By James M. Rochford

Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

For an exposition of these two chapters, see chapters 4-7 of Too Good to Be True? (2016).

(Rev. 21:1) “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.”

Heaven will be a renewed planet

“New heaven and a new earth.” This is a compound phrase describing a new physical universe. Regarding Genesis 1:1, OT scholar Bruce Waltke writes, “This merism represents the cosmos, meaning the organized universe in which humankind lives. In all its uses in the Old Testament…, this phrase functions as a compound referring to the organized universe.”^[1] But what does John mean by a “new” universe? Will God create a new universe from nothing? Or will he heal the fractures of our current universe?

OPTION #1. God will completely destroy our current universe, and he will create a new universe from nothing. Hitchcock,^[2] Thomas,^[3] Beasley-Murray,^[4] Walvoord,^[5] and Newell^[6] hold this view. From this perspective, the term “new” refers to a replacement and a “brand new” universe. Our planet and our universe will be replaced, rather than restored (Ps. 102:25-26; Isa. 34:4; 51:6; Mt. 24:35; 2 Pet. 3:7, 10-13).

In favor of this view, Peter writes, “The elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). This sounds like annihilation. But not so fast. For one, earlier Peter wrote that God “destroyed” the world with the Flood (2 Pet. 3:6). This didn’t refer to annihilation of the planet, but rather to judgment on the surface of the planet. Second, the expression “burned up” can also be rendered “laid bare” (NET) or “exposed” (ESV). Third, and finally, the NET note for 2 Peter 3:10 describes this as “one of the most difficult textual problems in the NT.” Therefore, we would be wise not to hang too much on this one passage of Scripture.

OPTION #2. God will judge our world with fire, but he will heal and rejuvenate our current planet. Osborne,^[7] Morris,^[8] Alcorn,^[9] Kaiser,^[10] and Tada^[11] hold this view. From this perspective, God will restore our world—not replace it. In other words, a better translation for “a new earth” might actually be “a renewed earth.” We hold this view for a couple of reasons:

First, John uses the word “new” (kainos) which refers to “new in nature, different from the usual, impressive, better than the old, superior in value or attraction.”^[12] The term “signifies ‘fresh’ as against ‘recent’. It is concerned with quality rather than date.”^[13] It refers to “qualitative newness,” rather than “temporal newness.”^[14] If John meant to say that the “new earth” was a replacement of the old earth, he would’ve used a different Greek word for “new” (neos), which means “what was not there before… new in time or origin.”^[15] But John didn’t use this word. Paul uses this same term “new” (kainos) to refer to how Christians become a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). Believers will be renewed and upgraded in their resurrected bodies, but they will still retain the same identity. Likewise, the entire material universe will be renewed as well.

Second, God promised to liberate his creation—not to annihilate it. Paul writes, “The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay” (Rom. 8:21). Indeed, God promised to keep his creation “forever and ever” (Ps. 148:6).

Third, Jesus spoke of the “regeneration” (paliggenesia) of the Earth (Mt. 19:28), and Paul uses this same term to explain how Christians have experienced “regeneration” at conversion (Titus 3:5). Again, this doesn’t mean that Christians cease being the same physical person that they were before. They retain the same nature and essence, even if their identity has been fundamentally changed. Ancient Greek philosophers used this term “regeneration” (paliggensia) to refer to the rejuvenation of the Earth. But as Colin Brown notes, “The cosmos did not attain to a new mode of being or quality through the rebirth; the world that has passed away was there once again.”^[16] This implies that God will destroy the surface of the Earth in judgment, but he will later restore our current planet.

Heaven will not contain human rebellion

“There is no longer any sea.” John cannot mean that bodies of water will no longer exist in eternity. Later, he vividly describes a river pouring through the city of Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1). Instead, the concept of “waters” or a “sea” refers to hostile humanity in rebellion against God. Specifically, “waters” refers to “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues” (Rev. 17:15). This is why the Antichrist arises “out of the sea” (Rev. 13:1; cf. Dan. 7:3; Isa. 17:12; 57:20). Moreover, the concept of the “sea” could allude to the place of the dead (Rev. 20:13). In eternity, humans will never rebel against God ever again.

