Bullet Point Bible - Revelation 21

The New Heaven and New Earth

¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more.² And I saw the holy city-the new Jerusalem-descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: "Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them.⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more-or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist."

This vision marks a radical discontinuity: the "first heaven and the first earth" pass away, fulfilling prophecies like Isaiah 65:17.
The absence of the "sea" is significant; in ancient Near Eastern thought and often in the Bible, the sea represented chaos, danger, and the abyss (Rev 13:1). Its removal signifies perfect peace and order.
The New Jerusalem is presented as a "bride," symbolizing the perfected Church (the people of God) in intimate communion with Christ (the Lamb, cf. Rev 21:9).
The city comes "down out of heaven from God," emphasizing its divine origin and nature, not human achievement.
God's dwelling ("tabernacle" or "residence") is now permanently among humanity, fulfilling the promise of Immanuel ("God with us," Matthew 1:23) and the purpose of the original Tabernacle/Temple.
The intimate relationship is described: "He will live among them, and they will be his people," echoing covenant language (Leviticus 26:12, Jeremiah 31:33).
Verse 4 describes the complete reversal of the effects of sin and the curse: no more tears, death, mourning, crying, or pain. This is the ultimate restoration.
The phrase "the former things have ceased to exist" encapsulates the finality of this new creation and the end of the old, fallen order.

God's Declaration from the Throne

⁵ And the one seated on the throne said: "Look! I am making all things new!" Then he said to me, Write it down, because these words are reliable and true.⁶ He also said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life.⁷ The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.⁸ But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death."

The speaker is God himself, identified as "the one seated on the throne," signifying ultimate authority.
`"{{Look! I am making all things new!}}"` is a divine proclamation of recreation, not just renovation. It emphasizes God's active power.
The command to `"{{Write}}"` underscores the certainty and importance of this revelation, assuring John (and the readers) of its truthfulness.
`"{{It is done!}}"` echoes Jesus' final words on the cross ("It is finished," John 19:30), signifying the completion of God's redemptive plan.
`"{{I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end}}"` asserts God's sovereignty over all history and reality, from start to finish (cf. Rev 1:8, 22:13).
The promise `"{{To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life}}"` fulfills Jesus' offer (John 4:14, 7:37) and Isaiah's invitation (Isaiah 55:1), symbolizing eternal life given as a gift.
Inheritance is promised to `"{{the one who conquers}}"` (or "overcomes"), a recurring theme in Revelation (chapters 2-3), referring to those who remain faithful to Christ despite persecution and temptation.
The inheritance includes the blessings of the new creation and the intimate relationship: `"{{I will be his God and he will be my son}}"` (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14).
Verse 8 provides a stark contrast, listing vices characteristic of those who reject God and align themselves with the world system judged by God. Their fate is the "second death," eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (cf. Rev 20:14-15).
The list includes not only outwardly "evil" acts but also inward failures like cowardice (fearful denial of Christ) and faithlessness.

The Holy City Descends

⁹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!"¹⁰ So he took me away in the Spirit to a huge, majestic mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.¹¹ The city possesses the glory of God; its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper.¹² It has a massive, high wall with twelve gates, with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates.¹³ There are three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side and three gates on the west side.¹⁴ The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The guide is one of the angels associated with judgment (the bowls), highlighting that God's judgment and salvation are two sides of the same coin.
The angel introduces the city as `"the bride, the wife of the Lamb,"` reinforcing the identification of the New Jerusalem with the redeemed people of God in union with Christ.
Being carried away "in the Spirit to a great, high mountain" echoes prophetic experiences like Moses (Exodus 24) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40:2), providing a vantage point for a divine revelation.
The city's primary characteristic is the "glory of God," signifying God's manifest presence and radiance.
Its brilliance is compared to "jasper, clear as crystal," likely representing purity, beauty, and divine light (cf. Rev 4:3 where jasper describes God's appearance).
The "massive, high wall" signifies security and permanence, but the twelve open gates signify accessibility.
The twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel represent the inclusion of God's people from the Old Covenant era. The twelve angels may signify guardianship or welcome.
The symmetrical arrangement of gates (three on each side) suggests universal access from all corners of the earth.
The twelve foundations inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb represent the New Covenant foundation of the Church, built upon the apostles' witness to Christ (Ephesians 2:20).
The combination of tribes and apostles symbolizes the unity of all God's redeemed people throughout history within the one city/bride.

