Having seen the judgment of Satan and of every form of evil in the world in chapter 20, we now get a glimpse of the glorious new creation, where God will dwell with His people for all eternity.
In verse 2, we are introduced to the city, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. In verses 3 and 4 we learn about what life will be like in the new Jerusalem. God will dwell with His people, and we will behold His face (cf 22:4a). Death will be no more, neither any crying or pain. We will live in absolute bliss, in the presence of God the Father and the Lamb. We see this beautifully captured in Rev 17:15-17: “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Contemplating our blessed future hope will help us in the present in these three ways: 1) It will help us to endure present trials, knowing that they are momentary, light afflictions compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us (cf. 2 Cor 4:16-18); 2) Knowing that our sovereign God is the Alpha and Omega, the One who began history and will bring it to its intended end, gives us peace in the face of tumultuous world events; 3) Knowing what we will be in the future can help shape our present identity. God has already begun the act of restoration in our lives. We are now a new creation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17). He has chosen us to be His people, and His Holy Spirit dwells within us as a downpayment of our inheritance. And we are currently being transformed from one degree of glory to another, until one day when He appears, we will be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is (cf.1 John 3:2).