REVELATION 21 - 22:5

THE ETERNAL HOME OF THE SAINTS

We come now to the final section in our outline of Revelation, THE VISION OF JESUS CHRIST IN ETERNITY. These are the closing chapters of the book of Revelation. You will remember that chapter 20 ended with the dissolving of the old universe. We learned that God, who spoke the universe into existence (Hebrews 11:3; Genesis 1), will one-day dissolve it. As you have it in Hebrews 1:10-12 (quoting Psalm 102)...

"And: 'you, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak you will fold them up, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will not fail.'"

From this point on in Revelation, our Lord is going to give us a glimpse beyond our present world and universe to a place, which he has been preparing for us (John 14:1-3). He will also show us a bit of the new earth upon which it will rest. There, we will find the city that Abraham and the people of God have been looking forward to for centuries. As you have it in Hebrews11:10 (speaking of Abraham)...

"...for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

What we are about to read is very special. It is something from our Lord to whet our appetites until we get there. The city of which we are about to read is a real place. It exists today. But its final location will be in a world and universe that is yet to be created.

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Rev 21:1-5

"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. Then I [NU omits "John"] 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 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. 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.' Then he who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And he said, [NU omits "to me"] 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'"

Click here to see the "The 'New Jerusalem' our Home" picture

21:1

In this vision, John saw a new heaven and a new earth. I suspect, in many ways, this new creation may be quite different from our present world and universe. Yet, in many other ways, we will find it quite familiar. The first difference caused John to exclaim, "there was no more sea". That was a glaring difference and it immediately caught John's eye. About seventy-five percent this present Earth is covered with water. That will not be the case with the new Earth. Its vast landmass will be very much available for use. Now if you are wondering, "Why is there no sea?", I believe the explanation lies in the fact that the vast seas of this present Earth are poignant reminders of the judgment of God from Noah's day. As Peter says...

"For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:5-7

Undoubtedly, Earth's original seas were far less extensive than those that now exist. The sea today and God's rainbows in our skies are potent reminders that God once judged our world by water. Every wave that roles upon a shore mutters that there is a righteousness and holy God who rules over men and who does not allow evil and wickedness to go indefinitely unchallenged and unchecked. I believe this is why God's new Earth will have no sea. It would not be commensurate with the history of the new Earth ... for the former things will have passed away. However, if you are a water lover like me, you will shortly find there will be abundance water on the new Earth. Doubtless, the rivers and lakes that will be there will be a substantial and a familiar part of God's new creation, making its beauty even to surpass that of the old and rendering it verdant and appealing.

May we take a trip down imagination lane here for a moment? I think that it will take a good deal of time for God’s children just to begin to explore the immense new Earth our Lord has planned for us. Its vastness will no doubt be a source of enjoyment for the people of God for all eternity. Judging from some of its descriptions here, it will be a great deal larger than this present Earth. Can you picture its vast canyons, dells, glades, forests, prairies, hills, streams, rivers and lakes? If you like the outdoors as I do, you’re going to love the Lord's new Earth. It will be the final resting place of our eternal home, the New Jerusalem. At that time, our Lord's words from Matthew 5:5 will truly be fulfilled in spades.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

21:2

Next, something broke upon John's eye that was incredible. Suddenly, an awesome sight filled the skies above. Lo, there was a city! He says, "Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven". It came descending ... descending ... descending ... downward to rest upon its permanent and eternally resting-place, the new Earth, . The greatest thing about the new heavens and the new Earth will most certainly be this city. Jesus told his disciples he was going away to prepare a place for them (John 14:1-2). This is that place. It is called the New Jerusalem. It will be the centerpiece, main attraction and greatest treasure of the new heavens and the new earth. What a sight it will present to the eyes of sojourners in that day, when they come into sight of this immense, luminous and magnificent city. As John watched, it continued its descent to Earth. He says it was like a bride adorned for her husband. That certainly is an apt comparison, don't you think? A bride, on her wedding day, is one of the most beautiful things that we humans see down here. This is the simile that the Spirit uses to describe to us the wondrous beauty of our eternal home.

21:3

Suddenly, a great voice spoke out of Heaven. I believe this was the majestic voice of our Lord Jesus Christ. You will remember that when John heard him back in chapter 1, he said his voice sounded like the sound of many waters. The loud voice declared, "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." He certainly went right to the heart of it, didn't he!? The very best thing about this new home of ours will be the fact that we will live there forever in unbroken intimacy and fellowship with our God. Isaiah said...

