20th August 2024 – Revelation 21:1-8

21 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. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”

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.” 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. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 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 sulphur, which is the second death.”


It has not escaped the notice of commentators that John seems obliged to use many negatives in his descriptions of the New Jerusalem - no more sea, no more death, no more pain, etc. One reason for this is that 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him', and so, almost of necessity, the unknowable is spoken of in terms of 'No, not like that, not like that...'. Even the negatives, however, carry a very positive meaning. The sea in Revelation is ever the symbol of unrest and evil; the beast rose out of the sea (13:1); Babylon sat on many waters (17:1); the thrashing of its waves and its convulsions represent the working of evil in the world. Also, and in a much more literal sense, the sea separated John from fellowship with the Church he loved - and now, in the vision, he sees all this forever done away there was no more sea. Death, the last enemy to be destroyed, shall likewise be no more. Death is the enemy because it sunders what God once joined together, body and soul. To say therefore that there shall be no more death means that that ancient wound in the constitution of man will be finally healed, and new bodies, the perfect vehicle of expression for redeemed souls, will be given to Christ's people. Thus, the final effects of sin will be done away, and all that clouds our days and dogs our footsteps, pain, sorrow, tears, darkness, will be removed - no more curse, and no night there. Even in negatives, John conveys so much blessed meaning!