The City's Dimensions and Materials

¹⁵ The angel who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall.¹⁶ Now the city is laid out as a square, its length and width the same. He measured the city with the measuring rod at 1,400 miles (its length and width and height are equal).¹⁷ He also measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which is also the angel's.¹⁸ The city's wall is made of jasper and the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.¹⁹ The foundations of the city's wall are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.²¹ And the twelve gates are twelve pearls-each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The main street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

The act of measuring, performed with a "golden measuring rod," signifies divine ownership, perfection, and perhaps protection (cf. Ezekiel 40:3, Zechariah 2:1-5). Gold implies value and divine quality.
The city is a perfect cube (length, width, and height are equal), measuring 12,000 stadia (approx. 1400 miles or 2200 km) per side. This cubic shape recalls the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and Temple (1 Kings 6:20), suggesting the entire city is God's most holy dwelling place.
The immense size is symbolic, representing ample space for all the redeemed. The number 12 (12,000 stadia, 144 cubits) is prominent, symbolizing God's people (12 tribes, 12 apostles) and divine perfection/completeness.
The wall's thickness (144 cubits, about 216 feet or 65 meters) uses another symbolic number (12x12), emphasizing completeness and divine order. "Human measurement, which is also the angel's" suggests reality, not just ethereal vision.
The materials are incredibly precious: jasper walls, pure gold city "like transparent glass," foundations of diverse gemstones, and gates of single pearls.
This imagery evokes immense beauty, value, purity (transparent gold), and divine glory. It surpasses any earthly splendor.
The foundation stones may echo the high priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:17-20), again linking the city to God's presence and his unified people.
The "street" (Greek *plateia*, perhaps better translated "main square" or "plaza") being pure, transparent gold further emphasizes the pervasive purity and glory within the city.

God's Presence as Temple and Light

²² Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God-the All-Powerful -and the Lamb are its temple.²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb.²⁴ The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it.²⁵ Its gates will never be closed during the day (and there will be no night there).²⁶ They will bring the grandeur and the wealth of the nations into it,²⁷ but nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The absence of a temple is startling but logical: the temple was the place of mediated access to God. In the New Jerusalem, God's presence is immediate and fills the entire city. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb *are* the temple.
Similarly, natural light sources (sun, moon) are unnecessary because the "glory of God" provides illumination, and the Lamb is the city's "lamp" (cf. Isaiah 60:19-20). This signifies direct, divine enlightenment and life.
The "nations" walking by its light and "kings of the earth" bringing their splendor suggests a universal scope, though interpretations vary on whether this refers to redeemed individuals from all nations or has another symbolic meaning. It fulfills prophecies like Isaiah 60:3.
The gates perpetually open signify perfect security (no enemies) and constant welcome. The absence of night reinforces this constant state of light, safety, and divine presence.
The "glory and the honor of the nations" being brought in may symbolize redeemed humanity offering its cultural richness, purified and perfected, in worship to God.
Despite the open gates, absolute purity is maintained. Nothing "unclean" (defiled by sin), "detestable" (abominable, often linked to idolatry), or practicing "falsehood" (deceit, lies) can enter.
Entrance is restricted solely to those whose names are "written in the Lamb's book of life," emphasizing salvation is only through Christ and is predetermined by God's grace (cf. Rev 13:8, 20:15).
This final state represents the ultimate fulfillment of God's purpose: dwelling with his purified people in perfect fellowship, light, and security forever.

The Bullet Point Bible

Revelation 21