Rev 21:1-8 | KingComments | STEP | . When all evil and all evil doers have got their everlasting unchangeable, terrible destiny, the attention of John is drawn to a completely new heaven and a completely new earth. “The first heaven and the first earth” have had their time, they have fled away ( ) and have been destroyed by burning ( ). In that way room has been made for “a new heaven and a new earth”. The great difference from the first earth is that the sea, which is still there in the kingdom of peace ( ; ; ) is no longer there in eternity. Also the turbulent, rebellious nations represented by the sea, and the wicked who are like the tossing sea ( ) are no longer there. There is an atmosphere of constant, complete rest. The true theocracy has come. God rules, or better said, governs, for here it is more about God Who dwells in rest, while there is nothing more to be restrained, there is nothing left that can rebel. Then righteousness dwells on earth ( ) and not merely rules as in the kingdom of peace. Everything corresponds inwardly and outwardly to God’s Being. The old creation is perishable ( ; ; ; ) and therefore transient. The new creation is completely new and of permanent, everlasting nature. The new is not a replacement through renewing and improving of the old, but the new heaven and the new earth have never been there earlier. The second is not only different from the first, but also better than the first. In the same way, is what God has wrought in the redemption different from and better than what man has lost as a consequence of sin. God has not only solved the problem of sin, but given something far more wonderful instead. With God the second always has preference over the first. You find often in Scripture that the second or later born is given preference over the firstborn. Just look, for example, at Abel being given preference over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Ephraim over Manasseh, David over his older brothers (cf. also ; ; ). . After the wonderful total picture of the new heaven and the new earth, John sees a city. This city is the center of the whole new scene. Also in the new order of matters where there is no longer sin, there is room for holiness. The city is “the holy city”. Holy means separated. Separation has not always to do with separation from evil. When God, for example, sanctifies the seventh day, it means that He has given this day a separate place compared to the other days ( ). In that way, this city occupies a distinct place in the whole new order. This city is the “new Jerusalem” which indicates the contrast with the old Jerusalem. It is a movable city. It comes “down out of heaven”, for heaven is the land where it belongs. It comes “from God”, for the beginning of the city is in God, in His counsel. The new Jerusalem comes down without coming to earth to form a link, as it were, between heaven and earth, to connect them. The city looks “as a bride adorned for her husband”. This description makes clear that this new Jerusalem is the church. After a thousand years she still has the same radiant beauty she had at her marriage ( ). The ravages of time have not affected her beauty at all. For all eternity, she will possess that beauty. The city is ‘holy’ and is compared with ‘a bride’. That means that God, Who is light – holiness has to do with God as light – and love, is seen in that city. Here the church is perfectly fit to be connected to Him because it perfectly corresponds to His Being. In this way she also completely meets His desires, she fits Him, is like Him ( ; ). This new Jerusalem must be distinguished from the heavenly Jerusalem ( ). With the heavenly Jerusalem is meant the dwelling place of all heavenly saints. The heavenly Jerusalem is the heavenly capital from where the kingdom of peace is ruled. It is the center of rule in which believers from the Old Testament and the New Testament have their place and task. The new Jerusalem consists of only those who are the church of the living God, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Also when there is mention of ‘the Jerusalem above’ ( ), it is something different than what is called here the ‘new Jerusalem’. The Jerusalem ‘above’ is not that much of a city with reigning characteristics, but rather indicates a sphere in which believers live. That sphere is a sphere of freedom that stands opposite to the law The Jerusalem above is therefore contrasted with the earthly Jerusalem, which represents the sphere of the law. . After John has seen these wonderful and extensive new things, he hears a loud voice. That voice comes with a declaration from the throne, the seat of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God has reached its final destination; it has achieved its purpose. The explanation says that God dwells among men. He does so in “the tabernacle”, which refers to the church, for that is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit ( ). There are more names used for God’s dwelling place, like a temple and a house. That particularly here it is spoken of “the tabernacle” as a dwelling place, refers to the mobility of the dwelling place, like the tabernacle during the journey in the wilderness of the people of Israel. It is also nice to consider that the word ‘tabernacle’ is also seen in what you read about the dwelling of the Lord Jesus among us. When you read “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” ( ), it literally says ‘the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us’, meaning ‘dwelt in a tent’. The tabernacle speaks about the way in which God dwells among His people. The tabernacle in the Old Testament is a picture of God’s dwelling place. The true dwelling place of God you see in the Lord Jesus and in the church. A remarkable thing is that it says that God will dwell “among men”. That it is a special joy for God to dwell with men, can be seen by the fact that it is mentioned three times in this one verse. All these men together are His people. There is no more mention of separate nations. Nations originated because of sin, but all consequences of sin have been removed. Therefore, there is no longer any difference between Israel and the nations. Israel will no longer occupy a privileged place. Israel had to do with God’s counsels from the foundation of the world ( ) and had an earthly and temporary existence. All earthly and temporary things will no longer be there. There are only people, believers from all times, without distinction. The only distinction that will remain concerns the new Jerusalem, the church, which exists from before the foundation of the world. The verse ends with an expression of special intimacy between God and His people. “God Himself”, without any intermediary, as, for example, Moses or Elijah or a high priest has been, “will be among them”. There is no longer anyone through whom God has a relationship with His people. He is the God of that one great people. And that one great people have and know no one but Him alone as their God. . When that wonderful situation has come, every memory of sorrow, which was inseparable from the first things, will be removed. The description of the glory of eternity is still best done for us by saying what is not there. We cannot yet grasp the glory of what is there (cf. ). But we can indeed understand that there will no longer be there what often makes our life on earth now so difficult and laborious and what makes us yearn for heaven. Therefore this description is in itself a great encouragement already. The five words that say what will no longer be there, now mark the whole world event and the whole world history since the fall of man into sin. In Revelation 7 it was already announced that God will wipe away every tear from the eyes, like a mother wipes away the tears from the face of her child ( ). He wipes away “every tear”, after which never another tear will well up. Everything that causes tears now will then be gone forever. Then every man will live in perfect harmony with God, perfectly in agreement with God and perfectly unanimous with every other man. When sin is no longer there, there is also no longer death, nor anything associated with death as pain and sorrow, of which tears are the expression. It will never come back, for “the first things have passed away” forever. Now read Revelation 21:1-4 again. Reflection: What make you most long for the new heaven and the new earth?

