Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Sermon preached on Revelation 21:22-22:5 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 07/20/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
This is now our third sermon considering our eschatological hope of the new Jerusalem. It will conclude this last section before heading into the epilogue next week to close out the book. As we’ve studied this new Jerusalem, we’ve been recognizing how it is the grand fulfillment of various Old Testament promises of God that he would save his chosen people. Today’s passage continues that, going all the way back to the beginning. In the opening chapters of Genesis we see God created man and woman in his image and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Yet, we sinned and fell in that garden. God cursed mankind and all creation, expelling Adam and Eve from Eden, lest we eat from the tree of life and live forever. Yet, he also gave there in Genesis 3:15 the first promise of the gospel, that a savior one would day be born who would conquer Satan, giving us the hope of redemption. These final verses on the new Jerusalem bring us full circle. This will not only be a holy city, but it will be a restored Paradise, a new, better Eden. Intimately related to this is the idea of temple, for the original Eden was indeed a type of temple, where God and man enjoyed sweet communion together. So then, these final verses on the new Jerusalem show all these ideas coming to fruition. God’s ultimate design for mankind will yet be realized in the glory of this coming new creation. This we consider today, looking first how this is a paradise city, then how it is a temple city, and lastly how this shows a restored and perfected humanity.
Is this what you are hoping for? That’s what I want you to be thinking about as we go through these points for today.
So then, let us begin by observing how this is a paradise city. So far in the description, of new Jerusalem, we’ve recognized it as a new creation, and as a city, as a tabernacle, as a holy place, as a place of peace, and more. But it isn’t until chapter 22 that we really are shown that it is also a paradise. What I mean is that those garden-like features found in that original Garden of Eden are found here. The first of these features is the river of the water of life, bright as crystal. In Genesis 2:10, the Garden of Eden had a glorious river flowing through it that not only watered the garden but from there divided out into four rivers. Still today, though especially back then, the need for a reliable and abundant water source was essential for the survival and the success of any place humans would live. Eden had a river that brought life, and also various later prophesies of the restored Jerusalem describe how a river would flow there from it (e.g. Ezek 47:1, Zech 14:8, etc.). And of course, we remember in John’s gospel Jesus’ promise of living water, and that he would even make flow from his people’s hearts rivers of living water. Those words from Jesus remind us that we have need for a water of life beyond simply physical water, a water to quench our souls. Surely, all such quenching, physical and spiritual, is pictured in this vision of this river of life in the new Jerusalem.
The next feature of paradise that we see is the tree of life, verse 22:2. That river flows down the main street of the city and this tree is seen on either side of the river. If you have trouble imagining how a single tree exists on both sides of a river, remember this is an apocalyptic vision not a camcorder recording. The symbolism is what is important, to understand the message being conveyed. And that message is very clear. This paradise-city will have the tree of life now easily accessible by all. To fully appreciate this, we must again remember back to Genesis 3 and the fall of man. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden, they were allowed to eat of any tree except the tree of the knowledge of God and evil. That was clearly a probation, a test, to see if they would be confirmed in their righteousness. We see that because we learn there was also another tree known as the tree of life. God says that if they had ate of that tree, they would live forever. Yet, instead they failed the test by eating of that forbidden tree, thus sadly learning the knowledge of good and evil through the way of sin instead of through the way of righteousness. God not only cursed mankind and creation at that point, but he also ejected them from Eden and guarded its entrance with an angel. The reason given for that is in Genesis 3:22, lest they take also of the tree of life and live forever. So then, the fall of mankind meant they were kept from the tree of life and instead were then subjected to physical death. Indeed, ever since then, humans live and then die. Surely, if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God they would have ultimately passed the test, the probation, and would have been able to take of the tree of life and live forever. Sin seemed to have prevented that outcome. But our redeemer God made a way of redemption. That redemption is here seen, that in glory we will finally be able to take of the tree of life and live forever. The reason is clear, of course. Where Adam failed, the Lamb as the Second Adam did not. Jesus passed the test, the probation, on behalf of us his elect. In the first Adam we are barred from the tree of life. But in the second Adam, we will enjoy unhindered access to the tree of life for eternity in this coming paradise-city.
So then, between the tree of life and the river of life, we will find sustenance, healing, and thus life in the full. To further bring out the reversal of what happened there in the fall of Genesis 3, we have verse 3. No longer will there be anything accursed. Or more simply translated, there will be no more curse. Genesis 3 saw man, woman, and the creation cursed. All that will be no more. This future paradise-city will remove the curse and so we will enjoy blessing and peace there forever. So then, this paradise awaits us. As I’ve tried to explain, it is not just that we will enjoy Paradise-restored, as in a return to Eden. It is that we will enjoy Paradise-consummated, as in the even better Paradise we would have ultimately enjoyed had we not failed the test by eating the forbidden fruit.
