What Will the Holy City, the New Jerusalem of the Bible Be Like in the New Age?
Bible Study
(Verse 2) Then John sees, “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” Just as the new heaven and earth will be brand new and unlike the original, so also will the city of Jerusalem be unlike the original city.
All you married men out there. Remember the day you married your wives? Do you remember the moment she entered to walk down the aisle? You saw her for the first time, “prepared as a bride beautifully adorned for her husband.”
What a wonderful site it was to see her for the first time so beautifully prepared for that holy ceremony of matrimony.
Short of being left speechless, this is how John chose to describe the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. Again, no better human words could describe such an amazing heavenly scene.
The Fulfillment of God’s Precious Desire
(Verse 3) As John stares in awe of the vision of the Holy City, something grabs his attention. When someone from the throne room of God says, “Look!” It’s best to pay attention and heed the calling.
This voice is not God’s. It’s likely one of the living creatures or another angel in close proximity to the throne. Either way, they have something very important to point out.
Notice how these opening verses of Revelation 21 refer to God several times. One of God’s most precious desires has always been to live among His creation. Since His presence in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, it’s been clear. He’s always wanted to be present in creation.
My wife and I raised three boys. There was no greater desire in our lives than to be with them throughout their years growing up into young men. I was blessed to have a flexible career that allowed me to experience being there for them in everything.
Today, I have no regrets as to how much time I spent with them and involved in their activities. It produced the best memories of my life. If we as parents have the desire to spend all our time with our children, how much more does God desire to spend His time among His creation.
The new earth and heaven will be that place where God will reside among us. What an incredible time to look forward to. The One who created and controls all things will be in our presence. We don’t truly know what it’ll be like until we experience it for ourselves.
Will We See Our Families Who’ve Rejected Christ?
Many have asked if we will see our loved ones go through the Tribulation once the believers are raptured up to Christ.
All we know is that Christ recognized His disciples after He was resurrected and given His glorified body. It’s likely there will be a time during the Tribulation and even into the 1000 year reign of Christ that we’ll see our loved ones who’ve not been raptured still living on earth.
Our hearts will be broken and in sorrow as we witness their pain as they reject God and attempt to survive the seven year Tribulation period. Because it’ll not be an easy time for them. The best we can hope for is that they’ll realize that what they were told of the gospel was true. In that moment, they’ll hopefully turn to Christ and find salvation. But many will not turn to Christ.
Will we as citizens of heaven who’ve returned to earth for the Millennium continue to experience this sorrow on the new heaven and earth? Let’s see what John and others have to say.
The Old Order of Things Has Passed Away
(Verse 4) John begins to record what life will be like on the new earth in the presence of God and Christ.
God is going to wipe every tear away from our eyes. It’s not entirely clear. But it’s quite possible that we will experience a degree of sorrow over our loved ones who’ve chosen to not accept Christ and live through the Tribulation. Those who survive the Tribulation we may see in the 1000 year reign of Christ.
Keep in mind the Bible is not clear on this. But John does tell us that in the new heaven and earth, God will wipe away our tears. For some clarity, let’s again go to scripture to help us understand this.
Isaiah tells us something interesting that may add a degree of comprehension to this notion.
“See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.” (Isaiah 65:17-19)
Notice, Isaiah states that, “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” So once God wipes the tears from our eyes, everything we knew about the past will be gone from memory. Especially those things that had to do with our family and the hurt we experienced of their refusal to accept Christ.
Death, sorrow, pain and mourning will all be gone. They’ll never be experienced again. The things that keep us awake at night will pass away.
The Old Order Is Gone and All Things Will Be New
(Verse 5) This is the first reference to God speaking since Revelation 1:8.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
God doesn’t say that He’s going to make some things new and restore other things. No! He will make everything new. What that will look like is difficult for our small minds to comprehend. Paul described it best in his letter to the Corinthians as he quoted the prophet Isaiah.
But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Then God gives John a command. “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
This is not to mean the other things that God has spoken directly or through the prophets were not true. This command is in order to emphasize the importance of what He’s saying. It also lends support to the blessings at the beginning of this book and at the end for those who read it, study and understand it, and share it with others.
God wants us to remember all the things He’s done. But He particularly wants us to look forward to the things He’s about to do. In other words, as Christians we shouldn’t be walking forward while looking backwards. This is not what He desires of us.
This is reflected in this command He gives to John and the blessings that come with Revelation.
“Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19)
“Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’ (Isaiah 46:9-10)
God wants us to be watchmen on the wall. He wants us to see and notice these things that will occur so we can share and help others understand the events that are occurring around us. Because of this, we are a blessed generation. All of God’s prophesy is converging upon us all at once. What a remarkable time to be alive.
God Speaks and “It Is Done”
(Verse 6) This is not the first time these words have been spoken in scripture, “It is done.” The first was by Christ on the cross. He said it to indicate that everything the Father had sent Him to do, He did. The final covenant of salvation between God and mankind had been delivered to humanity by Christ.
The second time is in Revelation 16:17. In this instance, it meant that the outpouring of God’s wrath upon a sinful earth had been completed. Once the last of the seven angels poured out the remaining bowl of judgment on the earth, it was done.
In Revelation 21, it means that the new creation was complete. The old is gone and the new has been made for all of God’s children.
God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. This is a reference to the sovereignty of God. He’s the Beginner of all things and the Ender of all things. He stands outside of all things and all things were created by Him, through Him and for Him.
What Is the Inheritance of the Victorious?
(Verse 7) This is a reference to the seven rewards that the believers in Christ will receive spoken of in Revelation 2 & 3. See the letters to the seven churches to understand all that those who find victory in Christ will inherit.
The term “I will be there God” is mentioned often by God in the Old Testament. It hearkens back to His original promise made to Abraham in Genesis 17:7-8.
“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8)
It points us to recognizing His sovereign presence as the Lord Almighty and His desire to be among His people.
(Verse 8) Those who are not victorious will be in one or more of the eight categories of sinners listed in this verse. There will not be anyone whose opposed God in the new creation. They will all have experienced the second death and bound for eternity in the fiery lake of burning sulfur (hell).
To learn more amazing facts about the new Jerusalem, go to the next Bible study.
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