Chapter 21:9-27
John goes from seeing the new heaven and the new earth to seeing the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven. Just like he was transported to see the Babylonian city and its destruction, John likewise is transported to see the new Jerusalem. It is referred to as the bride of the Lamb. The city itself is not the bride alone, rather it is who lives in the city that is the bride. The description that follows, although literal, is also a vehicle to contain higher truths that are yet to be made known about the eternal home of believers and God. Paul said quoting Isaiah 64:4,
1 Cor 2:9
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Paul also said that when he was caught up into heaven he heard ‘inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter’ (2 Cor 12:4). John likewise is also seeing and hearing things in Heaven but in this case, John was given permission to describe what he was witnessing. In spite of this, John finds out very quickly that language itself is too small an apparatus and blunt of an instrument to appropriately convey an apt description of what he is beholding. He is merely doing his best to write down what he is seeing and the overall take away is that the city and the people of God are incomprehensible demonstrations of God’s glory as is the radiant light of His holiness (21:9-11).
The size and the magnitude of the city is approximately 2400kms cubed. That would be a city that would have foundations from Cairns to Melbourne and width wise, from Melbourne to just outside of Perth. Because it is a cube, the physics of the new heaven and earth will somehow facilitate such a city. One can only imagine that the original creation before the fall also may have had such an arrangement. In the beginning heaven and earth were connected in the same manner. This is of course a conversation well above my pay grade and my physics training. But, what I do know is that heaven and earth will once again be joined together in the new creation as was God’s plan from the beginning.
God always wanted heaven to be on earth and to dwell with humanity. Since heaven and earth were torn apart, creation, humanity and God Himself have been waiting for the fulfillment of Isaiah 64:1 where the heavens are torn apart and God with His heaven descends to be with us once more.
In the meantime, Israel had the Tabernacle and the Temple to house the complete presence of God. This was only a temporary fix. God wanted to be among His people but limited Himself to a box called the Holy of Holies so that He would not destroy broken humanity with His holiness. The Tabernacle Holy Of Holies was a 4.5m cube. The Temple Holy of Holies was a 9m cube. But the New Jerusalem will be one massive Holy of Holies with no temple in it. Why? Because the whole city is the Temple. It is the full manifest presence of God, where the dwelling place of God will be with man (Rev 21:3) forever.
We see that the gates are named after the twelve tribes of Israel and set out in similar fashion to how they camped in the wilderness. Three each in the north, south, east and west. The foundations are named after the twelve apostles showing that the Church is there.Furthermore, in verse 24 it says that the nations of those who are saved and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. The word for nations in this verse is the same word for gentiles. This shows that Israel, the Church and Gentiles who didn’t belong to either Israel or the Church are among those who are in heaven. This is also a demonstration that God is willing that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9) but that every tribe, tongue and nation will be with Him forever. Let’s face it. God is completely in love with all humanity.
The list of jewels and precious stones that will be on display is beyond imagination. There will be colours that you have never seen and experiences in heaven that our senses here could not even process. It is truly indescribable. What we will experience in heaven is beyond imagination.
My personal favourite picture of heaven though, is that of the open gates. In verse 25 it says that the gates of heaven are never shut for all eternity. Now the gates to this new city have often been associated with St Peter and big pearls. What chapter 21 highlights is that in fact each gate is one pearl (21:21) and that it isn’t St Peter at the gate but instead there are angels at each gate. Also, as previously mentioned, the gates themselves are named after the 12 tribes of Israel.
This is an odd combination. The gates are made out of pearl which does not come from a Koesher animal. And the 12 sons of Jacob were anything but model saints. Why is this? Why is the result of grit and irritation from an unclean animal used alongside the sin riddled lives of the 12 sons of Jacob as the representation of the never closed gates of heaven?
Well, I believe it is a beautiful picture that even though we were unclean and unworthy. It was not what we did on earth that keeps the gates of heaven open for eternity, but the blood of Jesus that made a way for the gates of heaven to be open to us for ever and ever.
Here’s what we can live from these verses:
- God Has Invited You to Spend Eternity With Him.No matter what you have done or where you have been, God literally is moving heaven and earth to be with you. Not because you have earned it. But because He loves you that much and laid His life down so that He could be with you for eternity in this heavenly city that He has prepared. The only way to get in though is to have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (21:27), and the only way that happens is that you accept the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and personal Saviour. RSVP to Him today if you haven’t already using the below verse, Romans 10:9
…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Confess Jesus as your Lord and believe that He is risen and living, and you too will be with Him in paradise.
- Wait for the City Which Has Foundations, Whose Builder and Maker is God.Even though we simply can’t comprehend the size, magnitude, beauty or glory of Heaven, it is a beautiful promise that brings great hope to our hearts. JC Ryle wrote this about pondering heaven.
I pity that man who never thinks about Heaven. I use that word in the broadest and most popular sense. I mean by “Heaven” the future dwelling-place of all true Christians, when the dead are raised, and the world has passed away. Cold and unfeeling must that heart be, which never gives a thought to that dwelling-place! Dull and earthly must that mind be, which never considers “Heaven!”… Before we go to our eternal home we should try and become acquainted with it… Suffice to say, that heaven is the eternal presence of everything that can make a saint happy and the eternal absence of everything that can cause sorrow.
JC Ryle (Heaven)
Today, let your heart be filled with the beauty and majesty of everything that your Father is preparing for you to share with Him for eternity.
- The Gates Will Never Close.
Always keep in mind that the gates of heaven will never close for all eternity which means you will never be separated from God again. Nothing evil or sinful will ever enter and you will never be locked out. Why? Because access has been forever granted through the blood of Jesus Christ. Phillippians 3:20 says,
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Because He saved us, He also made us citizens of heaven and that is an eternal citizenship.