"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. 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. 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. 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 25:6-9

21:4

The Lord’s great voice continued, reiterating his words through Isaiah the prophet, "And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes." God's own hand will one day lovingly touch every tear stained face of every single one of his people to personally wipe their tears. Amazing. See how he loves you, beloved. Have you been able to believe in and accept his love for you? You certainly will at this time and in this city. The voice of the Lord Jesus further assured that there would be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain. The ravages of sin will be no more, you see. Our deliverance from its very presence is assured with these words. This is a yet to be experienced installment of the great salvation that is ours in and through our blessed Lord.

21:5

Following these extraordinary words, the Throne Sitter added, "Behold, I make all things new!" The significance of these words is extensive and may well be beyond our present abilities to comprehend. I believe they extend far beyond our wildest and fondest imaginations. For example, you will remember at the second Bowl judgment, all of the remaining creatures of the sea were destroyed in the old creation. Today, many species, which God originally created, have become extinct through man’s thoughtless neglect and destructive practices. Now, think about our Father’s statement here. What is it he said he would make new? All things, did he not? On the basis of that statement, I believe we can fully expect every single thing our Lord made so good and so perfect in the old creation to be restored in the new. Not one thing will be missing, plant, mineral or animal (even sea life and dinosaurs!). What a place that will be, aye!? Perhaps more importantly, you and I will share in that newness as well. Dr. McGee, says he believes this is going to be a time and place where each individual child of God will blossom to their fullest potential. Truly, none of us have been all that we would have liked to have been as a man or woman, father or mother, husband or wife or even as a Christian and servant of Christ, am I right? But in that day and in that place, our God is going to make you and me new as well. I'm all up for that, how about you?

The Father's voice continued, "Write, for these things are faithful and true". Again, we have God's written Word on these things. May we step aside once more? These words remind us what a wonderful thing it is that God has seen to it that his Word was written down and preserved for us. As you have it in First John 5:13...

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

The written Word of God is the source of all truth, faith, fellowship and sanctification for the people of God.

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Rev 21:6-8

"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. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. 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.'"

21:6

Here in verse 6, in the very next sentence after his command for John to write, the Father said, "It is done". When he said that, I think he was not only referring to the book of Revelation but also speaking about the written Word of God in total ... the entire Bible. With Revelation, his written Word was complete. He uses the same word here in the Greek that Jesus exclaimed on the cross and the same word with which he pronounced that his judgments were finished back in 16:19. The canon of scripture is closed. All that God has said to us and all that we need, I might add, has been given to us. Revelation was the last book of Scripture to be written. It was given around AD 96.

He continues, "I am the Alpha and the Omega". This is the same title he used when we first began to read back in chapter 1. It reminds us afresh that the Lord is everything. He is the A and the Z, the Beginning and the End and everything in between. Apart from him, there is nothing. He is our all in all, our every sufficiency.

He continues, "I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts". Isn’t he gracious!? A lawyer once asked him, "Master, what must I do to inherit life everlasting?"

"Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me.'" Mark 10:17

Do you want to know how to have eternal life, dear friend? Come to Christ. He will give it to you freely. His invitation is so wonderful and warm. He says, "I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts". Are you thirsty? One time Jesus stood up in the temple and cried...

"'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" John 7:37

Wow, what a claim! What an invitation! I am sure the Jews in the temple that day said, "Say, what!?" They could not have escaped who Jesus was claiming to be. He was speaking Jehovah's words from Isaiah 55:1-3.

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you; the sure mercies of David."

I ask you again, are you thirsty? Jesus has living water for you. Won't you go to him and get it? "Come", he says. Its not complicated. He is the Savior. We are lost, needy, thirsty sinners. He is the source of fountains of living waters. As he said in John 4:14...

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (KJV)

John's gospel says...

"But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13

In John 10:27-28, Jesus said...

