Revelation 21:23
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This verse beautifully highlights that the New Jerusalem won't need the sun or moon because God's own glory is its source of light. Even more profoundly, "the Lamb is the light thereof" signifies that Jesus, remembered in His sacrificial role, is the very embodiment of this divine illumination, making Him central to everything.
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)
This verse describes the ultimate dwelling place of God with humanity, following the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. John has just described the absence of a physical temple, explaining that God and the Lamb are its true sanctuary. Now, he shifts to the city's light source, emphasizing its complete dependence on God's presence rather than any natural celestial bodies.
Imagine a city brighter than a thousand suns, a light so pure it needs no earthly luminary. What makes this city so radiant?
Revelation 21:23 declares the heavenly city needs no sun or moon because 'the glory of God gives it light.' This isn't just about brightness; it's about the presence and essence of God Himself being the source of all illumination.
Divine Radiance
The 'glory of God' refers to His manifest presence and splendor. In the Old Testament, God's glory often filled the temple or appeared as a visible, awe-inspiring light. Here, it's elevated: God's very being is the light.
Light as Holiness and Truth
This divine light signifies more than just illumination. It represents God's holiness, truth, and perfect knowledge. In His presence, darkness—sin, ignorance, and deception—simply cannot exist. It's a light that transforms and purifies everything it touches.
If God's glory is the overarching radiance, what role does the Lamb play in this light-filled city?
The verse continues, 'and its lamp is the Lamb.' This is a profound statement about Jesus Christ's central role in the eternal dwelling place of God.
Christ as the Focus of Divine Light
While God's glory is the source, the Lamb (Jesus) is the 'lamp'—the specific embodiment and focal point of that divine light for His people. It suggests that in eternity, believers will see and understand God through the lens of Christ's finished work and His glorious person.
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Remembrance and Joy
The use of the 'Lamb' imagery, recalling His sacrifice, ensures that the salvation He accomplished is eternally central to the joy and understanding of the redeemed. It's not just abstract light, but the light of a Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us. This remembrance adds depth and richness to eternal worship.
Understand the original words
doxa · Greek Noun
The visible manifestation of God’s character, presence, holiness, and majesty; it signifies the weight and brilliance of His divine essence.
This passage directly inspires the imagery of Revelation 21:23, describing a future time when the Lord Himself will be the eternal light, rendering the sun and moon unnecessary.
1 John 1:5This verse echoes the theme of God as light, stating that God is light and in Him there is no darkness, which is the foundational truth behind the eternal illumination of the New Jerusalem.
John 8:12Jesus declares 'I am the light of the world,' directly correlating with the idea in Revelation that the Lamb (Jesus) is the ultimate light source for the heavenly city.
Exodus 33:18Moses' request to see God's glory points to the overwhelming presence and radiance of God, which is described as the light that illuminates the New Jerusalem, surpassing any natural light.
2 Corinthians 4:6This verse speaks of God shining His light into our hearts through Christ, paralleling how the glory of God and the Lamb illuminate the eternal city, bringing understanding and spiritual light.
ellicottRevelation 21:23: "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
(23) And the city had no need of the sun . . . —Rather, And the city hath not need of the sun, nor of the moon that they should shine on (or, for ) her; for the glory of God enlightened her, and her lamp is the Lamb. The Shechinah is again alluded to. Light is the emblem of knowledge and holiness. God is light, and in Him is no dar…
clarkeRevelation 21:23: "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
No need of the sun - This is also one of the traditions of the ancient Jews, that "in the world to come the Israelites shall have no need of the sun by day, nor the moon by night." - Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 7, 3. God's light shines in this city, and in the Lamb that light is concentrated, and from him everywhere diffused.
This verse beautifully highlights that the New Jerusalem won't need the sun or moon because God's own glory is its source of light. Even more profoundly, "the Lamb is the light thereof" signifies that Jesus, remembered in His sacrificial role, is the very embodiment of this divine illumination, making Him central to everything.
This verse describes the ultimate dwelling place of God with humanity, following the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. John has just described the absence of a physical temple, explaining that God and the Lamb are its true sanctuary. Now, he shifts to the city's light source, emphasizing its complete dependence on God's presence rather than any natural celestial bodies.
This verse describes the ultimate dwelling place of God with humanity, following the final judgment and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. John has just described the absence of a physical temple, explaining that God and the Lamb are its true sanctuary. Now, he shifts to the city's light source, emphasizing its complete dependence on God's presence rather than any natural celestial bodies.
"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." — This verse beautifully highlights that the New Jerusalem won't need the sun or moon because God's own glory is its source of light. Even more profoundly, "the Lamb is the light thereof" signifies tha…
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Last reviewed October 2026
