The New Jerusalem

Well, two weeks ago we learned that the new heaven and the new earth are God's new creation, the very presence of God, where God dwells and where there is no evil.

We can hardly wait to be there. And we must understand that we will never get to heaven on our own. All those in heaven are there because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who not only died for our sins and was buried, but who gloriously rose from the dead. Paul tells us that our Savior abolished death, that Jesus himself says, I am the resurrection and the life. And He offers and has offered down through the centuries eternal life and forgiveness of sins of those who repent of their sins and trust Christ.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 quoting the Old Testament says that death is swallowed up in victory. And with that, we come to our passage this morning. I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 21, the second last chapter of the Bible.

This is a passage that all of you can get, last book of the Bible, second last chapter, Revelation 21. And we're going to be looking at the closing verses of Revelation 21 and the first five verses of Revelation 22 where we will learn about the new Jerusalem. This is our future home.

I don't know about you, but I want to know about my future home. It's where I'm going to be for all of eternity. We're going to learn about the new Jerusalem, the holy city of God, the city of the great King, the city of peace. And the new Jerusalem is going to come down out of heaven to the new heaven and the earth and to be the center of the universe. Revelation 21, first of all, verses 1 and 2, John says, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Listen to this. He says, I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This is the capital city of the new heaven and the new earth.

This is our eternal home. And in the verses we're going to look at from chapter 21 verse 9 and following, John gives us a tremendous description of the new Jerusalem, a place of indescribable glory and beauty. Let's read of it from verse 9, Revelation 21 verse 9, 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 of 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. Let's just stop there. This is a place of indescribable beauty. This is God's new creation. This is our eternal home. You know, this world, our earth, our planet, I haven't been all over it but I've visited many, many different countries, and our planet, earth, I'm sure you'll agree with me is a beautiful place. Even after the fall, even although it is cursed, our world is a beautiful world. Think of walking on a Carolina beach as the sun rises.

Think of the Blue Ridge Mountains when we lived in Michigan in the fall. The colors of the trees were absolutely spectacular. And we could add thousands and thousands of scenes in every country of the world where there is spectacular beauty as we see something of the creativity of God, even although this world is fallen and is under the curse. Can you imagine how gloriously beautiful the new Jerusalem, which is going to be perfect, the new heaven and the new earth, absolutely perfect, a brilliant jewel coming down from heaven, from God, indescribably beautiful, the new Jerusalem. If you remember, as we talked about Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, we saw that city, Babylon, a description of what man does, what man wants, and his pride and his greed and his violence, that city is going to be utterly destroyed, a symbol of man shaking his fist on God, a symbol of religion where we disregard God's law, where we disregard Christ, and we want to do things our own way. And that city is going to be, and whole system is going to be absolutely judged, but what a difference in the new Jerusalem, this eternal city which will never pass away. Did you notice in verse 11, it has the brilliance of a priceless diamond, a clear jasper, and it's surrounded by a magnificent wall, which has 12 gates inscribed with the names of the 12 tribes. Each of the 12 foundation stones has the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb, according to verse 14.

That is all of the people of God in the Old Testament and the New Testament will be part of the new Jerusalem, this glorious future. Now notice its size, verses 15. 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 four square, 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 measurements, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as 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 burl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysophrase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst, and the 12 gates were 12 pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl. And the street of the gate was pure gold, transparent as grass, as glass.

Think of this. This angel has a rod of gold and he measures the city, its gates and its walls. And the height and the length and the width are 1,500 miles, approximately. This is going to be like a giant cube. This is our future home, the New Jerusalem. Probably we'll be able to travel horizontally and vertically. And the gates, we read in verse 21, are each a giant pearl of great price.

The streets are pure gold like transparent glass. This is difficult to imagine, isn't it? I remember as a little boy, maybe about six or seven, visiting one of my uncles and I had an older cousin who was probably about 10 or 11, one of these little girls that was very precocious and knew everything about everything when she was 11 years old.

Not having sisters, I wasn't used to that kind of little girl. And we were reading a book, a book of Bible stories in my uncle's house and we must have been reading this passage. And I said, how wonderful that heaven has streets of pure gold.

