Future Prophesies - During the Tribulation & Beyond
NEW HEAVENS and NEW EARTH (Eternal State)

New Heavens and New Earth

Revelation 21 - All Things Made New

Rev 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

Is 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.

20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them.

24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord.

What Do We Know About The New Heavens and New Earth:

2 Peter 3:10-13 – The Day of the Lord

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Mark 13:28-31 – The Parable of the Fig Tree

Mk 13:28 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Revelation 21:1-5– All Things Made New

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

Isaiah 25:6-9 – Praise to God

Is 25:6 And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people
A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.
7 And He will destroy on this mountain

The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.

9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us.
This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Isaiah 66:22-23 – The Reign and Indignation of God

Is 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

Revelation 22:1-5 – The River of Life

Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

1 Corinthians 2:0 - Spiritual Wisdom

9 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.”

Hebrews 12:25-29 - Hear the Heavenly Voice

Heb 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

With the final judgment, the sad, sorry story of humanity on earth ends. We now witness a new heaven and a new earth, for “the former heaven and the former earth had passed away” (21:1). The linear narrative across the Christian canon of Scripture comes full circle as the new Jerusalem descends “out of heaven from God” (21:2). We are in a new Eden, a place where God dwells with us, where we are his people and he is our God.

The recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone.

Christ has gathered His church in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17).
The Tribulation has passed (Revelation 6—18).
The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17–21).
Satan has been chained for the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20:1–3).
A new, glorious temple has been established in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—48).
The final rebellion against God has been quashed, and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7–10.)
The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11–15).

With the conflict of sin fully resolved and “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” a memory, our linear narrative doubles back on itself: Revelation 20-22 bring us back to a new beginning.

Revelation 21 takes us on a tour of our eternal home.

In Revelation 21, God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth. The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells”.

Rev 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Is 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
2Pe 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells

From Genesis through Revelation, the trajectory of Scripture has led us to this very place, this new Eden, where sin and death no longer exist, a place of eternal life and blessedness, as God intended it.

Curse from Genesis lifted
- On this new earth God will dwell with us [σκηνὴ, skae-no’-oh, literally “tent with us”], as he dwelt with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, strolling with them “at the breezy me of the day” (Genesis 3:8), enjoying their company.
- Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
- Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

As Christians we rightly understand that if we have responded to God’s freely-given grace and placed our faith in his son, Jesus, who died that our sins may be forgiven, then when we die we will leave our bodies buried in the earth and be with Christ in heaven as spiritual beings.
- 2Co 5:6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
- That is only temporary, however!
- Revelation tells us that our ultimate destination is not in heaven, but on a physically recreated earth, a place where we will live eternally in newly resurrected, physical bodies, perfectly designed for our eternal home.

New Heaven and New Earth
- Rev 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
  - Notice that this is not simply a transformed heaven and earth, but “a new heaven and a new earth,” for “the former heaven and earth had passed away.”
- 2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
  - We witnessed this total destruction of the earth with Revelation’s 3 sets of 7 seals, trumpets & bowls
- Is 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. (lit.: heart).

Completion
- Rev 21:6 And He said to me, “It is done!
- As Jesus expired on the cross he said, Τετέλεσται, “It is finished” (John 19:30)
  - The Greek root word in John 19:30 is Τελέω [te-le’-oh], meaning the end goal has been achieved.
    - We get the English word “telescope” – what is in the distance is brought before our eyes.
- When the 7th angel poured out the 7th bowl, a voice from the throne said, Γέγονεν, “It is done” (16:17)
- Now that the wedding of the Lamb is about to take place, the voice from the throne says to John, Γέγονεν, “It is done” (21:6).
  - The Greek in Revelation 16:17 and 21:6 is Γέγονεν [gee’-no-my], meaning that the final step in a sequence of events has been completed.
- In the first instance, Jesus looks ahead on the cross, knowing that his death ensures the future outcome
  - In the last instances, the future outcome has been achieved.
  - John’s precise diction—his word choice— is very deliberate and once again, brilliantly precise!

Jesus is the A and Ὦ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
- Rev 21:6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
- As the first and last letters of the alphabet encompass all the letters in between, Jesus is “all that can be said.”

Rev 21:6 … I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
- To the thirsty, Jesus will give “life-giving water”
- Literally δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς “will give out of the spring of the water of life”
- Placing “will give” [δώσω] in the forward position emphasizes the fact that the “water of life” is a freely given gift.

Rev 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
- The νικῶν [nee-kah’-o, the “victor”] will inherit these things.
  - Recall John’s use of the same word in the letters to the seven churches: the “victor” will inherit the blessings.
- And then we read something truly astounding! Not only will the Church become the bride of the Lamb, but each of us in the Church will become an adopted son or a daughter of God!
  - Jesus called us his “friends” in John’s gospel; here he calls us his “brothers.”

Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
- That is not to say that committing acts of cowardice, unfaithfulness, depravity, murder and deception guarantee a place in the “burning pool of fire and sulfur.”
  - Those are all sins that God may forgive, if one turns to Christ in faith.
  - Rather, rejecting Christ and living a life apart from God, a life that leads to such acts, is what places one on the path to hell.
- A person who genuinely responds to God’s grace and accepts his gift of redemption, will strive to “live in a manner worthy of the call” he has received (Ephesians 4:1).
  - Although such a person may sometimes slip up and sin, sin will not characterize his life; it will not be the dominant color, tone and texture of his moral and ethical landscape.

The Earth in Prophecy - Eternal Restoration or Fiery Finish? By Dr. David R. Reagan

https://christinprophecy.org/articles/the-earth-in-prophecy/

Did you know we are living on earth number three? Did you know the Bible reveals that there are two earths yet to come? Did you know the Bible teaches that the earth is eternal?

Earth I

The first earth was the one created in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). It was perfect in every respect (Genesis 1:31). But because of Man’s sin, God placed a curse upon the earth (Genesis 3:17-19).

The Bible indicates that this curse radically altered the nature of God’s original creation. Instead of Man exercising dominion over Nature, as originally planned (Genesis 1:26, 28), Nature rose up in conflict with Man, as poisonous plants, carnivorous animals and climatic cataclysms (like tornados) suddenly appeared.

Earth II

The curse radically altered the original earth, but Earth II was still quite different from the one we live on today. There is much Biblical evidence in both Genesis and Job that the second earth had a thick vapor canopy which shielded life from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, producing the long life spans recorded in Genesis (see Genesis 2:5-6 and Job 38:8-11).

The whole earth was like a greenhouse with thick vegetation growing everywhere, even at the poles. There was also probably only one large land mass.

Once again the sinful rebellion of Mankind motivated God to change the nature of the earth (Genesis 6:11-13). The change agent this time was water. It appears that God caused the vapor canopy to collapse (Genesis 7:11). He also caused “fountains of the great deep” to break forth upon the surface of the earth (Genesis 7:11).

Earth III

Like the curse, the Flood radically altered the nature of the earth. It produced Earth III, the earth we now live on.

The earth tilted on its axis, forming the polar caps. The unified land mass was split apart, forming the continents as we now know them (which is why they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle — see Genesis 10:25). And the vapor canopy was so completely depleted that ultraviolet radiation began to reach the earth in unprecedented levels, resulting in greatly reduced life spans, first to 120 years and then to 70 years.

