Chapter 21-22:6

Referring to the flowchart again, we find this box placed right after the last box, right where we would expect it to be. As we found only two responses possible to the gospel, so there are only two judgments possible, either condemnation or salvation. The last box pictured condemnation. This box pictures salvation and what heaven will be like.

The expression, "...a new heaven and a new earth..." in v1 is a figure of speech, much like "three days and three nights." The earth was our home before. Now heaven is.

Just how the things promised in v4 will come to be has been puzzled over for a long time. Will we not have any memory concerning our loved ones who do not get to heaven? If we have memory, how can we not mourn their condemnation? We will probably never know until we experience it first-hand. All we can know for sure is that somehow, someway, God will accomplish what He promises.

V6,7 seems to recall what Jesus said in 1:8 and 2:26, except for the last part of v7 where the text says, "...I will be his God and he will be my son." That obviously refers to the Father, not the Son. But it's a glorious relationship that God is providing. V8 shows who will miss out on it and what their lot will be. Again a reference is made to the second death.

The rest of chapter 21 gives an elaborate description of the Holy City, or New Jerusalem. The city is described in terms common of cities of the first century, in that they were generally square and had a fortified wall surrounding it, with gates allowing entrance into it. The precious jewels, the street of pure gold, etc., most likely are not to be taken literally. If flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, as we saw before, then it is unlikely that there will be anything of a physical nature there. However, John uses terms common to our experience to try to give us an idea of how glorious heaven will be. Naturally, these terms cannot do it justice, but it is a good attempt. I particularly like v23.

The next chapter, at v2, introduces an image we recall from the Garden of Eden, the tree of life. Of course as spirit beings we won't need any food, but the image is one of comfort, with all our needs provided for.

So what we have here is heaven described, and the church shown in its saved state after the final judgment. All the evil that had gone on in the world has been finally stopped, all sin has been paid for, either by unsaved sinners in hell or by Jesus on the cross for the saved sinners.

The image of the tree of life brings to a full circle the state of mankind. After man was created he was placed in the Garden of Eden, and was allowed to stay there until he sinned. The Garden of Eden was a type of heaven, so ever since then man has been in need of having that restored. All of history becomes God's story of how He brought that restoration about, through Jesus. This makes the heaven in Revelation 21-22:6 the anti-type of the one originally lost in Genesis 3, and infinitely superior to it. What man lost God has restored!