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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Revelation 21:1–8. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here a more general account of the happiness of the church of God in the future state, by which it seems most safe to understand the heavenly state.
I.A new world now opens to our view (Rev 21:1):
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; that is, a new universe; for we suppose the world to be made up of heaven and earth. By the new earth we may understand a new state for the bodies of men, as well as a heaven for their souls. This world is not now newly created, but newly opened, and filled with all those who were the heirs of it. The new heaven and the new earth will not then be distinct; the very earth of the saints, their glorified bodies, will now be spiritual and heavenly, and suited to those pure and bright mansions. To make way for the commencement of this new world, the old world, with all its troubles and commotions, passed away.
II.In this new world the apostle saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, not locally, but as to its original:
this new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, beautified with all perfection of wisdom and holiness, meet for the full fruition of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory.
III.The blessed presence of God with his people is here proclaimed and admired:
I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, etc., Rev 21:3. Observe,
1.The presence of God with his church is the glory of the church.
2.It is matter of wonder that a holy God should ever dwell with any of the children of men.
3.The presence of God with his people in heaven will not be interrupted as it is on earth, but he will dwell with them continually.
4.The covenant, interest, and relation, that there are now between God and his people, will be filled up and perfected in heaven. They shall be his people; their souls shall be assimilated to him, filled with all the love, honour, and delight in God which their relation to him requires, and this will constitute their perfect holiness; and he will be their God: God himself will be their God; his immediate presence with them, his love fully manifested to them, and his glory put upon them, will be their perfect happiness; then he will fully answer the character of the relation on his part, as they shall do on their part.
IV.This new and blessed state will be free from all trouble and sorrow; for,
1.All the effects of former trouble shall be done away. They have been often before in tears, by reason of sin, of affliction, of the calamities of the church; but now all tears shall be wiped away; no signs, no remembrance of former sorrows shall remain, any further than to make their present felicity the greater. God himself, as their tender Father, with his own kind hand, shall wipe away the tears of his children; and they would not have been without those tears when God shall come and wipe them away.
2.All the causes of future sorrow shall be for ever removed: There shall be neither death nor pain; and therefore no sorrow nor crying; these are things incident to that state in which they were before, but now all former things have passed away.
V.The truth and certainty of this blessed state are ratified by the word and promise of God, and ordered to be committed to writing, as matter of perpetual record, Rev 21:5, Rev 21:6. The subject-matter of this vision is so great, and of such great importance to the church and people of God, that they have need of the fullest assurances of it; and God therefore from heaven repeats and ratifies the truth thereof. Besides, many ages must pass between the time when this vision was given forth and the accomplishment of it, and many great trials must intervene; and therefore God would have it committed to writing, for perpetual memory, and continual use to his people. Observe,
1.The certainty of the promise averred: These words are faithful and true; and it follows, It is done, is as sure as if it were done already. We may and ought to take God's promise as present payment; if he has said that he makes all things new, it is done.
2.He gives us his titles of honour as a pledge or surety of the full performance, even those titles of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. As it was his glory that he gave the rise and beginning to the world and to his church, it will be his glory to finish the work begin, and not to leave it imperfect. As his power and will were the first cause of all things, his pleasure and glory are the last end, and he will not lose his design; for then he would no longer be the Alpha and Omega. Men may begin designs which they can never bring to perfection; but the counsel of God shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure.
3.The desires of his people towards this blessed state furnish another evidence of the truth and certainty of it. They thirst after a state of sinless perfection and the uninterrupted enjoyment of God, and God has wrought in them these longing desires, which cannot be satisfied with any thing else, and therefore would be the torment of the soul if they were disappointed but it would be inconsistent with the goodness of God, and his love to his people, to create in them holy and heavenly desires, and then deny them their proper satisfaction; and therefore they may be assured that, when they have overcome their present difficulties, he will give them of the fountain of the water of life freely.
