REVELATION CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Revelation Chapter Twenty-One — The New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem
A New Heaven and a New Earth — The Former Things Passed Away
A New Heaven and a New Earth
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”
— Revelation 21:1
Spiritual Meaning: The Birth of the New Creation in Christ
John begins this chapter with an awe-inspiring vision — a new heaven and a new earth. But this is not about planets exploding or cosmic geography changing. This is a spiritual unveiling — a picture of the new creation reality in Christ.
What is the “New Heaven”?
The heaven represents the realm of thought, understanding, spirit, and dominion — the place of consciousness where God’s will is known. The “new heaven” speaks of the mind of Christ replacing the old, corrupted carnal mind. A heavenly realm of truth, righteousness, and spiritual authority has now come. It’s no longer a dual mind — it is Christ formed within, governing the heart.
> “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind…” (Ephesians 4:23)
What is the “New Earth”?
The earth is the visible, outward expression — the realm of manifestation. A new earth is a new people, walking out the life of Christ in everyday reality. The natural man (earthy, sensual, carnal) has passed away, and a spiritual man has arisen who expresses heaven in the earth. This is the Elect — the matured sons of God manifesting His glory.
> “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
“For the First Heaven and the First Earth Were Passed Away”
This speaks of the end of the Adamic order — the whole creation built on sin, self, separation, religion, and death. It has been crucified in Christ. It’s not just that the old world ended — it’s that it was fulfilled and transformed.
> “Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is not destruction — this is transition. The entire redemptive work of God has now brought forth a new creation people — the Elect — who carry the DNA of Christ, the image of the heavenly.
“And There Was No More Sea”
The sea in prophetic symbolism often refers to the restless, raging masses of humanity — unstable, tossed by every wind of doctrine and driven by the carnal nature. It’s the sea of confusion, chaos, and ungoverned emotion.
In the new creation, there is no more sea — no more instability, no more separation, no more confusion. The soul has been stilled. The government of Christ now reigns in peace.
> “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest…” (Isaiah 57:20)
But now — “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.” (Psalm 107:29)
Revelation Summary:
Old creation (first heaven/earth) = Adamic man, carnal mind, religious systems
New creation (new heaven/earth) = Christ in you, the Elect, the mature sons of God
No more sea = No more confusion, chaos, or fleshly instability
This is the beginning of the full Kingdom of God in His people
No More Sea
“…and there was no more sea.”
— Revelation 21:1b
PLet’s move into one of the most powerful symbols in all of Revelation:
The Holy City, New Jerusalem, Coming Down from God
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
— Revelation 21:2
Spiritual Meaning: A People, Not a Place — The Bride of Christ in Fullness
This is not a literal city made of concrete and gold bricks floating down from outer space. This is a corporate people, the Elect, the mature Bride of Christ — a company of sons and daughters in whom the fullness of Christ has been formed.
The Holy City is symbolic of a divine community, ordered and prepared by God. It descends — not in geographical location, but in spiritual manifestation. Heaven is now visible in the earth — through a people.
> “Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14)
The “City” is a Symbol of Divine Order
In Scripture, a city represents:
Government
Community
Dwelling place
Order and structure
The Holy City is God’s dwelling place among men — His glory in a people, His throne established in their midst. This is the manifestation of the Kingdom — not a future hope, but a present reality in the Elect.
This City is holy — set apart, pure, governed not by man’s religion, but by the Lamb. It is new — not patched up or reformed, but completely re-created in Christ.
“Prepared as a Bride Adorned for Her Husband”
This confirms that the City is the Bride — a people, not a place.
She is prepared — through fire, through testing, through overcoming
She is adorned — with righteousness, purity, and the beauty of Christ
She is married to the Lamb — in full union, without spot or wrinkle
This is the same Bride Paul spoke of in Ephesians 5 — a glorious Church, having no blemish, brought into oneness with Christ.
> “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name…” (Isaiah 54:5)
Heaven Descending into Earth
This City comes down from God out of heaven — it originates in Spirit and descends into manifestation. It is not man’s religion ascending, but God’s life descending.
Heaven is no longer a far-off hope.
The glory of God now abides in a people.
This is the Emmanuel reality — God with us, in us, as us.
