Revelation 21:1-27
John describes a new heaven and new earth, the holy city, New Jerusalem, with its dazzling beauty, God’s presence, and the blessings for those who inherit it.
- A New Heaven and a New Earth:
- John describes seeing a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
- He sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
- God’s Dwelling with Humanity:
- A loud voice from the throne announces that God’s dwelling is now among the people, and He will live with them.
- They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.
- God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
- God’s Proclamation:
- He who was seated on the throne declares, “I am making everything new!” and instructs John to write these words down for they are trustworthy and true.
- He announces that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty, He will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
- The Fate of the Unrighteous:
- Those who overcome will inherit all this, and God will be their God, and they will be His children.
- However, the cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, idolaters, and all liars will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
- Description of the New Jerusalem:
- An angel carries John away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high to show him the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
- The city shines with the glory of God, and its brilliance is like that of a very precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.
- It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Measurements and Foundations:
- The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
- The city is laid out like a square, as long as it is wide. He measures the city with the rod and finds it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
- The wall is 144 cubits thick, according to human measurements, which the angel was using.
- Materials and Purity:
- The wall is made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
- The foundations of the city walls are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The twelve gates are twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.
- The great street of the city is also made of pure gold, like transparent glass.
- Presence of God and the Lamb:
- There is no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
- The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Open Gates and Universal Kingship:
- The gates of the city will never be shut by day, and there will be no night there.
- The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
- Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:1-27 gives us a beautiful picture of the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no more pain, sadness, or death. This reminds us to live with hope, knowing that God has prepared something amazing for those who trust in Him. Even when life is hard, we can find peace in His promises. This passage also encourages us to stay close to God, follow His ways, and look forward to the day when we will be with Him forever in a place of perfect joy and love.
Revelation 21:1-27 (WEB)
21:1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6 He said to me, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12 having a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. 13 On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.15 He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. 16 The city is square. Its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire; the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 25 Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. 27 There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.