sitting on the throne. He spoke to John. This hadn’t happened before in the visions. It showed that John could boldly approach God’s throne. The writer of Hebrews had talked about this in Hebrews 4:16. God’s words and promises to his people were tender. His children were safe from all those who had caused harm by their evil deeds.
coming down … from God: The new creation is a gift from God. At first, God created everything good. In the end, God will create a new, perfect world.
This image of Jerusalem as a beautiful bride (see Isaiah 61:10) contrasts sharply with the vision of Babylon (or Rome) as the prostitute (Revelation 17:4–5; 18:2–3; see study note on Revelation 21:9–22:9).
The dwelling place of God is with man: The hopes of the Old and New Testaments are fully realized. Since humanity sinned (Genesis 3), separation from God has been humanity's biggest problem (Genesis 3:23). God has called his people to him through the prophets, Jesus his Son, and the Spirit's presence (see Genesis 17:8; Exodus 29:45–46; Psalms 46:4–5; 95:7; Jeremiah 7:23; 31:33; Ezekiel 34:14; 37:27; Zechariah 8:8; John 14:2–3; 17:24). In the new heaven and earth, God's people will finally enjoy ultimate and everlasting fellowship with God.
no more death or mourning or crying or pain: See Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:54. God's people will experience the complete healing and salvation that Christ brings (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15).
God repeats Jesus’s final words from the cross, It is done! (John 19:30; see also Revelation 16:17), linking Christ’s death to the promise of eternal life.
I am the Alpha and the Omega: Using the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, John shows God as the source of all reality and truth. God existed from the Beginning (see Genesis 1:1; see also John 1:1–2) and is also the End (see Revelation 1:8; 22:13).
Since Christ is supreme and controls everything (see Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:5–6), he provides the water of life to all who seek it (see study note on Revelation 7:16–17; see also Isaiah 55:1; John 4:10; 7:37–38).
The one who overcomes: God's children who persevere in life will receive his blessings. Adoption is a covenant relationship. The language of adoption confirms their privileges and responsibilities (compare Genesis 17:8; 2 Samuel 7:14–16; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 34:24).
This list summarizes sins described in Revelation. These sins mark those not adopted by God; their fate is the fiery lake (see Romans 1:29–32; Galatians 5:19–21; 2 Timothy 3:2–5; compare Exodus 20:13–17; see also study note on Revelation 20:10).
all liars: John saw deception as the root of sin; he describes Satan as the father of lies elsewhere (John 8:44; 1 John 2:4; see Revelation 14:5; 21:27; 22:15; compare Matthew 12:34).
This symbolic vision of the new Jerusalem uses vivid imagery to describe the bride, the wife of the Lamb. It represents all who accept Christ's message of salvation (see Revelation 21:2; 22:17; Ephesians 5:22–32).
The fourth vision that John wrote about occurred on a huge and high mountain. The vision was of the Holy City of the new heaven and the new earth.
John called this city by several names. He called it Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem. He called it the bride and wife of the Lamb.
This was the city that the writer of Hebrews talked about in Hebrews 11:10 and 16. God had prepared it for those who had faith in him. It was the opposite of the city of Babylon that God had destroyed.
The Holy City was full of God’s glory. John saw this glory through the way the city shone with valuable jewels and gold.
The city was as long as it was high and wide. It had the same shape as the Most Holy Room of the temple. This was a sign of how people could now fully live together with God.
a mountain great and high: In Scripture, people often experience God on mountains (compare Ezekiel 40:2; see also Exodus 3:1; 19:10–25; Deuteronomy 34:1–4; 1 Kings 18:20–40; 19:8–18; Matthew 5:1; 15:29; 17:1; 24:3; 28:16).
the holy city … coming down out of heaven from God: People cannot reach God's presence and eternal life by their own efforts. They receive it as a gift (Ephesians 2:8–9; compare 2 Corinthians 5:1).
