Revelation 22:5, commentary and pictures

In the holy city there will be no night and no need for lamp or sun or moon, because the Lord God Himself gives His people light. His radiance fills the city with unfading perpetual day, brighter than earthly noonday, and the redeemed walk in its beams in unending day with Christ as its light. They shall reign forever and ever, sharing the dominion lost through sin in a life that measures with the life of God and endures as long as God endures. That promise belongs to the overcomers who forsake sin, obey God with heart and mind, keep His commandments and the testimony of Jesus, and form characters for immortal life. It is Paradise and Eden restored, regained through obedience to the Father's law and faith in the atoning blood of His Son, when after the coming of Christ and the destruction of sin the kingdom of Christ is established forever, so the present night of tribulation will give way to eternal morning.

Setting and Plain Meaning

In the holy city there will be no night, and there will be no need for lamp, candle, sun or moon, because the Lord God himself gives the people light. That light belongs to the eternal life of God's servants in the city, where they serve Him and see His face, live with Him through the ceaseless ages, walk the golden streets, and reign forever and ever. It is the heavenly home being prepared for, the close relationship believers in Christ will have with God and their place among heaven's angels and dignitaries, and the reward of those who look to Jesus, follow in His steps, consecrate their lives to His service, let Him mold them, and witness to loyalty by keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and owning the crucified Saviour.

God's own radiance fills the city with unfading, perpetual, sunless day, and the glory of God and of the Lamb floods it with steady light in which the redeemed walk. That day is far brighter than earthly noonday yet not painfully dazzling, and Christ reigns forever as its light in an unending day without evening. There the saints live free from sorrow and pain, and with no weariness they have no need or desire for rest or repose, but never grow weary of doing God's will and praising Him, always experiencing the freshness of morning.

The light of heaven is God's own presence, and the light of the city of God is the face of Christ shining brighter than the sun. There are no wearisome nights there, but rest without sighing, tears, or sad partings.

The verse stands in the last chapters, indeed the last chapter and the last four chapters, of Revelation, the solemn warning about the last events of this earth's history made known by Christ himself to John on the Isle of Patmos, to be read carefully and kept in mind in the last days. Those chapters are to shape the heart, life and character and prompt earnest prayer, untiring work, repentance and readiness for Christ, calling for work long neglected to be done now, thorough humbling of the soul before God, earnest seeking of the Lord with heart, mind and soul, and deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple by those in responsibility as preparation for helping others and bringing forth fruit in proportion to light given, lest Satan gain victory by keeping minds confused. It answers whether a person can be saved without keeping the Sabbath, showing that those who do His commandments have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city, directing the searcher to believe the Word just as it reads and to do as the Lord has directed.

It belongs to the time when the work is closed and finished, in the place where there is no more curse and the throne of God and of the Lamb is present. There His servants shall see His face, which Moses was not permitted to see and live, and His name shall be in their foreheads. It places the saints in the new earth after the thousand years following Christ's second advent, surrounded by glorious light and continually praising God, living with Him in everlasting joy free from sorrow and death as hope beyond present grief and death, with assurance that each soul brought into connection with light and truth will receive a reward according to works.

Life of the Redeemed

They shall reign forever and ever in the restoration of the dominion lost through sin, belonging to the renewal of all things and the inheritance promised to overcomers when the earth is filled with the Lord's glory. Their reign has no end, and their life measures with the life of God and endures as long as God endures. Entering the city and receiving its name are connected with that hope of eternal life, the place each will occupy in the heavenly courts being decided now with reward according to works. It is endless light and endless immortal life and endless reign for the righteous who shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, in contrast to the wicked whose candle shall be put out and who shall be extinguished in shameful darkness.

That reign is everlasting life and everlasting happiness in the vision of the new earth where the redeemed live with Him in everlasting joy. There is no more curse and nothing that causes tears, no sorrow and death, no trials, no griefs, no temptations, no pain, no sighing, tears, or sad partings, and no suffering and oppression of the world. The saints live in unending day with the Lamb as its glorious light and walk with Him in white, enjoying the splendor of eternal day before God's throne as victorious, exalted conquerors. Heaven is a place of rest without wearisome nights because God's own presence is its light.