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

The Spirit of Christ cried out in Isaiah…

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:22

One day, this age of grace, in which we now live, will come to a close. And every human being will have made their choice. Tragically, multitudes will not have come to Christ. A while back in my ministry, the brother of a lady in my church traveled up from California to visit her here in Oregon. She was deeply concerned about him and shared the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ with him. She asked him if he would like to come to Christ, but said, "Not right now." He put it off. Tragically, on his way back home he was killed in an automobile wreck. I don’t know if he ever came to Christ. If he did, he is now with his Savior in his Father's house (John14:1-3). If not ... the thought is unspeakable. Don't delay. The Bible says today is the day of salvation (Hebrews 3:7-8). If you have not yet come and you can hear the Spirit of God inviting you ...come... come to Christ., right now. Just talk to him. Tell him you want him and you need a Savior. He'll hear you. Jesus said...

"...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:36b (KJV)

21:7-8

He says, "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son." There is also a warning. The Lord flatly states, "the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars" have no place in the New Jerusalem but will be consigned to the Lake of Fire. This description of an unbeliever's lifestyle is right on. Unbelief is always confirmed by an ungodly lifestyle. The opposite is also true. A real child of God always has righteousness produced in his or her life. It comes through the process of sanctification, which begins the hour they first believe. Real faith demonstrates itself, you see. It is recognizable by the good things that it produces in the life of a believer. The Lord makes it crystal clear here that there are only two eternal possibilities for men ... those who come and partake of the Water of Life (Christ), and are transformed (Second Corinthians 5:17) for Heaven ... and those who continue in stubborn unbelief and an ungodly life style until they end up in the Lake of Fire.

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Rev 21:9 -14

"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.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the [NU omits "great"] city, the holy [NU adds] city Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 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 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the [NU adds] twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

21:9-10

One of the angels of the Bowl judgments approached John and said, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." Then, John says, "...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". John found himself on a high mountain at a vantagepoint where he could observe the Lamb's wife as she majestically descended down to the Earth below. What a panorama that must have afforded. I like mountains, by the way. They are one of my all-time favorite places. I like their smells and the sound of the wind through their trees. I'm glad they will be a part of the new Earth. I suspect that we will be able to climb this very mountain that John was on and look down upon our home. Won’t that be a kick!? It will take a very high mountain indeed to enable one to view such a spacious and magnificent place as our New Jerusalem. From the mountain, John was able to view the extensive nature of this eternal home of the saints. Beautiful and dazzling she was. Keep in mind, at that point in time all of the Church was in her as she descended to her new and eternal resting-place on the new Earth. That's why the angel could say that he was showing John, the Lamb's wife. Inside this great city, every member of the Church was present and accounted for, except John of course.

21:11

The first thing that made and impression on John was the fact that it was lighted by the glory of God. We haven't seen it yet, but we shall. We know from the scriptures that light and the glory of God are two very different things. The glory of God is a lighting thing, but light is not the glory of God. He likens it to a jasper stone that is crystal clear. I guess we are just going to have to wait to see it for ourselves. By the way, did you know that Jesus greatly desires for us to see his glory? He said so in his prayer for us in John 17.

"And now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was." "Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me; for you loved me before the foundation of the world." John 17:5, 24

What a wonderful prayer request, aye? Can you see how his great heart longs for us and how he looks forward to having us with him and showing us his glory? Our home will be lit by it for all of eternity.

Next, notice there are a lot of familiar things there, things that are common to human beings. Our Lord could have made it otherwise, but he chose to make our eternal home warm and familiar. Therefore, he has incorporated many things in it that we are acquainted with down here. Let's look at them.

21:12-13

"... who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Sometimes you will hear a brother or sister say, "I'll meet you at the eastern gate", referring to meeting them in Heaven one day. Next time someone says that to you, you might answer, "Which one? Joseph, Benjamin or Dan?".

21:14

"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone,"

All who come to this great city will see the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on the foundations of its high wall. Their names will forever be there. I believe they are there to remind us that our faith is built upon the sacrifices and teachings of these twelve dear men and the great role they played in the laying of the foundations of the Church. We owe a great deal to them. They gave their lives for Christ, his gospel and for you and I, his Church. When we enter or leave the city, we will ever be reminded of these men (who, also live there), and what special instruments they were in bringing us the Word of God and building us up in our most holy faith.