The Bible reveals that the current earth, Earth III, will be radically changed again at the Second Advent of Jesus. The change agents will be earthquakes on the earth and supernatural phenomena in the heavens.

The changes produced will so totally alter the earth and its atmosphere that Isaiah refers to “the new heavens and the new earth” which will exist during the reign of the Lord (Isaiah 65:17).

Earth IV

Earth IV — The millennial earth — will be very different from the present earth. The earthquakes that will produce it will be the most severe in history.

Every valley will be lifted, every mountain will be lowered, and every island will be moved (Revelation 6:12-14; 16:17-21). Jerusalem will be lifted up, and Mt. Zion will become the highest of all the mountains (Zechariah 14:10 and Micah 4:1).

The vapor canopy will likely be restored because life spans will be expanded to what they were at the beginning of time (Isaiah 65:20,22).

Further evidence that the vapor canopy will be restored is to be found in the fact that all the earth will become abundant once again with lush vegetation (Isaiah 30:23-26 and Amos 9:13-14). The Dead Sea will also become alive (Ezekiel 47:1-9).

Most important, the curse will be partially lifted, making it possible for Man to be reconciled to Nature and for Nature to be reconciled to itself. The wolf will dwell with the lamb because the wolf will no longer be carnivorous. The nursing child will play with the cobra because the cobra will no longer be poisonous (Isaiah 11:8).

Earth V

But Satan’s last revolt at the end of the Millennium will leave the earth polluted and devastated (Revelation 20:7-9). Thus, at the end of the Lord’s reign, God will take the Redeemed off the earth, place them in the New Jerusalem, and then cleanse the earth with fire (2 Peter 3:10-13).

In other words, God will superheat this earth in a fiery inferno and then reshape it like a hot ball of wax. The result will be the “new heavens and new earth” prophesied in Isaiah 66 and Revelation 21.

This will be Earth V, the perfected, eternal earth where the Redeemed will spend eternity in the New Jerusalem in the presence of God (Revelation 21:1-4). The curse will be completely lifted from this earth (Revelation 22:3).

Restoration in the Old Testament

God loves His creation, and He is determined to restore it to its original perfection.

This purpose of God was reflected in the rites of the Tabernacle of Moses. Each year when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the nation, he would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark — and also on the ground in front of the Ark (Leviticus 16:15).

The blood on the Mercy Seat pointed to the promise of God that one day He would send a Messiah who would shed His blood so that the mercy of God could cover the Law and make it possible for us to be reconciled to our Creator. The blood on the ground pointed to the promise of God that the sacrifice of the Messiah would also make it possible for the creation to be redeemed.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah 11 gives us a beautiful picture of the redeemed creation during the Millennium. We are told that the meat eating animals will cease to prey on each other and “will eat straw like the ox.” The poisonous animals will also be transformed. They will cease to be dangerous (Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:9).

The plant kingdom will similarly be transformed back to its original perfection before the curse. The result will be incredible agricultural abundance:

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When the plowman will overtake the reaper
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
When the mountains will drip sweet wine…”
(Amos 9:13)

The prophet Joel adds that “the threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil” (Joel 2:24).

The implication of these passages is that Man will no longer have to strive against nature because weeds and poisonous plants will cease to exist and rainfall will be abundant.

In fact, Isaiah tells us that areas of wilderness will be transformed into glorious forests (Isaiah 35:2) and deserts will become “springs of water” (Isaiah 35:7).

Restoration in the New Testament

The promise of a redeemed and restored creation is reaffirmed in the New Testament. Peter referred to the promise in his second sermon at the Temple in Jerusalem. He told his audience that Jesus would remain in Heaven until the time comes for the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21).

Paul elaborates the theme in Romans 8:18-23. He declares that the whole creation is in “slavery to corruption” (verse 21). This is a reference to what physicists call the Second Law of Thermodynamics; namely, that all of creation is running down, moving from order to disorder — that all of creation is in bondage to decay.

Paul then pictures the creation as a pregnant woman waiting anxiously for the moment of delivery when the curse will be lifted and the creation will be redeemed. He says that will occur at “the revealing of the sons of God.”

That is a reference to the resurrection of the saints, a point he makes clear in verse 23 when he says that the saints should yearn with nature for that same event because that is when each of us will receive “the redemption of our body.”

The Eternal Earth

The Old Testament has little to say about the eternal earth which God will create at the end of the Millennium. Isaiah simply asserts that such an earth will be provided (Isaiah 66:22). Isaiah’s only other reference to a “new earth,” in Isaiah 65:17, is a reference to the renovated earth of the Millennium.

In Revelation 21 the apostle John gives us the most detailed look at what the new, eternal earth will be like. And yet, his description is tantalizingly vague. He makes a cryptic reference to the fact that there will no longer be any sea (Revelation 21:1). Beyond that, all he tells us is that God will make “all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

A Glorious Blessing

I think the reason the passages about the eternal earth tell us so little about the features of that earth is because they focus on one glorious fact that overshadows any concern with what the new earth will be like. That fact is that the Redeemed will live in the presence of Almighty God (Revelation 21 and 22). We will “serve Him” and we will “see His face” (Revelation 22:3-4). What the earth will be like pales in comparison to this revelation.

The Earth in Prophecy - Eternal Restoration or Fiery Finish?

THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH — RECREATION OR RENOVATION?

https://www.rev310.net/post/the-new-heavens-and-earth-recreation-or-renovation

Many prophecy teachers in our day believe that the current heavens and earth will be annihilated (cease to exist) and be replaced by a second ex-nihilo creation. This and this alone, they insist, is what is meant by the new heavens and earth. But I believe this is a mistake. Consider the following points.

ONE—GOD CREATES ETERNAL THINGS. In Ecclesiastes 3:14 we read the amazing statement, "I know that whatsoever God does, it shall last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before him.” This is an intrinsic part of God's nature. The eternal God creates eternal things. When He made the angels, mankind, the earth, and the heavens above, he made them eternal institutions. Their annihilation is morally impossible. To insist that any one of these institutions will cease to exist is to impugn God with either a superintendence failure or a design flaw.

But the argument doesn't hang on the application of the broad principle alone. There is a multitude of passages in the Bible that testify to the eternality of such divine institutions as the heavens, the earth, the land of Israel, Mt. Zion, Jerusalem, and David's throne.

Take the heavens, for instance. God pointed the patriarchs to the heavens above their heads and promised them that Israel would endure for as long as the sun and moon endure (Jer. 31:35-36). He didn't misspeak here. This is the eternal truth of the God who cannot lie. The future destinies of the heavens and Israel are inseparably intertwined. If the current heavens are going to cease to exist, then Israel will also cease to exist. But Israel will never cease to exist. Therefore, the current heavens will never cease to exist.

This same truth is also stated absolutely. Psalm 148:3-6 reads, "Praise him, you sun and moon. Praise him, all you stars of light … Let them praise the name of the Lord. For he commanded, and they were created. He has established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which shall not pass.”

