Chapter 21 – No More Death

In Revelation 21:1–4, the apostle John prophesied that after the Millennium, death and pain would be no more. This prophecy is often misunderstood; it does not refer to life on earth but to the transformed experience of resurrected saints in the afterlife. It signifies the defeat of Hades and their entrance into the peace and joy of heaven.

Living Beyond Death

Before the resurrection of the dead, saints rested in a state of unconsciousness after death, dwelling in the unseen realm of Hades, also referred to as Sheol (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:30-34). With the dawn of the New Covenant age, however, the saints were resurrected, judged, and Hades was defeated. This triumph allowed believers to consciously experience the bliss of heaven and the presence of God. Revelation 20:14 announces the end of Hades, and Revelation 21:4 celebrates this victory:

Revelation 20:14 (WEB) Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:4 (WEB) He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”

Jesus promised eternal life to those who put their faith in Him—a gift granted at the resurrection of the dead, marking the close of the Old Covenant age (Mark 10:29–31):

John 11:25-27 (BLB) the one believing in Me, even if he should die, he will live. And everyone living and believing in Me shall never die, to the age. Do you believe this?”

In the New Covenant age, while Christians still experience physical death, they are immediately welcomed into heaven and considered alive. Scripture consistently portrays those who have departed earth and now dwell in heaven as living, not dead.

For example, Enoch, who was taken up to heaven, is never described as having died, even though he no longer lives on earth:

Hebrews 11:5 (WEB) By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him.

Similarly, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are regarded as alive in heaven, though they are physically “dead.” Jesus emphasized this when referencing Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush:

Luke 20:37-38 (WEB) But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Exodus 3:6 38 Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus’ days would continue after His resurrection, even though He is no longer physically present on earth. This reveals that, from God’s perspective, those in heaven are truly alive:

Isaiah 53:10 (WEB) Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.

Similarly, Psalm 21:4 emphasizes the gift of everlasting life granted to those in Christ, affirming the unbroken continuity of life in heaven, even after leaving this earthly existence:

Psalm 21:4 (WEB) He asked life of you and you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.

For saints, death no longer means unconscious rest in Hades. Instead, it marks the beginning of conscious, eternal life in God’s presence. Revelation’s promise of “no more death” reflects this profound reality.

No Pain in Heaven

Following the resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment, heaven became accessible to the saints (Hebrews 11:16, 40; 13:14). This monumental shift in the afterlife is a central focus of Revelation 21.

Revelation 21 describes the new experience of heaven as one free from mourning, crying, pain, thirst, or hunger, with the life-giving water of heaven available to all. Similarly, Revelation 7:14–17 portrays these blessings while emphasizing that those who enjoy them stand “before the throne of God.” This is contrasted with their earthly experience of “great suffering,” indicating that these promises are fully realized in heaven, not on earth.

Revelation 7:14-17 (WEB) I told him, “My lord, you know.”

He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. 16 They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Both passages highlight the perfection of heaven, where saints are fully comforted, cared for, and provided for in God’s presence.

Earthly Death Continues

Earthly death persists, even in the new age. Revelation 14:13 declares a blessing for those who die in the Lord from that time onward:

Revelation 14:13 (WEB) I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.”

Revelation also suggests that pain and sin remain on earth. Nations continue to receive healing from the tree of life (Revelation 22:1–2), and the wicked exist outside the city of God:

Revelation 22:14-15 (WEB) Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Even Jesus acknowledged that sin persists in the age to come. He stated that speaking against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in his age or the next:

Matthew 12:32 (JST) And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be remitted to him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be let go to him, neither in this time [age], nor that about to be.

New Heavens and Earth in Isaiah

Isaiah 60 and 65 provide insight into the new heavens and new earth described in Revelation 21. Both passages share similar language and themes:

• God creates a new heavens and earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1).
• Former things are not remembered (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:4).
• The sound of weeping is no longer heard (Isaiah 65:19; Revelation 21:4).
• God rejoices in His people and Jerusalem (Isaiah 65:18–19; Revelation 21:2–3).

Isaiah also emphasizes the eternal nature of the new heavens and earth:

Isaiah 65:18 (WEB) But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create…

Isaiah 66:22-23 (WEB) “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your offspring and your name shall remain. 23 It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh.

Since something that endures forever cannot be replaced, Isaiah and Revelation must be referring to the same eternal reality. However, Isaiah’s prophecies also reveal that death and sin persist on the new earth.

Sinners Die a Hundred Years Old

Isaiah highlights a striking contrast in the new heavens and earth: while saints enjoy eternal life, sinners will die at a hundred years old:

Isaiah 65:17-20 (WEB) “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem to be a delight, and her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more. 20 “No more will there be an infant who only lives a few days, nor an old man who has not filled his days; for the child will die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed.

A hundred years, while long by human standards, is fleeting compared to the eternal life promised to the righteous. Isaiah uses the analogy of a tree to describe the saint’s enduring lifespan:

Isaiah 65:22 (WEB) For the days of my people will be like the days of a tree.

