Revelation 21:1-7 – All Things Made New

BIBLE TEXT

Revelation 21:1-7

SUMMARY

After the final judgment, John sees a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem. God dwells among God’s people and gives the promise, “I am making all things new.”

ANALYSIS

The new Jerusalem marks the culmination of Revelation. Since the city descends from above, it is not a human creation. It comes down as God’s gift. The city is pictured as a bride, thereby showing that it is the counterpart to Babylon the whore, the city that personifies oppression on the earth in Revelation 17:1-6. A voice from heaven indicates that in this city death and grief no longer have any place. The words echo various passages from Isaiah and other prophets, showing that the new Jerusalem is where God’s promises of salvation are finally fulfilled.