Rev 21:2-10 | TNotes | STEP | 21:2 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 ) contrasts starkly with the vision of Babylon (or Rome) as the prostitute (Rev 17:4-5 ; 18:2-3 ; see study note on 21:9

21:2 ^a 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 ^b) contrasts starkly with the vision of Babylon (or Rome) as the prostitute (Rev 17:4-5 ^c; 18:2-3 ^d; see study note on 21:9–22:9).
21:3 ^e God’s home is now among his people! Old and New Testament expectations are fully and finally realized. Ever since humanity sinned (Gen 3 ^f), separation from God has been humanity’s greatest problem (Gen 3:23 ^g). 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 ^h; Exod 29:45-46 ⁱ; Pss 46:4-5 ^j; 95:7 ^k; Jer 7:23 ^l; 31:33 ^m; Ezek 34:14 ⁿ; 37:27 ^o; Zech 8:8 ^p; John 14:2-3 ^q; 17:24 ^r). In the new heaven and new earth, God’s people will finally experience ultimate and everlasting fellowship with God.
21:4 ^s no more death or sorrow or crying or pain: See Isa 25:8 ^t; 1 Cor 15:54 ^u. God’s people will know the creative wholeness and salvation that Christ brings (see 2 Cor 5:17 ^v; Gal 6:15 ^w).
21:6 ^x God restates Jesus’ final words from the cross, It is finished! (John 19:30 ^y; cp. Rev 16:17 ^z), 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 ^aa; cp. John 1:1-2 ^ab) and is also the End (see Rev 1:8 ^ac; 22:13 ^ad).

• Because Christ is supreme and in charge of all things (see Rom 9:5 ^ae; 1 Cor 15:28 ^af; Eph 1:22-23 ^ag; 4:5-6 ^ah), 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 ^ai; John 4:10 ^aj; 7:37-38 ^ak).
21:7 ^al 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 ^am; 2 Sam 7:14-16 ^an; Jer 31:33 ^ao; Ezek 34:24 ^ap).
21:8 ^aq 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 ^ar; Gal 5:19-21 ^as; 2 Tim 3:2-5 ^at; cp. Exod 20:13-17 ^au; 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 ^av; 1 Jn 2:4 ^aw; see Rev 14:5 ^ax; 21:27 ^ay; 22:15 ^az; cp. Matt 12:34 ^ba).
Summary for Rev 21:9: 21:9–22:9 ^bb This symbolic vision of the new Jerusalem uses vivid word pictures to describe the bride, the wife of the Lamb—all those who respond to Christ’s message of salvation (see 21:2 ^bc; 22:17 ^bd; Eph 5:22-32 ^be).
21:10 ^bf a great, high mountain: In Scripture, experiences with God frequently take place on the mountains (cp. Ezek 40:2 ^bg; see also Exod 3:1 ^bh; 19:10-25 ^bi; Deut 34:1-4 ^bj; 1 Kgs 18:20-40 ^bk; 19:8-18 ^bl; Matt 5:1 ^bm; 15:29 ^bn; 17:1 ^bo; 24:3 ^bp; 28:16 ^bq).

• the holy city ... descending out of heaven from God: God’s presence and eternal life cannot be reached by human effort but are received as a gift (Eph 2:8-9 ^br; cp. 2 Cor 5:1 ^bs).