The New Heavens and New Earth

This refers to the time following the Great White Throne Judgement for unbelievers and the Judgement Seat of Christ for believers. This will be the end of Earth’s subjection to Satan and his forces which includes sinful mankind. The New Heavens and the New Earth are the result of God’s renovation by fire.

2 Peter 3:10-13

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

The New Earth

The destruction of the old sinful order on Earth will end and the renovation by fire will be the last time in all eternity that any part of the universe will be marred by sin and rebellion of the creatures therein. All things concerning the eternal perfect state cannot be known, but there are scores of Scriptures which speak of eternal things.

Though the original seas and oceans shall be burned up, there will be new lands with an abundance of rivers, lakes, and small seas for the redeemed to enjoy forever.

Psalm 72:8-10

May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tarshish and the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!

Isaiah 66:19-21

And I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

Revelation 22:1-3

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:2-22:4

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 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.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But 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.

The next thing John saw is his vision of the New Heavens and New Earth was the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven to an eternal site on the New Earth. This is something we should be overwhelmingly excited about! This is the hope of God’s people!

Let’s take a moment and acknowledge that this isn’t just a place described in a book, but a real place that all of God’s people will inhabit! Let’s look at its names, source, preparation, location, measurements, outward appearance, materials, walls, foundations, buildings, lighting, water system, traffic, food, inhabitants, and rulers.

1. The Names of the City

There are many names for the city and they are all significant and express various ideas concerning the capital of the universe.

(1) The New Jerusalem

Revelation 3:12

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

(2) The Holy City

Revelation 21:1

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 22:19

and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

(3) The Bride of Christ

Revelation 21:1

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

(4) The Tabernacle of God

Revelation 15:5

After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tabernacle of witness in heaven was opened.

(5) The City of the Living God, and (6) The Heavenly Jerusalem

Hebrews 12:22-23

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.

(7) My Father’s House

John 14:1-3

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

2. The Source and Origin of the New Jerusalem

(Revelation 21:2; 3:12; 21:10; John 14:1-3; Galatians 4:26; and Hebrews 9:11; 11:10-16; 12:22)

These passages all speak of God being the Architect, Builder, and owner of the Holy City. This city is being prepared by God in Heaven and will be moved to Earth after the Millennium, and the city will be the eternal home of God and redeemed saints.

3. The Eternal Location of the New Jerusalem

(Revelation 3:12; 21:2; 21:9-10; 21:24-26; 22:1-5)

These passages state that the Holy City will be transplanted from Heaven to Mt. Zion on Earth after the Millennium to be among men forever.

4. The Outward Appearance of the New Jerusalem

(Revelation 21:11)

The Holy City is described as being adorned as a bride for her husband; as having the glory of God; as being like a precious stone, clear as crystal; as having a jasper wall around the city about 300 feet high; as having twelve large pearl gates on which are written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; as having twelve angels at each of the great gates which are not closed day or night; as being foursquare with three gates on each side; as having twelve foundations and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; as being 1500 miles square and 1500 miles high; as having the foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones; as having streets of gold like transparent glass, and as having rivers, trees, fountains of waters, and the glory of God for the light of it. The city itself is pure gold, like unto clear glass. Thus, from Scripture we can conclude that the city is not a cube for a wall would be of no value around a cube, which itself would have four sides 1,500 hundred miles high. From all the statements in Scripture it is clear that the city is a series of mountain peaks, beginning inside the walls as low foothills and increasing in height until the highest peak is 1,500 miles high. On the highest part is built the heavenly tabernacle or capital building where God sits as the Supreme Moral Governor of the Universe. It was after the patterns of this tabernacle that Moses made his earthly tabernacle (Heb. 8:5; 9:23). On the mountains and in the valleys are built the many mansions of John 14:1-3. There are living fountains of waters springing up through the city and rivers of water, clear as crystal, as we shall see below. The floor of the throne room itself is like a sea of glass, clear as crystal, and of unknown dimensions, but it is very large or it could not contain upon it at one time the innumerable company of tribulation saints, as pictured in Rev. 7:9-17; 15:2-4. There is an immense banquet hall where the marriage supper of the Lamb and other large banquets will be held throughout eternity. The greatness and grandeur of Heaven and the capital city of the universe cannot be fully comprehended, but sufficient facts are given in Scripture to enable all men to understand that there is to be a real life in the most perfect environment possible for all those who will love God and conform to His plan in this life.