In Isaiah’s time, this analogy would have signified immortality, as trees were viewed as enduring symbols of life. Even today, some trees have lived for thousands of years, sparking debate among scientists about whether trees truly die of old age.¹ The ancient historian Josephus even mentioned a turpentine tree near the city that was believed to have existed since creation.²

This imagery reinforces the distinction between saints and sinners. Saints begin their journey on earth but continue to live eternally in heaven after their earthly bodies pass away (Isaiah 53:10; Psalm 21:4). In contrast, sinners who fail to enter heaven do not continue beyond the limits of their earthly existence.

Justice is Needed

Isaiah describes the new heavens and earth as a place where justice will be administered. Since justice addresses wrongdoing, sin must still exist to some degree on earth:

Isaiah 9:7 (WEB) Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.

Hostile Nations Perish

Isaiah and Revelation share a vision of God’s kingdom where nations serve Him, but Isaiah highlights a significant detail: nations that do not serve God will perish. This implies that death and judgment still exist on earth at this time:

Isaiah 60:19-20 (WEB) The sun will be no more your light by day; nor will the brightness of the moon give light to you, but Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun will not go down any more, nor will your moon withdraw itself; for Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will end.

Isaiah 60:10-12 (WEB) “Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you: for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Your gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive. 12 For that nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Revelation 21:23-27 (WEB) The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 25 Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. 27 There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Isaiah’s inclusion of hostile nations highlights the continued presence of sin and death on earth.

No More Sun and Moon

Isaiah 60:19–20 and Revelation 21:23–25 describe a time when the sun and moon are no longer needed. At the same time, passages like Isaiah 60:11, 66:23, and Revelation 7:15-16 mention the continuance of day and night, suggesting this language is metaphorical rather than describing literal conditions.

Isaiah 60:19–20 (WEB) The sun will be no more your light by day; nor will the brightness of the moon give light to you, but Yahweh will be your everlasting light.

Isaiah 60:11 (WEB) Your gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive.

Isaiah 66:23 (WEB) It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh.

Revelation 7:15-16 (WEB) Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. 16 They will never be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun won’t beat on them, nor any heat;

This imagery might symbolize God’s constant presence, favor, or direct leadership among His people. It could also reflect the removal of any barriers between humanity and God, granting saints in the New Covenant unhindered access to Him without the need for priests or rituals.

In Genesis 37:9, Joseph’s dream portrays his family as the sun, moon, and stars, while Isaiah 51:15-16 uses the imagery of planting the heavens and laying the earth’s foundations to represent God’s establishment of Israel and its leaders. Viewed through this lens, the cessation of the sun and moon could signify the end of the Old Covenant priestly system.

No More Sea

In Revelation 21:1, the promise of “no more sea” may symbolize the end of oppression and subjugation by foreign nations, reflecting the assurances in Isaiah 54. In Revelation 17:15, the angel explains to John that the water represents nations, peoples, and languages who may try to attack God’s people, highlighting the “sea” as a symbol of turmoil and danger.

Revelation 21:1 (WEB) I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

Revelation 17:15 (WEB) He said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.’

Isaiah 54:14-15 (BSB) In righteousness you will be established, far from oppression, for you will have no fear. Terror will be far removed, for it will not come near you. 15 If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.

This imagery reassures God’s people of His protection and deliverance, promising a future free from fear and oppression.

Alternatively, some interpret the “no more sea” prophecy as signifying the end of the Old Covenant priestly system and its rituals. In Solomon’s temple, the priests used a large basin, called the bronze sea, for ritual washing and purification (1 Kings 7:23-26).

Summary

Revelation and Isaiah never promise an end to death, sin, and pain on the new earth.

• The promise of “no more sea” is best understood as an assurance of God’s protection and deliverance from hostile foreign nations, given the symbolism of waters in Revelation 17:15.
• The metaphorical language used in both Isaiah 60:19-20 and Revelation 21:23-25 should not be taken literally, as the idea of “no more night” contradicts Isaiah’s statement that day and night will exist in the new heavens and new earth, highlighting the symbolic nature of the texts.
• Nations that refuse to serve God’s kingdom will face destruction as mentioned in Isaiah 60:12.
• Justice will always be necessary on earth according to Isaiah 9:7.
• Sinners in the new heavens and earth die at one hundred years old as declared in Isaiah 65:20.
• Blaspheming the Holy Spirit remains a possibility in the new age as stated in Matthew 12:32.
• The wicked will exist outside the new Jerusalem, as indicated in Revelation 21:6-8, 27 and 22:14-16.
• The nations will continually need healing from the tree of life as stated in Revelation 22:1-2.
• Revelation 14:13 pronounces a blessing on those who die from that time onward.

When we consider the phrase “before the throne of God” and compare Revelation 7:14-17 with Revelation 20:14 and 21:4, it becomes clear that the promise of an end of pain is specifically related to the new heaven that had just become accessible to those in Christ through the resurrection.

For Christians today, eternal life begins when they believe (Mark 10:29-31), and though their earthly bodies will die, they are not considered “dead” according to Luke 20:37-38 and John 11:25-26, as they go to heaven rather than Hades. By comparing scripture with scripture, the promise of no more death can be rightfully understood as the end of Hades.

Footnotes