What Does The Bible Say About The New Jerusalem? A Christian Study

by Dr. Michael L. Williams · Print Print · Email Email

There are some topics and areas in the Bible that do not get a lot of mention in most churches. For example, sermons from the Song of Solomon would be one of the areas and details about what hell is like would be another. However, there is one topic that would generate lots of interest and enthusiasm if it were to be presented as a study or preached. The subject of the topic would be what does the Bible say about the New Jerusalem? Because most Christians have never studied it, it would be appropriate to have a Christian study on this topic.

Revelation 21:2 ” And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.“

What is New Jerusalem?

The most direct reference that describes New Jerusalem can be found in Revelation 21:1-22:5. Here we learn that God will recreate the heavens and the earth to be what they were before they were contaminated with sin. Old Testament references to this time period in history can be found in Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 66:22. Jesus also referred to this event happening when heaven and earth pass away in Matthew 5:18 and Matthew 24: 35.

Jesus made a more direct mention of it in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:10 when He said, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” He also referred to it in John 14:1-3 when He told the disciples that He would go to prepare a place for them. This was culturally demonstrated when a Hebrew bridegroom proposed and the bride accepted, he would return to his father’s house to build on an addition where He and his bride would live after they were married.

What Does The Bible Say About The New Jerusalem

The Apostles demonstrated their knowledge of this when they asked Jesus about it when He appeared to them after the resurrection. They thought that when He reappeared to them it was a fulfillment of the second coming when He would return to restore the kingdom to Israel. They had no idea that there would be several thousand years before He would come again and literally fulfill this prophecy (Acts 1:6-11).

We can see from these references that New Jerusalem is the place that Christ, the bridegroom, will present to His bride, the church, at a time in the future. It will be the place where they will live for eternity.

What will New Jerusalem be like? (Revelation 21-22:22:5)

New Jerusalem is described as a holy city coming down from God out of heaven to the new earth after the first heaven and earth pass away (Revelation 21:1-3, Revelation 21:10). There, the church, consisting of all believers who were Jews or Gentiles before salvation (1 Corinthians 10:32), will live in face-to-face presence with God for eternity. In New Jerusalem, believers can expect the following:

  1. Believers will have no sorrow or crying (Revelation 21:4)
  2. Believers will have no death (Revelation 21:4)
  3. Believers will have no pain (Revelation 21:4)
  4. Believers will have no memory of the troubling things of the past (Revelation 21:4-5)
  5. Believers will receive their inheritance (Revelation 21:6-7; Revelation 2:7; Galatians 3:6-9, 28-29

As a city, New Jerusalem will have attributes that are common to a physical city:

  1. The city will have walls made of jasper (Revelation 21:12-20) that has 12 foundations that are named after the 12 apostles and decorated with precious stones (Revelation 21:14, 19-20). The walls will be 144 cubits high, which is about 216 feet (Revelation 21:17)
  2. The city will have 12 gates made of pearl, with three gates on each of four sides of the wall (21:12-13, 21). The gates will be named after the 12 tribes of Israel and at each gate there will be an angel (Revelation 21:12-13). The gates will never shut (Revelation 21:25)
  3. The city will measure 12,000 furlongs (about 1500 miles) in length, breadth, and height
  4. The city will have a street of gold (Revelation 21:21)

How will New Jerusalem be different from other cities?

New Jerusalem will also have attributes that cannot be found in any other city

  1. The city will have light from the glory of God and there will be no night (Revelation 21:11, 18, 23-21, 25; Revelation 22:5)
  2. The city will be inhabited only by people who are saved (Revelation 21:24)
  3. The city’s inhabitants will honor God and there will be no crimes or violence committed (Revelation 21:26-27)
  4. The city will not have a physical church or temple, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple (Revelation 22:1)
  5. The city will have a pure river of life that originates at the throne of God and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1)
  6. The city will have a tree of life that has leaves that heal and the tree will produce 12 kinds of fruit each month (Revelation 22:2)

Simply stated, God will recreate the heavens and the earth where we, as the bride of Christ, will live with Him for eternity in the city of New Jerusalem. New Jerusalem will be a city that we can only imagine based on this limited description. It will be far superior to the garden that Adam and Eve lived in and anything that exists on earth today This is because it will not be cursed since there will be no Satan or sinthere (Genesis 3:14-24; Revelation 3).

Conclusion

New Jerusalem is a city that Christ will present to His Bride, the church, when He recreates the heavens and the earth. Believers will live there for eternity in the presence of God and will no longer have to suffer from earthly struggles or the memories of the effects of sin upon the world. New Jerusalem will have the common attributes of a city, but will also have attributes that are not found in any other city. New Jerusalem is a perfect place like nothing we could ever imagine and should inspire us to share Christ with others so that they too can live there forever.

Take a look at this related article: Will Heaven be Similar to the Garden of Eden?

Resources – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version

Tagged as: Bible Study, Christian Study, new earth, New Heaven, New Jerusalem, Revelation

Article by Dr Michael L Williams

Dr. Michael L. Williams is a Christ-centered Author, Educator, Biblical Counselor and Consultant. He is ordained in Pastoral Ministry and the founder of Selah Mountain Ministries: a church based Biblical counseling and education outreach. As a Christ-centered counselor, he teaches how to overcome life issues Biblically on topics such as anger management, marriage, addictions, and other subjects: often referred to as mental illnesses. Dr. Mike received his seminary education from Andersonville Theological Seminary, graduating with a Doctor of Christian Education degree. He also served as a veteran of the United States Army: graduating from its Academy of Health Sciences nursing program, and Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. To support the ministry, Dr. Mike leveraged business and technology skills to manage highly technical operations management roles at several well-known technology and scientific organizations. He works with his wife in their ministry, Christianity Every Day, using their extensive information technology skills to provide Christ-centered teaching and resources to people all over the world. Dr. Mike and his wife Pamela Rose have several adult children and grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Mike at Christianity Every Day.

Dr Michael L has written 155 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Read them in the archive below.

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