Summary of Revelation 21: A New Heaven and New Earth
Revelation 21: A New Heaven and New Earth
Revelation 21:1 states, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more" [1]. This verse introduces a vision of a future state where God dwells with humanity in a renewed creation.
The passage is part of a larger section (Revelation 21:1-22:5) that describes the ultimate restoration of creation and the final state of the righteous. The literary context suggests a contrast between the old, corrupted world and the new, redeemed one [4].
The phrase "new heaven and new earth" echoes biblical prophecies, such as Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22, which promise a future renewal of creation [9, 12]. The "sea" that is "no more" is often interpreted as a symbol of chaos and evil, signifying the elimination of these forces in the new creation [8].
Interpreters have varied in their understanding of the "new heaven and new earth." Some, like Matthew Henry, see it as referring to the heavenly state, where believers experience a new existence with God [2]. Others, such as John Gill, understand it as describing the state of the church during the millennium, a period of thousand years' reign of Christ [3].
The vision has been interpreted in different ways across traditions. The Patristic tradition, as represented by Hippolytus, emphasizes the cosmic renewal and the final judgment that precedes it [5]. Reformed theologians like Charles Hodge understand the "new heaven and new earth" as a literal renewal of the physical world, contrasting it with the destruction of the world by water and fire [6, 7].
In Jewish tradition, the concept of a new heaven and earth is also found, with texts like Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 66:22 and Midrash Rabbah discussing the renewal of creation [9, 11]. The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, discusses the renewal of the elements and the addition of brightness to the world after the final judgment [10].
The passage has played a significant role in Christian theology and eschatology, influencing understandings of the ultimate destiny of humanity and the world. The vision of a new heaven and new earth continues to be a subject of interpretation and reflection across various Christian traditions.
Sources
- Revelation of John “Revelation of John 21:1 (ASV) — And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more.”
- Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 21:1: 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 ne”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 21 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 21 This chapter contains an account of the happy state of the church, consisting of all the elect, both Jews and Gentiles, which will take place upon the first resurrection, and will continue during the thousand years' reign mentioned in the preceding chapter. The seat of the church in these happy times will be the new heaven and the new earth, Rev 21:1 the church that will dwell there is described by its names, the holy city, and new Jerusalem; by its descent, from heaven; and by its state and ornament, being prepared and”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 21:1: 21:1–22:9 The final scenes of the new heaven and earth are striking pictures of a new community and home for God’s people that is fashioned and given by God. These scenes help to lift the spirits of persecuted Christians. John lays out his basic vision (21:1-8) and follows it with two expansions: (1) In 21:9-27, he presents the new Jerusalem as the site of holy perfection; (2) in 22:1-5, he describes the new Jerusalem as the ultimate Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve could have experienced had they not sinned. 21:1 The vision involves God’s creation of the new ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — A DISCOURSE(1) BY THE MOST BLESSED HIPPOLYTUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR, ON THE END OF THE WORLD, AND ON ANTICHRIST, AND ON THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. (part 21): 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.(15) The stars of heaven shall fall,(16) the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the mo”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 93: Remarks. 1. These passages are not to be understood as predicting great political and moral revolutions. It is possible that some of them might bear that interpretation; but others are evidently intended to be understood in a more literal sense. This is especially the 862 case with 2 Peter iii. 6-13 , in which the Apostle contrasts the destruction of the world by the waters of the deluge with the destruction by fire which is still future. If the fact be established that the Scriptures anywhere clearly predict the destruction of the world ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 93: the bondage of corruption. The change to be effected is in the dwelling-place of man. ( d .) According to the Apostle Peter, it is the world which once was destroyed by water, that is to be consumed by fire. But although the predictions of Scripture concern only our earth, it does not follow that the material universe is to last forever. As it is not from eternity, it probably will not last forever. It may be only one of the grand exhibitions of the wonderful working of God in the field of infinite space, and in the course of unending age”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 21 (introduction): THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH: NEW JERUSALEM OUT OF HEAVEN. (Rev. 21:1-27) the first--that is the former. passed away--Greek, in A and B is "were departed" (Greek, "apeelthon," not as in English Version, "pareelthe"). was--Greek, "is," which graphically sets the thing before our eyes as present. no more sea--The sea is the type of perpetual unrest. Hence our Lord rebukes it as an unruly hostile troubler of His people. It symbolized the political tumults out of which "the beast" arose, Rev 13:1. As the physical corresponds to the spir”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Isaiah 66:22: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, thus shall your seed and your name be made to remain.”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of the Quality of the World after the Judgment, Art. 4: Article: Whether the elements will be renewed by an addition of brightness? I answer that, Just as there is a certain order between the heavenly spirits and the earthly or human spirits, so is there an order between heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Since then the corporeal creature was made for the sake of the spiritual and is ruled thereby, it follows that corporeal things are dealt with similarly to spiritual things. Now in this final consummation of things the lower spirits will ”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 12:4: Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: “The heavens and the earth…were completed” (Genesis 2:1) – at their designated time. “And their entire host” (Genesis 2:1) – at their designated time. 8 The heavens and the earth on the one hand, and their hosts on the other hand, were created on separate days. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: But is it not written: “These are the outgrowths of the heavens and of the earth when they were created [on the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens]” – which teaches that on the same day they were created”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 46: Isaiah, “As the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the caresses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh,” ( Isa. 66:22–24 ). The”