Revelation Summary:
The Holy City = a people, not a place
New Jerusalem = the Bride in fullness, prepared and adorned
Coming down from God = heavenly life now manifested on earth
The Elect are the city — carriers of glory, the dwelling of God in the Spirit
Spiritual Meaning: The End of Chaos, Carnality, and Separation
In Scripture, the sea is a consistent prophetic symbol. It represents:
Unstable humanity, driven by emotion, fear, and flesh (Isaiah 57:20)
Nations and peoples in turmoil (Revelation 17:15)
The realm of the soul, ever tossing, never resting
The place of separation between heaven and earth — between God and man
When John says, “there was no more sea,” he is not speaking about geography. He is seeing a people fully brought into peace, order, and union with Christ. The chaotic, flesh-driven systems of Adam are gone.
The Sea: A Picture of Fallen Humanity
Throughout Scripture:
The sea roars and rages (Psalm 46:3)
Beasts rise up from the sea (Daniel 7) — symbolic of carnal kingdoms
Jesus calms the sea — a sign of His dominion over chaos and fear
The sea represents what is natural, soulish, and unstable. It is not governed by Spirit, but by impulse, by emotion, by death. It cannot produce life — it swallows it.
In Christ: The Sea Is No More
In the new heaven and new earth, Christ reigns. His peace calms every storm. His throne governs not only heaven but the earth — and the sea is removed as a spiritual condition.
No more raging emotions
No more fear-based religion
No more separation between spirit and soul
No more double-minded instability
This is the rest that remains for the people of God. It is the peace of Christ ruling in the hearts of the Elect.
> “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
The Elect: A Sea-less People
These are the overcomers — those who no longer live out of the soul realm (sea) but walk in Spirit.
> “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:24)
The sea has been swallowed up in victory — just as death was. Christ has calmed the inward storm. His image is fully formed in a people who now walk in divine rest.
Revelation Summary:
The sea = instability, confusion, chaos, separation
No more sea = no more Adamic nature, no more unrest, no more flesh ruling
Christ’s peace now governs the Elect — spirit over soul, light over shadow
Prepared as a Bride Adorned for Her Husband
“…prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
— Revelation 21:2b
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Spiritual Meaning: The Mature Elect in Full Union with Christ
This is one of the most beautiful pictures in the entire Word — not of a physical city descending from space, but of a people fully prepared, radiant in glory, adorned with the nature and likeness of the Lamb.
This bride is the Elect company, the overcomers, the manchild matured into fullness. She has been made ready — through fire, tribulation, and transformation — and now she stands as one who is in covenant union with the Son.
> “Let us be glad and rejoice… for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)
Prepared — Through Process, Fire, and Faithfulness
The word “prepared” speaks of process. This Bride did not appear overnight — she was formed, shaped, and purified.
She was:
Washed with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26)
Purged by fiery trials (1 Peter 1:7)
Refined into gold (Malachi 3:3)
Made without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27)
She is not immature. She is not halfway. She has come into measure, stature, and fullness — a worthy companion to the Lamb.
> “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” (Song of Solomon 4:7)
Adorned — With Glory, Righteousness, and Beauty
The Bride is not clothed in self-righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. Her adornment is spiritual:
The robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)
The garments of salvation
The beauty of holiness
The gold of divinity and the jewels of spiritual virtue
This is not external beauty — this is the internal glory of the Lamb shining from within her. What she wears is what she has become.
For Her Husband — Union with the Lamb
She is for Him — not the world, not herself, not religion. She belongs to Christ.
This is covenant language — a people joined in eternal union, just as Eve came out of Adam and returned to him, so the Bride comes out of Christ and returns into Him.
She is:
Bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh (Ephesians 5:30)
The counterpart of the Lamb
The mirror image of His life
This is the mystery of union revealed — no longer “I,” but Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
Revelation Summary:
Prepared = matured, tested, made ready through divine process
Adorned = clothed with Christ, radiant in spiritual beauty
Bride = a corporate people in full covenant with the Lamb
This is not an event — it’s a spiritual unveiling of the Elect in full
Chapter 5: The Holy City — A Bride Prepared and Adorned
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” — Revelation 21:2
The Symbol: The Holy City, New Jerusalem
The Holy City is not merely a geographical location — it is a people! It is the corporate Bride of Christ, the Elect who have come into full maturity. John sees her descending, not being raptured away, but coming forth from the heavens of Spirit, fully prepared, fully adorned, and ready to manifest the glory of God in the earth.
This City is the Lamb’s wife — not a structure of stone, but a people built together as lively stones, a habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:22). The City is a corporate person, the overcoming Elect who have submitted to the workings of the Spirit and have been beautified with holiness.
