Revelation 21:22-23
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What's remarkable here is the complete absence of any building for worship. This isn't just a bigger or better temple; it signifies that physical structures for worship become obsolete because God Himself, the Almighty and the Lamb, will be the very presence and sanctuary for everyone. Every inch of that heavenly city is permeated by God's holiness, making separate, sacred spaces unnecessary.
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
English Standard Version (ESV)
John is describing the New Jerusalem, a holy city descending from heaven, contrasting it with the earthly Jerusalem and its temple. In the visions preceding this, earthly temples and worship are important, but here, in this ultimate state of perfected communion, all those external forms are unnecessary. The immediate presence of God and the Lamb themselves fulfills the purpose of any temple, making the entire city sacred and filled with divine light.
Imagine a city where there's no church building, no cathedral, no synagogue. Sounds strange, right? In the New Jerusalem, this is exactly the case.
In Revelation 21, John sees a breathtaking new creation, but a key element of worship as we know it is missing: a physical temple.
Beyond Structures
Old Testament worship revolved around a physical temple, a sacred space where God's presence was localized. Jerusalem had its temple, a magnificent structure. But in the New Jerusalem, this is gone. Why? Because the source of worship and holiness is now directly and fully present.
God's Fullness Fills All
The text states, 'for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.' This means God Himself, in His glorious fullness, is the temple. His presence isn't confined to a building; it permeates the entire city. Every part of the New Jerusalem is a place of worship because God Himself is there, filling it completely.
Think about the tools we use to connect with God today: prayer, sacraments, even the Bible itself. What happens when those 'tools' are no longer needed?
The absence of a temple signifies a radical shift from mediated worship to direct, unhindered communion with God.
Means of Grace vs. Direct Vision
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In our current life, we rely on various 'means of grace' – ordinances, sacraments, even physical gathering places – to experience God's presence. These are like windows or mirrors, allowing us to see God, but only partially, as if 'through a glass dimly.'
Face-to-Face Eternity
In the New Jerusalem, however, these intermediaries are unnecessary. The direct, unveiled presence of God the Almighty and the Lamb provides everything. There's no longer a need for structures that symbolize God's presence or rituals that mediate His favor. Believers will experience God face-to-face, knowing Him as fully as they are known. It's the ultimate fulfillment of worship, where God's presence is the very fabric of existence.
Understand the original words
naos · Greek Noun
A place of worship or dwelling where God's presence resides; it denotes the sacrificial and mediatorial system that bridges the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity.
pantokratōr · Greek Adjective/Noun
A title emphasizing God's omnipotence and absolute sovereignty over all creation; it denotes the one who has all power and authority.
arnion · Greek Noun
The title given to Jesus Christ, symbolizing His role as the ultimate, sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world.
doxa · Greek Noun
The visible manifestation of God’s character, presence, holiness, and majesty; it signifies the weight and brilliance of His divine essence.
Jesus explains to the Samaritan woman that worship in the future (and in the Spirit) will not be confined to a specific location like a temple, but will be 'in spirit and truth'. This points to the ultimate fulfillment in Revelation where God's presence makes the entire city a temple, transcending physical structures.
1 Corinthians 3:16Paul states that believers themselves are the 'temple of God' and that 'God's Spirit dwells in you'. This foreshadows the New Jerusalem where God's presence is so pervasive that it defines the very nature of the city, making a separate structure unnecessary.
Ezekiel 48:35This verse from Ezekiel’s vision of the restored temple speaks of the city's name being 'The Lord Is There'. This directly echoes the concept in Revelation 21:22, where the presence of the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb *is* the temple, signifying total divine indwelling.
Hebrews 9:11-12The author contrasts the earthly tabernacle and its sacrifices with Christ's perfect, eternal sacrifice in the heavenly sanctuary. Revelation 21:22 shows the ultimate reality beyond all earthly types and shadows, where access to God is direct and constant, not mediated by a physical building.
Isaiah 60:19This prophecy speaks of the Lord being an 'everlasting light' for Zion, with no need for the sun or moon. This imagery directly parallels Revelation 21:23 where the city is illuminated by God's glory and the Lamb, indicating a new reality of divine presence that replaces all former means of light and worship.
barnesRevelation 21:22: "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
And I saw no temple therein - No structure reared expressly for the worship of God; no particular place where he was adored. It was all temple - nothing but a temple. It was not like Jerusalem, where there was but one house reared expressly for divine worship, and to which the inhabitants repaired to praise God; it was all one great temple reared in honor of his name, and where worship…
pooleRevelation 21:22: "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
And I saw no temple therein: I cannot take temple so strictly here, as those who understand all this but as a description of the blessed state of the militant church, during the thousand years; but understand it of all such worship and ordinances as we serve God in, and by, in this life. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it; the immediate fruition of God shall the…
What's remarkable here is the complete absence of any building for worship. This isn't just a bigger or better temple; it signifies that physical structures for worship become obsolete because God Himself, the Almighty and the Lamb, will be the very presence and sanctuary for everyone. Every inch of that heavenly city is permeated by God's holiness, making separate, sacred spaces unnecessary.
John is describing the New Jerusalem, a holy city descending from heaven, contrasting it with the earthly Jerusalem and its temple. In the visions preceding this, earthly temples and worship are important, but here, in this ultimate state of perfected communion, all those external forms are unnecessary. The immediate presence of God and the Lamb themselves fulfills the purpose of any temple, making the entire city sacred and filled with divine light.
John is describing the New Jerusalem, a holy city descending from heaven, contrasting it with the earthly Jerusalem and its temple. In the visions preceding this, earthly temples and worship are important, but here, in this ultimate state of perfected communion, all those external forms are unnecessary. The immediate presence of God and the Lamb themselves fulfills the purpose of any temple, making the entire city sacred and filled with divine light.
"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." — What's remarkable here is the complete absence of any building for worship. This isn't just a bigger or better temple; it signifies that physical structures for worship become obsolete because God…
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Last reviewed October 2026
