The Book of Revelations Chapter 21
Verses 1-4
(1) The idea of a new earth, with a new atmosphere and sky is a familiar theme in the Scriptures. Many of the prophets, both Old and New Testaments, spoke to this new heaven and new earth. Isaiah 65:17-19. Psalms 102:25-27. 2 Peter 3:12-13
New heaven . . . new earth: The ancient Greek word translated new here (kaine) means “new in character “This isn’t just the next heaven and the next earth; this is the better heaven and better earth replacing the old .
The new heaven here doesn’t mean the heaven where God is lives. The Bible uses the word heaven in three senses. The first heaven is the earth’s atmosphere. The second heaven is outer space. The third heaven is the place where God lives. When the Scriptures speak of a new heaven, they mean a new “blue sky” and a new “outer space,” not a new heaven where God lives.
“the sea was also gone”
To the Jewish mind, the sea was a place of evil. Already in the Book of Revelation it is shown to be where the beast will come from and in other places in the Bible the sea is associated with pagans Isaiah 57:20, and in general people who are against God Psalms 89:9. So this could be a symbolic image and means there will be no strife in heaven and not the literal sea.
(2) John uses the most striking, beautiful image he can think of. The most beautiful thing a man will ever see is his bride coming down the aisle, ready to meet him. John says that this is how beautiful the New Jerusalem will be.
Man has never known a community without sin. Adam and Eve only knew a sinless place without others, and cites came after the fall, we have something totally unique: a sinless community of righteousness which is a gift from God. This city of life and community is far from Hindu, Buddhist and many other Eastern religions conception of Nirvana, as they see eternal peace as nothingness.
(3) This simple verse shows the essence of God’s desire and man’s purpose. Simply, God’s desire is to live in fellowship with man, and man’s purpose is to be with God.
(4) There are books upon books explaining this passage, to help people how have lost a loved one, or family who are not saved. But just know that God will be with you and that alone will be enough to make you happy.
Verses 5-8
(5) This announcement is coming from the throne of God itself. This is one of the few times in Revelation where we clearly see God speaking directly from His throne. This statement is in the present tense, “I am making everything new.” This is the completion of God’s work of renewal and redemption, having begun with Jesus and continuing with us today. John is probably so astounded by these words that he forgot to write – and must be told to do so.
(6) Alpha & Omega are the first and last letters of Greek alphabet, and is just a way of saying that God is the beginning and the end.
Drinking and thirst are common pictures of God love and man’s spiritual need as drinking is an action, like faith, it means doing something.
An example is if you are thirsty you go take a glass go to the sink and pour out water raise the glass and have a drink, but no matter how well someone described how to take a drink it would never quench your thirst.
(7-8)All who will stand for Jesus will be made welcome. The cowardice that John speaks of is not natural fear but more a love of their own life over Jesus, and would have spoken to and still does today of those who are going through persecution.
Verses 9-17
(9-14) The wall is not needed for defence, because there are no more enemies. But the great and high wall gives the city perimeters and shows us that some will be excluded from the city.
Some have thought the arrangement of gates looks back to the camp layout used during the Exodus
The foundations are an eternal testimony to the apostles, and their permanent place in God’s plan. If it isn’t build on the foundation of the apostles, it’s isn’t the right place for God’s people.
(15-17) The New Jerusalem’s length, height and width are equal. This means that it is either a cube or a pyramid. The size of the New Jerusalem is enormous; 1,400 miles. This is nearly the same distance Glasgow to Rome, and the square footage would approximate the size of the Moon.
If every human from history is going to be there will we all fit in ?
Guessing that there will have been 100 billion people in the human race, and that 20% of them will be saved, calculates that each person would have a “block” with about 75 football pitches in length and height on each side to call their own.
Verses 18-20
(18-20) The 12 Gems used in Heaven
These are the 12 stones Amethyst, Jacinth, Chrysoprasus ,Topaz, Beryl, Chrysolite, Sardius, Sardonyx, Emerald ,Chalcedony, Sapphire Jasper which will be used as the material for the New Jerusalem and everyone of them is anistropic.
If you take a precious stone and you cut a very thin slice and shine pure light through it, one of two things will happen. It will lose all of its colour and look like a piece of coal or, it will change from its present colour, red, blue or green, into all the colours of the rainbow and the most fabulous patterns you have ever seen. The scientific term for those that lose everything is ‘isotropic’ and the opposite ‘anisotropic’ as they bring every colour out like a rainbow.
Verses 21-27
(21) St peter and the Pearly Gates, comes from a combination of this verse and Matthew 16:19 where Jesus says he had the keys to Heaven. But as we know now the gates will never be closed and are guarded by angels and not Peter, so he will be able to enjoy heaven with us and not be stuck as an eternal doorman.
(22) In the ancient world, it was unthinkable to have a great city without many different temples. It’s like saying today, “I saw a great city but I saw no shops in it”
This city is marked by the fact that there is no temple in it. This is because here, the temple is not removed, but expanded. Everything and every place is holy and the dwelling place of God.
(23) In the modernwesternworld we have lights everywhere and virtually nowhere is dark, but in ancient cites where candles and torches were used a city of pure light would be an amazing thing to think about.
(24) What about these kings of the earth? Who are they? This is difficult to understand, and different commentators have different suggestions.
- During the 1000 year millennium not all rulers will follow Satan at the end and these will be the kings of heaven.
- Heaven will be divided up as much will be given to those who do well and these will be kings in heaven.
(25-27) This has ledsometo think that there might be threats to the city itself from outsiders, but as all evil will be cast into the lake of fire its more just poetic Hebrew writing to say that only those with Christ can enter.