‏ Revelation of John 21:1-8

A New Heaven and a New Earth

Rev 21:1. When all evil and all evil doers have got their everlasting unchangeable, terrible destiny, the attention of John is drawn to a completely new heaven and a completely new earth. “The first heaven and the first earth” have had their time, they have fled away (Rev 20:11) and have been destroyed by burning (2Pet 3:7 ; 12). In that way room has been made for “a new heaven and a new earth”.

The great difference from the first earth is that the sea, which is still there in the kingdom of peace (Eze 47:20; Zep 2:6; Zec 9:10 ; Zec 14:8) is no longer there in eternity. Also the turbulent, rebellious nations represented by the sea, and the wicked who are like the tossing sea (Isa 57:20) are no longer there. There is an atmosphere of constant, complete rest. The true theocracy has come. God rules, or better said, governs, for here it is more about God Who dwells in rest, while there is nothing more to be restrained, there is nothing left that can rebel. Then righteousness dwells on earth (2Pet 3:13) and not merely rules as in the kingdom of peace. Everything corresponds inwardly and outwardly to God’s Being.

The old creation is perishable (Psa 102:26; Mt 24:35; 1Cor 7:31; 1Jn 2:17) and therefore transient. The new creation is completely new and of permanent, everlasting nature. The new is not a replacement through renewing and improving of the old, but the new heaven and the new earth have never been there earlier. The second is not only different from the first, but also better than the first. In the same way, is what God has wrought in the redemption different from and better than what man has lost as a consequence of sin. God has not only solved the problem of sin, but given something far more wonderful instead.

