Rev 21:1-8 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 21:1-22:9: 21:1–22:9 The final scenes of the new heaven and earth are striking pictures of a new community and home for God’s people that is fashioned and given by God. These scenes help to lift the spirits of persecuted Christians. John lays out his basic vision (21:1-8 ) and follows it with two expansions: (1) In 21:9-27 , he presents the new Jerusalem as the site of holy perfection; (2) in 22:1-5 , he describes the new Jerusalem as the ultimate Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve could have experienced had they not sinned. 21:1 The vision involves God’s creation of the new heaven and earth (cp. Gen 1:1 with Isa 65:17 ; 66:22 ). The old creation has disappeared —it was subject to decay (see Rom 8:20-21 ; 2 Pet 3:7 , 10 ). • the sea was also gone: The sea was associated with chaos or the abyss (see study note on Rev 9:1-12) and was sometimes portrayed as a roaring monster (see Pss 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.

Summary for Rev 21:1-22:9: 21:1–22:9 ^a The final scenes of the new heaven and earth are striking pictures of a new community and home for God’s people that is fashioned and given by God. These scenes help to lift the spirits of persecuted Christians. John lays out his basic vision (21:1-8 ^b) and follows it with two expansions: (1) In 21:9-27 ^c, he presents the new Jerusalem as the site of holy perfection; (2) in 22:1-5 ^d, he describes the new Jerusalem as the ultimate Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve could have experienced had they not sinned. 21:1 ^e The vision involves God’s creation of the new heaven and earth (cp. Gen 1:1 ^f with Isa 65:17 ^g; 66:22 ^h). The old creation has disappeared—it was subject to decay (see Rom 8:20-21 ⁱ; 2 Pet 3:7 ^j, 10 ^k).

• the sea was also gone: The sea was associated with chaos or the abyss (see study note on Rev 9:1-12) and was sometimes portrayed as a roaring monster (see Pss 46:3 ^l; 74:14 ^m; see also Job 3:8 ⁿ; 41:1-34 ^o; Luke 21:25 ^p). The new creation will be free from all such evil.
21:2 ^q coming down from God: The new creation is a gift from God. In the beginning, God created everything good, and in the end, God will create a new, unbroken world.

• This picture of Jerusalem as a beautiful bride (see Isa 61:10 ^r) contrasts starkly with the vision of Babylon (or Rome) as the prostitute (Rev 17:4-5 ^s; 18:2-3 ^t; see study note on 21:9–22:9).
21:3 ^u God’s home is now among his people! Old and New Testament expectations are fully and finally realized. Ever since humanity sinned (Gen 3 ^v), separation from God has been humanity’s greatest problem (Gen 3:23 ^w). God has repeatedly called his people to himself through the prophets, through Jesus his Son, and through the presence of the Spirit (see Gen 17:8 ^x; Exod 29:45-46 ^y; Pss 46:4-5 ^z; 95:7 ^aa; Jer 7:23 ^ab; 31:33 ^ac; Ezek 34:14 ^ad; 37:27 ^ae; Zech 8:8 ^af; John 14:2-3 ^ag; 17:24 ^ah). In the new heaven and new earth, God’s people will finally experience ultimate and everlasting fellowship with God.
21:4 ^ai no more death or sorrow or crying or pain: See Isa 25:8 ^aj; 1 Cor 15:54 ^ak. God’s people will know the creative wholeness and salvation that Christ brings (see 2 Cor 5:17 ^al; Gal 6:15 ^am).
21:6 ^an God restates Jesus’ final words from the cross, It is finished! (John 19:30 ^ao; cp. Rev 16:17 ^ap), connecting Christ’s death with the assurance of eternal life.

• I am the Alpha and the Omega: With the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, John portrays God as encompassing total reality and total truth. God was from the Beginning (see Gen 1:1 ^aq; cp. John 1:1-2 ^ar) and is also the End (see Rev 1:8 ^as; 22:13 ^at).

• Because Christ is supreme and in charge of all things (see Rom 9:5 ^au; 1 Cor 15:28 ^av; Eph 1:22-23 ^aw; 4:5-6 ^ax), he dispenses the water of life to all who are thirsty for it (see study note on Rev 7:16-17; see also Isa 55:1 ^ay; John 4:10 ^az; 7:37-38 ^ba).
21:7 ^bb All who are victorious: God’s children who persevere in life will inherit his blessings. Adoption is a covenant relationship; the language of adoption certifies their privileges and responsibilities (cp. Gen 17:8 ^bc; 2 Sam 7:14-16 ^bd; Jer 31:33 ^be; Ezek 34:24 ^bf).
21:8 ^bg This vice list summarizes sins described throughout Revelation. These sins characterize people who have not experienced adoption by God; their fate is the fiery lake (see Rom 1:29-32 ^bh; Gal 5:19-21 ^bi; 2 Tim 3:2-5 ^bj; cp. Exod 20:13-17 ^bk; see also study note on Rev 20:10).

• all liars: John apparently viewed deception as the root of sin; elsewhere he describes Satan as the “father of lies” (John 8:44 ^bl; 1 Jn 2:4 ^bm; see Rev 14:5 ^bn; 21:27 ^bo; 22:15 ^bp; cp. Matt 12:34 ^bq).