Revelation 21:1-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 21:1-8

We have here a more general account of the happiness of the church of God in the future state, by which it seems most safe to understand the heavenly state. I. A new world now opens to our view (Rev. 21:1): I saw a new heaven and a new earth; that is, a new universe; for we suppose the world to be made up of heaven and earth. By the new earth we may understand a new state for the bodies of men, as well as a heaven for their souls. This world is not now newly created, but newly opened, and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 21:9-27

We have already considered the introduction to the vision of the new Jerusalem in a more general idea of the heavenly state; we now come to the vision itself, where observe, I. The person that opened the vision to the apostle?one of the seven angels, that had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, Rev. 21:9. God has a variety of work and employment for his holy angels. Sometimes they are to sound the trumpet of divine Providence, and give fair warning to a careless world; sometimes... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:1

21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had gone; and the sea was no more. John has seen the doom of the wicked, and now he sees the bliss of the blessed. The dream of a new heaven and a new earth was deep in Jewish thought. "Behold," said God to Isaiah, "I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, or come into mind" ( Isaiah 65:17 ). Isaiah speaks of the new heaven and the new earth which God will... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:2

21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, like a bride adorned for her husband. Here, again, is a dream of the Jews which never died--the dream of the restoration of Jerusalem, the holy city. Once again it has a double background. (i) It has a background which is essentially Greek. One of the great contributions to the world's philosophical thought was Plato's doctrine of ideas or forms. He taught that in the invisible world there existed the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:2

(ii) The second background of the conception of the new Jerusalem is entirely Jewish. In his synagogue form of prayer the Jew still prays: And to Jerusalem thy city return with compassion, and dwell therein as thou hast promised; and rebuild her speedily in our days, a structure everlasting; and the throne of David speedily establish there. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the builder of Jerusalem. John's vision of the new Jerusalem uses and amplifies many of the dreams of the prophets.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:3-4

21:3-4 And I heard a great voice from heaven. "Behold," it said, "the dwelling-place of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them; and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, nor will there be any grief or crying, nor will there be any more pain, for the first things have gone." Here is the promise of fellowship with God and all its precious consequences. The voice is that of one of the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:3-4

God's promise to make Israel his people and to be their God echoes throughout the Old Testament. "I will make my abode among you... and I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people" ( Leviticus 26:11-12 ). In Jeremiah's account of the new covenant the promise of God is: "I will be their God, and they shall be my people" ( Jeremiah 31:33 ). The promise to Ezekiel is: "My dwelling-place shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" ( ... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:5-6

21:5-6 And he who is seated upon the throne said: "Behold, I make all things new." And he said: "Write, for these are words that are trustworthy and true." And he said to me: "It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Without price I will give to the thirsty of the fountain of the water of life." For the first time God himself speaks; he is the God who is able to make all things new. Again we are back among the dreams of the ancient prophets. Isaiah heard God say:... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:7-8

21:7-8 "He who overcomes will enter into possession of these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowards, the unbelieving, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all the liars--their part is in the lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The bliss is not to everyone but only to him who remains faithful when everything seeks to seduce him from his loyalty. To such a man God makes the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 21:9-27

It will be better to read the description of the city of God as a whole before we deal with it in detail. 21:9-27 9 There came to me one of the seven angels who have the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and he spoke with me. "Come," he said, "and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a 10 great and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, and it had the glory of God. 11 Its... read more

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