Heaven will be like a marriage

(Rev. 21:2) And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

“I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” See comments on Revelation 21:10-14 below where we expand on this imagery.

“Made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” God uses marriage as an illustration that describes Jesus’ love for us (see also v.9), and John calls believers the “bride” of Christ (Rev. 21:2, 9; 22:17; cf. Isa. 61:10). Paul tells husbands to love their wives “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25; cf. 5:32), and he calls the intermittent period between his ascension and return as our engagement or “betrothal” to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2).

Heaven will be like a cosmic temple

(Rev. 21:3) “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.’”

“The tabernacle of God is among men.” Later, John writes, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev. 21:22). This is the realization of an unfulfilled longing found throughout the OT (Lev. 26:11-12; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 37:27; Zech. 8:8). The Jewish people could only come to God through the Tabernacle and the Temple. In Heaven, we will permanently live in a Cosmic Temple—in the very presence of God. In his biography of Jesus’ life, John wrote, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). Instead of Jesus dwelling among us, we will dwell within God forever.

Heaven will heal our grief, pain, suffering, and death

(Rev. 21:4) “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

“There will no longer be any death.” Death has haunted the human species for eons. Humans have created entire philosophies and psychologies to simply cope with the fear of death. Indeed, the secular philosopher Luc Ferry writes, “The quest for a salvation without God is at the heart of every great philosophical system, and that is its essential and ultimate objective.”^[17] Wow, what a claim! Yet, he could very well be right. The author of Hebrews writes, “[Jesus] freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Heb. 2:15 NIV). In his book Immortal (2020), Clay Jones cites various secular thinkers on the subject:

• Sheldon Solomon (professor of Psychology at Skidmore College): “Humans would be riddled with abject terror if they were constantly plagued by the ongoing awareness of their vulnerability and mortality—twitching blobs of biological protoplasm completely perfused with anxiety and unable to effectively respond to the demands of their immediate surroundings… Cultural worldviews evolved… to manage the terror engendered by the uniquely human awareness of death (hence our term terror management).”^[18]
• Luc Ferry (French secular philosopher): “[A human] knows that he will die, and that his near ones, those he loves, will also die. Consequently he cannot prevent himself from thinking about this state of affairs, which is disturbing and absurd, almost unimaginable.”^[19]
• Zygmunt Bauman (sociologist and philosopher): “There is hardly a thought more offensive than that of death; or, rather, the inevitability of dying; of the transience of our being in the world… The horror of death is the horror of the void” and is “bound to remain, traumatic.”^[20]
• Edwin Shneidman (thanatologist): “To cease as though one had never been, to exit life with no hope of living on in the memory of another, to be expunged from history’s record—that is a fate literally far worse than death.”^[21]
• Stephen Cave (philosopher): “No matter how great our glory, it could only ever be a postponement of oblivion.”^[22]
• Irvin D. Yalom (Epicurean psychiatrist): “Despite the staunchest, most venerable defenses, we can never completely subdue death anxiety: it is always there, lurking in some hidden ravine of the mind.”^[23]

All of this “abject terror,” “terror management,” and the “horror of death” are going away. Forever. The “absurd,” “unimaginable,” and “traumatic” fear of death are all going away. Forever. In this great day, death will be in the rearview mirror for the rest of eternity (Isa. 25:8; 1 Cor. 15:54). Yet, this doesn’t expunge our grief or our tears…

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” These tears “are produced by death or mourning for the dead, by crying or pain. An enemy has done this to the old order. Now God has defeated the enemy and liberated his people and his creation.”^[24] Even though God will have created the New Heaven and Earth, he will still minister to our grief and pain. Truly, this shows that God’s “concern is infinite.”^[25] He will personally stoop down and “wipe away every tear” from our eyes. After this, pain and suffering will cease. For two millennia, Christians have prayed that God’s will would be done on Earth, just as it is in Heaven (Mt. 6:10). In this day, that prayer will finally be answered.