With God the second always has preference over the first. You find often in Scripture that the second or later born is given preference over the firstborn. Just look, for example, at Abel being given preference over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Ephraim over Manasseh, David over his older brothers (cf. also Job 42:12; 1Cor 15:47; Heb 8:6).

Rev 21:2. After the wonderful total picture of the new heaven and the new earth, John sees a city. This city is the center of the whole new scene. Also in the new order of matters where there is no longer sin, there is room for holiness. The city is “the holy city”. Holy means separated. Separation has not always to do with separation from evil. When God, for example, sanctifies the seventh day, it means that He has given this day a separate place compared to the other days (Gen 2:3). In that way, this city occupies a distinct place in the whole new order.

This city is the “new Jerusalem” which indicates the contrast with the old Jerusalem. It is a movable city. It comes “down out of heaven”, for heaven is the land where it belongs. It comes “from God”, for the beginning of the city is in God, in His counsel. The new Jerusalem comes down without coming to earth to form a link, as it were, between heaven and earth, to connect them.

The city looks “as a bride adorned for her husband”. This description makes clear that this new Jerusalem is the church. After a thousand years she still has the same radiant beauty she had at her marriage (Rev 19:7). The ravages of time have not affected her beauty at all. For all eternity, she will possess that beauty.

The city is ‘holy’ and is compared with ‘a bride’. That means that God, Who is light – holiness has to do with God as light – and love, is seen in that city. Here the church is perfectly fit to be connected to Him because it perfectly corresponds to His Being. In this way she also completely meets His desires, she fits Him, is like Him (Eph 5:31-32; 1Jn 3:3).

This new Jerusalem must be distinguished from the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22). With the heavenly Jerusalem is meant the dwelling place of all heavenly saints. The heavenly Jerusalem is the heavenly capital from where the kingdom of peace is ruled. It is the center of rule in which believers from the Old Testament and the New Testament have their place and task. The new Jerusalem consists of only those who are the church of the living God, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Also when there is mention of ‘the Jerusalem above’ (Gal 4:26), it is something different than what is called here the ‘new Jerusalem’. The Jerusalem ‘above’ is not that much of a city with reigning characteristics, but rather indicates a sphere in which believers live. That sphere is a sphere of freedom that stands opposite to the law The Jerusalem above is therefore contrasted with the earthly Jerusalem, which represents the sphere of the law.

Rev 21:3. After John has seen these wonderful and extensive new things, he hears a loud voice. That voice comes with a declaration from the throne, the seat of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God has reached its final destination; it has achieved its purpose. The explanation says that God dwells among men. He does so in “the tabernacle”, which refers to the church, for that is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:22).

There are more names used for God’s dwelling place, like a temple and a house. That particularly here it is spoken of “the tabernacle” as a dwelling place, refers to the mobility of the dwelling place, like the tabernacle during the journey in the wilderness of the people of Israel.

It is also nice to consider that the word ‘tabernacle’ is also seen in what you read about the dwelling of the Lord Jesus among us. When you read “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14), it literally says ‘the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us’, meaning ‘dwelt in a tent’.

The tabernacle speaks about the way in which God dwells among His people. The tabernacle in the Old Testament is a picture of God’s dwelling place. The true dwelling place of God you see in the Lord Jesus and in the church.

A remarkable thing is that it says that God will dwell “among men”. That it is a special joy for God to dwell with men, can be seen by the fact that it is mentioned three times in this one verse. All these men together are His people. There is no more mention of separate nations. Nations originated because of sin, but all consequences of sin have been removed. Therefore, there is no longer any difference between Israel and the nations. Israel will no longer occupy a privileged place.

Israel had to do with God’s counsels from the foundation of the world (Mt 13:35 ; Mt 25:34) and had an earthly and temporary existence. All earthly and temporary things will no longer be there. There are only people, believers from all times, without distinction. The only distinction that will remain concerns the new Jerusalem, the church, which exists from before the foundation of the world.