By the way, there is something here I believe solves an old argument from Acts 1, where, at Peter's suggestion, the apostles elected a replacement for Judas. You will remember they elected a man named Matthias and it says, "he was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:15-26). Many think that although this was logical and they thought they were acting on scriptural grounds, it was not a Spirit led decision. Therefore they conclude that Mathias was not a real apostle. I agree. The wall of the New Jerusalem has only twelve foundations, each one inscribed with a name of one apostle. There are only twelve. Since the New Testament is full of evidence confirming Paul as an apostle, I take this to be evidence that Mathias, though a good man, was not.

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Rev 21:15 -21

"And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 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. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 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, 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. 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."

Click here to see "Heaven's Pearl Gate" picture

21:15-16

Psalm 18:19 comes to mind here.

"He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me."

Heaven is big ... very big! And, it is very, very real. That is what the Lord was getting at here when he asked John to measure it. John found it to be 12,000 furlongs on a side and 12,000 furlongs high. In shape then, Heaven is a cube. The word furlong is the Greek word stadiwn (stadion). It is the word from which we get our word stadium. A stadia was approximately 606 feet long. So, the outside dimensions of Heaven are about 1377.27 miles on a side and 1377.27 miles high. As such, the New Jerusalem contains over two billion, six hundred twelve thousand, five hundred twenty one thousand, three hundred eighteen cubic miles (2,612,521,318)! That's a lot of room to roam, brother. It takes up over two and a half billion cubic miles. Since its exact height is given, I believe we are to picture it in layers . C. S. Lewis envisioned it that way in his Narnia Tales when its inhabitants called delightfully to one another, "higher up and farther in".

I took a course in college called Population Problems. Even way back then it was designed to demonstrate how overpopulated the world was. However, to the prof's credit, he pointed out that if you dug a hole that was one mile square and one mile deep ... you would be able to put every human being on Earth at that time in that hole with room left over. I bring this up to reinforce how big our Heaven is. It contains 2,612,521,318 cubic miles!

21:17

Heaven's wall measured about 216 feet high. The NIV says "thick" but its footnotes say that it could also mean high. I don't think the Lord would describe a wall to us by merely telling us how thick it was!

21:18-20

John describes its beauty. He says the wall was constructed of jasper and the city itself of pure gold, clear like glass. Apparently, in the new creation jasper will have more of a diamond like quality and have a golden clarity. The foundations of the wall were encrusted with all kinds of precious stones. Were you or I to decide, one day, to walk completely around Heaven's perimeter, we would walk for over 5,500 miles before we returned to the point where we started. And, as we walked along, mile after mile the jewels in her foundations would be refracting the light of the glory of God outward and all about us! Can you imagine what kind of beauty that might be? The twelve stones of its foundations are given as follows:

21:21

John adds, "The twelve gates were twelve pearls". Each gate is made of a single pearl. I know, that's a mighty big pearl. I have no problem with this statement.

Last, he says, "the street of the city was pure gold". Notice, there is only one street in Heaven. The word is singular. One broad and magnificent golden walkway has been prepared for your feet and mine. I can see it in my mind's eye as it winds its way upward, mile after mile, level after level, through the city. I can picture it ever inviting the inhabitants onward and upward to the high throne of the Lamb and the Father above. He says it's made of pure gold, like transparent glass. So, to walk upon that street, I suspect, will be to experience sites and shadows of things below as well as things above, adding greatly to the delights of the city.

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Rev 21:22 -27

"But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 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. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 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."

21:22

The best thing about Heaven is it is a place of unbridled fellowship with God and his Son. It has no temple, you see. There is no designated place of worship there because there is no need for it. The Greek word used here for temple is naos (naos). This is the word designating the Holy of Holies, that most sacred inner room of the temple where God dwelt and that contained the Ark of the Covenant and its Mercy Seat. Heaven has no such place. From gate to gate, wall to wall, top to bottom, the whole city is a naos because God and his Lamb are always there. Our text says, "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple".

21:23

John says, "The City had no need for the sun or of the moon to shine in it". There is no need for an external source of light in the New Jerusalem. The glory of God illumines it and the Lamb is its light. That does not necessarily mean that luminaries will not exist in God's new creation, however. They will just not be needed in our glory lit city. You will remember, back in the chapter 1, when John first saw the glorified Christ, he said, "his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength".

21:24

Here, John says, "The nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light." Heaven is a place for saved people. Are you saved, my friend? This word, saved, is a bit out of style today. It's just not politically correct. However, it has not gone out of favor in the scriptures. In Acts 4:12, the Apostle Peter said to a crowd of Jews...