For another example, the eternality of Mt. Zion is unequivocally stated. Psalm 132:13-14 says, “The Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his dwelling place. This is my resting place forever.” And Micah 4:6-7 adds, "In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame, and I will gather the outcasts and those whom I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong nation. And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from that point on, even forever.”

TWO—THE PRECEDENT OF THE PHYSICAL REALM. In the Bible, we read about three earths. The earth that existed prior to the flood. The earth that exists now. And the new earth that shall exist after the current earth is destroyed by fire. These three are detailed in 2 Peter 3:1-13. This same passage also establishes God's precedent for the destruction of the earth. Notice that when He destroyed the former earth and introduced the current earth, he did not do so with annihilation and recreation but with radical transformation of the earth through the flood (2 Peter 3:6). The earth did not cease to exist. Mankind today lives on the same orb of rock and dirt that mankind lived on prior to the flood. This raises an important question when it comes to the new earth. Why would God depart from this precedent? He is the God of order and pattern. And this precedent suggests that the coming destruction of the earth will be a renovation by fire (2 Peter 3:7) rather than a cessation of existence and replacement.

THREE—THE PRECEDENT IN THE MORAL REALM. God's handling of defilement in the moral realm sheds much light on how he will handle the effects of defilement in the physical realm. God doesn't fix the defilement problem in his moral creation with annihilation. He fixes it with sequestration. He casts the wicked angels and men into the lake of fire forever. They don't burn up. They don't cease to exist. They experience eternal punishment with the smoke of their torment ascending day and night forever. But the annihilation-and-recreation theory introduces a conundrum that challenges the wisdom of God. If he can fix the problem in the moral creation without the annihilation of the guilty perpetrators, why can't he fix the problem in the physical creation, which is an innocent victim, without annihilation? Why would he subject physical creation to a worse fate than moral creation? Physical creation, mind you, has no sin, no wickedness, and no iniquity to remove. It only has scars caused by rebels, both angelic and human. And God can easily remedy these scars by renovation.

FOUR—THE SANCTITY OF PLANET EARTH. There is a sanctity about this planet that precludes its non-existence. It absorbed the sweat, tears, and blood of the Lord. He was born here, lived here, died here, buried here, and raised here. He walked its dusty surface. It is the scene of many glorious victories he wrought on behalf of his people over the centuries: the ark, the Exodus, the crossing of the Red Sea, the battle of Jericho, and crossing the Jordan on dry ground. Dozens of his prophets and apostles testified here. Millions of his martyrs had their blood mingled with the dust of this planet. To think of God separating himself and his people forever from the scene of all this moral glory is simply unthinkable.

FIVE—GOD'S ORIGINAL INTENTION. God's original intention was to enjoy fellowship with Adam, Eve, and their progeny in the paradise that he had created for them here on earth. If the serpent hadn't introduced sin and rebellion into the world, this happy relationship would have continued for eternity. When man succumbed to the serpent's temptation, he not only lost his standing with God and came under the strong influence of the deceiving spirits, he suffered banishment from the garden and the judgment we know as the curse. The planet also fell under the effects of the curse and suffered defilement from the cooperation between mankind and the fallen angels. But God provided redemption for mankind. This comes through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for all mankind that whosoever believes on him might be saved and inherit eternal life. And this redemption, while not directly for the planet, does involve the planet. For we clearly read in Scripture that on that happy day when the saints receive their resurrection blessings and eternal life, creation itself gets to participate in the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom. 8:19-21). Moreover, Satan and his evil minions are bound and cast into hell, leaving man and nature completely free from the influences and damage of the wicked angels.

But there is no full and glorious restoration according to the annihilation and recreation theory. There is no restitution of all things. Nature receives no permanent enjoyment of the glorious freedom of the children of God. It only gets a temporary taste, then it shall cease to exist. This tarnishes the sovereignty of God. If this theory be true, God will redeem less from the clutches of the serpent than was lost in the garden. Mankind will be redeemed, but the earth will not be. God will be forced to scuttle this planet, indeed the entire creation, to deal with the defilement problem. He will be obligated to ferry the redeemed survivors of the ordeal to a new creation.

CONCLUSION. I trust you can see that there are numerous weighty objections to the new heavens and earth being an annihilation and ex nihilo replacement of the current heavens and earth. If you want to study this subject in depth, I cover it with much more detail in my book The New Heavens and Earth: Recreation or Renovation?, which is available on Amazon in paper and Kindle. There are also links on my website (soothkeep.info) under the Books menu for various purchase options including iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

Eyes wide open, brain engaged, heart on fire.

Lee W. Brainard

THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH — RECREATION OR RENOVATION?

What are the New Heavens and New Earth?

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-heavens-earth.html

The new earth will be the eternal dwelling place of believers in Jesus Christ. The new earth and the new heavens are sometimes referred to as the “eternal state.” Scripture gives us a few details of the new heavens and new earth.

The current heavens and earth have long been subject to God’s curse because of mankind’s sin. All creation “has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22) as it awaits the fulfillment of God’s plan and “the children of God to be revealed” (verse 19). Heaven and earth will pass away (Mark 13:31), and they will be replaced by the new heavens and the new earth. At that time, the Lord, seated on His throne, says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). In the new creation, sin will be totally eradicated, and “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3, NKJV).

The new heaven and new earth are also mentioned in Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, and 2 Peter 3:13. Peter tells us that the new heaven and new earth will be “where righteousness dwells.” Isaiah says that “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Things will be completely new, and the old order of things, with the accompanying sorrow and tragedy, will be gone.

The new earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. It will be similar to our current earth, but without the curse of sin. It will be earth as God originally intended it to be. It will be Eden restored.

In the new heavens and new earth, Scripture says, there are seven things notable for their absence—seven things that are “no more”:

no more sea (Revelation 21:1)
no more death (Revelation 21:4)
no more mourning (Revelation 21:4)
no more weeping (Revelation 21:4)
no more pain (Revelation 21:4)
no more curse (Revelation 22:3)
no more night (Revelation 22:5)

The creation of the new heavens and new earth brings the promise that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). This event comes after the tribulation, after the Lord’s second coming, after the millennial kingdom, after the final rebellion, after the final judgment of Satan, and after the Great White Throne Judgment. The brief description of the new heavens and new earth is the last glimpse into eternity that the Bible gives.

What are New Heavens and New Earth?

What is the eternal state of the believer?

https://www.gotquestions.org/eternal-state.html

A study of “the eternal state” is rightly seen as a subdivision of the greater study of eschatology, or the doctrine of last things. It must be admitted first that the only sure word of testimony regarding this subject is the Holy Bible; no other “holy book” or philosophy is as trustworthy or as informative as the Bible.

The Greek word most often translated “eternal” in the Bible is aionos, from which we get our word eon. Essentially, this word denotes having no beginning and no end, or having a beginning but no end, with respect to time. The exact meaning is always determined by the context. When this word is combined with “life” (Greek zoe), it denotes not only life without end, but a certain quality of life that is distinguished from mere biological life.

We know that all believers will receive resurrected bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42). Thus, we will not exist as disembodied spirits, but we will possess glorified bodies especially suited for an existence in the eternal state.

