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What makes a great ending to a book or film? Usually the loose ends get tied up, the villain is defeated, and things go back to the way they should be, only even better.
The Bible has the best ending of any story. And if you've followed the plot from the start, you'll notice something: the end looks a lot like the beginning. This is part 6 of the Bible's big story: New Creation (its symbol is a sunrise). It's also a chance to put the whole story together, from the first page to the last.
What you'll learn
- How the Bible's story ends in Revelation 21
- How the end of the Bible mirrors the beginning, and how Jesus fixes what broke in the Fall
- The whole six-part story of the Bible, from memory
What kind of book is Revelation?
Revelation is the very last book of the Bible. It was written by a man named John (traditionally understood to be Jesus' disciple John) while he was exiled on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9).
Revelation is a vision, full of picture language and symbols, a bit like a dream God gave John. Christians who love the Bible read its pictures in different ways, and they don't all agree on the order and timing of events at the end. But they all agree on the main point: Jesus will return, defeat evil and make all things new. Remember the angels' promise when Jesus went back to heaven (Acts 1:11)? Revelation shows what happens when he comes back.
All things new
In Revelation 21, John sees a new heaven and a new earth. Then he hears a loud voice:
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.’" (Revelation 21:3–4)
Think about what that means: no more death, no more crying, no more pain. Every sad thing that came into the world through the Fall is gone for good.
And notice, this isn't about floating on clouds. The new creation is a real, physical, renewed world. It's even better than the garden of Eden, because it can never be broken again.
Bookends: the end matches the beginning
Put the first pages and the last pages of the Bible side by side, and they match like bookends.
| In the beginning (Genesis 1–3) | At the end (Revelation 21–22) |
|---|---|
| God creates the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) | A new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1) |
| God walks with people in the garden (Genesis 3:8) | God's home is with his people (Revelation 21:3) |
| Death comes in with the Fall (Genesis 3:19) | No more death, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4) |
| The ground is cursed (Genesis 3:17) | No more curse (Revelation 22:3) |
| People are kept from the tree of life (Genesis 3:22–24) | The tree of life is there for the nations (Revelation 22:2) |
| A garden | A garden-city |
The story ends where it began, with God living with his people in a very good world. But now it's made new for ever.
Who makes it happen?
In Revelation 21:5, the one seated on the throne says that he is making everything new. Revelation 22:1–3 tells us the throne belongs to God and to the Lamb. Earlier in Revelation (chapter 5), the Lamb is shown to be Jesus, who was killed and is alive again. So the whole story, from beginning to end, is held together by Jesus, just as he showed the two followers on the road to Emmaus.
The whole story in six parts
Here's the plot of the whole Bible. Can you remember it without looking?
| Part | Symbol | Key people | Where to find it | Key promise or event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Creation | A tree | God, Adam and Eve | Genesis 1–2 | God makes a very good world and people in his image |
| 2. The Fall | A crack | Adam and Eve, the serpent | Genesis 3 | Everything breaks, but God promises a rescuer (3:15) |
| 3. Israel | A star (and a crown) | Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah | Genesis 12; Exodus 14; 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 9 | Blessing for all families; a King who reigns for ever |
| 4. Jesus | A cross | Jesus, the disciples, Pilate | Mark 1:15; Mark 15–16 | The King comes, dies and rises |
| 5. The Church | A flame | The Holy Spirit, Peter, Paul | Acts 1:8; Acts 2 | The good news spreads to the ends of the earth |
| 6. New Creation | A sunrise | Jesus, the Lamb | Revelation 21–22 | God makes all things new |
Parts 1 to 3 are in the Old Testament, and parts 4 to 6 are in the New Testament.
Key words
- Revelation: the last book of the Bible; a vision of how the story ends.
- Vision: a kind of dream from God, full of picture language.
- New creation: God's world made new for ever, with no more death or pain.
- The Lamb: a name for Jesus in Revelation, because he gave his life like a sacrifice.
How this points to Jesus
The whole ending depends on Jesus. He is the one who rose from the dead, he is the one who will return, and he is the Lamb on the throne who makes all things new. Every promise in the Bible, from Genesis 3:15 onwards, finds its "yes" in him.
Think about it
Which promise in Revelation 21:3–4 means the most to you, and why?Show answer
Answers will vary. Many people find the promise of no more death or crying means the most, especially if they have lost someone they love. Others love that God will live with his people.
Why does it matter that the ending is a renewed world, and not just "going to heaven when you die"?Show answer
It shows God hasn't given up on his good creation. He doesn't throw it away; he fixes it and makes it even better, as a real place where his people live with him for ever.
Name two ways the end of the Bible matches the beginning.Show answer
For example: God creates the heavens and earth, and then makes a new heaven and earth; the tree of life is lost in Genesis but given again in Revelation.
Take it further
We live in part 5, between Jesus rising and Jesus returning. How does knowing the ending change the way you live in the middle of the story? And what is one thing about the Bible's story that surprised you or made you think this term? Your worksheet helps you compare the beginning and end of the Bible and draw the whole timeline from memory.
If you'd like to, you could pray: God, thank you for your big story, from the very first day to the day you make all things new. Thank you that Jesus is at the centre of it all. Help me to find my place in your story. Amen.