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Romans 10:13 says...

"For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

"Saved" is a good Biblical term. It tells it like it is. It is quite all right for a child of God to use it. There is a great deal of truth and eternal significance packed into that little word.

Verse 24, also says that the kings of the new Earth will bring their glory into the city. And verse 26 says, "they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it". Who do you think these kings and their nations will be? Who are the "they" in verse 26 do you think? These statements, coupled with 22:5, where it says that the saints shall reign for ever and ever, make it clear that the new Earth will be a populated place. We are not told who they are, however. A brand new race of beings, perhaps? It hasn't been revealed yet. But "they" will be there. That's exciting, isn't it? Living for eternity in the new heavens and the new Earth and reigning with Christ and occupying the New Jerusalem will not be dull, brother.

21:25

This verse informs us that the gates of Heaven will never be shut and that there is no night there. No one will ever have to wait for Heaven to open. Its a place of welcome, open all hours. The significance of not having any night there indicates that in our glorified bodies, we will not need rest and recuperation like we do now. That certainly will be different. A third or more of our lives down here are spent sleeping, but it will not be so there.

21-26-27

They will, "bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it". "But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles". Only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life can enter there. These scriptures and also 22:15 aren't speaking about sin or evil existing in the new heavens and the new Earth. They are referring to the fact that the New Jerusalem exists right now and no-one who has not been washed in the blood of the Lamb is allowed there. As you have it back in verse 10, it is the holy Jerusalem, a holy place for holy people. Ephesians 5:25-27 says...

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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."

Every child of God has been washed by the Word of God and the blood of the Lamb and is fitted for Heaven. They heard the Word. They obeyed, trusting in Christ. They were made holy. This is the believer's standing before God. These are facts. Facts are to be believed. Our citizenship is in Heaven, where our Lord is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. When we arrive there, this present foreign country in which we are now living, will vanish away from our memories like a wisp of steam in the wind. Isaiah 65:17-19a (KJV) says...

"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, not come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people..."

Is your focus up there more than down here? My, how we believers need to be a heavenly minded people. This description of our eternal home is given to encourage us to be so.

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3

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Rev 22:1 -5

"And he showed me a [NU omits "pure"] river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 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. 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. They shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. 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."

22:1

Chapter 22, continues the description of the New Jerusalem. However, it brings us something of the warmth and softness of our great jeweled city. Here, John describes its water and trees and fruit. He says that he saw a magnificent river of water of life there. Can you see it? Flowing from its source at the high throne of God, this beautiful river cascades down through thousands and thousands of miles of the city. Along the way, doubtless it takes on all of the lovely forms that such a river manifests down here and more. I can picture its rapids, water falls, deep emerald pools and offshoot streams, can't you? Psalm 46:4 speaks of it.

"There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High."

I like that word, streams, don't you? I am hoping that one will run right through my back yard! A similar river will flow from the throne of Christ on Earth during his thousand year reign. It is described to us in Ezekiel 47. The reality of it was brought home to Ezekiel when he was invited to wade in it. Beginning at its source at the Lord’s temple, Ezekiel began to wade and the further he went the deeper it got. We read there...

"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. 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. 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. He said to me, 'Son of man, have you seen this?' Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 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. 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. 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." Ezekiel 47:3 -10

That certainly will be a wonderful river that will flow from our Lord's throne during the Millennium, will it not? It will be so enticing, so life giving! Wherever its waters go it will bring abundant life. What then, do you suppose its final and permanent version in Heaven will be like? I guess you can tell that I'm a sucker for rivers. As a boy, I waded, fished or floated just about every inch of the Rio Grande down in New Mexico from Elephant Butte lake to Caballo (pronounced Ca-bi-oh). Every river and stream I ever saw fascinated me, from little Animas Creek just south of where I used to live to the mighty Columbia near where I live now in Oregon. Where rivers and streams are, there is life. Heaven's river will be a source of life like we won't believe. Its source is from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Can we even begin to imagine what that water might be like or produce? Can we even imagine what will be in it or around it or what it will grow?