(Rev. 21:5-6) And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” ⁶ Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.”

“All things new.” Once again, Jesus uses the word “new” (kainos) which can be understood as “renewed.” Everything in our broken, fractured world will be renewed and restored.

“These words are faithful and true.” This description of Heaven seems too good to be true. Can it really all be true? Is this really waiting for us in the future? Yes! God tells us to trust his words rather than our own cynicism. Heaven is a future reality, and we have this confirmation based on the reliability of God himself. We can “set our minds” on this reality with confidence (Col. 3:1-3).

“It is done.” This is literally rendered, “They are done.” It refers to “all the events that had to take place.”^[26]

“Without cost.” Jesus told the woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water… Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:10, 14 NIV; cf. 7:37-38). In Heaven, these promises will find their ultimate fulfillment. We will drink this living water, free of charge. Heaven is a free gift for those who choose to accept it.

Heaven is like a father and son relationship

(Rev. 21:7) “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”

“He who overcomes will inherit these things.” This harkens back to the “overcomers” in the Seven Churches of Revelation 2-3. We are all overcomers if we have faith in Jesus. Elsewhere, John writes, “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn. 5:4-5).

“I will be his God and he will be My son.” See our earlier article, “From Slaves to Sons,” for insight on this concept.

Heaven will be free from sin

(Rev. 21:8) “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Later, John adds to this description,

(Rev. 21:27) “Nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

(Rev. 22:11) “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”

(Rev. 22:15) “Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

Many preachers have used these passages to teach that Heaven is only for righteous people. They argue that if you have committed any of these sins, then you will be cast into the lake of fire. We find this to be quite mistaken for several reasons.

First, if we use these passages to threaten someone’s salvation, then we should use them consistently. Which one of us has never lied? Never been cowardly? Never been unbelieving? If we take this passage literally, then only one person will be in Heaven: Jesus!

Second, many biblical figures committed the sin of murder: Paul, Moses, and David. Yet, these three men each found forgiveness. Thus, a hyper-literal view would result in clear contradictions with the widespread, repeated, and emphasized biblical teaching of God’s grace.

Third, John doesn’t write these things to threaten us, but to comfort us. John uses the present tense to describe the actions of these sinful people. What does this mean? In our view, John is communicating that God will exclude all those who are continuing to practice sin—not those who practiced it on Earth. It may sound simple, but John is communicating a foundational reality: God will not allow people to sin in Heaven. After 20 chapters of sin, suffering, and death, this statement carries considerable weight. We will no longer have a sin nature in Heaven, and we will not encounter others with a sin nature. We will relate to one another without any selfishness, pride, insecurity, or ego. Peter writes, “According to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13).

(Rev. 21:9) Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

See comments on verse 2 for the explanation of this symbolism. One of the “seven angels” delivers this message, and this is a direct attack against the earlier reference to Babylon: “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters’” (Rev. 17:1).

Heaven will be a city

(Rev. 21:10-14) “And 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, ¹¹ having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. ¹² It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. ¹⁴ And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

In Greek, these verses (vv.10-14) all constitute one, long run-on sentence.^[27] Perhaps this is due to the fact that this describes such beautiful and breathtaking imagery. Once John starts writing about what he sees, he can’t stop.

“A great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city.” When John saw Babylon, he was in the “wilderness” (Rev. 17:3). Now, he sees God’s city, and he views it from a “great and high mountain.”

“Coming down out of heaven from God.” Ancient people built Babel to rise up to heaven (Gen. 11). God created Jerusalem to come down to Earth.

John uses the imagery of “jasper” stones to describe God himself (Rev. 4:3). Perhaps this is an allusion to the fact that God is reflecting his glory through this great city.

“It has a great and high wall.” This would carry the meaning of security to an ancient person because city walls were images of protection and safety (Isa. 26:1; Zech. 2:5).