They walk the golden streets of the city of God and live with Him through the ceaseless ages of eternity. Placed in the new earth after the thousand years following Christ's second advent, they are surrounded by glorious light and continually praise God. They have no need or desire for rest or repose and never grow weary of doing God's will and praising Him. They live in perpetual, sunless day in the radiance of God and the Lamb, always experiencing the freshness of morning with no evening.

God's servants shall serve Him and see His face in eternal life in the city. That face is what Moses was not permitted to see and live when he asked to see God's glory, yet they shall see it and have His name in their foreheads. This is the close relationship believers in Christ will have with God and their place among heaven's angels and dignitaries. Those who share it must first become saints on earth by loving God with whole heart, mind and strength and their neighbor as self in keeping the principles of God's law. They do not enter as beggars asking for a place but are welcomed as His children and heirs of the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, entering into the joy of their Lord, including the 144,000 who followed the Lamb on earth in trustful, loving, willing obedience. As overcomers the crown of immortality and of gold is placed on their brows, then they cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus and with golden harps fill all heaven with rich music in songs of praise to the Lamb, and they eat from the tree of life.

Those Who Reign Forever

The promise belongs to the overcomers in the place where there is no more curse and the throne of God and of the Lamb is present, where they shall see His face, which Moses was not permitted to do and live, and have His name in their foreheads. It is the reward after a few brief years of service on earth, meaning coming into possession of everlasting life and everlasting happiness with no more trials, no more griefs and no more temptations. This calls for beginning earnest and determined service now, refusing to sin and refusing negligence or recklessness about the soul's eternal interest, because this present life is very brief compared with eternity. A life that measures with the life of God is offered in return for a brief life of sanctified obedience to His will and Word, reaching a higher and still higher standard and pleading for sanctification by His Spirit, for striving to be an overcomer is worth the effort. Even fallen creatures capable of the most revolting crimes may have a place in the everlasting kingdom to reign with Christ forevermore, every soul that desires to do God's will and forsake sin, for God bears with perversity and sends help, and if a person cooperates with the agencies of heaven he becomes more than conqueror and victor through the power of the grace of Christ.

They are those who look to Jesus, follow in His steps, and consecrate their lives to God's service, letting Him mold them for a place in the kingdom, and they shall walk the golden streets of the city of God and live with Him through the ceaseless ages of eternity. They are those who have obediently served Him in this world and formed characters for immortal life. They are those who gave their minds to God in this world and served Him with intellect and heart, who do not enter as beggars asking for a place but as His children inheriting the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and entering into the joy of their Lord. As overcomers the crown of immortality is placed on their brows, then they cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus and with golden harps fill all heaven with rich music in songs of praise to the Lamb, and they see His face with His name in their foreheads. The 144,000 share this future because they followed the Lamb on earth in trustful, loving, willing obedience, welcomed as God's children and heirs of the kingdom, not as people begging for a place. Those who cleanse themselves from all sin shall as the redeemed walk in the beams of a sunless day in the city of God, for Christ Himself is its light.

They are God's denominated people who on this earth witnessed to their loyalty by keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and by owning the crucified Saviour as their Saviour. Those who share this heavenly life must first become saints on earth, where their test is to love God with whole heart, mind and strength and their neighbors as themselves, keeping the principles of God's law. It belongs to those brought into close relationship with God through receiving and believing in Christ, the higher life for which believers are to prepare. It is the city entered through the gates by those who follow Christ in self-denial and cross-bearing with the tenderness of His Spirit ruling their hearts and who comply with the requirements of God's law, not a jot or tittle of which shall fail, where disobedience with its sin and misery is left behind and His servants who enter shall reign forever in glory as the reward of the faithful, while those who fail to obey are classed with those outside the city. It stands in the last chapter which answers whether a person can be saved without keeping the Sabbath by showing that those who do His commandments have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city, directing the searcher of Scripture to believe the Word just as it reads and to do as the Lord has directed.

Their reign shares in the restoration of the dominion lost through sin, belonging to the renewal of all things and the inheritance promised to those who overcome, when the earth is filled with the Lord's glory. God's people are destined to reign with Him forever as future kings unto God, so parents should train their children not as heirs to earthly power but for that eternal destiny.

