Revelation 21:1-8 (August 1, 2025)

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21-1-8

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Summary

Revelation 21:1–8 opens with John’s vision of a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away (v. 1). The sea, which is often a biblical symbol of chaos and evil, is no more. John then sees the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (v. 2).

A loud voice from the throne declares the heart of this vision:

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

The promise continues with breathtaking words of hope:

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

The one seated on the throne affirms, “Behold, I am making all things new” (v. 5). He identifies Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, offering the water of life freely to the thirsty (v. 6). The passage concludes with a contrast: those who conquer will inherit these promises, while the cowardly, faithless, and wicked will face the second death in the lake of fire (vv. 7–8).

Who is God

God is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer who brings history to its ordained completion. As the Alpha and Omega (v. 6), He is both the beginning and the end, ensuring that His purposes never fail. He dwells with His people, fulfilling the covenant promise repeated throughout Scripture, which is “I will be their God, and they will be my people” (v. 3). He is also the One who wipes away every tear by abolishing death (penalty of sin), sorrow, and pain forever (v. 4). God shows Himself not as some distant supreme being but as the intimate One who brings His people into perfect and everlasting union and fellowship with Himself.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt is that we often live as if this world were ultimate, fearing the loss of comfort, status, or security, and forgetting that all of it will one day pass away. We treat the “sea” of chaos, which is reflected in this world's powers, wealth, and pleasures, as if these things will last forever rather than rightly longing for the new heaven and earth God has promised. So, we struggle with spiritual cowardice and compromise. Verse 8 lists the cowardly and faithless first, reminding us that failing to persevere in faith is not trivial. Too often, we shrink back from costly discipleship, choosing safety and approval over holiness and loyalty to Christ.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines in God’s promise to make all things new (v. 5), a gift that comes entirely from Him. The holy city descends “from God,” and the water of life is given “without payment” (v. 6). Believers are not self-made conquerors but heirs because they belong to Christ, who conquered for them. The greatest blessing of this new creation is not just the removal of pain but the presence of God Himself, who will dwell with His people forever, fulfilling every covenant promise (v. 3). This grace also calls us to persevere, knowing that those who overcome do so only through the Lamb’s victory, and that our inheritance rests securely in Christ’s finished work.

Prayer

Faithful and Sovereign Lord,

we praise You as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. You are the God who will dwell with Your people and make all things new.

Forgive us for living as if this world is our final home. Forgive us for our fear, compromise, and failure to live as those who belong to Your eternal kingdom.

Thank You that in Christ, we already taste the firstfruits of the new creation. Thank You for the promise that one day You will wipe away every tear and abolish death forever.

Strengthen us to persevere in faith and holiness. Fix our hearts on the hope of the new heaven and new earth, that we may live today in light of the glory to come.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.