“Twelve gates… twelve angels… three gates.” John later writes that these gates were enormous “pearls” (v.21). We’re speculating, but perhaps this shows just how costly the entrance into Heaven really is. Furthermore, the mention of angels at the gates is a reversal of the angels who kept Adam and Eve out of the Garden (Gen. 3:24).

“The names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel… The twelve names of the twelve apostles.” This is a blending together of believers who lived in the old and new covenants. Both are brought together in Heaven (cf. Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30).

“Twelve foundation stones.” Thomas comments, “These foundations of the city wall strongly imply that the city will rest on the new earth and will not be suspended in the air above the earth”^[28]

(Rev. 21:15) “The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.”

Why does the angel measure the city? The act of measuring could signify “securing something for blessing”^[29] or perhaps “security and protection”^[30] in general.

(Rev. 21:16-17) “The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. ¹⁷ And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements.”

“The holy city, new Jerusalem.” Does this refer to a literal city? Is this merely symbolic for being in the presence of God? Or does this represent the Church?

OPTION #1. This is a literal city. Thomas,^[31] Walvoord,^[32] and Newell^[33] hold to the literal view. For one, John calls it a “city” fifteen times (Rev. 21-22). Second, he doesn’t say the New Jerusalem is like a city or as a city; he says it is a city. This is in contrast to the description of the city being made ready “as a bride.” Third, John gives specific architectural measurements (Rev. 21:15-17) which implies a material city. He even tells us that the measurements correspond to those used by humans (Rev. 21:17). Moreover, he elaborates on the details about the foundation stones (Rev. 21:12-14), gates (Rev. 22:14), and building materials (Rev. 21:18-21). If the city is symbolic, why all of the detail?^[34]

If the New Jerusalem is literal, the measurements of a 1,500-mile cube imply a ground floor of 1,960,000 square miles. Thus, if it had 24-foot ceilings on each floor, it would contain 300,000 stories. This means that 588 billion people could each have a full square mile of real estate. Thus, when Jesus told his disciples that in his Father’s house there were “many dwelling places,” this was a massive understatement! (Jn. 14:2) John is surely trying to demonstrate that Heaven contains “room for all.”^[35]

One of the difficulties of this view is the size of the enormity of the pearls at the gates (Rev. 21:21). After all, how big would the oysters need to be to produce pearls of this size? Moreover, a city this size would alter Earth’s gravity and orbit according to modern physics. And finally, the measurements are such round numbers that this could signify symbolism.

OPTION #2. This is symbolism for being in God’s presence. Because the dimensions of the New Jerusalem are a perfect cube (Rev. 21:16), this could be a symbolic reference to the Holy of Holies in the center of the Tabernacle (1 Kings 6:19-20). Hence, the New Jerusalem serves as a symbol for being in God’s presence forever (Rev. 21:3), because believers will replace the Temple of God (Rev. 13:6). Mounce articulates this view the best: “This particular shape would immediately remind the Jewish reader of the inner sanctuary of the temple (a perfect cube, each dimension being twenty cubits; 1 Kgs 6:20), the place of divine presence. A city foursquare would be the place where God has taken up residence with his people.”^[36] Beasley-Murray^[37] holds this view as well.

We see no difficulty with this view, and indeed, it could be compatible with the literal view. After all, the Cross was a literal event, but it had a deeper meaning than just the torture and death of Jesus. Indeed, the atonement carries multiple meanings and implications. Could something be similar with regard to the city? In our view, the city could be literal, and it could also carry symbolism for being in God’s presence forever. This could be a case of “both-and” not “either-or.”

OPTION #3. The city is symbolic for the Church. Mounce,^[38] Morris,^[39] and Johnson^[40] hold to this view. Of course, they agree that an allusion to the Most Holy Place is in view as well. So, these views are not mutually exclusive. Proponents of this view note that the city is “made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. 21:2). Rather consistently throughout the NT, the “bride” refers to the Church. So, this would imply that this city is a symbol for the Church. However, there are several problems with this view:

First, John uses the language of simile, implying that this is non-literal (“made ready as a bride”). By contrast, John describes the city without obvious literary symbolism like this.