The Bride Adorned
She is not naked or ashamed, but clothed in glory. Every stone of her City is set in divine order. Every gate is pearl — having come through pressure and pain, now shining with redemptive beauty. She is adorned, not with external religious garments, but with righteousness, love, maturity, and oneness with Christ.
This is the Bride company — the Zion of God. She has made herself ready (Rev. 19:7). She is the fulfillment of Paul’s vision: a Church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish — glorious and radiant.
Coming Down From God
Her descent is spiritual — not falling, but descending in authority. As Jesus said in John 3:13: “No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” Just like Christ, she originates from the realm of Spirit and is now manifesting in the natural realm to rule and reign in righteousness.
This is the appearing of the sons of God — not to escape the world, but to transform it by the glory of the indwelling Christ.
The City is a Person — The Person is a City
This revelation turns everything upside down. We are not going to a golden city in the sky — we are becoming it. The Bride, the New Jerusalem, is the final dwelling place of God in the earth.
The City has walls — symbolizing salvation.
The City has gates — access through spiritual transformation.
The City has foundations — built on the apostles and prophets.
The City is full of glory — for God and the Lamb are its light.
A People in Divine Order
This is not a scattered or divided people — this is a City compact together (Psalm 122:3). There is unity, harmony, and divine government. Every tribe is represented. Every jewel is set. Every gate is open. Every part is joined in love.
This is the manchild company matured into a Bride — ruling not from flesh, but from the throne.
Prophetic Summary:
The Holy City is the corporate manifestation of the overcomers, the Lamb’s Bride, coming down in resurrection glory. She is the culmination of all redemption, the city set on a hill, the temple not made with hands, the woman clothed with the sun, now fully adorned to express God in the ages to come.
Chapter 6: The Tabernacle of God Is With Men
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them…” — Revelation 21:3
The Symbol: The Tabernacle of God
This tabernacle is not the shadow Moses built, nor the temple Solomon constructed. It is the eternal dwelling place of God in man. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s desire has never changed — to tabernacle Himself in humanity, to be Emmanuel, God with us and in us.
This is the consummation of God’s plan: not God visiting man, but God living in man — permanently, fully, gloriously.
The Voice from Heaven
A great voice is heard — not from earth, but from the higher realm of Spirit. It proclaims that the separation between God and man is over. No more veil. No more partiality. No more “in part.” Now, face to face.
God’s voice is the voice of full union, declaring the eternal intention now fulfilled: oneness.
God Will Dwell With Them
This word “dwell” comes from the Greek skenoo, meaning “to tabernacle, to pitch a tent.” Just as the glory filled the tabernacle in the wilderness, and the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14), now that glory fills the temple of a corporate people.
God is not merely dwelling beside them — He has become one with them. The Bride and the Bridegroom have been made one flesh (Ephesians 5:31–32).
No More Separation
He will be their God and they shall be His people — not by law, not by religion, not by tradition, but by union of Spirit and nature. All things have passed away. There is no more outer court. The tabernacle is no longer external. It is now the inner life of the sons of God.
The veil has been torn, not just in the temple, but in the mind. Humanity now walks in the light of God’s presence with open face and unveiled heart.
The Tabernacle Is the Elect
The tabernacle of God is with men — that is, within men. Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is the mystery revealed, the secret once hidden, now manifest in the saints.
We are the tabernacle, the dwelling, the holy of holies. And this tabernacle will not be removed — it will grow, expand, and increase until all creation is filled.
Prophetic Summary:
The tabernacle of God is no longer a place — it is a people. The Lamb has found His Bride. God has found His home. Heaven has found its dwelling in the hearts of overcomers. This is the Feast of Tabernacles fulfilled — the eternal union of God and man, never to be undone.
Chapter 7: God Shall Wipe Away All Tears — No More Death, Sorrow, or Pain
“And 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.” — Revelation 21:4
The Symbol: Tears Wiped Away
This is not simply a tender gesture — it is a complete removal of all suffering associated with the fallen creation. These are not just natural tears but the cries of humanity under the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:22). To wipe away tears means to remove the cause of the sorrow.
This is the ministry of total restoration. This is not about God handing out tissues — it’s about Him removing the source of grief, confusion, sin, and death. The pain of separation, the agony of loss, the sting of mortality — all wiped away in His presence.
No More Death
This is spiritual victory, not just physical cessation. “Death,” in Scripture, is more than the grave — it’s separation from Life. In Christ, the overcomers have entered into immortality and life. They have passed from death unto life and now live from the power of an endless life.