The Bible gives few details of what that state will be like. Scripture says that God creates a new heaven and a new earth, and the New Jerusalem descends from God to the new earth (Revelation 21:1-2). In this new creation, “the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3). “So, we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Our existence in the eternal state will be markedly different from what we are used to now: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). The curse that came with sin will never hold sway again (Revelation 22:3). We can hardly imagine a world without pain or sorrow, but that’s what God promises—a reality beyond imagination. “As it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9; cf. Isaiah 64:4).

Neither will our existence in the eternal state be marred by bad memories of the old earth. Joy will swallow up all distress: “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

The eternal state will involve serving the Lord (Revelation 22:3), seeing God face to face (verse 4), and living in perfect health (verse 2) and holiness (verse 5). Second Peter 3:13 says that the new heaven and earth will be “the home of righteousness.” Sin will not cast its shadow anywhere in that realm.

From the beginning of creation, it has been God’s plan to bring His redeemed ones to this place of completion and glory (Romans 8:30; Philippians 1:6). No more sin, no more curse, no more death, no more good-byes—all because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In the eternal state, God’s perfect plan will be brought to glorious realization, and mankind will accomplish its chief end, “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.”

Going to Heaven - how can I guarantee my eternal destination?

https://www.gotquestions.org/going-to-heaven.html

Face it. The day we step into eternity may come sooner than we think. In preparation for that moment, we need to know this truth—not everyone is going to heaven. How can we know for sure that we are going to heaven? Some 2,000 years ago, the apostles Peter and John were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large crowd in Jerusalem. Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our postmodern world: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Now as then, Acts 4:12 is not politically correct. Today it’s popular to say, “Everyone’s going to heaven” or “All paths lead to heaven.” There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who died there. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way of going to heaven and are determined to find another path. But Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting this truth is an eternity in hell. He told us that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Faith in Christ is the key to going to heaven.

Some will argue that it’s extremely narrow-minded of God to provide only one way to heaven. But, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellion against God, it’s extremely broad-minded for Him to provide us with any way to heaven. We deserve judgment, but God gives us the way of escape by sending His one-and-only Son to die for our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s the truth. The good news is that Jesus died and rose again; those who are going to heaven have received this gospel by faith.

Many people today hold to a watered-down gospel that does away with the need for repentance. They want to believe in a “loving” (nonjudgmental) God who never mentions sin and who requires no change in their lifestyle. They may say things like, “My God would never send a person to hell.” But Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven, and He presented Himself as the Savior who offers the only means of going to heaven: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Who will actually enter God’s kingdom? How can I guarantee that I’m going to heaven? The Bible makes a clear distinction between those who have eternal life and those who do not: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). It all goes back to faith. Those who believe in Christ are made the children of God (John 1:12). Those who accept Jesus’ sacrifice as the payment for their sins and who believe in His resurrection are going to heaven. Those who reject Christ are not. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

As awesome as heaven will be for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible says there is one and only one way to heaven—Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus’ command: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14). Faith in Jesus is the one means of going to heaven. Those who have faith are guaranteed to get there. Do you trust in Jesus?

Going to Heaven - how can I guarantee my eternal destination?

Will Heaven Be Boring? :: By Grant Phillips

https://www.raptureready.com/2022/04/23/will-heaven-be-boring-by-grant-phillips/

Just to ask the question, “Will Heaven be boring?” almost seems like an affront to God, but surprisingly, there are those who think Heaven will be boring. There are those who think we will be floating on a cloud, playing a harp for eternity. Then there are those who think all we will be doing for eternity is having endless worship services.

First of all, we will not be lying on a cloud playing a harp, period. That erroneous concept has come from movies, television shows, commercials, and even comedic jokes. Secondly, we will be worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ, but we will be doing so because we will be so grateful and in awe of Him as God. We will want to worship Him, but that is not all we will do.

When thinking of God, we need to look around us at His creation and consider how diverse it is. Most of us don’t appreciate what is around us, maybe because we see it every day and don’t really give it much thought. Allow me to offer just a few points to consider.

How many different types of grass are there? The botanists tell us there are about 12,000 different types of grass. How many different species of trees are there? As of 2013 the Amazon rain forest alone is thought to have nearly 16,000 different species of trees.

It is estimated that our earth has 3-30 million (why such a wide range, I don’t know) different species of animals. Even with the lowly rock, there are three different types: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. There are over 400,000 different types of flowering plants and over 100 different types of bushes and shrubs. If there are so many different species and types of everything on earth, why would it be any different in Heaven?

Have you ever noticed that we all don’t like the same foods, and we don’t necessarily like the same food prepared the same way? Consider the omelet. There are many different ways to prepare an omelet for breakfast.

Not everyone likes their steak rare, or well-done. Not everyone likes steak, for that matter. Even a salad can be prepared many different ways. I personally believe that many of our likes and dislikes will change, but should there not remain some diversity? Most certainly.

What about people? There may be similarities in looks, but none are exactly the same. As human beings, we also do not have the same likes and dislikes. Some folks love music, while some do not. Some enjoy sports, but others do not. Some like to climb mountains, while others prefer swimming. Some prefer to swim in the ocean, while others prefer to just sit on the beach and watch the waves while enjoying the warm sun.

Not everyone worships the same way. Some are quiet and laid back, while others are more boisterous. Will the Lord change our personalities so that we are as mere zombies? Of course not.

Have you ever looked at pictures of outer space and seen how beautiful it is? Did you notice how God made the planets, stars, galaxies, etc., all “different” from each other?

My point in all this is that God’s creation, including people, is so varied, nothing could ever be boring because nothing is exactly the same.

The apostle Paul said of Heaven, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

Paul went on to say in Philippians 1:19ff that his desire was to be in Heaven with the Lord. Would he have felt that way if Heaven is a “black and white” world compared to our world of color? Speaking of color, I believe colors will be more vivid and varied than we can presently imagine.

God has given us all special gifts and talents. Why would He change that? Don’t you think we would actually be involved in what He has gifted us with to serve Him?

Lest we forget, there will be no aches and pains, no need for doctors and hospitals. There will be no hatred, jealousy, greed or selfishness. In other words, there will be no sin and none of anything that comes from sin. We will all truly love each other with a love we cannot currently fathom.

The glory of Heaven is so beyond our puny minds, but the greatest of all is that we will be with Jesus, face to face. The very One who has created all we know and much more we do not know has provided an eternity for us who know Him that will not be boring. To the contrary, we will be busy in many different ways, joyfully serving Him.

I believe we will see Jesus as the Son of man when He came in His first advent and also as the Son of God as He will show the world in His second coming. In other words, we will see Him as He is … God. Can any of us imagine seeing our holy God face to face?

Anyone who will be honest in their reply cannot look around them at this present world and believe there is no God. Nor could they think for a moment that His grandeur is limited by our vision of Him or His creation. The greatest wonder of Heaven, however, isn’t the creation but the Creator, the Savior of all who come to Him in true repentance.

Will Heaven be boring? How could Heaven be boring when looking upon the face of the Lord of lords and King of kings? How could Heaven be boring when beholding the One who paid our sin debt? The apostle Paul summed up Isaiah 64:4 and Isaiah 65:17 by saying:

“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).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

Will Heaven Be Boring?