Second, at this point, the Church has already landed on Earth, coming down alongside King Jesus at his Second Coming. Earlier, we read, “The armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses” (Rev. 19:14). These “armies” consist of resurrected Christians. Earlier, John wrote, “The Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17:14). This parallel passage demonstrates that these are Christians joining Jesus (“called… chosen… faithful”). We have difficulty applying these descriptions to angels. Moreover, Paul writes that Jesus will return “with all his saints” (1 Thess. 3:13). However, if the Church has already returned, this conflicts with the thought that the Church is later “coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2).

Third, this view continues to run into the difficulty of why the city is described with such detailed measurements (vv.15-17).

If you pressed us on our view, we would say that these literal and symbolic images are not mutually exclusive. We agree with Osborne who accepts all three views. He writes, “Babylon was both a people and a place, and that is the better answer here… [The New Jerusalem] represents heaven as both the saints who inhabit it and their dwelling place.”^[41]

Why does John describe Heaven as a city?

Regardless of where we land on these interpretive questions, Heaven will be filled with culture, social connections, and the eternal presence of God. Furthermore, Heaven will be safe. Later, John writes that the “gates will never be closed” (Rev. 21:25). Ancient cities “needed walls to protect them against the assaults of their enemies,”^[42] and ancient people closed their gates at night to defend against any enemies “breaking through [their] walls” (Ps. 144:14). In Heaven, there will be no reason to lock the doors (Isa. 60:11-12).

(Rev. 21:18-21) “The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. ¹⁹ The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; ²⁰ the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. ²¹ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

Mounce^[43] and Morris^[44] hold that these various stones could refer to the stones worn by the High Priest when he entered the Holy of Holies (Ex. 28:17-20). This would imply that all believers have this same access to God in Heaven—not just a special elite.

“The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” Gold is one of the most precious commodities on Earth today. But in Heaven? We’ll be paving the roads with it! This shows just how eternal values contrast with temporal values. Moreover, this is a fulfillment of the fact that Solomon “overlaid the floor of the [Temple sanctuary] with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries” (1 Kin. 6:30). While the priests walked on gold in the Temple, believers will walk on gold everywhere in the giant city.

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

See comments on verse 3.

(Rev. 21:23-26) “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; ²⁶ and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.”

Do the nations represent non-believers? Many critics hold this view, leading them to think that this is a redaction of some kind. Others assume the nations are non-believers, leading to bizarre conclusions like universalism. All of this is misguided from the beginning. These kings enter the city (“the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it”), but non-believers aren’t allowed into the city: “Nothing unclean… shall ever come into it” (Rev. 21:27; cf. 21:8; 22:15). Therefore, these “nations” and “kings” cannot be non-believers.

Why do the nations bring their gifts? Johnson writes, “Instead of the nations bringing their precious possessions to Babylon, the harlot city, the redeemed nations will bring these offerings to the throne of God.”^[45]

“No need of the sun or of the moon.” (cf. Rev. 22:5) Thomas,^[46] Graham,^[47] and Tada^[48] hold that we will literally not have a sun or moon in Heaven. Yet, John merely states that we will have “no need” for them (cf. Isa. 60:19-20). Of course, John states that we will still be able to measure “months” (Rev. 22:2), so this implies an ability to see the sun and the moon. Jesus claimed to be “the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12), and in Heaven, he will shine brighter than the sun (cf. Mt. 17:2).

(Rev. 21:27) “Nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Universalists think that these open gates imply a “second chance” after death. Yet, this isn’t the meaning of the symbolism here. Some are explicitly barred from entering the city (1) because of their refusal to come to Christ and have their names written in the book of life and (2) because of their ongoing sin. A second chance isn’t being offered, but rather, an explanation is being given.

Questions for Reflection

Read verse 1. What are you looking forward to doing in the renewed Earth?

Read verse 2, 10-17. Why does the Bible compare Heaven to a city? What might this tell us about what Heaven will be like?