No more death means:
No more separation from God
No more fear ruling the heart
No more endings, only eternal becoming
This is not escapism — this is transfiguration. Christ is the resurrection and the life, and His life now flows freely through the City — His Body.
No More Sorrow or Crying
The former age was filled with sorrow: the groanings of the oppressed, the cries of the intercessors, the travail of the Bride. But now the age of fullness has come.
What was once grief is now glory.
What was once pain is now praise.
The old order — governed by fear, shame, and flesh — has passed away. The new has come, and it is ruled by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
No More Pain
Pain speaks of inner torment, not only physical suffering but emotional wounds, mental anguish, spiritual confusion. But in the New Creation, He makes all things new. He restores the soul. He renews the mind. He heals the heart.
The pain of loss becomes the power of love.
The pain of discipline becomes the joy of transformation.
This is the complete healing of the inner man, brought about by the indwelling Lamb, the overcomer’s Shepherd.
The Former Things Are Passed Away
This is the declaration of a new world order in Christ. Not a political system, but a kingdom of righteousness and life.
All that belonged to the Adamic order — sin, death, sorrow, division, warfare, toil — has passed. A new order has arisen, born of the Spirit, filled with the glory of God.
This is not just a promise for heaven — this is the present reality for the overcomers who have entered the kingdom age in spirit. These firstfruits are the evidence that the restoration of all things has begun.
Prophetic Summary:
God wiping away tears is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles — where the joy of His presence heals all. The elect, having overcome in the fires of affliction, now rise in glory, entering a realm where death has no dominion, and the former age has lost its grip. All things are made new in Christ, and the pain of the past is forever consumed by the light of His love.
Chapter 8: Behold, I Make All Things New!
“And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” — Revelation 21:5
The Symbol: All Things Made New
This is not just a future hope — it is the present voice of the enthroned Christ declaring what He is actively doing. The voice does not say “I will make,” but “I make.” He is the Creator, the Restorer, the Transformer — and His work is now.
The phrase “all things” speaks of the totality of creation: spirit, soul, and body — individual, corporate, universal. Nothing is left untouched by the power of His resurrection life. From the smallest broken heart to the furthest galaxy groaning under corruption — He is making it all new.
He That Sits Upon the Throne
This is the Lamb enthroned, not just in heaven, but within a people, reigning in fullness. The throne is the seat of government — and His rule is not over geography, but over hearts, minds, and realities.
This One is not beginning to reign — He has already taken His seat in the heavens. Now He reigns through the overcomers, manifesting new creation authority on the earth.
“Write, for These Words Are True and Faithful”
John is told to write, to inscribe, to make permanent what has just been declared. Why? Because this is the climax of all prophecy — the entire purpose of God: To make all things new in Christ.
These words are true (genuine) and faithful (trustworthy). They are not wishful thinking, but eternal reality. The Lamb is not a reformer of the old — He is the author of a new creation.
New Does Not Mean Renovated
The Greek word used for “new” here is kainos, meaning new in kind, quality, or nature — not just new in time (neos). This is not a patched-up Adam, a cleaner version of the old system. This is a new order entirely — a creation birthed out of God Himself.
This “new” is not built on human effort. It is the fruit of union with the risen Christ. It is divine life flowing in every fiber of being — spirit-born, throne-governed, and glory-filled.
This Is the Beginning of the New Age
This declaration marks the transition point between the ages. The old has passed; the new has come. The Feast of Tabernacles is fulfilled. The overcomers, as firstfruits, now manifest the life of the age to come. They are the new creation people, the “Behold!” of God in the earth.
They walk in:
New mindsets — renewed by truth
New bodies — quickened by the Spirit
New relationships — governed by love
New government — ruled from the throne
Prophetic Summary:
When Christ says, “Behold, I make all things new,” He’s not referring only to a future heaven — He’s unveiling what’s happening now in a people who have passed from death to life. This is the voice of enthroned authority speaking from within the saints, making all things new — not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lamb upon them.
Chapter 9: It Is Done — The Alpha and the Omega
“And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” — Revelation 21:6
The Symbol: It Is Done
These are not the words of a process beginning — they are the final words of a finished work. The same voice that cried “It is finished” at the cross now echoes in eternity, declaring the full outworking of redemption: the manifestation of new creation in a people.
“It is done” doesn’t mean God stops working — it means His eternal purpose has come into view. The blueprint He carried in His heart before the foundation of the world has now manifested in the holy city — the Lamb’s wife, the overcomers, the tabernacle of God.
