CONTENTS John in Vision is led to see the New Jerusalem. He beholds Christ upon his Throne. A Description of the Holy City. The Lord's Presence, the everlasting Glory of the Place. None can enter into it, but they whose Names are in the Book of Life. read more
(1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Whether what is here said hath... read more
New, by their form and qualities, but not by their substance. --- The first heaven and first earth was passed away: being changed, not as to their substance, but in their qualities. (Challoner) read more
From the seventh verse of the foregoing chapter, begins as it were the third part of the Apocalypse containing the coming of antichrist, the great day of judgment, the punishment of the wicked, and the eternal happiness of God's elect in heaven, or in the celestial Jerusalem, which St. John describes in this chapter as if it were like a large city, beautified and enriched with gold and all manner of precious stones, &c. (Witham) Coming down from God out of heaven. By the city we must... read more
1-8 The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other; the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. The old world, with all its troubles and tumults, will have passed away. There will be no sea; this aptly represents freedom from conflicting passions, temptations, troubles, changes, and alarms; from whatever can divide or interrupt the communion of saints. This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, the church triumphant. Its... read more
Revelation 21 FROM THESE DREADFUL scenes John lifts his eyes to behold scenes of everlasting felicity in a new heaven and a new earth. In our present earth the sea is the great dividing element, and into its salt water flow the impurities created by man in his sinful state, and they are rendered harmless. It will not be needed in that blissful day when the impurities and the divisions are no more. The first eight verses of chapter 21 give us, then, the eternal state, which will succeed the... read more
The Seventh Vision: Of the Heavenly Jerusalem. The prelude: v. 1. And I saw anew heaven and anew earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. v. 2. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. v. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God... read more
SPECIAL DOCTRINO-ETHICAL AND HOMILETICAL NOTES (ADDENDUM)Section TwentiethThe New Heaven and the New Earth. The Kingdom of glory a. Heavenly World-picture of the Consummation. (Revelation 20:11 to Revelation 21:8)General.—We here refer to our detailed treatment of the subject in the Exeget. Notes (p. 358 sqq.).Special.—The end of the old world, the natal hour of the new world. This truth is (1) prefigured by life in nature (out of death, life); (2) grounded in the antithesis between the old and... read more
Revelation NO MORE SEA Rev_21:1 ‘I John,’ says the Apocalypse at its commencement, ‘was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the testimony of Jesus.’ In this, the one prophetic book of the New Testament, we find the same fact that meets us in the old prophecies, that the circumstances of the prophet colour, and become the medium for, the representation of the spiritual truths that he has to speak. All through the book we hear the dash of the waves. There was ‘a sea of fire mingled with... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:1-27
THE SEVEN NEW THINGS The seven “new things” are the new heaven, earth, peoples, city, temple, luminary, and paradise. The “introduction” in this case covers the first two, the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 20:1-8 ). Observe the sequence of events suggested by Revelation 20:1 : In the present time, we have the church, in the Millennium will be the kingdom, and after that the new world where God shall be all in all (see 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 ). Man’s soul is redeemed by... read more