1After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.”
2Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 3that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. 5Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7The first creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
9When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, 11“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed and were created!”
Life in the New Jerusalem will be free of the curse as righteous men enjoy the river and tree of life in the presence of God. These verses continue the description of New Jerusalem. What John sees next is the heavenly River of Life. As with everything else in heaven, its waters are pure, described as “clear as crystal.” Like the river in Ezekiel 47, it flows from the throne of God. This symbolizes that life flows from God and Jesus. Jesus is eternal life incarnate. God the Father is as much the source of life as Jesus and the Holy Spirit are. All life flows from God, from all three members of the Godhead.
The tree of life is not a single tree, but a kind of tree growing on both sides of the river. Where in Ezekiel 47 there were many trees on each side of the river flowing from the Messiah’s throne, here it is a single kind of tree. Where the various trees produce fruit every month in Ezekiel, the tree of life in heaven will produce twelve kinds of fruit. And like in Ezekiel 47, the tree of life’s leaves are described as healing, just as the leaves of the trees during the reign of Christ will be healing.
The removal of the curse from creation is now stated. Death will be abolished along with Adam’s curse.
The throne of heaven will belong to both God the Father and to “the Lamb,” God the Son. As was seen in Chapter 4, the Holy Spirit will be included with the throne. Additionally, we, His servants, will dwell with God and serve Him eternally.
Where till now no one has seen God’s face, the heavenly residents, all the redeemed saints, will see God’s face and live. Names on their foreheads denote possession and protection. They belong to God, and He blesses them.
The absence of night is stated and explained. God’s glory will continuously illuminate heaven such that the sun and moon will be redundant for the city’s residents.
The body of the Revelation ends with the statement that the saints of heaven, who are the servants of God, will reign eternally.