Have you ever wondered what it will be like in our heavenly home, also known as New Jerusalem? John uses the image of the city in the passage we heard from Revelation as an image of the qualities of life that make up the new heaven and the new earth.
God gives us little glimpses of glory, just like John gives us a glimpse of heaven. These special moments happen when we’re with family or friends or when we watch a spectacular sunset, sunrise, or rainbow. If we ever get tired of a rainbow, something might be wrong with us!
The same angel that showed John the city of Babylon and its destruction now shows him New Jerusalem. In Revelation 18:4, God called His people to “come out of” Babylon to avoid its judgments. The place they will go to is the New Jerusalem. In exchange for the allure and pleasures of worldly Babylon, they will enter a city that reflects the indescribable glory of its King.
There will be no temple in New Jerusalem. Why? It is because the temple is not a building; it is the Lord God Himself. The God who made us and redeemed us will raise us up again. He will fulfill us and the whole created order too. The entire city will be a holy temple where God and the Lamb dwell, and whose inhabitants will be priests who serve God.
New Jerusalem will be a welcoming community, not a gated community. We won’t have to lock our doors and windows at night. We won’t need bars on our windows. The gates of New Jerusalem will be open all of the time. All harm and those who cause it will be eliminated, so there will never be any reason for closing its gates. Everyone who believes in Jesus will be invited to enter this city. There will be no day or night, because it will be lit by the Lamb.
The Book of Life is the registry of the redeemed. Those who make up the New Jerusalem are those whose names are written in the Book of Life. Our hope for our names being written in this book lies only in God’s grace that we’ve received with our faith. That faith is the result of Jesus’ rescue of us from our sins, sin, and sinfulness. The old distinctions are no longer barriers between people. The uniqueness of each person and tribe is preserved as part of their glory, just as the unique colors of jewels are preserved as part of their glory.
The new creation will be a return to the Garden of Eden, Paradise regained! The original order will be restored, with the redeemed ruling over all creation with Christ. The tree of life and the pure river-once guarded by the cherubim with the flaming sword at Eden-reappear to beckon the weary pilgrims of the Lord to their future inheritance. Sin will have no place in our eternal home. Nothing evil, wicked, immoral, foul, depraved, or fiendish will ever cast a shadow there. Purity will reign and spread its joy everywhere. No more pain or broken relationships. No more frustration, regret, or exhaustion, and most of all, no death.
We won’t be bored in heaven because we won’t be the same in heaven. Boredom is the result of things that heaven doesn’t allow such as weariness, mental limitations, self-centeredness and tedium. Satan will take these to hell with him, leaving us with keen minds, endless focus, and God-honouring assignments.
The nations of the world are honoured and set free of the old competitions and fears, but the gifts that each tribe and family and individual person has to bring are not the orchestrated “amen” or “sieg heil” of a Nuremburg Nazi rally with every voice identical. Each voice is heard in conversation like that of a bride and her lover-not the lock-stepped zombie adoration that has characterized the cults and political tyrannies of our time.
You’ve likely heard of the old saying about saving the best to last. Well, the last vision is the best. At the centre of the New Jerusalem is the presence of Almighty God and the Lamb. John’s eye is then drawn to the river of life and a tree with leaves for the healing of the nations. The river represents the unending, irrepressible power that sustains life. The final vision is that of redemption that flows from the throne of God and the Lamb.
This last sign is one of hope. Jesus can forgive and heal; the One who heals is also the One who reigns and, therefore, the healing of this Lamb has authority. It lasts. Jesus, the Lamb and Shepherd, is able to keep His sheep and sustain them for all time. This conviction gives the Christian church its real authority in the world. It depends on the authority and truth of our gospel about Jesus Christ and His promises. This hope is expressed in the words of the hymn” Jerusalem the Golden”:
Jerusalem the golden,
With milk and honey blessed,
Beneath thy contemplation
Sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not
What joys await us there
What radiance of glory,
What bliss beyond compare.
They stand, the hills of Sion,
All jubilant with song
And bright with many an angel
And all the martyr throng.
The Prince is ever with them,
The daylight is serene,
The pastures of the blessed
Are decked in glorious sheen.
There is the throne of David
And there, from care released,
The shout of them that triumph,
The song of them that feast.
And they who with their leader
Have conquered in the fight,
Forever and forever
Are clad in robes of white
O sweet and blessed country,
The home of God’s elect.
O dear and future vision
That eager hearts expect.
Even now by faith we see thee
Even here thy walls discern.
To thee our thoughts are kindled.
For thee our spirits yearn.
Are you looking forward to the day when God removes all evil? Our eternal future will be totally focused on God Himself. Each and every day we should worship God and tell Him of our love for him. As we meet others who notice our joy, we must tell them about the future we have-one that they can share if they come to Christ in faith and accept Him as their Saviour. When we accept God’s glory, when we put our trust in Him, we enter into a future where He will be our light forever. That’s what He has ready and waiting for us.
(An audio version of this message can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/episode/revelation-21-verses-10-22-22-verse-5-the-new-jerusalem-our-heavenly-home–66229272)
Bibliography
- Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1868-1869)
- Palmer, E.F., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 35: 1,2&3 John/Revelation (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 231-234)
- Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
- MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
- MacArthur, J.: Revelation: The Christian’s Ultimate Victory (W Publishing Group: 2002; pp. 118-119)
- Ronald J. Allen, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
- Barbara Rossing, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
- Brian Peterson, “Commentary on Revelation 21:10,22-22:5.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
- Berni Dymet, “That Time is Coming.” Retrieved from berni@christianityworks.com
- Greg Laurie, “What is Heaven Like?” Retrieved from greglaurie@harvestdirect.org
- Bernard of Cluny; tr. John Mason, “Jerusalem the Golden.” (Common Praise: Toronto, Canada: Anglican Book Centre; 2000)
- Doug Bratt, “Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 Commentary.” Retrieved from https://cepreaching.org/authors/doug-bratt/
Sermons From My Heart 