The New Creation

Revelation 21:1-8

In the previous chapter, John the removal and return of Satan before and after, respectively, the millennial kingdom (Rev 20:1-15). He also saw Christ, in concert with resurrected believers, reigning over the world during those thousand years. Furthermore, he saw Satan’s demise and the final, Great White Throne judgment, from which all nonbelievers will receive their eternal sentence in the Lake of Fire.

These climactic events lead up to the final two chapters of Revelation, which introduce us to what Bible teachers call “the eternal state” (Rev 21:1-8). This subject refers to the life and conditions God’s people will enjoy in his kingdom forever, after all the effects, influences, and sources of evil have been permanently removed to the Lake of Fire.

John reveals that there will be a new heaven and Earth. (Rev 21:1-2)

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.

Revelation 21:1

This passage opens with a startling observation. John saw a new planet Earth and a newly made solar system, too. The reason given for this colossal change is that a new heaven and Earth were needed to replace the former ones, which had gone away (a reference to Rev 20:11).

Though this new creation was an astounding sight to take in, it was not an unheard-of development because the Old Testament prophet Isaiah had said this would occur (Isa 65:17; 66:22). Just as both angelic and human beings had been infected by sin and the curse which followed, the material world had also been infected by this insidious evil.

To complete a full restoration of God’s kingdom, he need not only to remove evil influences but the infected material world itself. This removal and recreation of the material universe will mark the completion of his comprehensive plan of redemption and restoration of all things to his will.

Bible teachers debate whether God will entirely eradicate the old creation and form a new creation out of nothing once again, or whether he will entirely dismantle the old creation and reform it into a new and better state instead. This discussion usually shifts to what Peter adds to the discussion in his second letter (2 Pet 3:10-13). Yet neither John’s description here nor Peter’s description there resolves the debate since the keywords in each passage may support either scenario.

I am inclined towards a “transformation” rather than a “recreation” stance because this understanding reflects how God will transform our physical bodies. He will resurrect and restore our original bodies but in a new, spiritual condition (1 Cor 15:42-49). They will be both our original bodies and new bodies at the same time, and from what Paul tells us, the rest of the material world will experience a similar transformation (Rom 8:18-23).

In John’s opening description of what he saw, he noticed an obvious omission, a key difference between the old Earth and the new. The new Earth will have no sea, which likely refers to large, standing bodies of water like oceans and seas. These large bodies of water as we know them today, as majestic and awe-inspiring as they are, represent God’s judgment of sin since they were the result of the Noahic worldwide flood. Like the Garden of Eden and original creation before sin, the New Heaven and Earth will feature freshwater springs and rivers, but there is no record of any large, standing bodies of water as we have today (Rev 21:6; 22:1).

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:2

Next, John saw a special city that he identified as Jerusalem. Calling the city by this name connects it to the Jerusalem we know today, which is the established and cherished center of government and worship for Israel. This city will serve the same by enlarged role in Christ’s worldwide millennial kingdom, then will retain this position in the New Heaven and Earth forever.

Like the New Heaven and Earth already described and the resurrected, glorified bodies we’ll receive from God, the word new here probably indicates a restored and superior version of this city, but not an entirely new one.

According to Buist Fanning, “Ancient Jewish texts speak frequently of a preexistent heavenly counterpart to the earthly Jerusalem, a city that God has founded and built already in heaven. When the time is right, God will reveal that city by bringing it to earth and establishing it here as the center of his restored people Israel, and all the nations of the world will come to it to worship the true God.”[1] Both Paul and the writer of Hebrews seem to agree (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22).

This city will descend downward from above onto the Earth, where it will be situated for eternity. By describing it as “a bride adorned for her husband,” John reintroduces the wedding ceremony theme, underscoring God’s special, close relationship with his people (see Rev 19:7-9). The “adornment” here refers to an attractive, exquisite, and carefully planned appearance which John will describe in more elaborate detail later (Rev 21:9-27).

An angel explains the significance of this new creation. (Rev 21:3-4)

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.

Revelation 21:3

John then heard yet another of many “loud voices” from heaven, which probably refers to yet another angel. In this case, the voice describes the significance of the heavenly Jerusalem settling on the Earth. This relocation of the city of God inaugurates his final, full, and permanent dwelling with his people. There will no longer be a temple on Earth that imitates or resembles – to a limited degree – God’s actual temple heaven, for he will move his heavenly temple to the Earth.

This new experience with God will be both permanent and personal. We will enjoy close, direct, and intimate contact and interaction with him unlike ever before. Through this new arrangement will resemble how God communed with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it will be a far superior experience thanks to our redemption and union with Christ.

The word people here is noteworthy here because John wrote it in a plural form, so “peoples” is a correct technical translation.[2] Old Testament writers commonly referred to “God’s people” (singular), with the Jewish nation in mind. Here John portrays God’s people – though governed from and worshiping at the New Jerusalem – as “peoples,” which means that in the New Heaven and Earth, God’s people will retain their ethnic diversity and identity, which is a special feature of God’s original creation, not a negative one that will be removed.

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

Revelation 21:4

This verse may be one of the most well-known and well-loved (if not the most well-known) statements in Revelation since we quote it quite commonly at funeral services and graveside ceremonies.