Read verses 2 and 9. Why does the Bible compare Heaven to a marriage? What might this tell us about what Heaven will be like?

Read verse 7. Why does the Bible compare Heaven to a family—specifically a father and son relationship? What might this tell us about what Heaven will be like?

Revelation 22 (Heaven and Hell)

We finally reach the end of the biblical story arc. We began in Paradise with the great and terrible moral Fall. Now, we see our fractured world restored. This is no doubt why John sees so many allusions to the opening chapters of Genesis: Paradise lost has now become Paradise regained. The majority of this final chapter of Scripture harkens back to Genesis 1-3, showing us that the “curse” will one day be lifted. As John writes, “There will no longer be any curse” (Rev. 22:3).

(Rev. 22:1-3) “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, ² in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him.”

Everyone agrees that Jesus was the one to fix the Fall in the Garden. He did this by hanging from the “tree of death,” taking the curse for us (Gal. 3:13). Here, the “tree of life” could be a symbol for what Jesus did to give us access to eternal life—much like how Jesus described his finished work as “the bread of life” or “living water.”

The “tree of life is on “either side of the river.” This implies that it is enormous, and everyone has access to it (“the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”). Jesus purchased an abundance of healing for all of us.

“The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” How can the nations be “healed” if they are already in Heaven? In our estimation, this is symbolism for the fact that Jesus’ finished work has rescued people from “every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” (Rev. 7:9). This healing is ongoing in the future only insofar as it is descriptive of the complete work of Christ on the Cross. Thomas writes, “Healing… does not necessarily indicate the presence of disease any more than the wiping away of tears (21:4) implies that sorrow still exists in the new Jerusalem.”^[49]

A parallel example is helpful here. Later we read, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:14). The expression “wash their robes” is a present tense participle, implying an ongoing action. However, this is based off of the earlier statement, “They have washed [aorist] their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). Here, the verb “washed” is aorist, which speaks of an undefined action in the past that has ongoing consequences. In other words, believers have been forever cleansed by the blood of Christ at conversion, but this has ongoing effects throughout eternity.

“His bond-servants will serve Him.” In the Garden, humans delighted in work (Gen. 2:15). However, since the Fall, work has become a form of our curse (Gen. 3:17-19). In Heaven, this aspect of the “curse” will be lifted, and we will enjoy “serving” God and others.

(Rev. 22:4) “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.”

This is a reversal of the curse, when Adam and Eve hid themselves from God (Gen. 3:8). This also stands in contrast to the prohibition for Moses to see the face of God. When Moses asked to see God, we read, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” (Ex. 33:20). This is because humans are sinful, and they would likely explode in the presence of God. Yet, because of Jesus’ finished work, we have been justified and adopted into God’s family. We will see him face-to-face.

“His name will be on their foreheads.” This means that we are “wholeheartedly attached to God,” because we “bear his name.”^[50] This is similar to a child taking on the last name of the parent—being fully identified with the family.

(Rev. 22:5) “And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”

See comments on Revelation 21:23 (cf. Zech. 14:7).

Epilogue

(Rev. 22:6-7) “And he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true’; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. ⁷ ‘And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.’”

“These words are faithful and true.” Jesus himself is “faithful and true” (Rev. 3:14; 19:11), so his words are also “faithful and true.” See further comments on Revelation 21:5.

“The things which must soon take place… I am coming quickly.” This is what theologians call an inclusio or a “bookend” that sums up the end of the book with the beginning of the book. It demonstrates that the entire book will be fulfilled “soon” or “quickly” (Rev. 1:1, 3). Obviously, the New Heaven and Earth have not come to pass already, so the term “soon” and “quickly” shouldn’t be taken in a literalistic way (see comments on Revelation 1:1).

“Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.” This is a further inclusio with the beginning of the book: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3).

(Rev. 22:8-9) “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. ⁹ But he said to me, ‘Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.’”

