Sunday LinkUP – May 25, 2025 – Revelation 21:22-22:5

SECOND READING … Revelation 21:10, 22-27 and 22:1-5

Revelation 21:10

SPECIAL MUSIC 

SERMON (SECOND MESSAGE)

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:10, 22–27, 22:1–5 NIV

Today, for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, we have our final visit to John’s apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation, written down for the seven churches and passed on to us.  Today’s stop will be the second vision of the new Jerusalem, to round out last week’s first vision of the new heaven and new earth.

Let us begin.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. (Revelation 21:10 NIV)

It’s significant that the first thing we are shown concerning the new heaven and new earth is a restored Jerusalem.  John’s vision of the new Jerusalem starts from a vantage point, high above, where every aspect of the city can be observed.   From this vantage point, John will see the restoration of every part of Jerusalem except for one — the temple.  We will get to that when we get to the main portion of our lectionary passage today.

But first, we can take note that John’s vision of the city covers three aspects.

• First, it observes the physical description of the city, which we will not be covering today.  There is a lot to unpack in that physical description, and you may want to go back and read through verses 11–21.
• Second, the vision shows us the character of the city in verses 22–27, which we will look at next.
• Third, we are given a vision of the city as a restored garden of Eden in the first five verses of chapter 22 which will conclude our passage for today.

Before we move into John’s vision of the character of the new Jerusalem, we should take note of the grace of God that carried John “away in the Spirit.”  The Spirit showed John a deeper picture of God’s reality established in Jesus Christ, that would otherwise remain hidden from us.  God is not trying to hide his purposes from us.  The vision John was given is passed on to us so we will not be ignorant of what God has done, is continually doing, and will ultimately bring to consummation (or ultimate ending) in Jesus Christ.  The new Jerusalem is a picture of that reality told in such a way as to convey more than mere words ever could.

As we will see today, God is not only showing us where he is taking all of creation, and what he is calling us into, but he is also showing us that this was his plan all along.  By returning to images of the garden of Eden, this vision shows us that God has always intended to be with his people.  He is a God revealed as triune, a God who has known perfect and holy relationship as Father, Son, Spirit for all eternity.  It is this God who created the cosmos with us in it.  His purposes align with his character.  He is not a God who chooses to be aloof or distant from his creatures, even in the face of the fall.  In the fall, humanity turned from God and chose a path of self-reliance, trusting in ourselves over the trustworthy God who created us.  In spite of the fall, God did not abandon his plan to be with us.

Much of Revelation captures the cataclysmic consequences of resisting God’s grace and being our own lords and bosses.  If there’s one thing history clearly proves, it’s the fact that we do not make very good gods.  Left to ourselves without God’s intervention, we would inevitably destroy ourselves and return to nonexistence.  We were never intended to become gods.  That was the lie in the garden that distorted the truth of who God created us to be.  So, we can begin this passage with thankfulness that our God does not keep secrets from his people.  He has found a way to show us things that our fallen minds can barely comprehend.

Now, let’s start unpacking the revelation the new Jerusalem gives us.

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  (Revelation 21:22–23 NIV)

The most startling observation comes to us in the first statement that John “did not see a temple in the city.”  How can that be?  So much of our discussion over the past few weeks, grounded in the images of the throne room, is concerned with worship.  You would think the temple, which is the place of worship in Jerusalem, would feature prominently in the new Jerusalem.  But instead, it’s the one thing that is conspicuously absent, and its absence is the first thing we are shown.  But we are immediately told why: “because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

This may remind us that when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” Jesus was referring to himself and his resurrection.  And now we see Jesus’ words coming to fruition in this vision.  We will not need a place of worship or an intermediary between God and ourselves for worship.  His presence removes any need for such structures, or otherwise, that serve as temples.  The absence of the temple is meant to emphasize the presence of the Lord.  That would have been a striking omission for the seven churches, first readers of this vision of the new Jerusalem.

We are also to see that the glory of God and the Lamb provide the light for the city.  All that is good and true in God will be seen, and everything else will be seen in that light.  There will be no dark corner or shadowy secret lurking in this city.  How wonderful it will be to walk in such light!  And of course, the focus of the temple and the light is on God and the Lamb.  That’s the central reality that makes this city new.

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. (Revelation 21:24–26 NIV)

The reference to “nations” does not refer to nation states, but rather to all people, in addition to the Jews.  This serves as a fulfillment of God’s intentions to save the whole world, not just a few chosen people.  He may have started with a chosen people, but that was to serve the purpose of choosing all.  Even the “kings of the earth” will choose to bring to the city any glory they may have in order to glorify God.

Can you imagine a world where no one is seeking to promote their own glory and fame?  A world where all is done to the glory of God?  That would be a wonderful reality for sure.  Also notice that the gates will always remain open, namely (mainly) because “there will be no night there.”  Because darkness or the night typically brings more danger, that’s a symbolic way of saying there will be no threat to this city.  Gates were closed at night to prevent threats from entering in.  We typically lock our doors at night for the same reason.  Imagine a world where there will be no need to set up defenses or protections against dangers and threats.  How much of our peace is robbed in the mental and physical work of protecting and securing what we have?  That will not be an issue in the new Jerusalem.  Praise God!

