Revelation 21:2-7

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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:2

And I John saw the holy city ,.... The same with the beloved city in Revelation 20:9 the church of God: sometimes the church militant is called a city, of which the saints are now fellow citizens, governed by wholesome laws, and enjoying many privileges; but here the general assembly and church of the firstborn, or all the elect of God, are intended, the whole body and society of them, being as a city, compact together; called holy, not only because set apart to holiness by God the Father,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:3

And I heard a great voice out of heaven ,.... Either of an angel, or rather of Christ, or God himself; since the Alexandrian copy and Vulgate Latin version read, "out of the throne", saying, behold the tabernacle of God is with men ; in allusion to the tabernacle being with the Israelites, and the "Shechinah", or divine Majesty, being in the midst of them, and as an accomplishment of the promise in Ezekiel 37:27 in the fullest sense of it; and designs something distinct from the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ,.... Occasioned by sin, Satan, the hidings of God's face, and afflictive dispensations of Providence; for these will be no more: and there shall be no more death ; natural or violent; there will be no more putting of the saints to death, or persecution of them unto death, as in former times; nor will they die a natural death any more; these children of the resurrection, and inhabitants of the new heaven and earth, will be like the... read more

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