Revelation 21:1-9

1 And I sawe a newe heven and a newe erth For the fyrst heven and the fyrst erth were vanysshed awaye and there was no more see.

2 And I Iho sawe that holy cite newe Ierusalem come doune from God oute of heven prepared as a bryde garnysshed for hyr husband.

3 And I herde a grett voyce out of heaven sayinge: beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with the And they shalbe his people and God him sylffe shalbe with the and be their god.

4 And God shall wype awaye all teares fro their eyes. And there shalbe nomore deeth nether sorowe nether cryinge nether shall there be eny more payne for the olde thynges are gone.

5 And he that sate apon the seate sayde: Behold I make all thynges newe. And he sayde vnto me: wryte for these wordes are faythfull and true.

6 And he sayde vnto me: it is done I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the ende. I will geve to him yt is a thyrst of the well of the water of lyfe fre.

7 He that overcometh shall inheret all thynges and I will be his God and he shalbe my sonne.

8 But the fearefull and vnbelevynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolaters and all lyars shall have their parte in the lake which burnyth with fyre and brymstone which is the seconde deth.

9 And there cam vnto me one of the vii. angels which had the vii. vyals full of the vii. laste plages: and talked with me sayinge: come hydder I will shewe the the bryde the lambes wyfe.

Revelation 21:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

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, Re 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 adorned as a bride for her husband, Re 21:2 and her happiness is expressed by the presence of God with her, and communion with him enjoyed by her, and by a freedom from all evils endured in the present state of things, Re 21:3,4 after which John hears the voice of him that sat on the throne, declaring himself to be the author of the new heaven and earth; ordering him to write, that what had been said was true and faithful; affirming that things were now done and finished; calling himself the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: promising grace to the thirsty soul, the inheritance of all things to the overcomer, and also divine sonship; and threatening the second death to sinners, whose characters are given, Re 21:5-8 next John has a vision of the bride before spoken of; the preface to it is in Re 21:9,10 in which is signified that one of the seven angels that had the seven vials talked to him in a very free and familiar manner, and proposed to show him the Lamb's wife; and in order to it carried him to an exceeding high mountain, and showed him the city before mentioned, said to be great, holy, and heavenly; and which is described by the glory of God upon it, and the light that was in it, comparable to a crystal jasper stone, Re 21:11 by its wall, which is great and high; and by its, gates and foundations; its gates are in number twelve, twelve angels at them, and on them written the twelve names of the children of Israel, and these situated three at each point, east, west, north, and south; and its foundations are also twelve, having the names of the twelve apostles on them, Re 21:12-14 by the measure of it, which the angel took with his golden read; of the city, which was twelve thousand furlongs, it being four square, and its length, breadth, and height equal; and of the wall, which was a hundred forty and four cubits, Re 21:15-17 and next the city is described by the matter of which it was built; the wall of jasper the city of pure gold, like to clear glass; the foundations of precious stone, each foundation being of one stone; the gates of pearls, each gate being of one pearl; the street of the city of pure gold, like transparent glass, Re 21:18-21 and then by the temple in it, which is no other than the Lord God and the Lamb; and by the light, which is the same, it having no need of sun or moon, Re 21:22,23 and next by its inhabitants, the nations of the saved ones, who walk in its light, and the kings of the earth, that bring their honour and glory to it; by its safety and security, and by the purity of it, none but undefiled persons, and such who are written in the Lamb's book of life, being admitted into it, Re 21:24-27.