22:2

A bit of it is given to us here. "And on either side of the river, was the tree of life". Lining the banks of the river of life on both sides, the Tree of Life grows. Apparently, it expands along the banks of the river and in the midst of the street like a giant Banyon tree from Africa for it is a tree, not trees. I understand the Banyon tree just keeps putting down roots from its branches up above and the root eventually becomes a trunk and thus the tree spreads itself. All through Heaven, along the banks of the river and in the midst of the street, the Tree of Life grows, yielding its fruit month by month. Apparently, it produces at least twelve kinds of fruit, a new batch for each month. These fruits were promised to and reserved exclusively for Christ's overcomers back in 2:7.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."

This tree was also in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9). So, it is found in the first book of Bible and we don't run into it again until we get here in the last book of the Bible. Adam and Eve were barred from it after they had sinned so that they couldn’t eat from it and live forever (Genesis 3:22). You will remember that God stationed a cherubim with a great sword to guard the way to it after the fall (Gen. 3:24). The Tree of Life, in the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, is no myth. It is a real tree and I, for one, am looking forward to eating its fruit, how about you?

Notice it says that its leaves are for the healing of the nations. This refers to the people who will live on the new Earth in that future day. The word, healing, is a poor rendering here. There will be no sickness in God's Heaven nor in his new creation. The Greek word is qerapeian (therepian), from which we get our word therapeutic. The idea is that the leaves of the Tree of Life will be gathered and used for their invigorating qualities by the earth-dwellers in that future creation. They may eat them, rub them on the skin or possibly use them in beverages. In any case, they will be delightfully strengthening and people will no doubt travel great distances to come into the city to pick them.

22:3

Then, verse 3 says that there will be no more curse there. You will remember that it was the curse, imposed at our parent’s fall, which turned this present world into a non-productive, difficult and dangerous place. We read in Genesis 3:17-19...

"Then to Adam he (God) said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."

It is because of the curse that dogs bite, bees sting, thorns stick and animals flee from man. God cursed the Earth so that man's environment would constantly remind him that things were not right, that he was somehow out of sync with God and God's creation. It is because we are sinners that we are continuously out of harmony with the creation, you see. That will no longer be the case in the new heavens and the new Earth. There, all will be restored, all will be in harmony. There will be no more curse. What will that be like? Mark's account of the temptation of Jesus gives us a bit of a hint.

"And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him." Mark 1:13

Wild animals were in perfect harmony with Jesus. He was not a sinner, you see. He was a perfect man. Can you picture the animals crowding about him? Can you see him scratching the lion behind its ear? You and I will enjoy such a relationship with the entire creation one day.

Then it says, "and his servants shall serve him". I like that. Heaven is a place of wonderful service and activity. Have you ever wondered where the idea came from that pictures Heaven as a place where people float about endlessly, listlessly, boringly on little clouds while they clutch their little harps that only have four strings? Sounds more like Hell than Heaven, doesn't it!? One of the most unbiblical and misinformed concepts of Heaven is that it is a place of idleness. NOT. Glory to God, there, his servants shall serve him. Reminds me of the song, "There is joy in serving Jesus". Heaven is a place of real, significant and fulfilling service for the Savior.

22:4

Further, John states, "and they shall see his face". That surely will be a mountain top experience. It will be the greatest thing of all. We will see his face. I don't think we will ever tire of looking upon him, do you? At that time, over and over again Jesus' words from Matthew 5:8 will be fulfilled in us.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

He continues, "and his name shall be on their foreheads". This will forever proclaim to whom we belong. May I ask you a question? How do you think of yourself? Do you say, "I'm just one of God's children, I belong to Christ?" If so, good for you. When we say that, we are spiritually right where we ought to be.

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19 -20

22:5

John concludes by re-stating there is no night there, no need for a candle or sun, "for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever". Again we are reminded that the New Jerusalem and the new heavens and the new Earth will be a place of dominion with Christ. There are many scriptures that back this up. Here is one of them.

"This is a faithful saying: for if we died with him, we shall also live with him. If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us." Second Timothy 2:11-12

Just before Jesus left the Earth he said he was going away to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3). Here in Revelation 21 and 22, he has given us the thrill of a little tour of it. It was a wonderful trip, wasn't it? We found it to be a warm and familiar, and a place of indescribable beauty. But the best part is, it's a place where the saints will experience wonderful intimacy with Christ and his Father. Blessed indeed are they who have the right to enter the gates of this city.

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