VI.The greatness of this future felicity is declared and illustrated,
1.By the freeness of it - it is the free gift of God: He gives of the water of life freely; this will not make it less but more grateful to his people.
2.The fulness of it. The people of God then lie at the fountain-head of all blessedness: they inherit all things (Rev 21:7); enjoying God, they enjoy all things. He is all in all.
3.By the tenure and title by which they enjoy this blessedness - by right of inheritance, as the sons of God, a title of all others the most honourable, as resulting from so near and endeared a relation to God himself, and the most sure and indefeasible, that can no more cease than the relation from which it results.
4.By the vastly different state of the wicked. Their misery helps to illustrate the glory and blessedness of the saints, and the distinguishing goodness of God towards them, Rev 21:8. Here observe,
(1.)The sins of those who perish, among which are first mentioned their cowardliness and unbelief. The fearful lead the van in this black list. They durst not encounter the difficulties of religion, and their slavish fear proceeded from their unbelief; but those who were so dastardly as not to dare to take up the cross of Christ, and discharge their duty to him, were yet so desperate as to run into all manner of abominable wickedness - murder, adultery, sorcery, idolatry, and lying.
(2.)Their punishment: They have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
[1.]They could not burn at a stake for Christ, but they must burn in hell for sin.
[2.]They must die another death after their natural death; the agonies and terrors of the first death will consign them over to the far greater terrors and agonies of eternal death, to die and to be always dying.
[3.]This misery will be their proper part and portion, what they have justly deserved, what they have in effect chosen, and what they have prepared themselves for by their sins. Thus the misery of the damned will illustrate the blessedness of those that are saved, and the blessedness of the saved will aggravate the misery of those that are damned.
Historical interpretation
Eight Centuries of Reception
15 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away."
But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence; inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem, "let down from heaven," [Revelation 21:2] which the apostle also calls "our mother from above;" [Galatians 4:26] and, while declaring that our πολίτευμα, or citizenship, is in heaven, he predicates of it that it is really a city in heaven. This both Ezekiel had knowledge of [Ezekiel 48:30-35] and the Apostle John beheld. [Revelation 21:10-23] And the word of the new prophecy which is a part of our belief, attests how it foretold that there would be for a sign a picture of this very city exhibited to view previous to its manifestation. This prophecy, indeed, has been very lately fulfilled in an expedition to the East. For it is evident from the testimony of even heathen witnesses, that in Judæa there was suspended in the sky a city early every morning for forty days. As the day advanced, the entire figure of its walls would wane gradually, and sometimes it would vanish instantly. We say that this city has been provided by God for receiving the saints on their resurrection, and refreshing them with the abundance of all really spiritual blessings, as a recompense for those which in the world we have either despised or lost; since it is both just and God-worthy that His servants should have their joy in the place where they have also suffered affliction for His name's sake. Of the heavenly kingdom this is the process. After its thousand years are over, within which period is completed the resurrection of the saints, who rise sooner or later according to their deserts there will ensue the destruction of the world and the conflagration of all things at the judgment: we shall then be changed in a moment into the substance of angels, even by the investiture of an incorruptible nature, and so be removed to that kingdom in heaven of which we have now been treating, just as if it had not been predicted by the Creator, and as if it were proving Christ to belong to the other god and as if he were the first and sole revealer of it.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away," says He. "The first heaven and the first earth passed away," "and there was found no place for them," because, of course, that which comes to an end loses locality.
Even" the sea shall be no more." Now if any person should go so far as to suppose that all these passages ought to be spiritually interpreted, he will yet be unable to deprive them of the true accomplishment of those issues which must come to pass just as they have been written For all figures of speech necessarily arise out of real things, not out of chimerical ones; t because nothing is capable of imparting anything of its own for a similitude, except it actually be that very thing which it imparts in the similitude.