And she says, no, no, no, no, no. That's not true. That's just a picture. That's just a symbol. I remember being quite devastated by it and never listening to her again in my life.

Surprise, surprise, she went on to be a principal of a school, so she was a teacher very early. But the Bible says, the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. You say, how could that be? Do you not think the gold in the New Jerusalem is different from the gold on earth? I realize it's difficult for John to describe. I realize it's difficult for us to envisage.

But don't you think even with the limitation of human language that the reality is going to be much, much better than the description here? And notice this, verse 22, think of the temple. He said, I saw no temple in the city.

This is amazing. 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.

How wonderful. This is the fullness of perfect worship. John has told us in verse 3 that in the New Jerusalem, God is dwelling with us, and God is the temple. God expands the temple, as it were, to embrace the whole universe. Is there sun or moon in the New Jerusalem?

No. What's the light? The glory of God gives it light, verse 23, and the lamp is the Lamb.

Incredible, isn't it? Notice verse 24, 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. There will, they will bring into the glory, they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations, but nothing unclean.

Please hear this. Nothing unclean will 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 nations are going to walk by the light of the city, and there will be free access into the city. The gates are never closed. Why do you close gates in the city? For protection when night comes, the gates are closed, so the inhabitants are safe. Outside there is evil, outside there are predators, outside there are difficult people.

We want to keep them out in this city, there's no need for that. The gates are ever open. There's no night, there's no need for protection, and the gates of the city imply that the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem will travel to and from the new heaven and the new earth. You say, what will that be about? I don't know, but just think how huge our present universe is.

It's so big that scientists can't describe it. Just think when God does His new work, His new creation, when the old universe is burned up as we saw a couple of weeks ago, and this new universe, this new heaven and new earth is going to be made by God, and this wonderful, magnificent, huge city is going to come down from God to earth, and this is our capital city. And we will be able to go in and out of this huge city and explore surely the wonder of this new universe, this new heaven, and this new earth that God is going to create. You see in verse 26 that the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city, and there will be in this city no sin and no impurity. Who's going to be in the New Jerusalem? Verse 27, only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Only those who know the life-giving Savior. We saw two or three weeks ago the great white throne that those who were not written in the Lamb's book of life are thrown into the lake of fire.

Why? Because heaven is a holy place. Only those who are cleansed and purified by the blood of the Lamb, who know the Lamb, the one who comes to take away the sin of the world, only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will enter the holy city. And so, John with his vision is describing however inadequately the tremendous size and splendor and wonder of beauty of the heavenly city, the wall built of Jasper, the foundation of the wall adorned with every kind of jewels. And however magnificent the description is, surely the reality of our eternal home is going to be much, much more marvelous and glorious. Aren't you interested in your future home?

I am. I think it's fascinating that in the New Jerusalem there's no sun or moon. Verse 23, for the glory of God gives it light and its lamp is the Lamb. When I was at school, science wasn't my first love. But as we studied physics I was fascinated by the subject of light. Think of the colors when white light is refracted through a prism. You see the magnificent colors that we have in the rainbow and you think, where did this come from? Or when you study the speed of light, 186,000 miles per second, where did light come from? Genesis tells us, God said, let there be light and there was light. God created the sun, He created the moon, He created the stars, and in the New Jerusalem there's no sun, there's no moon. They're just like flickering candles compared with the brilliance of God.

Why? Because God in all of His glory is there, and there's no need for the planets because the Lamb is the light. There will be this eternal display of the glory and majesty and brilliance of our God. Paul says that God dwells in indescribable light, and we'll be there. It says in verse 11, having the glory of God. The Lamb is all the glory in Immanuel's land.

We long to see that light of the glory of the Lamb. Now you say, well, that's very interesting, John, but what should we do in heaven? I want to say in heaven we shall be at home, enjoying perfect communion and fellowship with all of the redeemed. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, understand this, that heaven is your home. Paul says for the believer, when we die, it is absent from the body and it is at home with the Lord.

I love that. But Jesus says in John 14, when He said He was going to leave His disciples, He says, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. Jesus describes heaven as the Father's house. It's where God dwells.

