How Do We Know in the New Earth Some People Live Outside the New City?

[Rev 21:1-8 KJV] 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Revelation 21.5-8 The Difference between the Saved and Those Who Perish

Even though this subdivision is closely related to the preceding one (vv.2-4), the people in verse 6b are nonetheless quite different from those in verse 3.

21.5 The one who sits on the throne is most likely God.

The word “write” means to have it written in this book. Such a command reveals the great significance of this subdivision.

21.6 “They are come to pass” [ASV]—Whatever is recorded in this book must come to pass. God will bring heaven and earth to His original design. He is the Alpha and the Omega, therefore all shall be fulfilled.

21.7 The “overcometh” here is not the same as that of chapters 2 and 3, for in chapters 2 and 3 it is an overcoming by works, that is, an overcoming that involves a comparing of believers with believers; whereas here it is an overcoming that involves a comparison of believers with the unbelieving world (cf. 1 John 5.4 which mentions overcoming the world through faith).

In what respects are the people spoken of in 21.6-8 different from the people who appear in verses 2 and 3? Please note the following observations.

(1) From 21.3 we learn that John saw in a vision that the tabernacle of God is with men, that is to say, God is dwelling with the many peoples on earth. The people mentioned in 21.6b are said to be those who are athirst after they have heard the good news described above.

(2) The men shown in verses 2 and 3 are God’s peoples who dwell on the new earth, while those shown in 21.7 are God’s sons who live in the city.

(3) The men mentioned in 21.3 are simply those peoples on earth who share together the common blessings; but the men referred to in 21.7 are not only sons of God, they are also God’s servants and kings unto Him (22.3,5).

(4) “They shall be his peoples” (21.3) signifies something corporate and common; “He shall be my son” (21.7) represents something personal and intimate.

(5) “They shall be his peoples” (21.3) is that which appears to be spoken in the third person, whereas “I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (21.7) seems to be a direct way of speaking.

(6) The men spoken of in 21.3 dwell on God’s earth, but those mentioned in 21.7 live in God’s house.

Positional difference among Christians is limited to the time of the millennial kingdom. In the new heaven and new earth, all believers are equally positioned.

21.8 “The fearful”—these are those who know they can be saved if they believe, yet dare not believe for fear of men. “Unbelieving”—these are those who just do not believe. “Abominable”—a reference to not only those who worship idols but also to those who worship celestial bodies. “Sorcerers”—those who have communications with demons.

“The lake that burneth with fire and brimstone”—In the new heaven and new earth there is no sea, yet there will still be the lake of fire.