For at that time the trumpet shall sound, and awake those that sleep from the lowest parts of the earth, righteous and sinners alike. And every kindred, and tongue, and nation, and tribe shall be raised in the twinkling of an eye; and they shall stand upon the face of the earth, waiting for the coming of the righteous and terrible Judge, in fear and trembling unutterable. For the river of fire shall come forth in fury like an angry sea, and shall burn up mountains and hills, and shall make the sea vanish, and shall dissolve the atmosphere with its heat like wax. The stars of heaven shall fall, the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood. The heaven shall be rolled together like a scroll: the whole earth shall be burnt up by reason of the deeds done in it, which men did corruptly, in fornications, in adulteries, and in lies and uncleanness, and in idolatries, and in murders, and in battles. For there shall be the new heaven and the new earth.
Every rational soul is made unhappy by its sins or happy by its well doing. Every irrational soul yields to one that is more powerful, or obeys one that is better, or is on terms of equality with its equals, exercising rivals or harming any it has overcome. Every body is obedient to its soul so far as permitted by the merits of the latter or the orderly arrangement of things. There is no evil in the universe, but in individuals there is evil due to their own fault. When the soul has been regenerated by the grace of God and restored to its integrity and made subject to him alone by whom it was created, its body too will be restored to its original strength, and it will receive power to possess the world, not to be possessed by the world. Then it will have no evil. For the lowly beauty of temporal changes will not involve it, for it will have been raised above change. There will be, as it is written, a new heaven and a new earth, and there souls will not have to do their part in toiling but will reign over the universe. “All things are yours,” says the apostle, “and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.” And again: “The head of the woman is the man, the head of the man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God.” Accordingly, since the vice of the soul is not its nature but contrary to its nature and is nothing else than sin and sin’s penalty, we understand that no nature, or, if you prefer it, no substance or essence, is evil.
It is hard to know whether [the sea] will be dried up by the terrible heat of those flames or will itself be transformed into something better. For though we read that there will be a new heaven and earth, I cannot recall having ever seen mentioned a new sea, save perhaps in that verse of the Apocalypse, “a sea of glass similar to crystal.” Yet in that passage, John was not talking about the end of the world; moreover, he did not claim to have seen a sea proper, but something like a sea. Still, as prophecy is prone to intermingle the literal and metaphorical and so veil its meaning, it may be that in our present text, “and the sea is no more,” John was speaking of the identical sea he spoke of earlier: “And the sea gave up the dead that were in it.” For then, this world of ours, made restless and stormy by the lives of men (and, hence, figuratively, called the sea), will have passed away.
Having concluded his prophecy of the judgment awaiting bad people, John has to speak of what is to befall the good.… [The new heaven and earth] will happen in the order which he indicated, by anticipation, in the earlier verse where he said he saw sitting on a throne one from whose face heaven and earth fled away. First, to be sure, will come the judgment of those uninscribed in the Book of Life and their consignment to eternal fire.… Afterwards, this world as we see it will pass away, burned away by terrestrial fires, just as the flood was caused by the overflowing of terrestrial waters. This conflagration will utterly burn away the corruptible characteristics proper to corruptible bodies, as such; whereupon our substance will possess only those qualities that are consistent with bodies immortalized in this marvelous transformation—to this end, that the world, remade into something better, will become fit for people now remade, even in their bodies, into something better.
This passage announces the power and strength of the Lord with the words “He has established them forever, and for ages of ages: he has made a decree, and it shall not pass away.” This is to remove all doubt that God is almighty, for what he has established continues in being without change, since this conclusion is applied to the things of heaven. But we read of the world to come: “There will be a new heaven and a new earth,” so how can one say of the present heaven “He has established them forever”? There is however no doubt that all things have been established by God. Though man himself dies, he is “established” in God’s eyes when he rises again; similarly heaven and earth remain in God’s sight when they are made new. Once they have laid aside their roughness or corruptible character, nature itself is made better and abides, since it has been bidden to exist in eternity. As Paul says about the transformation of our bodies: “When the corruptible has put on incorruption, and the mortal puts on immortality.” A “decree” means a law or condition, so that we may realize that all things are in his power. It cannot pass away because the Almighty established it, and Truth has promised it in return.
