Skip to content
Church.wiki

Revelation 21:1–4: Edit history

Revision #9276

Revelation 21:1–4

English baseline before localization

Status: approved

Changes from the previous English revision

+ ## 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, and he sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride. A great voice from the throne then 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**: Noting that "new" (Greek *kainos*) denotes something qualitatively renewed rather than something wholly different, and citing verse 5, "Behold, I make all things new," this view holds that the present creation will not be annihilated but purified and restored. It links the passage with the liberation of creation in Romans 8:19–21, and many Reformed and evangelical scholars today hold this view.
+ - **Reading as replacement (new creation)**: Citing 2 Peter 3:10–12, "the elements shall melt with fervent heat," this view 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 a distinctive feature of this vision is its direction: 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 mean not the literal disappearance of the sea but the removal of what the sea symbolized for ancient peoples: chaos, evil, and the place from which the beast arose (13:1). Whether the new earth is understood as renewal or as replacement is also discussed in connection with attitudes toward environmental issues and the responsibility of stewardship in caring for creation.
+
+ ## In the Korean Church
+ This is one of the passages most frequently read at funeral services, casketing and committal services, and memorial services, and it has 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


A vision of a new heaven and a new earth, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and God dwelling with his people and wiping away every tear. As the final scene of the biblical story, it is among the passages most often read at funerals and services of comfort, and interpreters differ over whether the present world will pass away or be made new.

Full revision

A vision of a new heaven and a new earth, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and God dwelling with his people and wiping away every tear. As the final scene of the biblical story, it is among the passages most often read at funerals and services of comfort, and interpreters differ over whether the present world will pass away or be made new.

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, and he sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven as a bride. A great voice from the throne then 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: Noting that "new" (Greek kainos) denotes something qualitatively renewed rather than something wholly different, and citing verse 5, "Behold, I make all things new," this view holds that the present creation will not be annihilated but purified and restored. It links the passage with the liberation of creation in Romans 8:19–21, and many Reformed and evangelical scholars today hold this view.
  • Reading as replacement (new creation): Citing 2 Peter 3:10–12, "the elements shall melt with fervent heat," this view 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 a distinctive feature of this vision is its direction: 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 mean not the literal disappearance of the sea but the removal of what the sea symbolized for ancient peoples: chaos, evil, and the place from which the beast arose (13:1). Whether the new earth is understood as renewal or as replacement is also discussed in connection with attitudes toward environmental issues and the responsibility of stewardship in caring for creation.

In the Korean Church

This is one of the passages most frequently read at funeral services, casketing and committal services, and memorial services, and it has 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
RevisionTime (UTC)ContributorSummaryStatus
#92772026-11-05 01:48:32AI localizationLocalized for English-speaking readersapproved
#92762026-11-05 01:48:32AI localizationEnglish baseline before localizationapproved