1A new heaven and a new earth. 2The new Jerusalem. 3The blessedness of God's people; 8the judgment of the wicked. 9A description of the heavenly Jerusalem.
1ANDa1I saw 2a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were 3passed away; and there was no more 4sea.
a Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13.
1 Namely, thereafter, when the last judgment was held; whereof was spoken at the end of the previous chapter.
2 That is, a renewed heaven and earth, as is further noted in 2 Peter 3:10. Some expositors understand this also of the new form of the church of Christ in this world, after the conversion of the Jews, whereof more was spoken in the previous chapter. Nevertheless this opinion is there refuted; and that here is spoken of the triumphant church of Jesus Christ in heaven, and of the state thereof after the last judgment, this will sufficiently appear by the entire exposition, especially by the fourth verse, and by the twenty-second verse, and the following verses, which cannot be applied to the state of the church of Christ in this world; as also almost all orthodox interpreters expound it so.
3 Namely, in respect of their present state, and for as much as it serves for the use of people, who lead here a natural life, and in respect of the vanity to which they are subject because of men’s sins. See Rom. 8:19, etc.
4 Some perceive hereby that the sea shall be consumed and dried up by the fire, seeing there shall be no more use of it. But that heaven and earth, being renewed and glorified, shall always continue to be a common habitation of holy angels and blessed men, as also at present the angels do sometimes appear on earth though the heaven be their proper habitation. This is an uncertain opinion.
2And I John saw theb holy city, 5new Jerusalem, 6coming down from God out of heaven, 7prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
b verse 10; Rev. 3:12.
5 Though in general the church of Christ is sometimes thus also called, as appears in Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22, because Jerusalem was a type and figure thereof, nevertheless here the triumphant church of Christ and the place of her habitation are so called, because then shall be perfected in her that which was begun in her in this world. See Psalm 132:14.
6 Not that the habitation of the blessed saints shall be hereafter outside of heaven, for, the contrary is testified in John 14:2, 3; Philip. 3:20; 1 Thes. 4:17, but this is said in respect of the figure or of the vision which John saw thereof, and in respect of the power whereby all this was caused. See Heb. 11:10 and Rev. 3:12.
7 Namely, as is said in Rev. 19:7, that she prepared herself as a bride, namely, towards the coming of Christ, so it is said here that she was already prepared; that is, fully adorned and glorified, to remain united for ever with Christ her Bridegroom. See Eph. 5:27.
3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,c8the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be 9their God.
c Ezek. 43:7.
8 That is, the habitation of God; namely, not only with His grace and Spirit, as is also done here on earth in His church, John 14:23; 2 Cor. 6:16, but also by His perfect glory and joy, when He shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15:28; a figurative phrase taken from the pattern of the tabernacle in the Old Testament. See Lev. 26:11.
9 Namely, Who shall deliver them from all evil, and cause them to abound with all good, both in body and soul. See 1 Cor. 2:9; 13:12; 15:43; 2 Cor. 3:18; Philip. 3:21.
4Andd God shall wipe away 10all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more 11death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more 12pain: for 13the former things are passed away.
d Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17.
10 See Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17.
11 Namely, among those who dwell in this heavenly Jerusalem. Otherwise death remains forever in the lake of fire, into which it was cast, Rev. 20:14.
12 Or, labor.
13 Namely, of crosses and afflictions of the believers, and of all other miseries and troubles of this present life.
5Ande he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, If make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words areg true and faithful.
e Rev. 4:2; 20:11.
f Isa. 43:19; 2 Cor. 5:17.
g Rev. 19:9.
6And he said unto me, Ith is 14done. 15Ii am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 16Ij will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life 17freely.
h Rev. 16:17.
14 Or, it has been, it is come to pass, that is, all things are fulfilled which were foretold by the prophets in the Old and by the apostles in the New Testament. See Rev. 16:17.
15 See Rev. 1:8.
i Isa. 41:4; 44:6; Rev. 1:8; 22:13.
16 John took this place out of the words of Christ in his Gospel, John 7:37, whereof see there.
j Isa. 55:1.
17 That is, of free grace, without any of their merits, Eph. 2:8.
7He that overcometh shall inherit 18all things; andk I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
18 That is, the fullness of all spiritual and eternal riches, both in soul and body. See Rom. 8:17, 29; 1 John 3:2.
k Zech. 8:8; Heb. 8:10.