Let us now turn to our second point and consider the closely related concept that this will also be a temple-city. Now, it is true, we’ve already been learning since the very introduction of the new Jerusalem at the start of chapter 21 that this will a tabernacle for God. God will dwell with us his people here in the new Jerusalem. That is everything a temple ever was. But our passage continues to develop this and I think it is especially pertinent when we consider the Edenic-Paradise aspect of this city. For we should understand that the Garden of Eden was, in itself, a temple. There God would walk with Adam and Eve, and talk with Adam and Eve, and they would enjoy his presence. It was like Adam was a priest to guard and care for the garden as a temple, as Genesis 2:15 said he was to “work and keep it”, the same words later used to describe the Levitical priestly duties. This is clearly reflected in the later creation of the tabernacle in the book of Exodus when garden features on it call to mind Eden. For example, the lampstand was shaped like a tree. There were cherubim pictured on the veil to guard the Holy of Holies like how God set an angel to guard entrance into Eden. That angel protected the entrance which was from the east, and the Tabernacle’s entrance was also from the east. When Solomon later built the temple, there were similar efforts to bring in Eden-like imagery, especially with the walls full of images of cherubim, open flowers, palm trees, etc. The tabernacle and later temple understood that the Garden of Eden essentially was a temple and looked back on that which was lost.
Yet, the tabernacle and the later temple also reflected on the reality of sin. Due to man’s fallenness, access to God in those former structures was limited and closely regulated. Man’s sin always threatened God’s wrath when approaching God’s holiness in those temples. But that is what stands out so wonderfully in today’s verses on this topic. It begins there in verse 22. In the new Jerusalem there is no physical temple structure because the Lord God and the Lamb will be its temple. Simultaneously, chapter 22 repeatedly references that there in the city will the throne of God and the Lamb. When you connect the dots, you realize that there is not some specific temple building within the city because the whole place is one big temple-city. And so, what I want us to appreciate is that since there was no physical temple, yet God and the Christ are the temple, that means John sees none of the separations or limited access that existed under the former temple and tabernacle.
Think about it. The old temple had various levels of access. The Gentiles were only allowed access to the outer court. Jews could go in farther. But still only the high priest under various specific ordinances and sacrifices could once a year go into the Holy of Holies which would represent the throne of God and his presence. There was even a veil to represent separateness from that Holy of Holies. That, of course, was supernaturally torn at Christ’s death beginning to declare the full access to God that his redeemed people have in him. That unhindered access is more wonderfully seen here in the new Jerusalem where there is no temple.
Let us then further recognize how this lack of separateness is wonderfully expressed here. With this city that has become a temple itself, we see in verse 25 that the gates will never be shut. Yet, simultaneously, nothing unclean will ever enter it. That’s of course because all the wicked will already be in the lake of fire. But remember under the old covenant, even God’s people could find themselves as points ceremonially unclean and unable for a time to enter the temple to worship. But that will never be the case in this temple-city. We’ll always have access to come into the temple to worship.
This is similarly brought in in the statement that there will be no more night and also no more need for a sun or physical lamp. Instead, God will give light and make the Lamb the lamp that shines the light. Again, this is an apocalyptic vision rich in symbolism. Surely, the description gets us to think beyond simply natural light as we consider it, but also about inner and spiritual light. Remember Jesus in John was called the light of the world which was also the life of mankind. So too, verse 24 describes how the nations and even their kings will come into the city guided by this divine light in Christ. When it says they will bring in glory and honor it surely has in mind the idea of them coming to worship God. The nations will enter this temple-city by the light of the Lamb to worship God – again, there is no hindrance here for that. And they aren’t even hindered by the night, because it says there won’t be any night. While we could think about how night is often when evil things happen, I think in context what is especially in mind is this worship idea here. The nations can pour into worship God by this light and they can continually do this because the light will always shine. In context, the ever-shining day is to emphasize that God’s people will ever be enjoying his worship! Think of all the psalms that say even just one day in God’s temple would be amazing. Well, in glory our one day will be a forever, unending day, an eternal bliss of worship and communion with our God and the Lamb. We’ll enjoy God in the full, the satisfaction our souls were made for.