Will there literally be streets of gold in heaven?

https://www.gotquestions.org/streets-of-gold.html

Heaven’s streets of gold are often referenced in song and poetry, but harder to find in the Bible. In fact, there is only one passage of Scripture that references streets of gold and that is in the Holy City, the New Jerusalem: “The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21). So does this verse tell us that there will literally be streets of gold in heaven? And, if so, what is the importance or significance of literal streets of gold?

The Greek word translated “gold” is chrusion, which can mean “gold, gold jewelry, or overlay.” So to translate it “gold” makes complete and perfect sense. In fact, struggles of interpretation often come up when people attempt to determine which parts of the Bible to take literally and which parts to take figuratively. A good rule of thumb when studying the Bible is to take everything literally, unless it doesn’t make sense to do so. And in this chapter of Revelation, John isn’t just throwing out random descriptive terms. In the early parts of Revelation 21, he is given a rod to measure out the city (verse15), and he specifically describes the wall of heaven as being composed of jasper and the city itself also of gold (verse18). He also describes the foundations of the city walls being comprised of many specific precious stones and jewels (verses19–20). So with these specifics in mind, the description of golden streets makes perfect sense in comparison to the rest of John’s eyewitness description.

So, if heaven’s streets are made of gold, what is the point? First, notice the condition of the gold. When gold is uncovered on earth, it is not in the desirable condition that jewelers are looking for. The gold must be smelted in order that impurities float to the top for removal, leaving only the pure gold behind. The gold that John saw in heaven was of such quality that it appears to be transparent in order to reflect the pure light of God’s blazing glory. And God’s ability to purify is not confined only to gold; God has purified all who will enter His heaven through the blood of Jesus Christ. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Not only is God’s holy city one of purity by His design, so are the citizens of that city.

As we investigate this idea of golden streets further, there are some teachers and scholars who do not hold to the idea that heaven’s golden streets are literal. However, by looking simply at the text God has given us within the context of the entirety of John’s revelation, there seems to be no reason to doubt it. However, our attention in eternity will hardly be focused on earthly treasures. While man pursues treasures like gold on earth, one day it will simply be no more than a source of pavement for the believer in heaven. No matter how many precious jewels or materials make up the physical construction of heaven, nothing will ever be of greater value than the God who loves us and died to save us.

Will there literally be streets of gold in heaven?

.New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth.

The Millennium and the New Jerusalem

(Prophecy Watchers w/ Bill Salus)

The New Jerusalem

Rev 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine [l]in it, for the [m]glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations [n]of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor [o]into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into [p]it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything [q]that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 21:1-5 – All Things Made New

Revelation 21:9-21 – The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:22-27 – The Glory of the New Jerusalem

Rev 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Revelation 22:1-5 – The River of Life

Hebrews 11:8-10 – Faithful Abraham

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 12:22-24 – The Glorious Company

Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Galatians 4:22-26 – Two Covenants

Gal 4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

Is 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.

Hebrews 13:14 – Concluding Religious Directions

Heb 13:14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

New Jerusalem

After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem.
- John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).
- This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10).
- It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3).
- Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).
New Jerusalem comes down to Earth
- Rev 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
- Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light (lit.: luminary) was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

What is the New Jerusalem?

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-jerusalem.html

A major feature of the new earth will be the New Jerusalem. John calls it “the Holy City . . . coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This glorious city, with its streets of gold and pearly gates, is situated on a new, glorious earth. The tree of life will be there (Revelation 22:2). This city represents the final state of redeemed mankind, forever in fellowship with God: “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. . . . His servants will serve him. They will see his face” (Revelation 21:3; 22:3–4).

The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has gathered His church in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17). The Tribulation has passed (Revelation 6—18). The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17–21). Satan has been chained for the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20:1–3). A new, glorious temple has been established in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—48). The final rebellion against God has been quashed, and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7–10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11–15).

In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

The New Jerusalem will be fantastically huge. John records that the city is nearly 1,400 miles long, and it is as wide and as high as it is long—a perfect cube (Revelation 21:15–17). The city will also be dazzling in every way. It is lighted by the glory of God (verse 23). Its twelve foundations, bearing the names of the twelve apostles, are “decorated with every kind of precious stone” (verse 19). It has twelve gates, each a single pearl, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (verses 12 and 21). The street will be made of pure gold (verse 21).

The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.

Who are the residents of the New Jerusalem? The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22). Angels are at the gates (verse 12). But the city will be filled with God’s redeemed children. The New Jerusalem is the righteous counter to the evil Babylon (Revelation 17), destroyed by God’s judgment (Revelation 18). The wicked had their city, and God has His. To which city do you belong? Babylon the Great or the New Jerusalem? If you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died and rose again and have asked God to save you by His grace, then you are a citizen of the New Jerusalem. “God raised [you] up with Christ and seated [you] with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). You have “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4). If you have not yet trusted Christ as your Savior, then we urge you to receive Him. The invitation is extended: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

What is the New Jerusalem?

Spiritual New Jerusalem

As John sees the new earth descending, he sees within it the new Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (21:2).
- The “Hallelujah Chorus” of Revelation 19 proclaimed “the wedding day of the Lamb” and we learned there that the “bride has made herself ready” (19:7).
- Now that Christ has defeated the enemy and rescued his beloved [the Church] from Satan’s clutches, the royal wedding can proceed

New Jerusalem is the bride, the wife of the Lamb, Jesus Christ
- John sees the new Jerusalem— the bride of the Lamb—coming down out of heaven, stunning in her radiance.
  - Rev 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. … 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

This is a very important statement in Revelation 21. It declares that New Jerusalem is not a just a physical city but also a corporate living person! New Jerusalem is God’s kingdom built up.
- New Jerusalem is a bride/wife – shows it is a corporate person as the consummation of the church as the Body of Christ, the one new man, and the wife
- Ep 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

In Ephesians 5 the church is described in the human context of husband and wife. This church will be the glorious bride, New Jerusalem, which Christ will present to Himself.
- Ep 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
- “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” through His death to redeem her
- He is now sanctifying her to match the purity of New Jerusalem, “cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word,”
- at His second coming He will “present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish.”

Rev 21:11 Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
- Fittingly, the Greek word for “jasper” is ἰάσπιδι, a feminine noun.
- Today jasper refers to an opaque quartz, but in ancient times it was typically a translucent green, often compared to an emerald.
  - In the epic poem, The Nibelungenlied, made famous by Richard Wagner’s 19th century opera cycle, the warrior Hagen “across his knee did lay / A sword that shown full brightly, / from whose knob did play / the light of glancing jasper / greener than blade of grass” (29th Adventure —“How He Arose Not before Her,” 1783).

Physical New Jerusalem

The city will be dazzling in every way.

Huge!

The New Jerusalem will be fantastically huge.

Rev 21:15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

The actual measurement is , “twelve thousand stadia,”
- Recalling the 144,000 (12,000 x 12), the number of God’s people who bear his name.
- These measurements are meant to be literal since they are described as man's measurements (Rev. 21:17).

1,400-1,500 miles long, wide and high—a perfect cube
- The ESV and NIV versions say it is 12,000 stadia in length and width – Stadia is 607 feet. This translates to 1,400 miles, which is what the NLT Bible says.
- The KJV and other versions say 12,000 furlongs – Furlong is 660 feet – Translates to 1,500 miles.

