No More Temple: Revelation 21:22–23 and the Glory of the 144,000 Remnant

No More Temple: Revelation 21:22–23 and the Glory of the 144,000 Remnant


“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” — Revelation 21:22–23



This powerful vision in Revelation is not projecting a future literal paradise, but revealing the unveiling of the New Covenant reality—fully consummated when the old covenant world passed away in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The New Jerusalem represents the glorified remnant of Israel and Judah, the 144,000, who were sealed (Revelation 7), stood with the Lamb (Revelation 14), and were redeemed as the “firstfruits” to God from among Israel (Revelation 14:4). These were the faithful exiles who embraced Jesus as Messiah and were gathered into God’s new creation people.


The Temple Is a People


John says, “I saw no temple in it.” That is a radical declaration. In the Old Covenant world, the temple was everything—the place where God’s presence dwelled and where sacrifices were made. But in the New Jerusalem, there is no longer need for a physical temple, because the presence of God has been fully and permanently restored in and among His people.

John continues: “The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Jesus and the Father dwell in complete unity. As Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)—not one being, but united in mission, will, and purpose. He also prayed that we too might be one with them, saying, “Just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, may they also be in Us” (John 17:21). This divine indwelling is the real temple. God is not confined to buildings; He now tabernacles in people. The 144,000 glorified saints—redeemed from the tribes of Israel and Judah—are now the living city in which the Lamb and the Father dwell. They are no longer awaiting the presence; they are fully enveloped in it.


No Need for the Sun or Moon


Revelation 21:23 then declares something just as startling: “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it.” Why?


Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, sun and moon represent ruling authorities, appointed times, and covenantal structures. Consider:


In Genesis 1:16, the sun and moon are “governing lights”—the sun rules the day, the moon the night.


In Psalm 89:36–37, God says David’s throne will endure “as the sun before Me” and “as the moon… a faithful witness in the sky.”


In Isaiah 13:10, the fall of Babylon is described with celestial symbols: “The sun will be darkened… the moon will not shed its light.”


Joel 2:31 and Matthew 24:29 use sun and moon imagery to describe the collapse of covenantal and political systems.


So, when Revelation says the New Jerusalem has no need of the sun or moon, it means that the old covenant order has completely passed away. There’s no more Levitical calendar, no more temple sacrifices, no more priestly caste, and no more need for the sun/moon as signs and rulers within that system. The glory of God is now immediate and unmediated. Jesus—the Lamb—is now the lamp. He is the menorah in the true holy place (Rev 1:12–13). He doesn’t replace the Father, but reveals the Father, bearing His light and radiating it into the glorified people of God. Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus is the “radiance” of God’s glory—not God Himself, but the one who perfectly reflects Him.


Conclusion 


This radiant city is not a literal city. It is the firstfruits of glorified Israel, living in full covenant union with the Father and the Son. It is the 144,000—redeemed, vindicated, glorified, and joined to the One who is both their Shepherd and Temple. It is also the pattern for all who come into the New Covenant. Through union with Christ, we too are made into the dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). The sun and moon of the old age are gone. The temple of stone is obsolete. A new light has risen. And the Lamb walks with His people, no longer mediated through shadows and rituals, but in the full, radiant presence of God.

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