After Jesus returns to earth and establishes His kingdom, after His thousand year reign on a restored earth, after the devil and all unholy angels and all the unredeemed have been judged and separated from the presence of God, then God will uncreate this sin-tainted universe and create a new universe untouched by sin, death or decay.
Peter says, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up … The heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10,12–13).
The Lord also speaks of this through Isaiah, For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind (Isaiah 65:17)
Through the Psalmist we read of the impermanence of this present universe, Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing You will change them and they will be changed (Ps. 102:25,26).
Jesus prophesied this, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away (Matt: 24:35).
This present universe is tainted by sin, decay and death. After Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord said, Cursed is the ground because of you (Gen. 3:17). Isaiah adds, The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant (Isa. 24:5). In the book of Job we read, Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in His sight (Job 15:15). He puts no trust in His holy ones refers to those angels who sinned and in their sin, polluted even the heavens.
All of this present universe, the earth and the heavens, everything is stained by sin and therefore infected with death, decay and curse. Therefore, God will uncreate this universe in a fiery conflagration in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat (2 Pet. 3:10). The word roar speaks of a rushing, crackling sound as something is consumed by a blazing fire. The word elements refers to the atomic structure that comprises the universe. Literally, the universe will ignite at its most basic level of protons, neutrons and electrons. We who live in the Atomic Age know something of the vast, explosive power locked into the nucleus of atoms.
This is literal language. God will ignite a universal nuclear reaction in which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat (2 Pet 3:12). In its place will be new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet 3:13). The word new is kainos, which refers to something that is new in quality, unlike that which previously existed. This new universe will be new in its pristine, pure, everlasting, unchanging righteousness. It will never again be tainted by sin or any corrupting influence.
The Apostle John says, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea (Revelation 21:1). Again, the word new is kainos — something which is unlike that which existed before. He goes on in chapters 21 and 22 to describe this new world. Its capital city is the New Jerusalem.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2). This is the city Abraham longed to see, the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebr. 11:10). It is the city of which Paul spoke, the Jerusalem above (Gal. 4:26). To the overcomers in the church at Philadelphia the Lord promised that He would write upon them the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven (Rev. 3:12).
Notice that the city comes down out of heaven from God. Only God can build the New Jerusalem. Jesus said, I will build My church (Matt. 16:18). Just as the church in this world is God’s creation, so the community of the redeemed in eternity is also God’s creation. It is God’s gift to the redeemed. This is a real, physical city with specific dimensions. It is not heaven itself, rather, it is heaven’s capital city, the center of the new universe.
John calls it the holy city because its Builder is holy, its purpose is holy and everyone in it is holy. As the city comes into focus, John sees it is as a Bride adorned for her husband. The city takes on the character of the redeemed who have been conformed to the character of their Redeemer. Isaiah said, I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isa. 61:10).
The New Jerusalem represents the truth that salvation is lived out in a community of the faithful. We are members of Christ’s church now, joined in union with Christ and with one another. We are members of the Body of Christ on earth, gifted priests in a communion of priests. In eternity, we are members of this everlasting community, the new Jerusalem, the bride of Christ.
John goes on to say, And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them (Rev. 21:3). The word tabernacle, skene, means dwelling place. The city of God is where God dwells in and among His people, the Bride of Christ.
Throughout the Old Testament, God made it clear that His desire is to tabernacle among His covenant people (Lev. 26:11,12 Jer. 31:33 Ezkl. 37:27). God made man and woman with the spiritual capacity to know Him, to have communion with Him, to abide with Him. When Adam and Eve broke that communion by sinning, the Lord responded by coming to them, calling to them, covering them and promising a Redeemer who would someday reconcile them to Himself.
When the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, He said, You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself (Ex. 19:4). The purpose of deliverance from Egypt was the restoration of intimate relationship with God.
The tabernacle in the wilderness was the place where God met His people and it was the symbol of His presence. God placed His glory in the Jerusalem temple and it represented His presence among His people. In his gospel, John described the incarnation of Jesus as, The Word became flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us (Jn. 1:14).
Jesus prayed, Father I desire that they also, whom you have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which you have given Me (John 17:24). In eternity, God will dwell with redeemed humanity from all nations and races. This unending, intimate fellowship in the presence of God is the essential characteristic of heaven. We will see God as He is, know Him as He is, enjoy Him and perfectly worship Him.
This was always God’s desire. Just as the church is a living, organic unity of believers with Christ, living stones built on Jesus the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5), in a similar way the faithful in eternity are joined in a living tabernacle with the Lord our Creator and Redeemer.
John goes on to describe the qualities of the New Jerusalem, 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. 21:27) It is a place of perfect holiness where nothing unclean, impure or unholy will ever intrude (21:8). There will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away (21:4). There will be no curse, no sickness, no death.
The New Jerusalem blazes with the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper (Rev. 21:11). The city has a great and high wall, not because we need protection but symbolizing our perfect security (21:12). There are twelve gates (21:12), symbolizing unlimited access to the city. We are not confined to the new Jerusalem but we have perfect access.
The city measures 1500 miles in height, width and length — a perfect and massive cube (Rev. 21:15). This speaks of symmetry, the perfection of design.
The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone (Rev. 21:18,19). Jasper is a perfectly clear, diamond-like substance. The city itself is built of gold so pure that it is transparent as glass. The heavenly city is built to transmit, to reflect the flashing, exploding brilliant radiance of God’s glory without any impurity.
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl (Rev. 21:21). Each of these pearls would be about 1,500 miles high and there is a precious spiritual dimension to these gates of pearl. When something wounds or irritates an oyster, it builds a pearl around the wound or irritation. Christ was wounded for our sins and through His wounds we have access to the redeeming, forgiving grace of God. Jesus’ response to those who wounded Him is to invite them into His everlasting city, the New Jerusalem. Access to the city is through the pearl of Christ’s suffering. We cannot enter or leave the city without being reminded that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, (John 3:16).