Alpha and Omega — Beginning and End
These are not just letters — they are dimensions of Christ’s identity. He is the A and the Z, the Source and the Completion, the First and the Fulfillment.
Alpha is where God begins His divine story — in Himself.
Omega is where God completes it — again, in Himself.
Christ is the beginning of all things, and He is the final goal of all things. Everything that was created came out of Him, and everything redeemed returns to Him. This is the circular nature of divine purpose: from Him, through Him, and to Him are all things (Romans 11:36).
This isn’t about time — it’s about origin and destiny, essence and fulfillment. All that was lost in Adam has been recovered, restored, and perfected in Christ.
The Water of Life Freely Given
To the one who thirsts — the one longing for truth, wholeness, and divine union — He gives freely. This is the same river of life that flows from the throne in Revelation 22, now offered to the overcomers as a present possession.
There is no payment, no religious toll, no striving. This is grace — pure, unfiltered, flowing from the abundance of the Lamb’s finished work.
This water is:
Living — it awakens, refreshes, and resurrects
Free — it cannot be earned or bought
Transformative — it makes the drinker like the Giver
Jesus cried out in John 7:37–38:
“If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink… out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
This is the fulfillment of that cry. The thirsty now drink, and become fountains themselves.
This Is the Inheritance of the Overcomer
This declaration is not generic — it is personal. It is a promise to the overcomers — those who have followed the Lamb through death into life, who have overcome the world, the flesh, and the religious systems of man by the indwelling Christ.
They drink of the fountain and become streams of divine life, watering creation in this new age.
Prophetic Summary:
The voice from the throne does not whisper — it thunders: “It is done.” All striving ends here. All waiting ends here. The Alpha has met the Omega in the overcomers. The thirsty now drink. The new creation flows with life. And the Lamb reigns through a people who have become the fulfillment of God’s eternal desire — a city filled with light, a bride filled with glory, and a throne filled with grace.
Chapter 10: He That Overcometh Shall Inherit All Things
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.” — Revelation 21:7
The Symbol: He That Overcometh
This is not a blanket promise to every believer — this is the high calling for those who have pressed beyond mixture, beyond lukewarm religion, beyond the outer court. The overcomer is the Manchild, the Bride, the New Jerusalem, the sons of God who have grown into full stature.
They are not just saved — they have inherited.
To overcome is to:
Triumph over the flesh
Rise above religious systems
Walk in union with Christ
Be governed by the Spirit
Manifest sonship in the earth
These are the elect of this hour, the firstfruits, the forerunners who reveal what God will do in all creation.
Shall Inherit All Things
“All things” doesn’t mean material wealth — it means full possession of Christ and His Kingdom.
The overcomer inherits:
The throne (Rev. 3:21)
The name of God and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12)
Hidden manna and a white stone (Rev. 2:17)
Power over the nations (Rev. 2:26)
The morning star (Rev. 2:28)
All things — the full measure of divine inheritance in Christ
They inherit not just a portion, but the entirety of God’s plan, purpose, and presence. They are joint-heirs with Christ, ruling and reigning from the heavenly places.
I Will Be His God
This phrase echoes the covenant made with Abraham, fulfilled in Christ, and now sealed in the overcomers. God is not just near — He is one with them. This is the highest form of relationship, beyond servant, beyond friend: God in man, man in God.
This is not positional only — it is experiential. The overcomers walk in the fullness of God’s life, nature, and glory. They are the tabernacle, the city, the bride — and now they are declared sons.
He Shall Be My Son
This is the heart of the Father revealed.
God is not looking for a religious crowd — He is raising mature sons. Sons who know His heart. Sons who carry His authority. Sons who reflect His nature. Sons who are not waiting to escape but are ready to transform the earth.
Romans 8 declares that creation is groaning for the manifestation of these sons. And now, in Revelation 21, they appear. These are not babes on milk. These are full-grown sons, birthed by the Woman (Rev. 12), seated with Christ, filled with divine purpose.
This sonship is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s desire: to express Himself through a family of mature sons and daughters in whom He can be fully revealed.
Prophetic Summary:
The final word of Revelation 21 is not about fear, judgment, or escape — it is about inheritance. God is raising a people who overcome all things because they are filled with the One who overcame all things. These sons do not just read about promises — they walk in them. They inherit all things because Christ, the All in All, lives in them without measure.