Concerning the sea, it says that “the sea was no more.” For what use is there of a sea when people no longer need to sail it or to acquire by means of it the goods grown in regions lying far away? Moreover the “sea” is symbolic of the turbulence and unsettledness of life, and so there will then be no need of it when there remains no trouble or fear among the saints.
This passage does not speak of the obliteration of creation but of its renewal into something better. For as the apostle says, “this creation will be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Also the holy psalmist says, “You change them like a raiment, and they pass away.” The renewal of that which has grown old does not involve the annihilation of its substance but rather indicates the smoothing out of its agedness and its wrinkles. It is a custom among us to say concerning persons who have in some way become better or have become worse, “someone has become someone else.” And so it is indicated concerning the heaven and the earth that they have “passed away’ ’ instead of have “changed.” And this is also the same with us who have received death; we will change from a former condition to a better lot.
And the sea is no more. Whether it will be dried up by that great heat, or whether it will also be transformed for the better, I cannot easily say. We read that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but not a new sea. Unless perhaps, as prophetic language often mixes literal and figurative speech, the turbulent life of this age, which will then cease, is symbolized by the sea.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, etc. This will be done in the order that he has already mentioned above, saying that he saw one seated on the throne from whose presence heaven and earth fled away, implying the judgment of the wicked. Then the figure of this world will pass away with the conflagration of the heavenly fires, so that, with heaven and earth transformed for the better, the quality of the transformation will correspond to the incorruption and immortality of the bodies of the saints. As for what he said:
QUESTION: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth was gone. ANSWER: That is, when the wicked have been judged, then the shape of this world will pass due to the burning of heavenly fires, so that, heaven and earth being changed for the better, the quality of the change of both will harmoniously match the incorruptibility and immortality of the bodies of the saints.
And he says, I saw new heavens and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea is no more. Peter says something similar in his second epistle, saying that "we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth." (2 Peter 3:13) But he does not say that the heaven and the earth and the sea have passed into annihilation and nonexistence, or that others have been created in their stead; rather, that those now existing have cast off their corruption and have become new, as one puts off an old and polluted garment and removes its filth. For everything is called new that was not such before but has now come into being.
Then the creation will be made free from all corruption, which it has suffered through the transgression of men. And most trustworthy witness of these things is the divine apostle writing to the Romans and saying these things concerning the creation: "for the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but because of him who subjected it, with hope that the creation itself also will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Rom. 8:19-21) And not only he but also the inspired prophet, singing concerning heaven and earth according to the testimony just cited: "and all of them shall be worn out as a garment, and like a mantle you will fold them up and they will be changed." (Ps. 101:27)
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Summary
Revelation 21:1 unveils a breathtaking vision of cosmic renewal, presenting the culmination of God's redemptive plan for creation. Following the final judgments and the defeat of all evil, the Apostle John is granted a glimpse into the eternal state where a qualitatively new heaven and a new earth replace the former, fallen creation. This verse signifies a radical, divine act of recreation, establishing a perfect and harmonious environment utterly free from the vestiges of sin, suffering, and chaos, thus ushering in an era of unblemished peace and direct divine presence.
Context
Literary Context
Revelation 21:1 marks a pivotal transition in the book of Revelation, immediately following the description of the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Having witnessed the final defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment of humanity, John now turns from scenes of cosmic conflict and divine retribution to a glorious vision of cosmic restoration. This verse sets the stage for the detailed portrayal of the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God with humanity, described in the subsequent verses of Revelation 21 and Revelation 22. It serves as the grand culmination of the biblical narrative, moving from creation to new creation, from the Garden of Eden to the eternal city.