And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass (Rev. 21:21). We have never seen gold so pure that it is transparent. But this is a new creation and we will have new eyes. And in heaven, gold is not something we pursue, covet or hoard. It is what we walk on.
John says, I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple (21:22). Whereas there is a temple in the present heaven, John sees that there is no temple in the everlasting New Jerusalem for the Lord God and the Lamb are our temple, our sanctuary, our refuge, the dwelling in which all things exist. Entering through the gates of pearl into the city is to enter into the unlimited, everlasting presence of God. Indeed, all the infinite universe, being filled with God’s glory, will be a holy temple fit for holy worship.
And 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 (Rev. 21:23). Isaiah also prophesied this, No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory (Isa. 60:19).
There will be no longer be a sun nor moon for the manifest glory of God and the Lamb will be all the light needed throughout the universe. When Jesus, the light of the world, the true light that enlightens every man (John 1:9) is perfectly revealed in all His splendor and majesty, we would not be able to see the sun, if there were one, for the radiance of His glory would render every star and sun unseen. Further, the light that emanates from Christ is not the result of laws of combustion but rather is the explosive, unveiled radiance of Him who is the uncreated light of the world (John 8:12).
In the New Jerusalem there is a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, (Rev. 22:1). The word clear is lampros, meaning radiant. It is the same word used to describe Jesus in Rev. 22:16, The bright, morning star. This water of life shines with a brilliant radiance as does everything in heaven, for heaven is infused with and reflecting the glory of God.
This river represents the abundant, eternal life which flows from God to the believer throughout eternity. (Other promises of the water of life are found in Rev. 7:17, 21:6, 22:17). This stream of eternal life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Because believers will have perfect access to the throne of God, that is, His presence, then we will live at the source of eternal life. This is an essential quality of heaven — we will share the life of God.
On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2).
There is a sense here of history ending where it began. Adam and Eve lived in perfect fellowship with God in Eden. A river flowed through the garden of their fellowship and the tree of life grew there (Gen. 2:9,10). In the new creation, men and women live in communion with God and the tree of life blossoms beside the river of the water of life. This heavenly tree represents the abundant blessing of God and in particular, the blessing of life everlasting. It is not that the saints must eat of it to be everlasting, they are everlasting. The tree, as does the river, represents God’s gift of unending life.
Twelve kinds (or crops) of fruit speak of the variety and fulness of God’s blessing. New fruit every month speaks of the abundance and freshness of God’s provision; not that there are months in heaven — as we said, eternity is the absence of time. John is speaking in terms familiar to people who live in time. But whereas in time, God’s mercies are new every morning, in eternity, His mercies are continually, everlastingly, new.
The leaves are for the healing of the nations but this does not mean that nations will exist in heaven. The word nations is ethnos, people groups. Nor does it mean that people will be in need of healing in eternity. The word healing is a way of expressing the complete absence of disease, anguish, distress and need. The tree of life represents fulness of life, abundant, everlasting life enjoyed in a state of perfect wholeness and happiness without want. It is sharing the life of God.
There will no longer be any curse (22:3). This is because there will no longer be any sin anywhere for all eternity. Therefore, there will be nothing that can be cursed.
But the most wonderful feature of the New Jerusalem, the capital city of heaven, is this: They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:4).
We shall see God’s face. In our humanity, no one can look upon the unveiled glory of God and not be consumed. But the greatest blessing of eternity is that, We shall see Him just as He is (I John 3:2,3). Jesus taught that the pure in heart will see God (Matt. 5:8). Surely we will see the face of Jesus, the eternal God / Man.
But purified of all sin, we will see the face of God. We understand that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are not physical beings, so this has to do with more than mere perception. It has to do with comprehension. We shall see Him just as He is means we will comprehend the being of God as completely as the perfected human mind and soul can comprehend. We will be able to look directly into the unveiled glory of God. We will look into the essence, the truth of God’s being. Transformed and perfected in glory, we will stand in the presence of glory and gaze directly into the infinite, unmeasured glory of God and comprehend Him.
However, even in heaven we will not see all that God is because God is infinite and we are finite. We will not ever contain, in our minds, all that God is. But there will be an eternal, unveiling of God, unending revelation of His beauty, wisdom, majesty, creative power, holiness and we will comprehend God with a depth of perception that we do not now possess.
The Lord identifies Himself as the first and last, the beginning and the end (Rev. 22:13). The universe originates in Him, is upheld in Him, consists in Him and finds its fulfillment in Him. He is the source and goal of all creation and all history. The Lord who has promised to uphold the church through the tribulation of centuries is the Lord who created and upholds the entire universe. He will bring His church through time and into eternity.
Who will share in these wonderful blessings in the New Jerusalem? Those who wash their robes (Rev. 22:14). The verb is present tense — denoting a continual action. Those who continued to refuse defilement by the beast and the harlot, who continued to repent of defiling sin, who continued to confess their faith in Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God — those Who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (7:14), denoting union with the atoning death of Christ, by which union all are cleansed of defiling sin — they, we will share in these blessings in the New Jerusalem.
Jesus said, If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going. Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me’ (John 14:3-6).
If you have surrendered your life to the Lordship of Jesus, trusting in His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, then someday the New Jerusalem will be your home. In his first letter to the Thessalonian church, after instructing the church on the second coming of Christ and the resurrection, Paul said, So we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (I Thess. 4:17,18).
Study Questions:
1. The gates of the New Jerusalem are made of pearl. What does this represent?
2. What does it mean that we will see the face of God?