The New Heaven and New Earth

Then John 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. The old order of things—marked by sin, death, and decay—had vanished, replaced by something entirely new.

He saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This was no earthly city but a perfect dwelling place for God and His people.

A loud voice from the throne proclaimed, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'

This was the fulfillment of all God's promises from the beginning. In Eden, God walked with man. Sin brought separation. But now, through Christ, the separation was forever ended. God would dwell with His people eternally.

The One seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Then He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be My son.'

An angel carried John away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed him the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were inscribed on the gates. The wall had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The city was pure gold, like clear glass. Its foundations were adorned with every kind of jewel—jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each made from a single pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

John saw no temple in the city, for its temple was the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb. The nations would walk by its light, and the kings of the earth would bring their glory into it. Its gates would never be shut by day—and there would be no night there. Nothing unclean would ever enter it, nor anyone who did what was detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb's book of life.

Then the angel showed John the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

No longer would there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb would be in it, and His servants would worship Him. They would see His face, and His name would be on their foreheads. Night would be no more. They would need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God would be their light, and they would reign forever and ever.

Jesus said, 'Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.' He declared, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.'

The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' Let the one who hears say, 'Come.' Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Jesus testified, 'Surely I am coming soon.'

John responded with the prayer that has echoed through every generation of believers: 'Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!'

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.