Revelation 21:1 – 8

1 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.”

6 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. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 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.”

The new heaven and earth is our new spiritual home, because our physical home has been destroyed on the day of judgment. It is described this way because it lets us have an understanding of the faithful having a place to live. This is the “earth which the meek will inherit. (Matthew 5:5) We look forward to a new heaven and earth to live in (2 Peter 3:13; Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.)

There is no sea, while the sea is pleasurable to enjoy on a nice sunny day, there are also dangers about it, the depth, the predators, the storms which take down ships and damage homes, this vision is about showing desirable aspects of heaven, there will be nothing to fear so their will be no sea.

Verse 2 describes the church being presented to Christ as His bride. Paul has described the church as the “heavenly Jerusalem in Hebrews 12:22, he also refers to it as the city which is above and free and “the mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26). The church is prepared as a bride is prepared for an earthly wedding, properly prepared and adorned in beauty.

After the judgment day, God will not make occasional visits with His people, but they will reside with Him in the heavenly city.

God has made it so that there will be nothing to be sorry about in heaven, so there will be no need for tears to ever exist. Christ died and rose from the dead so there will be no death ever occur in the heavenly city. All of the things of this earth which caused pain will have been destroyed, there will be nothing which can cause pain in heaven.

God is still the one sitting on the throne, He is telling John to write God has made everything new. It is different than the old heaven and earth, it is a new environment for those who are faithful to Him, and He is true and faithful to those who receive the reward.

In the beginning of this book Christ announced He was the beginning and the end, life on earth is over, and all who lived faithfully will receive what was promised to the Samaritan woman, (John 4:5 – 26)

The scriptures have promised if we overcome the temptations and withstand the persecutions we will be rewarded. (Revelation 2 & 3) lists all of the benefits and rewards for being faithful and overcoming the evil of the world. Verse 7 tells us when we overcome God rewards us by adopting us as His child.

But those who do not overcome the evil, join the evil, they are the cowardly (deny Christ), the unbelieving, abominable (to be so evil, it is rotten enough to be hated), murderers, those who are sexually promiscuous, sorcerers (creators of magical remedies, drugs [dope makers and sellers]) worshipers of false gods(anyone who places things of earth above the one true God) (Paul calls a covetous man and idolater [Ephesians 5:5]), liars of all kind, not only those who verbalize the lies, but those who also pretend about things(Ananias and Saphira, [Acts 5]), Those who handle the word of God deceitfully, (Paul said he did not, [2 Corinthians 4:2]). all of these will not join the faithful in heaven, but go to Gehenna, the second death,(Hebrews 9:27). Be separated from God eternally.