Let us then turn to the final point and consider how in all this, we see a restored and perfected humanity. Several things immediately jump out to us. First, we see that the leaves of the tree of life will be for our healing. Again, the symbolism that leaves have often been used for medicinal purposes is used to describe the healing we’ll find in this glory. That is also another reference to the end of Ezekiel which again confirms Ezekiel’s temple finds fulfillment in this coming new Jerusalem after Christ returns. So, these leaves symbolize how we humans will find healing after all our pain, sorrow, disease, and death. A second thing that jumps out to us is that we won’t ever be ceremonially unclean anymore. Since it says nothing unclean will ever come in, therefore, God will have completely cleansed us by that time. No more defilement. No more sin. We will be perfectly clean and holy.
A third thing we recognize here is that the removal of the curse reflects not just Genesis 3 but multiple passages where God cursed humanity. Not only after the fall into sin, but Noah’s son Canaan was also cursed. And all humanity was cursed at the Tower of Babel. Even the redemptive line of Abraham was threatened with curse in Deuteronomy 28 and we know they experienced that because of apostasy. So much divine curse in Scripture reflects how humanity had fallen repeatedly and was in need of restoration. So, the lifting of all curse also stands out that we are restored and now perfected.
Yet a fourth way we recognize the restoration and perfection of humanity is that we are given to worship God in this unhindered way in the light of his presence. To the point that it says in verse 4, “They will see his face.” We will know the luminously glorious face of God as we somehow behold him in worship! That is the very definition of blessedness when we remember the Aaronic benediction, “May his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.” This new Jerusalem will be that all the time, forever, and ever, that we always will have eternal access to worship in God’s glorious presence. This eternal state of blessed favor from God confirms we have been indeed restored and perfected.
Those are four ways that jump off the page at me, so to speak. These four things show that we will have become restored and perfected humans in this coming glory. But there is verse that I think especially speaks about our restored and perfected humanity. You might not have even noticed it sufficiently or appreciated it’s significance enough. I am thinking of verse 5. It speaks there again of God’s glory, that there won’t be any night, no need of sun or lamp, for the Lord God will be their light. That repeats what was said earlier. It might even seem redundant except when we think of how wonderful this is, that God’s glorious light will eternally shine. That is worth repeating and repeating because God’s glory will be truly awesome. At that point, I expected the text to say, “And he will reign forever and ever.” But that’s not what it says. It says, “And they will reign forever and ever.” The “they” there is us! We redeemed saints will reign forever and ever. I think this further describes how we will be restored and perfected humans.
For how is it that we will reign forever and ever? Obviously, this doesn’t mean we reign over God. But it perfectly fits with the original design and plan God had from the beginning. God told us that he made us in his image and he gave us dominion over the whole earth. In other words, in the beginning God said we are to reign over the whole earth. Had we not fallen into sin, that would have been the case forever and ever. So, verse 5 shows our complete restoration and perfection of God’s image in us at that point. We will reign forever and ever as God’s image bearers over this new creation, indeed as he always intended for us to do.
Trinity Presbyterian Church, what glory upon glory! How wonderful and blessed our future will be. We will finally glorify God and enjoy him forever as the exalted image bearers he created us to be. (If you know the Geerhardus Vos quote, “Eschatology precedes soteriology!”) What glory upon glory, praise be to God!
In closing, let me then offer this very important application. You won’t enjoy this future bliss in this life. Even if science and human progress soars to the greatest heights of success, it won’t ever be as good as this. Even if the church of Jesus Christ succeeded in converting every single human being on earth to Christianity, hypothetically speaking, this world still wouldn’t be as good as this. This glory won’t come until this age ends at Christ’s return.
Does that mean we shouldn’t try to make this world a better place? No, that’s not what I am saying. As citizens of this world, we should pursue things like peace on earth, health, prosperity, justice, and righteousness, and all such good things. In exercising dominion over this fallen world, we should be wise and faithful stewards of this planet. Even more so, as citizens of heaven, Christians should evangelize the world and seek the conversion of every single person. We should spread the good news far and wide. We should declare the whole counsel of God from east to west and north to south. We should call all the world to repent and declare Jesus as Lord.
Yet, our passage reminds us that our ultimate glory lies in this coming new Eden, in this heavenly Jerusalem that will only be realized in the coming new creation in the age to come. That perspective is why no matter how hard we may try to faithfully make this current world the best it can be, we must not set our heart on anything in this present world. Today’s passage would have us guard our hearts from treasuring this earth over the coming new world. And from the opposite vantage point, this passage tells us that no matter how bad things do get in this world, no matter how much heartache we do experience, no matter how many sorrows we do endure, our Lord is coming with healing in his wings and will wipe away every tear in this unending and eternal Sabbath day of the new creation.
With such application, we can indeed say, “Come quickly Lord Jesus.”
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
