Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

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Revelation 21:1

A new heaven and a new earth (ouranon kainon kai ghn kainhn).

This new vision (eidon) is the picture of the bliss of the saints.

The first heaven and the first earth (o prwtov ouranov kai h prwth gh)

are passed away (aphltan, went away, second aorist active indicative of aperxomai).

"Fled away" (epugen) in 20:11.

And the sea is no more (kai h talassa ouk estin eti).

The sea had given up its dead (20:13). There were great risks on the sea (18:17). The old physical world is gone in this vision. It is not a picture of renovation of this earth, but of the disappearance of this earth and sky (not heaven where God dwells). It is a glorious picture here in 21:1-8 in sharp contrast to the lake of fire in 20:11-15. The symbolism in neither case is to be pressed too literally, but a stern and a glorious reality exists behind it all.