The verse ends with an expression of special intimacy between God and His people. “God Himself”, without any intermediary, as, for example, Moses or Elijah or a high priest has been, “will be among them”. There is no longer anyone through whom God has a relationship with His people. He is the God of that one great people. And that one great people have and know no one but Him alone as their God.

Rev 21:4. When that wonderful situation has come, every memory of sorrow, which was inseparable from the first things, will be removed. The description of the glory of eternity is still best done for us by saying what is not there. We cannot yet grasp the glory of what is there (cf. 2Cor 12:4). But we can indeed understand that there will no longer be there what often makes our life on earth now so difficult and laborious and what makes us yearn for heaven. Therefore this description is in itself a great encouragement already. The five words that say what will no longer be there, now mark the whole world event and the whole world history since the fall of man into sin.

In Revelation 7 it was already announced that God will wipe away every tear from the eyes, like a mother wipes away the tears from the face of her child (Rev 7:17). He wipes away “every tear”, after which never another tear will well up. Everything that causes tears now will then be gone forever. Then every man will live in perfect harmony with God, perfectly in agreement with God and perfectly unanimous with every other man. When sin is no longer there, there is also no longer death, nor anything associated with death as pain and sorrow, of which tears are the expression. It will never come back, for “the first things have passed away” forever.

Now read Revelation 21:1-4 again.

Reflection: What make you most long for the new heaven and the new earth?

All Things New

Rev 21:5. Now speaks “He who sat on the throne”. Sitting on the throne means that He has all power and governs all things according to His will and thus comes to His purpose. We cannot imagine how what is new will look like. You can compare that with a grain of wheat. If you look at it you cannot imagine that an ear of wheat will grow out of it. Or when you look at a caterpillar, you cannot imagine that a butterfly will come out of it. Paul uses a number of pictures to make clear the difference between earthly and heavenly things (1Cor 15:35-49), but our comprehension is too small to imagine all of it. However, we do know that all sad things are gone and “all things” will be new.

It is not new in contrast to old, but new in the sense of something that has never existed, for nothing and no one will ever grow old in the new creation. Everything for which man has ever made efforts will then be established by God. Man is not able to make an end to death and things that are connected to it, because sin dwells in him. To man that situation remains an idle dream, but for faith it is the great reality.

After this wonderful promise that He will make all things new, John is commanded for the third time to write (Rev 14:13 ; Rev 19:9). By writing it down, it is fixed (Isa 30:8). When we sometimes forget these things, we can read it again. To remove any uncertainty, it is added as a confirmation that these words are “faithful and true”.

Rev 21:6. Then as a mighty conclusion the exclamation sounds: “It is done!” At that moment, all things have become new. Then the full result is seen of the work of Him Who once cried: “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30). The rest, the peace and the harmony founded on that work will be enjoyed without interruption all eternity by God and those with whom He dwells.

He Who has said it, is the eternal God, “the Alpha and the Omega”. He fulfills from A to Z – “Alpha” is the first letter and “Omega” the last letter of the Greek alphabet – what He has said. It means that He will fulfill His Word down to the smallest letter. He is also “the beginning and the end”, that is, He is at the beginning of all things, and at the end of all things He is still there. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. All things are held in connection with Him from eternity to eternity. There is eternity, because He is the Eternal.

At this breathtaking moment, where time and everything attached to it, has disappeared, an invitation, as it were, spontaneously goes out to everyone who does not partake of it yet. If there are readers to whom this applies, it cannot be otherwise but a desire arises to partake of it. It is possible! If there is a thirst for the living God (Psa 42:2), He will quench that thirst, just as the thirst of the Samaritan woman was quenched by the Lord Jesus (Jn 4:14).

Rev 21:7. Besides thirst, there is also a fight needed to partake of that glory. For there is opposition in the form of persons or teachings that stand in the way of gaining that glory. But there are powerful weapons available that secure the victory. The inheritance of these things is given to those who have overcome the world through the faith (1Jn 5:4). They have overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11). They overwhelmingly conquer through Him Who loved them (Rom 8:37).