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27 NIV)

In this picture, the open gates are no concern as we are told that nothing impure, shameful, or deceitful will ever enter the city.  The gates can remain open because those who would rather worship and glorify impurity, shame, and lies will have no desire to take up residence in this city.  Those things will be completely out of place.  Can you imagine society devoid of these things?  I think it would be hard to calculate all the implications that would occur in a world that did not operate with all the impurity we see on blatant display in our world.  Imagine a world without selfishness, hate, violence, or greed.

Imagine a world without shame.  There will be nothing that makes our head bow down other than worship of the one who has taken all our shame and destroyed it forever.

And can you possibly imagine a world that operates by truth and not lies?  How much of our world is spinning on lies and propaganda?  It’s hard to know what to believe anymore.  But in the new Jerusalem, Jesus, who is the truth, will permeate every aspect of life.

Again, these things are hard to imagine, considering how much we swim in a river polluted by impurities, shame, and deceit.  And that’s why all these images give us a push to dream towards this reality.  It’s a huge exercise that builds our hope.

We are told that the new Jerusalem will only be populated by those “whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”   We probably should say a few words about what that means and what it does not mean.

The names written in the Lamb’s book of life is not God making an arbitrary list of names of who is in and who is out.  Jesus Christ, who lived and died for all, is the Lamb — it’s his book.  Now, we can decide we don’t want to be on that list; we can refuse God’s offer of grace and a relationship.  The best part of living in the new Jerusalem is being in the presence of God.  If we don’t want anything to do with God, then we will not want to be in the new Jerusalem, or heaven or kingdom, whatever label you prefer.

God will not force us against our will.  However, he will continue to call us to himself, to woo us, and win us over with his love and grace.  He never gives up on us, even when we give up on him.  The gates remain open.  That is his character that we see revealed in Jesus Christ.  And that will be the character of this city that “comes down out of heaven from God.”

Let’s continue with John’s vision of the city as a restored garden of Eden.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,  flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse.  The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1–5 NIV)

This final description clearly carries a lot of overtones of the garden of Eden.  In using this imagery, John connects God’s purposes and promises in the beginning to their fulfillment in the end.   God is faithful to his word to us.  He keeps his promises, and he brings us into the reality of being in his presence.  There are some beautiful pictures of what living in God’s presence will be like.

For starters, it is likened to a “river of the water of life.”  This water is also pure and life-sustaining.  Life will not be stagnated or polluted.  It is flowing with life as the central reality of the city.  That’s what God is all about — life!  He is not a god of death.  If there is anything these final verses convey, it is that life will be abundant and overflowing because the Source of life is on the throne.

Notice the image of life that comes from this flowing river that reminds us of the garden of Eden.  The tree of life is on both sides of the river.  Again, that is an image that does not make a lot of sense if we take it literally.  A single tree can’t be on two sides of a river.  The point seems to be that the river will bring fruitfulness throughout the city.  This fruitfulness is conveyed as “twelve crops of fruit” that bears its fruit in season.  This is a picture of complete fruitfulness, yet not a stagnant or bland fruitfulness.  There will still be seasons that bring their own fruit. This is a beautiful picture of the diversity and immense variety that will constantly be springing up in the city.  We do not have to fear boredom. Life will be full and ever exciting and delicious.

“No longer will there be any curse” (Revelation 22:3).  This is a clear reference to  the curse  from the first garden; it will be removed.  The primary curse that is “no longer” is the alienation between God and his creatures.  God’s throne, and therefore, righteous reign will be established and there will be no opposition to it.  All the inhabitants will “see his face” and gladly be counted as belonging to him.  They will know that this God is for them, and he is trustworthy.  No one will feel like hiding behind bushes.  Their joy will be in knowing the Father and the Lamb.  And for good measure John closes the vision by restating that God will be the light of the city.

The very last sentence claims that those in the city “will reign for ever and ever.”  That is quite the conclusion, especially when we consider that even “reigning” in the kingdom will not be the type of “reigning” that we are accustomed to in our day.  We will be reigning with the Lord, and therefore all authority that we are given and we exercise will contribute to the life we are made for.  In short, we will be blessed to be a blessing.  This was God’s intention from the very beginning.

Now that we have concluded our journey with John in these selected passages in Revelation, we can see even more why we choose the Easter season as a high time of worship.  This is the blessed life we are created for.  This may be an amazing picture of our future that fuels our hope.  However, it is also meant to fuel our living into the kingdom today.  Jesus’ reign has already commenced and so can our reign with him. We can begin reigning each day as we participate in bringing life throughout the “cities” and “gardens” we find ourselves in.   This will mean we will not choose the side of death.  We will always choose to be on the side of life, contributing to all that is humanizing and dignifying.  We will not abdicate our “thrones” with any impure, shameful, or deceitful ways.  We will stand for life, overcoming evil with good (Romans 12:21).  And through it all we will continue to receive from the Lord the grace he has for us.  In this way, we can point others to the wide-open gates into the new Jerusalem.  Amen!

CLOSING SONG

CLOSING PRAYER

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• This coming Tuesday … Mid-week Bible study … 7:30 p.m.
• On Thursday … Online Prayer meeting … 8:00 p.m.
• Next month … a big month for us … We’ll be entering a new phase, as we restart weekly Sunday meetings and we launch our Sunday School program.
• June 1 … Face-to-Face meeting
• June 8 … PENTECOST meeting
• June 15 … Sunday School … after Fellowship meeting

Small Group Discussion Questions