Revelation Chapter 21

From The Open Bible Project

21:1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

• (1) Now follows the second part of the history prophetic of the future estate of the Church in heaven after the last judgment, to (Revelation 21:2; Revelation 22:5). In this are two things briefly declared. The station, seat, or place of it, (Revelation 21:1). Then her state and condition, in the verses following. Before the state of the Church described, is set down the state of the whole world, that there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth; (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13) and this is the seat or place of the Church, in which righteousness shall dwell.

21:2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.

• (2) The state of this glorious Church is first described generally to (Revelation 21:3-8), and then specially and by parts, in the verses following. The general description consists in a vision shown afar off, (Revelation 21:2) and in speech spoken from heaven. In the general these things are common, that the Church is holy, new, the workmanship of God, heavenly, most glorious, the spouse of Christ, and partaker of his glory in this verse.

21:3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

• (3) The Church is described by the speech, first of an angel, in two verses, then by God himself, in four verses. The angel’s speech describes the glory of the Church, by the most intimate communion with God, by giving of all manner of good things according to the covenant, in this verse: and by removing or putting away of all evil things, in the verse following (Revelation 21:4).

21:4 He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away."

21:5 He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." He said, "Write, for these words of God are faithful and true."

• (4) In the speech of God himself describing the Church, is first an introduction, or entrance. Then follows a magnificent description of the Church, by the present and future good things of the same, in three verses following (Revelation 21:6-8). In the introduction God challenges to himself the restoring of all the creatures, (Revelation 21:1) and witnesses the calling of John to the writing of these things, in this verse.

21:6 He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.

• (5) The description of the Church is in three parts, by the abolishing of old things, by the being of present things in God, that is, of things eternal: and by the giving of all good things with the godly. If so be they shall contend manfully; (Revelation 21:7). But the reprobate are excluded from there; (Revelation 21:8).

21:7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

21:8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, [42] sorcerers, [See Revelation Footnotes 42] idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

• (a) Their lot, and inheritance as it were.

21:9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb's bride."

• (6) A transition to the describing of the heavenly Church, by the express calling of John in this verse, and his enrapturing by the Spirit, in confirmation of the truth of God in the verse following.

21:10 He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

• (7) He means the place and stately seat of the Church, foreshadowed in a mountain.
• (8) A type of that Church which is one, ample, or catholic, holy celestial, built by God, in this verse: and glorious in the verse following (Revelation 21:11). This type propounded generally, is particularly declared; (Revelation 21:12).

21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it was a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

21:12 having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

• (9) A particular description of the celestial Church, first, by its essential parts, compared to a city down to verse 22, (Revelation 21:12-22). Secondly, from the outside, to the end of the chapter (Revelation 21:23-27). Thirdly, by the effects, in the beginning of the next chapter, the essential parts are noted the matter and the form in the whole work: of these the superstructure and foundation of the wall are entire parts (as they use to be called) which parts are first described in figure, to the 14th verse afterwards more exactly.
• (10) According to the number of the tribes. For here the outward part is attributed to the Old Testament, and the foundation of the New Testament.
• (11) He means the prophets, who are the messengers of God, and watchmen of the Church.

21:13 On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

21:14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

• (12) That is, foundation stones, according to the number of the gates, as is shown in (Revelation 21:19).

21:15 He who spoke with me had for a measure, a golden reed, to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.

• (13) A transition to a more exquisite description of the parts of the Church, by finding out its size, by the angel that measured them.

21:16 The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, [43] Twelve thousand twelve stadia [See Revelation Footnotes 43]. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

• (14) The measure and form most equal, in two verses.
• (b) A foursquare figure has equal sides, and outright corners, and therefore the Greeks call by this name those things that are steady, and of continuance and perfect.

21:17 Its wall is [44] one hundred forty-four cubits, [See Revelation Footnotes 44] by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

• (c) He adds this, because the angel had the shape of a man.

21:18 The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass.

• (15) The matter most precious and glittering, which the presence of God makes most glorious.

21:19 The foundations of the city's wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, [45] sapphire [See Revelation Footnotes 45]; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

21:20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst.

21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

• (d) By street, he means the broadest place of the city.

21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple.

21:23 The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

• (16) The second form of particular description (as I said) from exterior and outward actions which are these, light from God himself, to this verse glory from men, (Revelation 21:24). Finally such truth and incorruption of glory (Revelation 21:26) as can bear and abide with it, nothing that is inglorious, (Revelation 21:27).

21:24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.

21:25 Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there),

21:26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter.

21:27 There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.