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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_21:22-27
22I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Rev_21:22 "I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" This is highly unusual when compared with the numerous passages in Revelation where a heavenly temple is depicted (cf. Rev_3:12; Rev_7:15; Rev_11:1-2; Rev_11:9; Rev_11:19; Rev_14:15; Rev_14:17; Rev_15:5-6; Rev_15:8; Rev_16:1; Rev_16:17). This same concept of a temple in heaven is revealed in the book of Hebrews (cf. Heb_8:2-5; Heb_9:11; Heb_9:23-24.)
▣ "the Lord God the Almighty" Here again are the three most used OT titles for God (YHWH, Elohim and El Shaddai) used in combination (cf. Rev_1:8; Rev_4:8; Rev_11:17; Rev_15:3; Rev_16:7; see Special Topic: Names for Deity at Rev_1:8) to show the majesty of Him who sits on the throne. Notice His close connection with the Lamb of Revelation 5. They reign together and there is only one throne (cf. Rev_22:1; Rev_22:3).
Rev_21:23 "the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" The glory of the Father and Son is all the illumination that is needed (cf. Psa_36:9; Isa_24:23; Isa_60:19-20; Zec_14:6-7 and also Rev_22:5). This is possibly a way of emphatically rejecting astral worship.
Rev_21:24 "The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it" It is very difficult to understand why "the nations" are still mentioned in this post-White Throne section of Revelation. It may simply be an OT allusion to Psa_72:10-11; Isa_49:23; Isa_60:3; Isa_60:15-16. It is not literal, but literary! It represents all the peoples from all the tribes and nations who make up the people of God.
Rev_21:25 "In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed" This is an allusion to Isa_60:11 or Zec_14:6-7. The concept of darkness in the Bible is often a metaphor for evil (cf. Mat_6:23; Mat_8:12; Mat_22:13; Mat_25:30). Light and dark were especially important symbolic theological contrasts for John (cf. Joh_1:4-5; Joh_1:7-9; Joh_3:19-21; Joh_8:12; Joh_11:9-10; Joh_12:35-36; Joh_12:46; 1Jn_1:5-7; 1Jn_2:8-11). The gates never close symbolizing openness, availability, no fear of attack.
Rev_21:27 "nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying" This is an allusion to Isa_52:1; Eze_44:9; Zec_14:21 which seems to be a literary technique showing the ultimate difference between God's people and those of the evil one (cf. Rev_21:24). The new age is characterized in the lighter, open city, a city of complete righteousness. There is no evil present!
▣ "written in the Lamb's book of life" This metaphorical phrase "the book of life" is also found in Rev_20:12-15, where two books are mentioned:
1. the book of life, which is made up of the names of God's people (cf. Exo_32:32; Psa_69:28; Isa_4:3; Dan_12:1; Luk_10:20; Php_4:3; Heb_12:23; Rev_13:8; Rev_17:8; Rev_20:15; Rev_21:27)
2. the book of deeds or remembrances which records both wicked and righteous deeds (cf. Psa_56:8; Psa_139:16; Isa_65:6; Mal_3:16)
These are metaphorical of God's perfect memory.
Revelation 22