The overcomers will be faithful to the end, until the wonderful inheritance can be taken into possession. Then the new creation will be experienced in the closest connection with God and to the joy of God. This is the only place in the writings of John where there is mention of our position as sons. It is also a personal relationship. Each person will have his own relationship with God and God with him. He will not disappear in the crowd of people with whom God dwells (Rev 21:3).

Rev 21:8. After the extensive, but at the same time very limited description of the glory that is the part of the believers, the part of the unbelievers follows. The contrast is enormous and will never be undone. It will exist forever and ever. This is the part of those who are no overcomers and who haven’t thirsted for God.

The first category of people of whom is said what their part is, are “the cowardly”. The cowardly have never dared to confess the Lord Jesus. They stand on the side of the enemies and will perish with them. Also the other categories will not inherit God’s kingdom (1Cor 6:10).

There is mention of “their part”. That excludes the destruction of the soul. It also excludes the possibility for them to obtain the blessing after a course of time. The teaching of the universal atonement is a serious attack on the authority of God’s Word and damages the gravity and perfection of the work of Christ. The substitutional suffering of Christ would not be necessary if all people will ultimately receive part of the eternal glory. But all who have no part in the work of Christ because they have rejected it, will be in the second death. The result is that they will be definitely cut off of all life, of which they will never partake.

Rev 21:9. With Rev 21:8 a chronological section has been completed which has ended in eternity. What comes after that cannot be a sequel to it, for after the eternal state there is not something else. Therefore from Rev 21:9 we are taken back to the time immediately preceding the eternal state, the kingdom of peace. A description follows of the glory of the church as the heavenly city, which is as the place from which Christ’s reign over the earth takes place.

Rev 21:9 starts with nearly the same words you also have read in Revelation 17 (Rev 17:1). Here it also starts, as in Revelation 17:1, with “one of the angels who had the seven bowls”, though it is added here that they were “full of the seven last plagues”. The full bowls are shown here to make clear that the city could only come after the judgments of God have been executed over the earth. Furthermore you see that in both sections the description follows of a woman and a city. If you compare both sections with one another, you see a relationship with both a great difference between what you now already have learnt about Babylon and what you will see of the new Jerusalem.

The church is presented here as “bride” and as “wife”. Probably ‘bride’ refers to her glory toward the world and ‘wife’ refers to the intimate relationship toward the Lamb, the Bridegroom. ‘Bride’ can also refer to the first love for that one particular Man Whom she loves above all things and ‘wife’ may refer to the fulfilled desire of the love and its continuance. Both aspects remain forever applicable.

Rev 21:10. In Revelation 17 John is led into the wilderness (Rev 17:3). Here he finds himself in an exalted position. He may see the bride, the wife of the Lamb from the mountain. But what does he see? He sees a city. That means that the woman who is the church, also has the characteristic of a city. The city is shown to John as God has always seen it from eternity. In that way Moses was also allowed to see the promised land from a mountain (Deu 34:1) and Ezekiel saw the future earthly Jerusalem and the new temple from a high mountain (Eze 40:2).

John’s position is far higher than that of both of them, for he is allowed to see the new heavenly Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from God. As the city in eternity comes down from God (Rev 21:2), so it also comes down in the kingdom of peace.

The church is the dwelling place of God, from which blessing goes to the earth, both in the kingdom of peace and in eternity. Here it is also “the holy city”, the city that God has set apart for Himself to be His city, His dwelling place. It is the city with the name “Jerusalem”, which means ‘foundation of peace’. In and through the church the name of the city will fulfill its meaning. The city is both the dwelling place of God and the place where His throne is. Therefore the city is also the center from which He rules and governs for the blessing of the people.

The last time a city is mentioned in connection with the earth is Babylon. The first city mentioned in connection with the earth is the city that Cain builds (Gen 4:17). Cities on earth are not built to the honor of God. The city that God builds is heavenly in origin and spreads the honor of God and Christ.

Now read Revelation 21:5-10 again.

Reflection: What does it do to you when you think of the future of the unbelievers?