Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV) Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
V1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea.” The Greek word for “passed away” is (G565) ἀπέρχομαι apérchomai, which means “to go away” and here the idea of discontinue (BDAG) “to discontinue as a condition or state.” The first creation, which was in holiness, became corrupted by sin. God consequentially cursed it as a punishment. So the old cannot be repaired but must be recreated. Fire (2 Peter 3:7-10) is God’s method of punishment to destroy it. Then, He will recreate the new heavens and new earth. There are different opinions about “no more sea.” The sea would be understood as the Mediterranean Sea, but others all oceans. In my opinion, there will still be lakes and rivers, but no large bodies of water like the oceans, etc. The first creation had rivers (Genesis 2:10-14), and it is recorded by that a river comes out of the throne of God (Ezekiel 47). Even though the latter appears to refer to the Millennium. It seems that that river will always flow similar to Revelation 22:1-2.
V2 “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” This is the eternal city for His people who believed during the Church Age. The city was beautiful to behold and, as any grand opening, was decorated in splendor, which is why John described it this way. This is the city promised in John 14:1-3. The New Jerusalem is not the earthly city but the heavenly city.
Others believe that all the redeemed from Adam and Eve to the end will live there. Keathley quotes Ryrie: “Perhaps the best way to understand this entire section is to regard the new Jerusalem as the abode of the redeemed of all ages. Conditions within the new Jerusalem are conditions of eternity. Of course, the redeemed will be inhabiting the city during the Millennium as well as during eternity. Always, the conditions within the city are eternal, even when the city is related to the Millennium. This is no different from the present, for loved ones in heaven are enjoying eternal conditions as is God, even though these eternal conditions impinge on time (as, for instance, on the Mount of Transfiguration or this entire vision given to John in the Revelation). In other words, the new Jerusalem is the abode of the redeemed during the Millennium and during eternity. [Note: Charles C. Ryrie, Revelation, Moody Press: Chicago, 1968, p. 118-119.]”
Keathley adds: “The figure of the bride simply emphasizes the following: (a) as marriage is designed to be permanent, so this will be our permanent or eternal abode, (b) as a bride is beautifully adorned for her wedding, so this stresses the beauty of this city as it is adorned for the saints, and (c) as the bride is to be pure, it portrays the purity of the holy city.”
V3 “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” God lived in the earthly tabernacle among the nation of Israel (Exodus 25:8). In the New Heavens and Earth, He will again live with His people.
V4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Note the personal compassion and care for each of His people. He is the God of Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3 and Isaiah 61:2). Compare John 14:16, 26, John 15:26, and John 16:7. Tears, death, sorrow, crying, etc., will be no longer in existence.
V5 “Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Two precious promises: 1) “All things new,” 2) “these words are true and faithful.” Compare 2 Corinthians 1:20. This “new” began with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Also included is the new birth (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 11:19, and John 3:16). Compare Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22-23, 2 Corinthians 3:6, and Hebrews 8:8-13.
Comments:
Revelation 21:5 (Holman Commentary) “An equally solemn affirmation follows, applying especially to the words just spoken. They are trustworthy and true words because they issue from the one whose name is “Faithful and True” (19:11; the vocabulary is identical in the original).”
Constable: “Evidently, an angel then instructed John to write down what God had said because His words were faithful and true, not incredible (cf. Rev 22:6). [Note: Alford, 4:737; Lee, 4:818.] Possibly, it was God Himself who uttered this second statement. [Note: Swete, p. 279.] If so, this is probably the first time in the book that God the Father spoke. Perhaps the vision so enthralled John that he stopped recording it.”
We learn:
- God keeps His promises.
- God has blessings for obedience.
Questions:
- Why does God have to destroy the old creation and create a new one?
- Why is it important to understand that God’s words are faithful and true?