Our New Address

REVELATION 21:1

We have now passed beyond the realm of time into eternity. The last marking of time was the thousand year reign of Christ upon the earth. After the millennial reign of Christ, we enter into timelessness. Everything is now forever.

John says, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1).

Peter tells us that our present heaven and earth will be destroyed one day. The earth and all the universe will melt with a fervent heat. Things will be dissolved, going up in a gigantic explosion. He said that we "look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:10-13).

In Isaiah God said, "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isaiah 65:17). It is interesting that the word create in Isaiah is the Hebrew word "bara," which is also used in Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created [bara] the heaven and the earth." Bara in Hebrew means "to make something out of nothing," which only God can do. God uses the same Hebrew word bara when He speaks of creating the new heavens and the new earth; not a "reforming" (asah) of the existing orders, but the total new creation of something out of nothing.

In Revelation 21 we read, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea" (Rev. 21:1).

Three-fourths of the earth's surface is now covered by water, the oceans and the seas. There will be no sea on the earth which God creates in the new kingdom. The purpose of the sea and its salts is to collect and neutralize the pollutants so that the earth is habitable for man. Where there are no pollutants, as in the new earth, seas are not necessary. And if you happen to love sailing, God will have something much better for you!

REVELATION 21:2-7

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Rev. 21:24).

The New Jerusalem

All the glorious bliss of that eternal kingdom! Rebellion will be put out once and for all from God's universe. God will again reign as sovereign Lord. One God, one authority, one rule, one government of light and life will again rule the entire universe. What a glorious universe that shall be! No tears, no crying, no death, no sorrow, no pain.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold. I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Rev. 21:5-7).

"Come, ye blessed of my Father," Jesus will say, "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). "Inherit all things," He's going to say. "It's all yours! Just enjoy it." You'll have a new body in which you can probably roam the universe and explore the vastness of God's glorious creation. Note again the declaration, "These words are faithful and true." They sound too good to be true.

REVELATION 21:8-10

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Rev. 21:8).

What a sharp contrast to the New Jerusalem. Yet, God lays it out for all to see. You can have your choice. Choose your destiny. Isn't it ridiculous to choose to rebel against God? Many say, "I don't know if it's true or not!" In reality, you choose to believe or not to believe. What do you have to lose? Dare you gamble when the stakes are so high?

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, 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 that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God (Rev. 21:9-20).

One day you'll take up your residence in this city. It's the city where the church is to dwell.

REVELATION 21:11-12

The angel showed John that great city "having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal [like a diamond]; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel" (Rev. 21:12). The number twelve is a very prominent number throughout the New Jerusalem.

This city will be inhabited by both the twelve tribes of Israel (those who, by faith, were looking forward to Jesus Christ) and the church. The book of Hebrews talks about those men of faith in the Old Testament-Abraham, Enoch, Noah, and others who "died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off.. . [they] embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth... [they were looking] for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:13,10).

Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Isaiah were actually looking for this city that the angel is showing now to John. The city which has foundations whose maker and builder is God: the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, the City of God coming down from heaven. God spoke to Abraham and these other men about this city. They died in faith not having received the promise but looked forward to it.

We, too, are strangers and pilgrims on this earth. We know that we won't be here forever. We're looking for a city which has foundations whose maker and builder is God. This city has a great wall with twelve gates. The names of the twelve tribes are written on these twelve entrances. At each one there stands an angel. He will probably welcome you as you enter into the gate of the city-"Praise God! Welcome!"

REVELATION 21:13-21

On the east side of the city there are "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 [great foundation stones in the wall of the city], and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev. 21:13-14).

This angel that talked with John "had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lies foursquare [as a cube], and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, [and it was] twelve thousand furlongs [approximately fifteen hundred miles]. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal" (Rev.21:15-16). There are over three billion cubic miles in this city. Some city, to say the least!

