I saw a new heaven and a new earth, &c.— A new heaven and a new earth succeed in the room of the first heaven and first earth, which passed away at the general judgment, ch. Revelation 20:11. In the new earth there is this remarkable property, that there is no more sea; which, how it is to be effected, time must discover; but it is evident from hence, that this new heaven and earth are not designed to take place, till after the general judgment; for at the general judgment, the sea gave up the dead which were in it, ch. Revelation 20:13. Many understand the expression figuratively, that there shall be no trouble or commotions in this new world. In this new world too, the new Jerusalem appears in full glory, Revelation 21:2. It is described, as coming down from God out of heaven; it is a city whose Builder and Maker is God; and is adorned as the bride of the Lamb;—the true church of Christ: and the new Jerusalem, the true church of Christ, subsists as well during the millennium, as after it. At the commencement of the millennium, it was said, The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready, (ch. Revelation 19:7.) At the conclusion of the millennium, Gog and Magog went up against the beloved city: and here it is represented as the metropolis of the new heaven and the new earth. The new Jerusalem shall be the habitation of the saints of the first resurrection, and it shall also be the habitation of the saints of the general resurrection. The church of Christ shall endure through all times and changes in this world, and likewise in the world to come; it shall be glorious upon earth during the millennium, and shall be more glorious still, in the new earth, after the millennium, to all eternity. The earth shall then become as heaven, or rather, it shall be a heaven upon earth, God dwelling visibly among men Revelation 21:3. And there shall be no more death; Revelation 21:4 which cannot come to pass, till death be totally abolished, ch. Revelation 20:14. He who sat upon the throne as a judge of the world, ch. Revelation 20:11 declares (Revelation 21:5.) Behold, I make all things new; he is the author of this second, as well as of the first creation; and he commands these things to be written for the edification and consolation of his church, with a firm assurance of their truth and certainty. In Revelation 21:6-8 he pronounces this period to be the consummation of all things, when the promises of God, and the desires of his faithful servants, shall all be fully accomplished; The righteous shall inherit all things, but the profligate and immoral shall have their portion in the lake of fire and brimstone; which is a farther confirmation that these things cannot take effect till after the general judgment.
Revelation 21:1-8
1 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.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things;a and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.