Revelation 21:1–4

Context

At the end of Revelation 20, the final judgment takes place, and death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. Chapter 21 then opens with an entirely new scene. John sees a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away and there is no more sea. He then sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride. A great voice from the throne declares that the tabernacle of God is with men and that there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. This vision takes up the promises of Isaiah 65:17 and 25:8.

Interpretation

• Reading as renewal: This view notes that "new" (Greek kainos) denotes something qualitatively renewed rather than something wholly different. It also cites verse 5, "Behold, I make all things new." On this reading, the present creation will not be annihilated but purified and restored. The view links the passage with the liberation of creation in Romans 8:19–21, and many Reformed and evangelical scholars hold it today.
• Reading as replacement (new creation): This view cites 2 Peter 3:10–12, "the elements shall melt with fervent heat," and holds that the present universe will pass away and an entirely new world will be created. It is found in parts of the Lutheran tradition and among some conservative evangelicals.
• Heaven coming down to earth: Interpreters emphasize that the vision's direction is distinctive. Rather than believers ascending to heaven, God's dwelling place comes down to humanity. This has prompted some to reconsider the view that salvation consists solely in the soul leaving the body and going to heaven.

Debates and Issues

Many interpreters take "there was no more sea" to refer not to the literal disappearance of the sea but to the removal of what the sea symbolized for ancient peoples: chaos, evil, and the place from which the beast arose (13:1). The question of whether the new earth means renewal or replacement is also discussed in relation to attitudes toward environmental issues and the responsibility of stewardship in caring for creation.

In the Korean Church

In Korean Protestant churches, this is one of the passages most frequently read at funeral services, at services held when the body is placed in the coffin and at the graveside committal, and at memorial services. It has also been a theme of hymns celebrating heaven.

Related Passages

• Isaiah 65:17–25
• Isaiah 25:8
• Romans 8:19–23
• 2 Peter 3:10–13