Like God's true people, the city's glory reflects God's glory (compare Exodus 34:29–35; 2 Corinthians 3:7–11).
On earth, jasper is not transparent. But in heaven, the jasper is clear like crystal. Its perfect transparency shows God’s purity and integrity (see also Revelation 4:3; 21:11, 18).
In this vision, the twelve tribes of Israel symbolize God's redeemed people (see Revelation 7:4–8; see also Romans 9:6–7). The twelve apostles of the Lamb form the foundation for this community of God's redeemed. Through Jesus, God has fully fulfilled his promise to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham (Genesis 12:3).
measure the city: Measuring sets accepted boundaries. This contrasts with the unmeasured section of the temple (see Revelation 11:2 and Ezekiel 40:3–42:20).
The city is a perfect cube. Each side measures 2253 kilometers (Greek 12,000 stadia). The number 12,000 symbolically represents the people of God (see “Symbolic Numbers” Theme Note).
In the ancient world, walls were important for a city's defense, boundaries, and status. These walls, 65.8 meters thick (Greek 144 cubits), show the strength of God's redeemed people. The measurement of 144 cubits uses a multiple of 12 to symbolize God's people. A cubit was the length of a man's forearm, typically about 45.8 centimeters.
The wall is made of jasper (see study note on Revelation 21:11; compare Revelation 4:3). The city is crafted from gold, which is not opaque like earthly gold. Instead, like God's transformed people, the heavenly gold is clear and pure.
The twelve precious stones on the city's wall foundation remind us of the twelve stones on the high priest's breastplate. These stones represented God's people (see Exodus 28:17–20).
In heaven, common building materials are the things we consider precious and luxurious on earth.
I saw no temple: This seems to conflict with earlier visions (Revelation 11:19; 14:15–17). However, each vision in Revelation symbolically represents God's presence. There is no need for a temple in heaven because God is with his people.
In the vision, nothing separated God and the Lamb from God’s people anymore. There was no need for a temple because the entire city was holy.
The purpose of the city’s gates wasn’t to protect the city against attacks. The gates welcomed the kings and nations who came to worship God and the Lamb.
The river John saw was like the river Ezekiel had seen. Ezekiel’s vision was recorded in Ezekiel 47:1–12. The river was the water of life. That is another name for living water. God had offered this water in Revelation 21:6. He would give it for free to anyone who asked for it.
The tree of life grew on both sides of the river. This showed that the city was also a new Garden of Eden. All nations could always eat from the tree of life’s fruit. Eating it brought healing.
The curse was no more. This was the curse talked about in Genesis chapter 3. It was the way that all of creation suffered after human beings sinned. In the new creation, human beings served God and were rulers together with him.
The city's vitality, energy, and life come from the glory of God and the Lamb, not from institutions or physical sources of power and light. The sun and moon were part of the first creation (Genesis 1:14–19; see Isaiah 60:19–20).
The Lamb is its lamp: Jesus is the light of the world (see John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35–36).
the nations: God’s promise to Abraham comes true (Genesis 12:3; see Isaiah 2:3).
In Revelation, the kings of the world often represent God’s enemies (Revelation 6:15; 17:18; 18:3, 9). Now that these enemies are destroyed (Revelation 16:9, 11; 19:1–2, 19–21), the image is of God’s glory shown in those who have repented (Revelation 14:6–7; compare 11:13) and walk with God (5:9; 15:4).
The gates that are never closed contrast with ancient times when closed gates protected cities from enemies, especially at night. The people experience peace and security under God’s rule (see Isaiah 60:11). God’s enemies are gone, and fear and failure have ended (see Zechariah 14:7; John 11:8–10; 12:35–36).
unclean: Spiritual impurity is a key concern in Revelation (see Revelation 21:8). Here, evil includes idolatry and dishonesty (see Revelation 14:5; 21:8; 22:15). Those not listed in the Book of Life cannot enter the city of God. Only those with names in the Book of Life, the pure of heart (Matthew 5:8), will see God.
Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources