The Revelation of St. John the Divine
Revelation 21
Chapter XXI · Vol. IV, pp. 537–538
1 A new heaven and a new earth. 10 The heavenly Jerusalem, with a full description thereof. 23 She needeth no sun, the glory of God is her light. 24 The kings of the earth bring their riches unto her.
1 And Ia saw ba new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more csea.
a ch.19.20;20.10.
b Is.65.17-19;66.22. 2 Pe.3.13. Ac.3.21. Ro.8.21. Ps.102.26-28. ch.20.11.
2 And I John saw dthe holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And eI heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, gthe tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.Cited in WSC 1
e ch.10.4,8;12.10.
g Le.26.11,12. Eze.37.27;43.7. 2 Co.6.16. ch.7.15. Zec.8.8.
4 Andh God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Cited in WSC 1
5 And ihe that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write; for jthese words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, kIt is done.1 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. lI will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
* 'It is done:'—Christ's work of salvation is complete. His people are redeemed from the curse; raised from the dead; acquitted in judgment; freed for ever from Satan's assaults; received into that glorious kingdom in which Christ rules, and in which also they as his people shall live and rule for ever.—P.
k Eze.39.8. ch.16.17. Ps.33.9. ch.1.8;22.13. Is.41.4;44.6.
1 See note * in first column.
l Is.55.1;12.3;44.3,4. Jn.4.10,14;7.37. ch.22.1,17. Ps.36.8,9;16.11.
8 Butp the 2fearful,q and runbelieving, and the sabominable, and tmurderers, and uwhoremongers, and vsorcerers,3 and xidolaters, and all liars, yshall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.Cited in HC 112
p Ga.5.19-21. Ep.5.5. 1 Ti.1.9,10. ch.20.14,15. Is.3.11. Ps.9.17. Pr.14.32. He.12.14.
2 The fearful. Who are convinced that the Christian religion is true, yet for fear of ridicule or persecution shamefully shrink from avowing it.—C.
r Jn.3.36;12.42. 1 Jn.5.4,10.
s 1 Co.6.9,10.
t 1 Jn.3.15.
u He.13.4.
v Mal.3.5.
3 Sorcerers. More literally 'poisoners'—figuratively 'enchanters;' persons pretending to a power of influencing the mind or health, or success of others by means of chemical mixtures or power over invisible agents.—C.
y ch.22.15. Pr.19.5,9.
9 Andz there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Comea hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
A.M. cir. 4100. A.D. cir. 96.
z ch.17.1;15.1,6,7;16.1.
a ver.2; ch.19.7. Is.54.5;62.4,5. Ep.5.23-32. 2 Co.11.2. Ho.2.19,20.
10 Andb he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me cthat great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
b ch.1.10;17.3. Eze.3.12,14;40.2. Is.2.2,3. Mi.4.1,2.
c ver.2. Ga.4.26. He.12.22. Is.65.18,19. Eze.xl.xlviii.
11 Havingd the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper-stone, clear as crystal;
d Is.60.1,2,19,20. Eze.1.26,27;48.35. Ps.4.6;27.1;36.9. ch.22.5; ver.23.
12 And had ea wall great and high, and ghad twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and namesh written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had itwelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had ja golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth kfour-square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs[≈ 2,200 km · 1,400 miles].4 The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.
k Is.33.20. Ep.3.18. Eze.48.16-35. Lu.14.23. Jn.14.2.
4 Twelve thousand furlongs, being equal to 1500 miles, it seems difficult to comprehend how 'the height of it' could be 'equal,' especially as the measure of the wall is immediately given (and most probably in height, see ver. 12) as 'a hundred forty and four cubits,' or about 200 feet. The meaning seems to be, that this emblematic city was represented as built on the 'great and high mountain,' to which the Spirit had carried the prophet (ver. 10), and that the height of the mountain was equal to the side of the city.—C.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits[≈ 66 m · 220 ft], according to the measure of a man, that is, lof the angel.
l ver.9, with ch.13.18.
18 Andn the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
n Is.54.11,12. ch.4.2; ver.11. 2 Pe.1.4. Is.43.3. 1 Pe.1.7. ver.21. Ep.3.8. Pr.8.18,19.
19 Ando the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
A.M. cir. 4100. A.D. cir. 96.
o Is.54.11,12. See ver.14.
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.5
* Amethyst. These precious gems are nearly the same as those of the high-priest's breast-plate, Ex.28.17; and are so many emblems of those 'exceeding great and precious promises,' and glorious doctrines of grace upon which the church of Christ is founded; Jesus, the precious one, being the foundation of all, 1 Pe. 2. 4, 7. 2 Pe. 1. 1, 4.—C.
5 See note * in first column.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve ppearls;6 every several gate was of one pearl: and the qstreet of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
p Mat.13.45,46. Jn.10.7,9;14.6. Ep.2.18.
6 Pearls. Emblems of that 'one pearl of great price,' the which when a man findeth, he selleth all that he hath, that he may buy that pearl, Mat.13.46.—C.
q ch.22.2.
23 Ands the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
s Is.60.19,20;30.26;24.23. 1 Jn.1.5,7. ver.11; ch.22.5. Zec.14.7. Jn.1.4. Ps.73.25,26. 1 Co.15.28.
24 Andt the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and uthe kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
t Is.60.3-11;66.10-12,19;2.3. Ps.36.9;27.1. Jn.12.35.
u Is.49.22,23;45.15,14;60.3,10,16;66.12. Ps.72.10,11. ch.11.15.