It's the Father's house. And we who know God as our Father, when we die, don't be afraid of it, Christ has conquered it, death has been swallowed up in victory, we go home. And who doesn't want to go home? In a couple of weeks, Lord willing, I'll be going back to Scotland for a couple of weeks. Now normally when I go back to Scotland, I say I'm going home. I realize I've stayed in this country many years, but I've always looked as Scotland as my home. But this time when I'm going back to Scotland, I'm not saying I'm going home.

You know why that is? Because our home where we lived for many years has recently been sold. My mother, who stayed at home I think for about 50 years or so, she's now in a nursing home, needing constant nursing care with a bit of dementia. And so my brothers and I have sold the home. It's our home. And any time I went back to Scotland, I knew that I would have a huge welcome in this house. It was my home.

I didn't have to ask permission. My mother was always delighted to see me. I knew where I was going to stay. I could almost predict what she was going to cook for me with interminable numbers of cups of tea that she would keep supplying me with. I was very comfortable there.

Why? I was at home. This is where I belong. Now when I go back, yes, I'll be staying with one of my brothers. We'll be staying with some friends. I've rented a little cottage for a week of study, but it's not the same is it? It's not the same as staying with a brother as a friend as in your own home.

Nowhere are we welcome so much. Nowhere do we feel so comfortable as in our own home. And what makes a home a home? You can have a beautiful house.

It could be worth two million dollars. It may be the best house in Charlotte, but it isn't necessarily a home is it? What's the difference between a house and a home?

It's the people, isn't it? And it's the relationships that we enjoy. A house is transformed into a home by those who are there, by the relationships we develop within the home and in heaven.

Please understand this. We'll be at home. We'll be at home with all the family of God. And the good news is we're going to get on there perfectly.

I realize now the relationships within the family, within the Christian family are not necessarily perfect. We can frustrate one another and argue with one another and disappoint one another, but there we'll be in the Father's house and we will be at home. You say, will I fit in?

Absolutely, I guarantee it. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you will fit in perfectly. When you arrive there, you will feel as if you've been there all of your life. You will have just as much right to be there as anyone else.

We have only one Savior, washed by the same blood and dwelled by the same Spirit, having the same Father, and we will be at home. I have to ask you, however, do you know the way to this home? In a couple of weeks, two weeks tomorrow, Lord willing, when I go to Charlotte Airport, I've got my ticket. I know where I'm going. I'm going to Scotland. But not only do I know where I'm going, I know how I'm going to get there. I'm going to fly from Charlotte to JFK Airport and from there right into Scotland's capital city. And wasn't it disappointing yesterday that the English got that goal just at the last minute as we played them?

I thought we were going to beat the English for the first time for many, many years, and just at overtime they got that goal. You say, John, you're meant to be preaching. Why would you mention that? I have no idea, but it's on my mind obviously. And I'm going to fly right into Edinburgh. Isn't it strange when you speak to people and you ask them, when you die, are you going to go, do you want to go to heaven? They will say yes, almost invariably, unless they're an atheist, they're going to say yes. When I die, I want to go to heaven. They have the right destination, but they have no idea how they're going to get there. Can you imagine me just turning up at the airport and saying, well, I'm going to Scotland, and someone's saying, how are you going to get there?

And I say, I've got no idea. No, I've planned. I've got the ticket. I know the time.

I know what's going to happen. Do you know how you're going to get to heaven? There's only one way. Jesus said that Himself, I am the way. Not only does He point the way, not only does He tell us about the way, He is the way.

Because as the Son of God, He came from heaven, from the Father to earth, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died for your sins and mine, was buried, and on the third day He arose and He ascended to the Father's house. And the only way to get to heaven is by trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior. He is the only way. He's the only one who can take you from earth to heaven.

Go your own way and you will miss the destination completely. In the Narnia Chronicles, C.S. Lewis writes, O Aslan, said Lucy, will you tell us how to get into your country from our world? I shall be telling you all the time, said Aslan, but I'll not tell you how long or short the way will be, only that it lies across the river. But do not fear that, for I am the great bridge builder.

Aslan, in C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles, a symbol of Christ. Isn't that wonderful? That the Lord Jesus Christ comes as the great bridge builder, from a holy God to sinful people like you and me. He comes, becomes like us, becomes a man, perfect God and perfect man, the only mediator between God who is holy and man who is sinful. He's holy God. He's holy man. He is the only bridge builder.