8But 19thel fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and 20sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake whichm burneth with fire and brimstone: which is 21the second death.
19 These are here contrasted to them of whom is said in the previous verse that they overcome, namely, valiantly and steadfastly all troubles which befall them for the profession of the Gospel. See Rom. 8:37. These fearful ones are those who through fear fall away in the time of persecution and affliction; Mat. 13:21.
l Rev. 22:15.
20 Or, poisoners.
m Rev. 20:14, 15.
21 See Rev. 20:14.
9And there came unto me 22one of the seven angels whichn had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, 23I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
22 Namely, who, in Rev. 17:3, had carried John into the wilderness, and had shown (him) the judgment of the great whore; who now shows him Christ’s Bride and the heavenly Jerusalem, as an end of all visions.
n Rev. 15:6, 7.
23 That is, the glorified church of Christ with her dwelling place. See Rev. 19:7, from which appears that in this vision there is not only shown the glory of the place where the elect shall always rejoice with Christ, but also especially the glory of the church of Christ itself, with her characteristics, as she shall be hereafter in heaven.
10And he carried me away 24ino the spirit to a great and 25high mountain, and shewed me thatp great city, the holy Jerusalem, 26descending out of heaven from God,
24 That is, in a trance, or in a vision. See Rev. 1:10.
o Rev. 1:10.
25 Namely, to be able to view from this point more advantageously this heavenly Jerusalem with its total position; as could be viewed most conveniently from the top of Mount Sion the city of Jerusalem, which was a type hereof, Psalm 24:3 and Isa. 2:2, etc.
p verse 2; Heb. 12:22.
26 See the annotation at Rev. 21 on verse 2.
11Having 27the glory of God: and her 28light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone,q clear as crystal;
27 Namely, which shined upon it and glorified it; as God Himself is said to possess an inaccessible light, 1 Tim. 6:16.
28 Or, luster.
q precious stone of various colors*
12And had 29a wall great and high, and had 30twelve gates, and at the gates 31twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve 32tribes of the children of Israel:
29 Hereby is signified the unconquerable stability and certainty of the glorified church of God in heaven, which, by His omnipotence, is and ever will remain as a strong wall about it. See Zech. 2:5; Mat. 16:18.
30 Namely, at each side three gates, as is shown in the sequel. Whereby is signified that all believers, from all quarters of the world, shall have access unto this city, as Christ also speaks in Mat. 8:11.
31 Namely, unto faithful watchmen, that in this city would not go out or in but what was clean and pertained to it; as is shown hereafter in verse 27, and as is also related of the entrance into Paradise, Gen. 3:24.
32 Or, families; namely, of the true Israel of God, chosen and gathered together out of all the families of the earth. See Rom. 11:26; Rev. 7:4.
1333On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
33 This does not refer to the external Jerusalem, which on one side had no gates, since it was situated upon a steep place; but either to the Jerusalem of the New Testament, which Ezekiel also saw after that manner but in a lesser proportion, Ezek. 48:31; or, also to the camp of the Israelites in the wilderness, which laid foursquare, and had a gate for every tribe. See Num. 2:2, etc.
14Andr the wall of the city had 34twelve foundations, and in them 35the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
r Eph. 2:20.
34 Namely, of precious stones, suitably laid upon or next to one another, as is shown in verse 19 and verse 20. Whereby is signified the doctrine of the twelve apostles, whose outermost cornerstone is Christ Jesus, upon Whom here is built this church of Christ, and shall remain built forever; as Paul testifies in Eph. 2:20.
35 A similitude, so it seems, taken from the practice of workmen in great buildings, who, for a memorial, are wont to engrave or carve their names upon the cornerstones. So is here also spoken of the twelve apostles, because all of them built on this city and laid no other foundations but Jesus Christ; but in a different measure and luster, as these precious stones are of a different luster, and as Paul also speaks of himself and others in 1 Cor. 3:10, 11.
15And he that talked with me hads36a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
s Ezek. 40:3; Zech. 2:1.
36 This refers to Ezek. 40:3, where suchlike measure of the new Jerusalem and of the temple is taken, to show that all things shall be done here according to God’s ordinance and arrangement.
16And the city lieth 37foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, 38twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
37 Gr. quadrangular. This is so said, because this figure is the strongest and most immovable.
38 Since eight furlongs make an Italian mile and three Italian miles one league, the compass of this wall amounts to five hundred of our miles or leagues. Whereby is signified that the church of Christ in heaven shall be exceeding great; and yet so that her proper habitation, as an heavenly paradise, shall be and continue to be severed from other places.
