What is the meaning of Revelation 21:23? And the city has no need of sun or moon “And the city has no need of sun or moon…” • This “city” is the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), the final, permanent dwelling of God with His people. • Literal absence of celestial lights underscores a complete departure from the old order of creation (Genesis 1:14-18). • God’s promise in Isaiah 60:19-20 already anticipated this moment—no more reliance on created lights because “the LORD will be your everlasting light.” • Revelation 22:5 confirms that permanent daylight characterizes eternity: “They will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun.” to shine on it “…to shine on it…” • The phrase highlights what is missing: any external, created source of illumination. • Psalm 36:9—“in Your light we see light”—shows that true vision has always come from God, now experienced without any intermediary. • The removal of sun and moon removes every vestige of night, fear, or limitation (Revelation 21:25). because the glory of God illuminates the city “…because the glory of God illuminates the city…” • God’s own glory radiates, just as His presence filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). • Revelation 21:11 already described the city “having the glory of God,” showing the entire metropolis as a faceted prism for that light. • Habakkuk 3:4 pictures divine brightness: “His brilliance was like the light; rays flashed from His hand.” • This glory is relational—believers live within the unveiled presence of a holy God (1 Timothy 6:16; 2 Corinthians 4:6). and the Lamb is its lamp “…and the Lamb is its lamp.” • “The Lamb” is Jesus Christ, eternally bearing the marks of sacrifice (Revelation 5:6). • A lamp concentrates light; Christ focuses God’s glory so His people can enjoy and understand it fully (John 1:4-5; John 8:12). • The pairing of Father’s glory and Son’s mediation fulfills John 17:24—believers behold the glory given the Son before the world began. • Revelation 22:1 shows the throne of God and of the Lamb together, affirming their unified radiance. summary Revelation 21:23 announces a literal, breathtaking reality: in the New Jerusalem, created lights are obsolete. God’s own glory floods the city, and Jesus the Lamb personally mediates that brilliance. Night, distance, and shadow disappear, replaced by eternal, intimate communion with the Triune God—our everlasting Light. |
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