The New Jerusalem is approximately the size of the moon. The moon, of course, is a sphere, but this creation is a cube. As far as we know, there aren't any cubed astronomical bodies.

I don't know why God has shaped all the bodies that we can observe in a sphere, but I'm certain that He had a purpose. Yet, here is a cubed city coming down from heaven. It will orbit the earth like the moon, perhaps a bit closer.

How are we going to dwell in this city? I don't know. It may be like a huge skyscraper. If it is, you could have fifteen hundred mile-high stories. If you gave everybody a cubic mile to live in, the heavens could hold over 3.3 billion people. If you allowed for a greater density of population, you could fit in a lot more people.

A woman once said, "I don't know if there'll be enough room in heaven." If not, take a star! There are enough stars so that everyone could have his own galaxy of stars. There are billions of galaxies and, within each one, billions of stars. We'll inherit all these things! There'll be plenty of room for everybody.

Perhaps Jesus was referring to this city when He said, "In my Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). This is the city whose architect and builder is God. This is the city that Christ has gone to prepare for you. When you get there He will say, "Glad to see you here! Let me show you the place that is set for you."

It is exciting to contemplate what this city will be like. The earth in which we now live is a beautiful place. Some spots in Hawaii that man hasn't yet corrupted are extremely gorgeous. There are some places in California that are really breathtaking. As you look at the earth and its beauty, just realize that God took it from being without form and void, refurbished it, and put man on it-all in about six days. If He can make our earth this beautiful in six days, imagine what your place will be like. He's been working on it for almost two thousand years!

Heavenly Specifications

John measured the wall. It was "an hundred and forty four cubits [about two hundred feet high], according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel" (Rev. 21:17). A cubit is the distance from your elbow to your fingertip. A span is the distance between your thumb and your baby finger. This is the way they measured everything in biblical times.

"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper [clear stone like a diamond]: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass" (Rev. 21:18). In other words, the gold was so pure that it was transparent. We are unable to refine gold to such a pure state.

And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst (Rev. 22:19-20).

These are the stones that were in the breastplate of the priest in the Old Testament (Exodus 28:17-20). Imagine these beautiful, precious gems in the foundation of the wall, with the wall itself being of jasper!

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl." One huge pearl making up the gate! "And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass (Rev. 21:21).

When you read this, you realize how foolish it is for someone to say that God needs your money. If He can make a city like this, your phony American currency would mean nothing to Him. Your fifty cent piece isn't even real silver anymore. God can create whatever He wants. God is not poor. God is not lacking. God doesn't need your money.

However, He does give to us the privilege of investing our money in His eternal kingdom and the things that count for His eternal kingdom. That is a privilege, not an obligation. It isn't a duty. He didn't have to allow us that privilege. But He did. It's one of the greatest privileges that I have. God says, "If you give to Me, I'll give you dividends like you can't believe!" (Malachi 3:10).

REVELATION 21:22-27

John looked around for the temple and said, "I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" (Rev. 21:22). You don't need any temple where God and Christ dwell. "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Rev. 21:23).

Imagine the glowing glory of God as all these beautiful stones reflect the beauty of God. The transparent, golden streets are aglow throughout the entire city. Our minds can't even conceive of such brilliance and luminosity.

God has His own lighting system. No sun, no moon-just an iridescent glow from His glory throughout the whole city. There'll be no energy crisis in this city.

Looking up from the earth and seeing this Holy City in its orbit will be an extremely beautiful sight.

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. [It seems that the New Jerusalem gives light to the earth]. And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there (Rev. 21:24-25).

In the ancient cities there were many walls with gates. The walls were for protection, and the gates were shut at night. You won't need protection in this city, however. God and Christ are dwelling there. There is no night, so there is no shutting of the gates. They're always open.

And they [the kings of the earth] shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lambs book of life (Rev. 21 :26-27).

We who are privileged to be chosen by God to believe in Jesus Christ and to be conformed to His image will have the right to enter in and inhabit this glorious city. What a blessing!