17And he measured 39the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four 40cubits, 41according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
39 That is, the height of that wall.
40 Each cubit taken for a geometrical foot and an half, making together two hundred and sixteen geometrical feet; a great height, rising from twelve times twelve multiplied together, a foursquare number, according to the number of the twelve apostles, and of the twelve tribes of Israel here named. Whereby is not only signified the fruitfulness or the multiplication of the members of Christ, by the doctrine of the apostles, but also the stability and certainty of this church in heaven.
41 That is, which a man is wont to use, in whose shape the angel appeared here unto John.
18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like 42unto clear glass.
42 Earthly gold is not in itself transparent, but only bright and pure, but besides this gold has the property of pure glass and is joined to the jasper and other precious stones, which are here related one after another to intimate thereby that all the parts of this heavenly Jerusalem, both within and without, and all the inhabitants thereof, each shall be most pure, most glorious, most holy and most acceptable before God and among themselves, according to the measure of the gifts of Christ.
19And 43the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
43 Namely, on which the wall was founded; whereof see verse 14.
20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius;t the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth;u the twelfth, an amethyst.
t a red stone, carnelian
u deep-blue colored gemstone
21And 44the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and 45the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
44 These gates are said to be twelve according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel, as was shown in verse 12. Thereby may fittingly be understood the multitude of all faithful teachers, and other leaders of the church, who like pearls surpass the common gold, and whereby, as God’s instruments, according to the example of the twelve apostles, the true Israelites both of the Old and New Testament, have always come to the fellowship of this church of Christ. See 1 Cor. 3:8.
45 Or, the market, the public place, whereby is ordinarily understood that place of the city where the meetings of citizens and the courts of Jerusalem are kept, which is also here said to be of pure gold and as it were transparent glass, because all things will go peaceably, uprightly, and without any difference among the members of this church.
22And I saw 46no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and 47the Lamb are the temple of it.
46 Namely, no external temple, or temple needs, as the external Jerusalem had been, also adorned with gold and precious stones; for, this served as an image of good things to come; or, it served also for the preaching of the Word of God, the administration of the sacraments, and the performance of such like religious worships and services therein, all which things shall then cease, when they shall all be taught of God alone, Jer. 31:34, and when He Himself shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 13:10; 15:28.
47 That is, Christ Himself, Who as true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, will glorify the church, and be all in all.
23Andv the city 48had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, andw the Lamb is the light thereof.
v Isa. 60:19; Zech. 14:7.
48 Namely, to measure thereby the difference of days or times, since there shall be no night, but an everlasting light, as the next verse declares; neither to lighten us outwardly, while God’s glory and His inaccessible light in which He dwells, will darken all other lights. This place refers to Isa. 60:19, where the same is prophesied, not only of the times of the New Testament, compared with the times of the Old Testament, but especially of the fulfillment which shall come to pass hereafter.
w Rev. 22:5.
24Andx the nations of them which are saved shall walk 49in the light of it: and 50the kings of the earth 51do bring their glory and honour into it.
x Isa. 60:3.
49 That is, shall be also partakers of the glory of the entire church, as Christ says in Mat. 8:11, that they shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God.
50 Namely, those who have become believers. These words are also taken from Isa. 60:3.
51 Not that this kingly power shall still continue there, for, the contrary is testified by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:24; but that even kings, who were here in great glory, shall also have their portion in the glory of this church, in such measure as God shall please to communicate unto them.
2552Andy the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: forz there shall be no night there.
52 This manner of speech is also taken from Isa. 60:11, and gives to understand that there all the elect shall have always access to, and that they shall be in such peace and quietness, that they need not fear enemies, nor anything that may hurt either them or theirs.
y Isa. 60:11.
z Rev. 22:5.
26And they shall bring the glory and 53honour of the nations into it.
53 See earlier in verse 24.
27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that 54defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written inaa55the Lamb’s book of life.
54 Or, committeth uncleanness, as Paul also declares in 1 Cor. 6:9.
aa Exod. 32:32; Psalm 69:28; Philip. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 20:12.
55 That is, they who thereunto were freely chosen from eternity, and in this present time were efficaciously called and brought unto it. See Rom. 8:29, 30; Rev. 13:8.