Huge
- This is the same distance from Maine to Florida
- The square footage would approximate the size of the moon.
- Regardless of whether the city is 1,400 miles or 1,500 miles in length and width, it is shaped like a square at the base. This means New Jerusalem is larger than India with nearly 2 million square miles.
- More astounding than the size at the base is the height that is also at least 1,400 miles (Rev. 21:16).
  - This goes well beyond Earth's atmosphere and into space. If a building in the city is this high and has a generous 12 feet per story, the building would be over 600,000 stories!

The only other perfect cube in Scripture is the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle that Moses and the people built in Exodus.
- It measured 10 cubits x 10 cubits x 10 cubits (or 15 feet x 15 feet x 15 feet).
- The Tabernacle that Moses built was an exact replica of the genuine Tabernacle, which is in heaven (Hebrews 8:1-6).
- The Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant, and it was the dwelling place of God on earth.
  - Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only one time each year on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.
- In Revelation, the New Jerusalem is the new Holy of Holies.
  - As God’s redeemed sons & daughters, we are invited into his home to live with him forever!

Walls/Foundations

Rev 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates …14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. …17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Great and high wall – 216 feet high, made of jasper
- 144 cubits = 216 feet
- The angel's measurement reveals that the city's great, high wall rises to a height of 144 cubits (about 216 feet), which is impressive enough for an ordinary city, but ridiculously small for a city 1500 miles high!
  - Consequently the NIV renders the measurement as 144 cubits thick
  - This is unlikely because
    - (1) the first mention of the wall (v. 10) called attention to its great height, not its strength or thickness
    - (2) the wall is not built for protection or to keep people out, for its gates are always open (v. 25).
    - Moreover, the word "thick" is not in the text, which says simply "144 cubits."
    - The correct interpretation is "144 cubits high"
- The 144 cubits perfectly mirror the 144,000 stadia
- By comparison:
  - The Great Wall of China, although measuring 13,170 miles in length, stands only about 25 feet in height
  - The fortified walls of ancient Dan rose to about 30 feet in height
  - In 1535, Sultan Suleiman I rebuilt the defensive walls around Jerusalem with an average height of around 40 feet.

12 foundations bearing the names of the 12 apostles
- Rev 21:14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
- The wall of the new Jerusalem has twelve θεμελίους [the-mee’-lee-os], “foundation stones,” and on each is the name of one of the twelve Apostles.
  - Presumably, Judas is not one of them, but we’re not told whether Matthias or Paul is the 12th

12 foundations are “decorated with every kind of precious stone”
- Rev 21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
- These are the very stones worn on the breast piece of the high priest, each one symbolizing one of the twelve tribes of Israel!
  - Ex 28:17 And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row; 18 the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 19 the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. 21 And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
- As the high priest wore the breast piece with 12 jewels over his heart, so does God imbed the 12 jewels in the very foundation of the new Jerusalem, our home.

What will be the purpose of the walls around the New Jerusalem?

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-jerusalem-walls.html

Beginning with Revelation 21:9, John records his final vision picturing the city of God, the New Jerusalem where believers in Christ will spend their eternal lives. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all of God’s promises. It exemplifies the total goodness of God, its infinite brilliance “like that of a very precious jewel, like as jasper, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:11). It is here that Scripture gives us a description so magnificent that we are able to get a glimpse of the glories of eternal heaven. In this passage, an angel of God has taken John to the top of a great and high mountain. From there John looks down upon this Holy City and tries to describe the indescribable. The city is like a massive, crystal-clear diamond with the glory of God shining from its center over all the new heavens and the new earth. All of eternity is bathed in its splendor.

Then in verse 12, John moves from describing its general appearance to its exterior design beginning with the walls. Human words are incapable of describing what John is trying to convey, which is why he continually uses similes, saying often “it is like” something else. But he gives us just enough to excite our hearts and stir our souls. God, through John, gets us as close to the understanding of this place as our finite minds can comprehend.

The walls of the city, described as “great and high,” are an obvious symbol of exclusion of all that are unworthy to enter the city. Though innumerable believers will enjoy its glory, there is the chilling reminder that only the redeemed may enter. In the wall itself are twelve gates guarded by twelve angels and inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. In keeping with the square shape of the city, the gates are located on each of the four sides as specified in verse 13. It is noteworthy, however, that not only are the twelve tribes of Israel represented but also the twelve apostles. This should settle beyond any question the matter of the inclusion of Old Testament saints. It apparently is the divine intent to represent that the New Jerusalem will have among its citizens not only believers of the present age, but also Israel and the saints of other ages.

But a final question remains: if those within the walls of the New Jerusalem are the saved, who then are those outside its walls? The last three verses of chapter 21 gives us the answer: “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:25-27). The city’s gates in the wall will never be shut. It is not that outside of the New Jerusalem, unsaved people are still roaming around, but this pictures a city with open gates on a new earth where believers will dwell throughout eternity. Ancient cities shut their gates at night for security purposes. However, since there will be no night there, and since all evil will have been eradicated, these gates will stay open constantly. Revelation seems to picture a great amount of activity coming and going from the city, but all who go in and out are those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The unredeemed are a long way outside the city’s walls—in the “outer darkness” of hell (Matthew 8:12), consigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15)—and can never come near the Holy City.

Jesus Himself, as well as John, specifies the “impure” as those who will not enter the city: “Outside are the dogs who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” as well as the “cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, and all liars” (Revelation 22:15). By contrast, those people whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s book of life are free to enter the Holy City; they possess life eternal and belong to their faithful Savior Jesus Christ. The Lamb, who bought them with His blood (Rev. 5:9), will never blot out their names from His book (Revelation 3:5) and will grant them the right to the tree of life and entrance into the city (Revelation 22:14).

Though the description of the city does not answer all our questions concerning the eternal state, the revelation given to John describes a beautiful and glorious future for all who put their trust in the living God. Conversely, it reveals to us that when the end does come, no opportunity will remain for one’s repentance and acceptance into heaven. The truth is this: spiritual renewal takes place in this present life, not in the afterlife.

Gates

The final chapters of Ezekiel (40-48) describe a New Jerusalem with twelve gates, named after the twelve tribes of Israel

Ezekiel 48:30-36 – The Gates of the City and Its Name

Ez 48:30 “These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits 31 (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi; 32 on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan; 33 on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun; 34 on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. 35 All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

North Side: Ruben, Judah, Levi

East Side: Joseph, Benjamin, Dan

South Side: Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun

West Side: Gad, Asher, Naphtali

Each gate was a single pearl, bearing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel
- Rev 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel … 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl.
- Hence the ‘pearly gates’

There was an angel guarding each gate
- Rev 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates

Are there pearly gates in heaven?

https://www.gotquestions.org/pearly-gates.html

The idea of there being “pearly gates” in heaven is based on a reference in the book of Revelation describing the twelve gates of New Jerusalem. The passage describes an immense and lovely city with a wall built of jasper (a kind of precious stone that can be red, yellow, brown, or green) and twelve foundations of different gemstones. Then it describes the gates themselves: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21).