No one else can take you. He's the way, the truth, and the life. And this is why Paul says that our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior. Yes, I'm a British citizen.

Yes, I'm an American citizen. But more important, I'm a citizen of heaven. And because of that, we are to await and to look out for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. On this earth, we don't quite fit in, do we? If you're living for Christ, you know it's tough going sometimes.

You stand up for Christ in your school, in your office, in your bank, in your family, and people can mock you and ridicule you, and it's tough sometimes. We don't quite fit into this world. We're strangers and pilgrims, the Bible says, but soon the fight, the race, the journey will be over and we'll be at home, eternally at home. J.C. Ryle says, now we're tossed upon a stormy sea, then we shall be safe in harbor. Now we have to plow and sow, then we shall reap the harvest.

Now we have the labor, but then the wages. Now we have the battle, but then the victory and reward. Now we must needs bear the cross, but then we shall receive the crown. Now we're journeying through the wilderness, but then we shall be at home, at home forever with the Lord. And when Jesus comes, one of the wonderful things it's going to be is that we're going to be united with all of the redeemed.

Yes, the dead in Christ will rise, 1st Paul says, but we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. Isn't that a tremendous reunion? You like family reunions, I hope. Your family's not perfect, but I hope you enjoy family reunions, I do.

Great getting together, one of the things I anticipate going back to Scotland to be with my brothers and some friends that I've known most of my life and to be so comfortable with them even though it's been a long time possibly since we got together. No, we're… this is wonderful. We're brothers, whether naturally or brothers in Christ, a joyful reunion, but we know each other in heaven of course. We're going to have new changed, glorified spiritual bodies, but our new glorified body will have a continuing identity with our present bodies. Scripture speaks of the redemption of the body, not redemption from the body, and we will be like Christ's resurrection body who, says Paul, will transform our lowly body into His glorious body. And these new bodies will not be subject to decay or disease or death.

God is the God of the living. Of course we'll see one another. Of course we'll recognize each other. We'll be much smarter in heaven than we are here, of course. And just as one of the great joys on earth is fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, isn't that the case? I hope you enjoy Christian fellowship.

Can you imagine that being multiplied as it were infinitely? With all of the redeemed, we shall have this wonderful redemption as we together will sing the praises of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. All those saved by grace will be safely in the Father's house.

The circle will not be broken. We'll be at home, eternally at home, joyfully at home, perfectly at home. When my father died years ago, we sang this as we stood round the graveside. I'm not going to sing it, but here are the words, fallen asleep, lying at rest, tranquil and deep, safe on His breast, life's journey o'er, heaven's portal past, pilgrim no more, safe home at last, safe home at last. No more to fear, no more to die, shed every tear, breathed every sigh, all sorrows born, all trials past, no more to mourn, safe home at last, safe home at last. You have a loved one who's died, haven't we all?

Relatives, a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, a child, a close friend, don't mourn for them. They're followers of Jesus Christ. They are safe home. They've gone home.

They've gone ahead of us. We're not there yet, but in heaven, in this new Jerusalem, we shall be at home and we'll enjoy perfect communion and fellowship with all of the redeemed, and of course in heaven we will worship the Lamb and we will see His face. Chapter 22, verse 1, just gets better and better, doesn't it? The angel showed me the river of the water of life, brightest crystal flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. The abundance of God's provision, the living water. Also on either side of the tree, the tree of life, sorry, 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, no curse in heaven, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it and His servants will worship Him. That's what we're going to do. We're going to worship the Lamb. Now notice verse 4, they will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads and night will be no more. They will need no light or lamp or sun for the Lord God will be their light and they will reign forever and ever. We will see His face. No living person has seen God in the fullness of His glory.

He's invisible, He dwells in unapproachable light. Heaven is where the throne of God is, where the Lamb are, verse 1. Remember in chapter 4, John has this vision and he sees through a door into heaven. Sees the throne of God, realizing God's sovereignty, the place of worship and with joy and with gladness, we will worship God. Psalm 16 verse 11, in your presence there is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. We anticipate some of that joy on earth, don't we? But you can't say it, I can't say that here and now there is fullness of joy. We capture joy sometimes and then it seems to go.