Historical & Cultural Context
John's vision was received during a time of intense persecution for early Christians, likely under the Roman Emperor Domitian, who demanded emperor worship. The apocalyptic genre, characteristic of Revelation, provided hope and encouragement to a suffering community, assuring them of God's ultimate triumph over evil and the establishment of His perfect kingdom. The imagery of "heaven and earth" passing away and being replaced by "new" ones resonates with Old Testament prophetic traditions, particularly those found in Isaiah 65:17 and Isaiah 66:22, which promised a future era of divine renewal and peace. The concept of the "sea" also carried significant cultural weight; in ancient Near Eastern cosmology and Jewish thought, the sea often symbolized chaos, evil, separation, and the abode of monstrous forces, as seen in passages like Daniel 7:3 and Psalm 74:13-14. Its absence in the new creation would therefore signify the complete eradication of all sources of disorder and threat.
Key Themes
This verse introduces several profound themes central to the eschatological vision of Revelation. The primary theme is Divine Renewal and Recreation, emphasizing God's sovereign power not merely to repair the old creation but to bring forth a fundamentally new one, free from the pervasive effects of sin and decay. This speaks to the Consummation of God's Redemptive Plan, where the long history of salvation culminates in a perfect, eternal dwelling for His people. The concept of the "first heaven and first earth" passing away highlights the Irreversibility of God's Judgment and Transformation, indicating a complete removal of all that is fallen, corrupt, and temporary. Finally, the symbolic declaration "and there was no more sea" underscores the theme of Perfect Peace and Order, signifying the eradication of all chaos, separation, and evil, ensuring a unified and secure existence in God's eternal presence. This vision offers profound Eschatological Hope for believers, pointing to a future where God's promises of restoration are fully realized.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, G2537, signifies "new in quality or kind," emphasizing a qualitative transformation rather than merely "new in time" (which would be neos). The new heaven and new earth are not simply a refurbished version of the old, but fundamentally superior, embodying a fresh, unprecedented reality created by God, free from the corruption and limitations of the former.
G3928 means "to come near or aside, i.e. to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (figuratively) perish or neglect, (causative) avert." In this context, it denotes a definitive and complete departure or going away, indicating a permanent cessation and irreversible end to the former state of creation. It implies not just a change, but an absolute removal and replacement.
G2281 refers to "the sea." In the biblical and ancient Near Eastern worldview, the sea often symbolized chaos, disorder, the dwelling place of evil, and a barrier or source of separation. Its absence in the new creation is highly symbolic, representing the complete eradication of all forms of chaos, evil, separation, and anything that might threaten God's perfect order and the harmonious fellowship of His people.
Verse Breakdown
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth"
This clause introduces John's visionary experience, emphasizing the divine origin of this revelation. The "new heaven and new earth" signify a complete cosmic renewal, a creation that is qualitatively superior and fundamentally different from the present fallen world. It points to a fresh, unblemished reality where God's glory will fully dwell.
"for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away"
This provides the reason and necessity for the new creation. The "first heaven and first earth" refer to the current cosmos, which, due to the pervasive effects of sin and the curse, is subject to decay and imperfection. Their "passing away" indicates a definitive and irreversible end, a complete removal, rather than a mere renovation, making way for God's perfect, eternal dwelling.
"and there was no more sea"
This highly symbolic phrase signifies the complete absence of chaos, disorder, and separation. In ancient thought, the sea was often associated with evil, rebellion, and the unknown depths from which threats could emerge. Its removal symbolizes perfect peace, security, and unity, where all barriers and sources of unrest have been eternally eliminated, ensuring an environment of absolute harmony and direct access to God.