In popular imagination, the “pearly gates” are often considered as the entrance into heaven, but Revelation shows the gates as belonging to the city of New Jerusalem. The city and heaven are not exactly synonymous; the city comes “down out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2) and is part of the new earth (Revelation 21:1). Also, contrary to the popular idea that the pearly gates bar heaven’s entrance, the Bible says the gates of pearl will always be open: they “will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there” (Revelation 21:22–25). The gates, made of a single pearl, will be entered by the redeemed in the eternal state: “Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:26–27).

The promise of entry to the New Jerusalem is both beautiful and daunting. The idea of such a city is wonderful to think about—a place where nothing false or unclean or harmful will ever be able to enter. And the pearly gates will be a dazzling sight. However, we have all done bad things and told lies. Does this mean that we will not be able to enter the New Jerusalem? The answer is “it depends.” We are all sinners, but those whose sin is forgiven by the blood of Christ are named in the Lamb’s book of life. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Psalm 32:1). Those who are in Christ are the children of God (John 1:12) and will receive an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:4).

What is the significance of the twelve gates in Revelation 21?

https://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-gates-Revelation.html

The twelve gates in Revelation 21 belong to the New Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven to the new earth (verse 10), shining with the glory of God (verse 11). John describes the city: “It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel” (verse 12). The gates are miraculous in their construction: “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl” (verse 21). And the gates of the New Jerusalem will never be shut (verse 25).

In order to understand the significance of the twelve gates being inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes, we must look to the beginning of the Old Testament, when God promised a new land and a great nation to Abraham, whose descendants would spread blessing upon all other nations (Genesis 12:1–3). To Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, whom God later named “Israel” (Genesis 32:28), twelve sons were born to establish the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49). Those twelve tribes escaped slavery in Egypt, inherited the Promised Land (Exodus 6:14; 24:4), received the Law (Exodus 20), and were chosen by God to be His covenant people (Exodus 19:5–6).

During the reign of David, out of all the territories of the tribes of Israel, God chose the city of Jerusalem in Judah as the place where God’s name would rest (2 Chronicles 12:13). Revelation speaks of the New Jerusalem that has been prepared for the reign of the Lamb (Revelation 21:1–3). This New Jerusalem sits on twelve foundations, representing the twelve apostles who would reign over the twelve tribes of Israel (verse 14; cf. Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30). The gates of the city are symmetrically arranged: “There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west” (Revelation 21:13). Each gate of the New Jerusalem bears the inscription of one of the tribes of Israel, and each gate is guarded by an angel (Revelation 21:12). These angels are there to let in “only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (verse 27).

Many scholars see a link between the New Jerusalem, with its three gates per side, and the city of the millennial kingdom, seen by the prophet Ezekiel: “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side . . . the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi. On the east side . . . will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan. On the south side . . . will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side . . . will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali” (Ezekiel 48:30–34). See also Numbers 2, where God specified that three tribes would encamp on each side of the tent of meeting in the wilderness.

So what are we to make of all this? Let’s break down the description of the gates in Revelation 21 for a more careful look:

The gates of the New Jerusalem are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Israel was chosen by God to be a light to all nations (Isaiah 49:5–7; Romans 9:23–25), and God will never revoke Israel’s status as His chosen people (see Romans 11:29). The New Jerusalem thus contains a tribute to the patriarchs of Israel. It also contains a tribute to the apostles (Revelation 21:14), so both Old Testament and New Testament are represented in the city—the New Jerusalem is filled with the elect of God from all eras.

Romans 9 makes a distinction between physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their spiritual descendants—i.e., those who exercise the same faith in God as the patriarchs did. Just as not all Gentiles come to the light of the world, some Jews choose to live in darkness: “Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. . . . It is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring” (Romans 9:6–8; see also Romans 2:28–29 and John 8:39–47). Those who have faith in Christ are accounted the spiritual seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). It will be “true” Israel—those who have trusted in Jesus Christ—that will enter the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is through the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem that the true tribal people—believers of Jewish descent as well as Gentiles who have been “grafted in” with God’s people (Romans 11:17–25)—will enter the joy of the Lord (see Matthew 25:21).

Angels are at the gates of the New Jerusalem. As an angel was sent by God to guard Eden after mankind’s fall (Genesis 3:24), so God has angels guarding the new paradise. Nothing evil or impure will ever enter the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27); the city is reserved for the redeemed of God.

Each gate of the New Jerusalem is made of a single pearl. The richness and supernatural nature of the city is profound. As commentator Charles Ellicott points out, “The pearl was esteemed of the greatest value among the ancients; it is an appropriate emblem of the highest truth. . . . It is the only precious stone which the art and skill of man cannot improve” (Commentary for English Readers, entry for Revelation 21:21). The imagery calls to mind Jesus’ parable of the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45–46). This is the city that is worth more than anything this present world has to offer. Its builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).

The gates of the New Jerusalem never close. There are eternal safety and peace in the New Jerusalem; there are no enemies to shut the gates against. Access to the heavenly kingdom on the new earth is free and unhindered, and “the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it” (Revelation 21:26). The gates face every direction of the compass, and their perpetual openness invites everyone to partake of the goodness of God’s grace (see Revelation 22:17).

Characteristics of New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing.
- The curse of the old earth will be gone
  - Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
- In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life
  - Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
- It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus”
  - Ep 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
- The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.

Residents of the New Jerusalem
- The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22).
- Angels are at the gates (Revelation 21:12).
- The city will be filled with God’s redeemed children
  - Believers who were alive at the beginning of the Millennium or were born during the Millennium given new physical bodies (most likely)

In the new heavens and new earth, Scripture says, there are seven things notable for their absence—seven things that are “no more”:
- no more sea (Revelation 21:1)
- no more death (Revelation 21:4)
- no more mourning (Revelation 21:4)
- no more weeping (Revelation 21:4)
- no more pain (Revelation 21:4)
- no more curse (Revelation 22:3)
- no more night (Revelation 22:5)

No need for sunlight or moonlight
- It is lighted by the glory of God
- Rev 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
- Rev 22:5 They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.
- Their presence permeates the city, as light permeates darkness.
- In the new Jerusalem Jesus is, indeed, “the light of the world” (John 8:12)
- In Jesus, “there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
- In Christ, the light has triumphed.

No night
- Rev 21:25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
- Rev 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no (lit.: do not have) lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.

No temple – God and the Lamb are its temple
- Rev 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
- There is no need for a temple in the new Jerusalem, for the golden, bejeweled city is not only a temple itself, but the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God and of the Lamb.

No death, mourning, crying, pain, etc.
- Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

The street will be made of pure gold
- Rev 21 21 …And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

River of life-giving water
- John’s vision of the “river of life-giving water” weaves threads of Scripture together, creating an intricate pattern of colors and textures. As we noted, Revelation brings Scripture’s linear narrative full circle, and this is a beautiful example of how it’s done.
- Garden of Eden
  - Ge 2:8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.
- Ezekiel’s vision of a future Millennial temple
  - Ez 47 The Healing Waters and Trees – 1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. 7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. 12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
- In John’s vision the “tree of life” flourishes on both sides of the river, as well.
- In the new Jerusalem we witness the complete healing of body, mind and soul, life eternal as God intended it to be from the start.

Why will the nations need healing in the New Jerusalem?

