Revelation 21:1–8

Bible Studies for Life
Assistant Professor of Religion, Samford University

God’s Promise of a New Home

Revelation 21:1–8

Back when I was still a teenager the options for distracting oneself during a boring sermon were decidedly limited. Cell phones did not yet exist and passing notes was only fun for a little while. One’s only escape in such dire circumstances was to turn to some Bible passage more interesting than the one the pastor was droning on about.

Finding myself in this difficult spot once upon a time, I turned to what is surely the most interesting part of the Bible, the book of Revelation. It was here that I stumbled upon a passage that, frankly, I found scandalous: “The first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea” (v. 1). While I recall being somewhat ambivalent about the notion that God would one day create a new heaven and earth, the idea that God would create a new world without what I considered to be the best part of the present world — the sea — was outrageous. It would take decades of study to understand where I and the biblical author had parted company.

For a modern person the sea conjures up pleasant notions, but the ancient Israelites harbored no such notions. Although bordered by the sea for the length of their country, the Israelites avoided the sea at all costs. Their directions faced east, calling the south “right,” the north “left” and placing the sea at their backs. Unlike most of their neighbors, they had virtually no navy. When the prophet Jonah set out to sea he had to do so under the command of foreign sailors. The very fact that Jonah went to sea rather than to Egypt is instructive, the prophet was not trying to escape Nineveh, he was trying to escape from God. Even Jonah, a prophet of Israel, believed God was not in control of the sea.

When we turn to Genesis 1, it is fascinating to note that creation begins with God’s exertion of control over the sea. The ancient Israelites did not think of the sea as a benign natural force. On the contrary, the sea was regarded as a malevolent power, opposed to the creative will of God. Over the course of the first half of the creation week God extended His control over the sea, separating water from water and water from land. Importantly, at the end of the creation week, while the sea had been controlled it had not been done away with altogether. At any moment it stood ready to break out again and wreak havoc.

The author of Revelation understood Genesis 1, so he borrowed the imagery to say one day God would finish His creative work. There would one day come a time when there would be no more sea.

Our new home will be in God’s presence. (1–3)

Revelation 21 begins with a clear allusion back to Genesis 1. One day, the author assures, there will be a new heaven and a new earth and the malevolent sea will be no more.

Our new home will be perfect. (4–5)

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” The basis for this renewal of creation rests in the work of God’s Son. He is the One who proclaims, “Behold, I make all things new.”

Our new home is based on our relationship with Christ. (6–8)

But all may take part in this new creation. After all, the same One who announced He would make all things new also said, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”