This is a further inclusio with the beginning of the book (Rev. 1:4, 9). Yet, when John fell down at the feet of Jesus, he wasn’t rebuked for worshipping him. Instead, Jesus merely said, “Do not be afraid” (Rev. 1:17). Here, however, the angel has an allergic reaction to being worshipped! He tells John to “worship God.” This is yet another strong passage to support the deity of Christ.

(Rev. 22:10) “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.’”

Daniel was told to seal up his prophecy (Dan. 8:26, 12:4, 9-10), but John is told to leave it unsealed. This is likely because Revelation revealed what was concealed in Daniel. Now that the predictions about the future are all revealed, we shouldn’t seal them up. They are open for everyone to read for themselves.

(Rev. 22:11) “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”

John’s use of the present tense implies that people in Hell will persistently and continually sin. Some philosophers of religion hold that this explains why Hell is eternal.^[51] After all, if people continue to sin, then this will only add to their judgment. This would be similar to a man being thrown in prison for manslaughter. While in prison, he stabs one of the other inmates, punches a guard in the nose, and makes an escape attempt. By continuing to commit crimes in prison, the man is continuing to add years to his sentence. In the same way, why would we think that anyone will stop sinning once God sends them to Hell? If people are angry and rebellious toward God now, what makes us think that they will love him later?

Others, like Thomas,^[52] hold that this refers to our present state. The lesson is, “Change while there is still time,” and these are “imperatives of permission, not imperatives of command.” In Thomas’ words, people will eventually “reap the consequences of choosing the wrong lifestyle.” This fits with the context of Jesus as the judge (v.12). The difficulty with this view is that it mentions nothing about saving faith—only our works and “lifestyle.” This doesn’t fit with describing salvation.

(Rev. 22:12-13) “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Jesus is coming, and he’s bringing “rewards” with him.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega.” This description was applied to God the Father (Rev. 1:8). Here Jesus applies this to himself. This is yet another support for the deity of Christ. Morris writes, “None other than God could share in these titles of God.”^[53]

(Rev. 22:14-15) “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

The difference between those who enter Heaven and those who enter Hell is whether or not they “washed their robes” in the blood of Christ. The robes are symbols of being justified by Christ (Rev. 6:11; 7:9, 14).

(Rev. 22:16) “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

The “you” is plural. So, Jesus is addressing the readers throughout history—not just John. Thomas writes, “[This] is probably not limited to the seven churches in Asia, but since these seven are representatives of others, it may be John’s way of referring to the church as a whole. Revelation never uses the singular hē ekklēsia to refer to the whole church as a unit the way Paul does. To do that, John uses the figure of the wife or the bride (19:7-8) (Swete). So this probably generalizes the destination of the Apocalypse both geographically and chronologically. What John wrote was for the seven churches in Asia then (1:4), but has come to be for the churches of the whole world, then and now.”^[54]

A final invitation

(Rev. 22:17) “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”

The “Spirit” and the Church both speak in unison, giving an invitation to people to come to faith.^[55] What is stopping you from coming to Christ right now, and drinking the living water “without cost”? (cf. Jn. 6:35; 7:37-38)

(Rev. 22:18) “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

Surely John believed that this book was inspired Scripture (cf. Rev. 1:1; Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6; Jer. 26:2). This was a “stereotyped and vehement form of claiming a canonicity equal to that of the O.T.”^[56] Moreover, this passage doesn’t merely refer to copyists of the book, but to “everyone who hears the words of the prophecy.” Every listener is held accountable to the words written in this book.

Based on this verse, Irenaeus implored Christian copyists to be scrupulous with regard to their work. He wrote, “Whoever you are that are making a copy of this book, I adjure you by our Lord Jesus Christ and by his glorious advent when he comes to judge the living and the dead, that you compare your copy and correct it carefully by this original manuscript; and likewise transcribe this adjuration and set it in your copy” (Irenaeus, in Eusebius, Church History 5.20). Of course, this verse speaks to those who “hear” the prophecy—not copy it. But it shows how seriously the early Christians handled Scripture.