Paradise Restored and Consummation

Revelation 22:5 describes Paradise restored and Eden restored. Sin caused paradise to be removed from earth, and Adam lost the Eden home by transgressing God's law through disobedience. That lost right is regained through obedience to the Father's law and faith in the atoning blood of His Son. Repentance for breaking God's law and faith in Jesus Christ as humanity's only Redeemer are acceptable to God, whose Son's merits avail for sinful humanity. Paradise restored is the goal of the path of obedience to God, belonging to the eternal future in which God's Word stands fast.

The regained right to the Eden home that Adam and Eve lost requires ceasing to please self, leaving the side of the great rebel, giving the whole soul to God, repenting for time and talents given to the enemy, and choosing the good and refusing the evil while the Lord may be found. Choosing continued disobedience forfeits the right to that restored Eden. The verse shows the triumphant consummation that closes the great controversy between Christ and Satan. After the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the destruction of Satan and of sin, the glorious kingdom of Christ and of God is established and Christ reigns gloriously on the new earth forever.

The resurrection of those who sleep in Jesus brings them from the grave to life that will never end in the eternal morning in the city of God, where there is no night. The present night of tribulation and its surrounding darkness will give way to that eternal day and morning. By faith and hope believers look past present darkness and gloom to the dawn of that day, anticipating its splendor and beauty and glorious beauty and splendor when night will be no more. They are not to be discouraged by the darkness surrounding them but are to press perseveringly forward in the race for eternal life, keeping spiritual vision fixed beyond the gloom and saying in faith and hope that the morning cometh.

The verse means endless light and endless immortal life and endless reign for the righteous in the home of the redeemed, where they will need no sun, moon, or candle because the Lord God Himself will give them light. It presents the immortal crown and immortal home for which the chosen of God strive, where they reign forever and ever and have life as enduring as God's and a life that measures with the life of God. There the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. In contrast, the wicked's candle shall be put out in shameful darkness and they shall be extinguished in darkness. The light of the city of God is the face of Christ, shining brighter than the sun. That same face was spit upon and abused by the infuriated multitude at His trial, and those who struck Him will one day desire to hide from it.

Call to Present Preparation

The promise is living with God in everlasting joy, free from sorrow and death, and it stands as hope beyond present grief and death at the time of funerals. The city is the heavenly home and the immortal heaven to be won, a future well worth striving for, and preparation for it must be made now because it is for eternity. Those preparing for it are to help others prepare to enter it and to seek that heaven together with them. Health is to be cared for so that this privilege can be fully appreciated. Children are to be formed in character for this higher life so they can do good, bless others with their light, and be fitted to shine forever in the presence of God and the Lamb.

The final chapters shape the heart, life and character and prompt earnest prayer, untiring work, repentance and readiness for Christ. They call for work long neglected to be done now, for thorough humbling of the soul before God, and for earnest seeking of the Lord with heart and mind and soul that will change present conditions. Those in responsibility are to engage in deep searching of heart and cleansing of the soul temple as preparation for helping others and for bringing forth fruit in proportion to light given. These chapters hold the solemn warning about the last events of this earth's history to be kept in mind in the last days, against which confusion of mind gives Satan a great victory.

Coming into possession of this future follows after a few brief years of service to God on earth, and it means everlasting life and everlasting happiness with no more trials, griefs or temptations. It requires beginning earnest and determined service to God now, refusing to sin and refusing negligence or recklessness about the soul's eternal interest, because the present life is very brief compared with eternity. The offer is a life that measures with the life of God in return for a brief life of sanctified obedience to His will and Word, reaching a higher and still higher standard and pleading for sanctification by His Spirit, for striving to be an overcomer is worth the effort. The position each will occupy in the heavenly courts is being decided now, entering the city and receiving its name are connected with the hope of that eternal life, and each soul brought into connection with light and truth will be rewarded according to works.

The home the chosen are striving for is an immortal crown of endless light and endless life and reign for the righteous, while the wicked face the putting out of their candle in shameful darkness and the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. This prospect should make God's people more enthusiastic than men are over cheap worldly excitements. It is the eternal day beyond the present night of tribulation, whose dawn and morning in all its glorious beauty and splendor are anticipated by faith and hope beyond the gloom. Believers are therefore not to be discouraged by surrounding darkness but to press perseveringly forward in the race for eternal life, keeping spiritual vision fixed beyond it and saying in faith and hope that the morning cometh.