26 Andy they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations8 into it.
y Is.60.6-8,11-17. Ps.22.27-30;72.8-17. Zec.2.11.
8 Nations. To affirm that national distinctions shall be recollected and recognized in the life to come were, perhaps, to decide beyond what is revealed. But if so it should be, as certain passages in this book seem to indicate (see ch.5. 9, 10; 7. 9, 10; 21. 24, 26), yet the recollection and distinction must consist with that scripture which declares that 'in Jesus Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all.'—C.
Notes
Ver. 1. Sea denotes tumultuous passions, mischievous enemies, and distressing calamities. 6. The fountain of the water of life denotes abundant and never-failing satisfaction in the familiar and immediate enjoyment of God in Christ, and all the blessings of his kingdom. 8. The fearful are they who, through cowardice or fear of reproaches and sufferings, are ashamed or afraid to own and honour Christ. 9. All professing Christians appear as persons devoted to and received by Jesus Christ as their husband; and all true believers are truly and spiritually married and united to him for ever. 11-13, 21. Her light of knowledge, purity, honour, and joy was illustriously bright. Her jasper wall, great and high, may denote the invincible power, infinite wisdom, and love of Christ, and his great salvation, powerful providence, and regular government. Her twelve gates of pearl, each inscribed with the name of an apostle, guarded by an angel, and three towards each quarter, may denote Christ's being preached to all the ends of the earth by faithful ministers, according to the New Testament, and that holy angels are ready to minister to every one that enters. 14-21. Her being measured denotes her conformity to the oracles of God. Her four-square form denotes her perfection, stability, and uniformity. Her twelve foundations of different precious stones are the infinitely precious Redeemer in his unnumbered excellencies and glories, answerable to the different cases of men. The houses being built and streets paved with pure gold, represent its amazing riches, glory, and purity. 22, 23. In heaven they have no need of instituted ordinances or of created comforts, as the immediate enjoyment of God in Christ renders them perfectly happy; and even in the millennial state there will be no need of ceremonies or external pomp, &c., as the powerful presence of Christ and his Father will render ordinances delightful, and men satisfied with their lot. 24, 26. In the millennial state church-members will improve their wealth, honour, and power for the glory of Christ and the benefit of souls; and in heaven they will have inexpressibly greater glories and honours than could be had on earth, and shall receive the gracious reward of their right improvement of the benefits they received on earth. 25. Gates never shut denote perfect safety and perpetual freedom of access.—No night is no darkness, ignorance, or trouble.
Ver. 1. By 'the new heaven and the new earth,' several distinguished expositors understand, the renovated state of kingdoms and churches during 'the thousand years' preceding the final judgment. The following reason seems, however, to lead to the conclusion that they represent the renovated world (2 Pe. 3. 7-13) after that judgment. The reason stands thus:—The time at which 'the earth and the heavens fled away' was when the Judge took his seat on 'the great white throne' (comp. ch. 20. 11, with ch. 21. 1), and the dead, 'small and great,' stood before him, and were 'judged according to their works,' ver. 12, and 'death and hell were cast into the lake of fire:' consequently after these events there could be no more judgment. But it is evident that after 'the thousand years' there will be the terrible judgment of Gog and Magog, ch. 20. 3, 7, 9, 10; therefore it follows that this vision of the 'new heaven and new earth' must represent a period posterior to the final judgment. C.
Ver. 12. A wall. The emblem of divine protection.—The names of the twelve tribes. In their meaning, viz. Judah, the praise of Jehovah; Reuben, vision of the son; Gad, an army; Asher, blessedness; Naphtali, who contends; Manasseh, forgetfulness, viz. of past sorrows; Simeon, that hears, obeys, or is heard; Levi, associated; Issachar, reward; Zebulun, habitation—'a continuing city;' Joseph, increase; Benjamin, the son of the right hand, which, thus interpreted in the order of ch. vii., present a glorious picture of the church of the redeemed. C.
Ver. 14. The names of the twelve apostles. In meaning, viz. Simon Peter, that hears, (and is for firmness) a stone; Andrew, strong man—'strong in the Lord;' James, he that supplants—viz. by a true estimate of the divine promise of birthright; John, the grace of Jehovah; Philip, lover of horses—the swift messengers of the gospel; Bartholomew, a son that suspends the waters—a drawer of water for the temple; Thomas, a twin—emblem of brotherly communion; Lebbeus, a man of heart; Thaddeus, that praises and confesses. C.
Reflections.—Transcendent are the glories of the millennial, but especially of the heavenly state of the church. Spiritual light, beauty, honour, grandeur, wealth, safety, satisfaction, and pleasure meet together. How new is all, far surpassing anything found or imagined before; and gloriously and firmly founded on Jesus Christ, and correspondent to the doctrine of his apostles and prophets! Abundant, delightful, and glorious is the access into this state by him, as the door, the way, the truth, and the life. Men who have through faith accepted Christ, of all ranks, Jews and Gentiles, are admitted into it. And in what honour they appear therein as the beloved, the espoused bride of Christ! Complete, secure, and immortal is their blessedness where sin, darkness, trouble, and death are fully and for ever passed away. Familiar and immediate is their fellowship with and enjoyment of God; and pure and glorious their holiness in heart and life.—But, alas! how inexpressible is the misery of those impenitent sinners who, by the purpose, word, and providence of God, are for ever excluded therefrom!
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.