(Rev. 22:20-21) “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. ²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

“Come, Lord Jesus” (erchou kyrie Iēsous) is the Greek version of the Aramaic maranatha (māranā’ tā’).

Questions for Reflection

What does Revelation 22 add to the description of Heaven that Revelation 21 doesn’t contain?

Read verses 18-19. Why does the book end with a warning not to add or subtract from Scripture?

[1] Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 2001), 59.

[2] Mark Hitchcock, The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2012), 450.

[3] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 439-440.

[4] G.R. Beasley-Murray, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), 306-307.

[5] John Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago, IL: JFW Publishing Trust, 1966), 306.

[6] William R. Newell, Revelation: A Complete Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1935), 335-338

^[7] Grant R. Osborne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 729-730.

^[8] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 100.

[9] Randy C. Alcorn, Heaven (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2004), 147-151.

[10] Walter Kaiser, Preaching and Teaching the Last Things (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 157.

[11] Joni Eareckson Tada, Heaven: Your Real Home (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997), 68.

^[12] Gerhard Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 3.447.

^[13] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 100.

^[14] Grant R. Osborne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 729-730.

^[15] Gerhard Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 3.447.

^[16] J. Guhrt, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 184.

[17] Luc Ferry, A Brief History of Thought: A Philosophical Guide to Living, trans. Theo Cuffe (New York: Harper, 2010), 2-3, 12.

[18] Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski, “Tales from the Crypt: On the Role of Death in Life,” Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 33, no. 1 (March 1998): 12.

[19] Luc Ferry, A Brief History of Thought: A Philosophical Guide to Living, trans. Theo Cuffe (New York: Harper, 2010), 2-3, 12.

[20] Zygmunt Bauman, Mortality, Immortality, and Other Life Strategies (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1992), 12, 13.

[21] Edwin Shneidman, A Commonsense Book of Death: Reflections at Ninety of a Lifelong Thanatologist (New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008), p.34.

[22] Stephen Cave, Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How It Drives Civilization (New York: Crown, 2012), 224.

[23] Irvin D. Yalom, Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death (San Francisco: Wiley, 2008), 5-6.

^[24] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 594.

^[25] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 234.

^[26] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 234.

^[27] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 389.

^[28] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 464.

^[29] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 596.

^[30] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 238.

[31] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 461.

[32] John Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago, IL: JFW Publishing Trust, 1966), 321.

[33] William R. Newell, Revelation: A Complete Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1935), 348-52.

[34] The author of Hebrews anticipates a heavenly city as well. He writes, “[Abraham] was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10), and he writes, “We are seeking the city which is to come” (Heb. 11:10; Heb. 13:14). Moreover, Paul writes that believers belong to “the Jerusalem above” (Gal. 4:26). However, theologians also dispute whether to understand these references as literal or symbolic.

^[35] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 239.

^[36] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 392.

[37] G.R. Beasley-Murray, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), 306-307.

^[38] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 382.

^[39] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 238-239.

^[40] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 593-594.

^[41] Grant R. Osborne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 733.

[42] George Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), 282.

^[43] Though, Mounce writes, “John’s list omits four included in the LXX (Exod 28:17-20)—ἄνθραξ, λιγύριον, ἀχάτης, and ὀνύχιον—and includes four additional stones—χαλκηδών, σαρδόνυξ, χρυσόπρασος, and ὑάκινθος. Part of this difference may be accounted for by the uncertainties of translation. The order in the two lists is totally distinct.” See footnote. Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 393.

^[44] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 240.

^[45] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 598.

[46] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 475.

[47] Billy Graham, The Heaven Answer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2012), 59-60.

[48] Joni Eareckson Tada, Heaven: Your Real Home (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997), 27.

^[49] We disagree with Thomas, however, that non-resurrected people will enter the New Heavens and Earth. Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 485.

^[50] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 244.

[51] Michael J. Murray, Reason for the Hope Within (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999), 293.

^[52] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 502-503.

^[53] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 247.

^[54] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 509-510.

^[55] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 249.

^[56] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 410.