At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Unending pleasure, unending fullness of joy as we worship the Lamb with all of the redeemed. Heaven is the presence of God and we will worship the infinite, inexhaustible God forever.

We'll see and know God. The pure in heart shall see God, the Scripture says, and in the New Jerusalem we will see God in His shining glory. Next to the glorious light, the light of the sun and the light of the moon are mere flickering candles. Heaven is where God fully and perfectly expresses Himself. Heaven is where the glory of God shines in His brilliant fullness.

Its lamp is the Lamb. Listen to Isaiah as he writes in Isaiah 60 verse 19, the sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light, but the Lord will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for the Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of mourning shall be ended. No darkness, everlasting light, no mourning, no death, no curse.

One commentator writes that this capital city in New Jerusalem is pictured as a huge, flawless diamond reflecting the brilliant, blazing glory of God. And even in heaven we will not be able to fully to comprehend the glory and majesty and splendor of the infinite God, but we shall see His face. Psalm 17 verse 15, as for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness. When I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. We'll see Him face to face, the one who redeemed us by His grace, and for all of eternity we shall be in the presence of God.

Now we see in a mirror darkly, but then face to face. John says we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Now we who are saved by His grace in the supernatural process of sanctification will be coming more and more like God's Son, but then we shall be glorified and we shall be perfectly conformed to the image of His Son. God guarantees that those whom He justifies, He glorifies in Romans 8, and we shall glorify God and enjoy Him forever and ever. And what was lost in Adam is more than regained in Christ.

Paradise lost is now paradise regained. You say, well, will we be bored in heaven? I mean, I enjoyed worship this morning, but I don't know if I want to worship all the time. Bored in heaven?

Emphatically not. Paul says in Ephesians 2 verse 7 that in the coming ages, the immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness toward us will be shown in Christ Jesus. You haven't seen anything yet. Do you think you know about God's grace? Do you think you know about His beauty? Have you got a taste of the wonder of God? You understand something of the joy of being a follower of Christ? You understand something of the incredible experience of worshiping God as we capture at times like this as we worship Him?

Can you imagine when we will see His face? Can we imagine in seeing the glory of God displayed and being part of this huge new Jerusalem and being able to go and to explore the new heaven and the new earth where it is inscribably beautiful, where it is perfect, where there's no evil, and where there's no end, no suffering, no curse, no decay, no disappointment, no tragedy, no bereavement forever with the Lord. That's God's grace, isn't it? What grace is this that God not only saves us, that God in His grace takes us into His own home, the Father's house, into His own presence so that we will see Him face to face and we will serve Him. And marvelous although it will be to have fellowship with all of the redeemed and this perfect communion, how much more to look on the face of the Lamb and worship Him and praise Him and love Him and serve Him for the countless ages of eternity. What a day, glorious day that will be. Our life on earth is like a flower which blooms and quickly withers.

It's like the vapor gem says that appears and then quickly vanishes. Soon all of us will be in eternity. I have to ask you, what's your destination? There's only two, heaven or hell. Salvation is offered freely to you today. Christ offers you salvation. He offers you cleansing.

He says that if you trust Him and you look to Christ who died on the cross for your sins, He will save you and He will cleanse you so that you are a new creation and so that you will be dressed with the righteousness of Christ and therefore fit to enter in to the new Jerusalem. And in the darkness and hopelessness of death, this glorious light shines, that there is a man, a unique man, the Lord from heaven who comes to our world, conquers the enemy of death and offers us eternal life. Thomas Watson says, eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset.

That's good, isn't it? It would be wonderful to be in heaven. There's no night. The sun never goes down, but he says, eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise. Can you imagine being in a place of darkness forever? There is no sunrise.

There is no hope. That's hell. In heaven, there is eternal light. In hell, there's eternal darkness.

What would it be for you, eternal day or eternal night? Trust Christ. Let's stand as we close and read these verses from Revelation 21 and 22. Read them with me thoughtfully.

And the city has no need of sun. Read it with me. OK, we've got Revelation 21 verse 23. Yeah, there we are.

Let's read it together. 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. Next one. 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. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads, and night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. Amen.