The prophet Isaiah foretold that God would “wipe away our tears” (Isa 25:8). John goes on to describe what this means, saying that there would be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. So, “wiping away our tears” doesn’t necessarily mean that our tear ducts will no longer function, and we will no longer shed tears of joy or worshipful emotion. Instead, it means that we will no longer mourn or shed tears over things that are a result of sin and death. Whatever experiences cause sorrowful emotions and painful feelings today will “have passed away,” meaning they will no longer exist or occur.

This removal of painful experiences likely extends to our memory of painful things. However, this removal of painful memories does not seem to occur until the eternal state. Consider, for instance, how Tribulation martyrs will implore God to avenge their deaths (Rev 6:9-10). This prayer will occur after they’ve died and gone to heaven, so it indicates that they remember their painful experiences from before. Such memory continues in heaven after we die, but it will be removed when the eternal state begins.

God the Father himself makes some special promises. (Rev 21:5-8)

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."

Revelation 21:5

Here John heard another voice, only this time it is the voice of God himself. This is fascinating to note because it is only the second time that God the Father speaks for himself in the entire book of Revelation. The only other instance is found in the opening verses of the first chapter (Rev 1:8).

Here God the Father makes two brief but emphatic (“behold!”) statements.

• “I make all things new” underscores a major theme and purpose for this entire book. In fact, it is Rev 21-22 that serves as the conclusion and outcome of all that comes before and is God’s ultimate, intended end. This statement also points out that though John will neither see nor record every detail of this New Heaven and Earth, we can rest assured that everything in the world will be renewed and restored by God.
• “Write, for these words are true and faithful” emphasizes that what God has said about making all things new is both accurate (“true”) and reliable (“faithful”). This is not something that can happen or might happen, it will happen. This God not saying, “I’ll see what I can do,” but rather, “This is what I am going to do.”

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Revelation 21:6-7

John continues by telling us some more things that God the Father said to him in this vision.

We can interpret “it is done!” into a contemporary conversation as something like, “It’s as good as done.” Though there are many more events that must play out in the future before God “makes all things new,” as far as God is concerned, the New Heaven and Earth and our existence there is a foregone conclusion.

By calling himself “the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,” God repeats what he has already said about himself at the beginning of this book (Rev 1:8). It also resembles how Christ identified himself (Rev 1:17). These titles remind us that the same God who was there in the beginning will be there in the end. He is the origin of everything good will bring everything to a good conclusion, we can count on that.

Based upon his sovereign, timeless character and nature, God gave John two guarantees. The first pertains to his people and the second to ungodly people.

His first assurance promises three things to every person who has a genuine thirst for God and who demonstrates this genuine thirst by persevering in his or her pursuit of God through all the challenges of life in this sin-cursed world today. This person will enjoy:

• Free access to the spring of the water of life (which we’ll study further in Rev 22:1-5, 17).
• Full access to the entire new creation.
• Complete recognition as God’s child, which implies that God will view us not only as his close and favored children but as his capable and qualified co-regents and rulers of the world forever (see 2 Sam 7:14; see also Psa 2:7 and Heb 1:5).

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death"

Revelation 21:8

While God’s first assurance takes a positive stance (the things we will experience), his second assurance takes a negative stance instead (the things we will not experience). He assures us that no wicked people or influences will exist in this New Heaven and Earth because they will have been assigned to a place in the “lake burning with fire and sulfur” instead, far removed from the New Heaven and Earth.

• Cowardly refers to people who are “fainthearted, fearful, and timid” and who therefore do not persevere in genuine faith when suffering and persecution comes their way. These do not “lose” their salvation, but their cowardly response to suffering proves that their profession of faith had not been genuine.
• Unbelieving refers to people who simply refused to believe on Christ as God and Savior.
• Abominable refers to people who say and do disgusting, vile, repulsive, and perverted things.
• Murderers refers to people who take innocent lives – whether for criminal, medical, sacrificial, or vengeful reasons.
• Sexually immoral refers to people who encourage or practice fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and any other form of inappropriate sexual behavior.
• Sorcerers refers to people who dispense and use drugs or black magic as a means of manipulating circumstances and controlling people (even poisoning them). It does not refer to the proper use of medicine to meet health needs but does include the use of drugs to induce an abortion.
• Idolaters are people who worship idols or participate in idol worship activities, who worship any other god or any other thing as a god rather than worshiping God.
• Liars are people who deceive other people, live fraudulent lives, and twist the truth to their own advantage.

This list of “bad people” is not exhaustive, but it assures us that just as with painful experiences, evil persons will also not be present in the New Creation.

• This reality is a warning to those who practice this kind of lifestyle today. Such people should turn to Christ now as their God and Savior.
• This reality is also an encouragement to those who have turned away from such lifestyles to follow Christ as God and Savior. We can look forward to a life with no such people harming or influencing our lives.

Key Takeaway

We have a lot to look forward to!

New things are always exciting. Whether it’s a new house, a new car, or a new pair of shoes – and especially a new stage of life like marriage! – there’s something exciting, motivating, and especially thrilling about beginning a new experience or buying a new possession. And this excitement is greatly heightened by the prior experience of working, laboring, suffering, saving, and waiting for that new experience or purchase to come.

The New Heaven and Earth is that way, only on a far greater scale in every way. No matter what we suffer or endure in this life as we follow Christ, we know that we live in broken, messed up world that’s infected by evil. The world itself is cursed and the people are ungodly. For this reason, we must persevere in our faith and loyalty to Christ, knowing that a New Heaven and Earth are waiting.

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[1] Buist M. Fanning, Revelation, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 531.

[2] Fanning, 532-533.