Literary Devices
Revelation 21:1 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its profound message. Visionary Language is paramount, as the verse opens with "And I saw," immediately immersing the reader in John's apocalyptic experience and emphasizing the divine origin of this future reality. The use of Contrast is central, juxtaposing the "first heaven and first earth" with the "new heaven and new earth," highlighting the radical transformation from the old, fallen creation to the new, perfected one. This contrast underscores the theme of divine recreation. Symbolism is heavily at play, particularly with the phrase "no more sea." As discussed, the sea often represents chaos, evil, and separation in biblical thought, so its absence symbolically conveys the complete eradication of all disorder and disruption in the eternal state. The cosmic scale of the vision, encompassing "heaven and earth," also lends an element of Hyperbole or grandiosity, emphasizing the immense and all-encompassing nature of God's final redemptive act.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Revelation 21:1 stands as a profound theological statement on God's ultimate sovereignty and His commitment to a redeemed creation. It affirms that God's plan extends beyond merely saving individuals; it encompasses the complete restoration of the cosmos, purging it of all sin's effects and establishing a perfect environment for His eternal dwelling with humanity. This vision underscores the biblical narrative's trajectory from creation to new creation, demonstrating that the fall did not thwart God's original purpose for a perfect fellowship with His people in a perfect world. It is the consummation of all redemptive history, where the temporary yields to the eternal, and the brokenness of the present age gives way to unblemished glory. The new heaven and earth are the ultimate expression of God's faithfulness, power, and love, providing an eternal home free from the curse.
Reflection and Application
Revelation 21:1 offers immense comfort and a powerful anchor for Christian hope in a world often marked by suffering, injustice, and decay. This vision assures believers that the present trials and the imperfections of this age are temporary. God's ultimate plan is not merely to rescue us from the world but to recreate the very environment in which we will dwell eternally with Him. This profound truth should inspire us to live with an eternal perspective, understanding that our present struggles are fleeting in comparison to the glorious reality that awaits. It calls us to endure faithfully, knowing that God is actively working towards a future where all tears will be wiped away, and there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death, as promised in Revelation 21:4. This hope fuels our perseverance, shapes our values, and motivates us to live in a way that reflects the values of the coming kingdom, even now.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is the "new heaven and new earth" a literal replacement or a renovation of the current creation?
The Greek word used for "new" is kainós (G2537), which signifies "new in quality or kind," rather than neos, which means "new in time" or merely recent. This strongly suggests a qualitative transformation and a fundamental recreation, not just a renovation or purification of the existing cosmos. While some continuity may exist (e.g., the redeemed saints will inhabit it), the emphasis is on a radical, divine act that produces a superior, unblemished reality, free from the curse of sin and decay that affects the current creation. The phrase "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away" (G3928, parérchomai) further supports a complete removal and replacement, indicating a definitive end to the former state.
Why is there "no more sea" in the new creation? What is the significance of this detail?
The absence of the sea is highly symbolic and carries significant meaning within the biblical and ancient Near Eastern worldview. In many ancient cultures, including Jewish thought, the sea was often associated with chaos, disorder, danger, and the dwelling place of monstrous evils (e.g., Job 41). It could also represent separation and barriers between peoples or lands. Therefore, the declaration "no more sea" in Revelation 21:1 symbolizes the complete eradication of all forms of chaos, evil, rebellion, and anything that might threaten God's perfect order. It signifies absolute peace, security, and unity, where all barriers are removed, and there is unhindered access and fellowship in God's presence. It points to a world of perfect harmony and tranquility.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Revelation 21:1, while a vision of the future, finds its ultimate foundation and fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "new heaven and new earth" are not merely a cosmic reset but the eschatological outcome of Christ's redemptive mission. He is the one through whom "all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible" (Colossians 1:16), and it is through His atoning sacrifice and victorious resurrection that the power of sin and death, which corrupted the first creation, is decisively broken. His resurrection is the "firstfruits" of this new creation (1 Corinthians 15:20), inaugurating the new era and guaranteeing the future renewal of all things. As the "last Adam," Christ undoes the curse brought by the first Adam, making it possible for humanity to dwell perfectly with God once more. The new creation is therefore a Christ-centered reality, purchased by His blood, sustained by His power, and ultimately serving as the eternal dwelling place where God's people, redeemed by Christ, will forever enjoy His presence. Indeed, in Christ, "the old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17), a spiritual reality now that will be cosmically realized in the new heaven and new earth.