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-jerusalem-healing.html

One of God’s promises concerning the eternal state is that the nations of the world will have healing. The question comes up, though, as to why exactly healing is needed. Isn’t the New Jerusalem a place of perfection already?

The promise of the healing of the nations is found in Revelation 22, after the creation of the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1). John writes, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1–5).

The healing of the nations is linked to the tree of life, as God reestablishes Eden. It is the leaves of this tree that are said to be “for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). It is possible that the tree of life in the New Jerusalem is literal and that its leaves and various fruits will somehow enrich our existence in the eternal state. All the nations represented there will be “healed” of their divisions and strife in their equal access to the tree of life.

It is also possible that the tree of life in the New Jerusalem is symbolic and that its “healing” signifies the eternal life that all will enjoy there. The different fruits it bears could represent the unlimited variety of our existence in heaven. The clear flowing river that waters the tree could picture the spiritual life of God’s redeemed—the “living water” Jesus promised in John 4:13–14.

The healing the tree of life’s leaves provide is not the healing of the wounds of battle—warfare will have ended. The healing is not needed for combating sickness—there will be no more sickness, death, or pain (Revelation 21:4). No, the “healing” is a reference to the perpetual blessing of the new heaven and earth; never again will the world be plagued by physical disorders or spiritual malaise or corruption. There will be no more warfare, no strife, no conflicting factions. God will heal all that ails His creation, and there will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3).

In the eternal state, everything will be blessed, and the tree of life represents that blessedness. There will be perfect sinlessness, perfect government, perfect service to God, perfect communion, and perfect glory. It is impossible for us to imagine being totally separated from sin and living in a glorified state before God. But the Lord assures us that “these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 22:6).

What does Revelation mean when it says, “There was no longer any sea”?

https://www.gotquestions.org/no-more-sea.html

Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” There is no reason not to take this literally, that God’s new earth will not contain vast areas of salt water spanning the globe. Of course, bodies of fresh water, such as the river in Revelation 22:1, could still exist in abundance in the new earth.

Prophetic passages about Jesus’ first coming were fulfilled literally. Non-prophetic passages in the Bible are also largely literal. If a certain passage is not meant to be interpreted literally, there will be obvious contextual clues: e.g., an inanimate object will be used to describe a living thing (Jesus is the bread), life will be attributed to an inanimate object (the trees clap their hands), or an expression will be out of character with the thing described (Herod is a fox). Revelation 21:1 has no such clues; therefore, there is no good reason to interpret as figurative the revelation that the new earth will be absent a sea.

Since Revelation 21 reads like a factual description of the new heaven and new earth, and since Scripture provides no other explanation, verse 1 most likely means simply what it says: in the new earth there will no longer be any sea.

While this may be disturbing to some who love the sea, we cannot create an alternative meaning just to suit our preferences or biases. We may also find Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:30 about there being no marriage in heaven to be a little disconcerting; however, we cannot twist any verse’s meaning just to make ourselves feel more comfortable. We have to accept by faith that whatever God, in His perfect wisdom, has planned is the best possible reality.

Having taken the side of literalism, we acknowledge that there are other interpretations of the statement there was no longer any sea. Some believe that the “sea” in Revelation 21:1 refers only to the Mediterranean Sea. When John peers into the future, he sees that the Mediterranean is gone. Elsewhere in Scripture, the Mediterranean Sea is simply referred to as “the sea” (e.g., Joshua 17:10).

Others believe that the statement there was no longer any sea is a figurative reference to there being no more divisions among humanity. In our current world, the oceans provide natural barriers between nations and people groups. According to this interpretation, John’s vision predicts that, in the new earth, humanity will be not be separated by any means.

Another view is that the statement there was no longer any sea refers to the absence of anything that is perilous, unpredictable, or tumultuous. The sea in John’s time was often viewed as place of danger and changeableness. Jesus spoke of “the roaring and tossing of the sea” as part of the tribulation of the end times (Luke 21:25). Psalm 46 speaks of the need to trust God, although the sea’s “waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (verse 3). According to this interpretation, God’s promise is that the new earth will not be a place of turmoil or fear.

Earlier in Revelation, the “sea” was the source of the satanically empowered beast (Revelation 13:1). This has led some to interpret the statement there was no longer any sea in Revelation 21:1 to mean that the source of evil in the world is gone. No longer will there be opportunity for rebellion in God’s creation.

John’s statement that there will be no more sea in the new earth is the first of seven things that are “no more.” The other six promises are that the new order of things will have no more death, mourning, weeping, pain (Revelation 21:4), curse (Revelation 22:3), and night (Revelation 21:25; 22:5).

Revelation 21:1 and the statement there was no longer any sea is part of a description of the re-creation of the whole universe, after the tribulation, after the millennium, after the final rebellion. Things will obviously be very different on the new earth from what they are now. The current earth is mostly covered by water, but the new earth will have a different geography and therefore a different climate.

In the end, the key is that God will make everything beautiful in His time. Whatever He has planned for us, it will be for the best. Eye has not seen nor ear heard the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Gates

Physical New Jerusalem

Huge

Walls/Foundations

What will be the purpose of the walls around the New Jerusalem?

What does Revelation mean when it says, “There was no longer any sea”?

Are there pearly gates in heaven?

Characteristics of New Jerusalem

What is the significance of the twelve gates in Revelation 21?

Why will the nations need healing in the New Jerusalem?

Hasten The Day!

Future Prophesies - During the Tribulation & Beyond NEW HEAVENS and NEW EARTH (Eternal State)

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

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What Do We Know About The New Heavens and New Earth:

2 Peter 3:10-13 – The Day of the Lord

Mark 13:28-31 – The Parable of the Fig Tree

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

Isaiah 25:6-9 – Praise to God

Isaiah 66:22-23 – The Reign and Indignation of God

Revelation 22:1-5 – The River of Life

1 Corinthians 2:0 - Spiritual Wisdom

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Hebrews 12:25-29 - Hear the Heavenly Voice

The Earth in Prophecy - Eternal Restoration or Fiery Finish? By Dr. David R. Reagan

https://christinprophecy.org/articles/the-earth-in-prophecy/

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Earth I

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Earth II

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Earth III

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Earth IV

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Earth V

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Restoration in the Old Testament

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Restoration in the New Testament

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The Eternal Earth

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A Glorious Blessing

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THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH — RECREATION OR RENOVATION?

https://www.rev310.net/post/the-new-heavens-and-earth-recreation-or-renovation

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What are the New Heavens and New Earth?

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-heavens-earth.html

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Will Heaven Be Boring? :: By Grant Phillips

.New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

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Revelation 21:1-5 – All Things Made New

Revelation 21:9-21 – The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:22-27 – The Glory of the New Jerusalem

Revelation 22:1-5 – The River of Life

Hebrews 11:8-10 – Faithful Abraham

Hebrews 12:22-24 – The Glorious Company

Galatians 4:22-26 – Two Covenants

Isaiah 65:17-25 – The Glorious New Creation

Hebrews 13:14 – Concluding Religious Directions

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What is the New Jerusalem?

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Walls/Foundations

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Characteristics of New Jerusalem

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Future Prophesies - During the Tribulation & Beyond
NEW HEAVENS and NEW EARTH (Eternal State)