5. The Streets of the Holy City

(Revelation 21:21)

The singular number in this passage does not mean that there is only one street in the city. There are at least twelve great broadways into the for there are twelve great gates to the city and men traffic through these gates. John describes only one of the streets so we can understand what the rest are like. They are all made of pure gold, transparent and clear as glass.

6. The Light of the Great City

(Revelation 21:23; 21:25; 22:5)

The light of the city will surpass the light of the sun, moon, and the stars. As the light of the sun, moon, and stars will be increased during the Millennium (Isaiah 30:26), so if the glory of God outshines this new light it will be wonderful beyond words. These passages do not teach that there will not be a sun, moon, or stars, but that there will be no need for them. This light from the New Jerusalem will radiate from God’s throne on the highest peak of the city – 1,500 miles high – and give light to all the city below. It is beyond the imagination of man to picture how marvelous will be the dazzling light from the glory of God shining on this city of transparent gold and decked with all manor of precious stones and pearls.

7. The Water of the New Jerusalem

(Revelation 22:1)

There will be an abundance of water in the city. Twelve great rivers running from the great throne of God 1,500 miles high down to the base of the city and in the middle of the twelve great broadways into the different parts of the Earth. Besides these rivers there will be an abundance of living fountains of waters and smaller streams throughout the city. Every mansion no doubt will have its own water system springing up perpetually. Imagine the beauty of the glory of God shining on the living fountains and rivers as pictured in Rev. 7:17; 14:7; 22:1. From the midst of the fountains there will be gorgeous colors in the glory of God like rainbows on Earth.

8. The inhabitants of the Holy City

(John 14:1-3; Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22; 13:14; Rev. 3:12; 12:12; 13:5; 21:2-5, 9; 22:3-4)

It can be seen from these passages that God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, angels, redeemed glorified saints, seraphim cherubim, and other heavenly beings will inhabit the city. Earthly and natural people will not live in the city. They will merely traffic in the city as we shall see below. The city is called "the bride, the Lamb's wife," for it is "prepared" for the glorified saints and the faithful angels as an eternal home.

9. The Traffic in the New Jerusalem

(Rev. 21:24-27)

Natural people of the nations who live through the Millennium and who do not rebel with Satan against God at the end of the Millennium will be permitted to enter the New Earth to plant, harvest, build, multiply and replenish the Earth as Adam and his seed would have done if they had not fallen. These people will traffic in the New Jerusalem and walk in its light and their kings will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it forever.

10. The Food of the New Jerusalem

Rev. 2:7, 17; 19:1-10; 22:2; Ps. 78:25; Luke 22:15-18, 28-30)

These passages teach that even glorified saints will eat in the next life. The overcomer is promised "the tree of life," "the hidden manna, ," "the fruit of the vine" and "The Passover" lamb in the next life. The inhabitants of the New Jerusalem will "eat and drink" at Christ's table in His kingdom and enjoy foods that they have never enjoyed in this world. There will be rows of trees of life 1,500 miles long on both sides of the twelve great rivers running through the middle of the twelve great broadways. The trees of life bear twelve kinds of fruit and the leaves of the trees will be for the preservation of natural life for the peoples of the natural nations throughout all the eternal generations to come. Besides this, there will be an abundance of fruit from the different fruit trees throughout the Earth (Ezek. 47:1-12).

11. The Rulers of the Great City

(Rev. 22:3-5)

The Almighty God, His Son, and the Spirit will rule from this city over all the universe and the free moral agents therein.

Going Forward

As children of the High God, we should regularly spend time thinking about where we will be spending all of eternity! This life is a fleeting vapor compared to the life we will live on the New Earth. Colossians 3 tells us, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” God wants us to think on heavenly things! He wants us to be excited about the future He is planning to give us! Let us live expectantly for the amazing things our Father has promised us!

The deeper we study and the more time we spend sanctifying our relationship with Him, the more the flame of God will spread in our spirits until it can no longer be contained inside us. This is when the power to witness by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is manifested. Jesus said in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” You will become a wildfire of wisdom and discipling those around you will come naturally.

The mission of Convergent City Church, along with the worldwide Body of Christ, is to equip our people for the spreading of this knowledge, which has the power to rip the chains of sin and death off the people around us and igniting that same flame in them!