New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem

Blessed be the Lord our God from everlasting to everlasting! He is bringing about a new heavens, a new earth and a New Jerusalem wherein dwells righteousness.

“The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” [1]

Towards the end of the Old Testament, the Lord revealed to His prophets that idolatrous Jerusalem will be destroyed by fire, but that after 70 years of captivity, the people will return to the land with hearts for God and rebuild Jerusalem. Towards the end of the New Testament, the Lord reveals to His apostles Paul, Peter and John that heavens and earth will be destroyed, and a new heaven and earth will replace the old, there shall also be a new Jerusalem.

“You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” [2]

The promise above is to all who have had their sins washed away by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is the One who makes people just before God. He is Messiah. Old Testament Joshua brought the people of God into Canaan to inherit that land. New Testament Jesus brings us His followers into the Heavenly Jerusalem... the city of God... where countless angels are singing and praising God.

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’” [3]

New Jerusalem is about people with hearts for God and experiencing God’s heart for them.

The resurrection of dead Jerusalem in the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of what the resurrection of New Jerusalem will be like when our Lord Jesus returns. We who have loved His appearing will get to be with Him and we will enjoy Him.

After the tribulation of 70 years of captivity in Babylon, those who returned to Jerusalem, “They stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.” [4]

Standing on stair, the worship leaders, the Levites “cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God,” “Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever!” Then, they or one of them broke out in a 1145-word prayer and praise of God. [5]

The praise began with, “Blessed be Your glorious Name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise! You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.” [6]

The prayer called to remembrance how God chose, called out and brought out Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans [Babylon]. God promised Abraham the land in which they now dwelt. The prayer noted to God, “You have performed Your Words, for You are righteous.” The prayer called to remembrance God delivering His people from slavery to the Egyptians. The prayer noted to God, “You knew that they [the Egyptians] acted proudly against them.” The prayer called to remembrance God speaking from heaven to provide for “them just ordinances and true laws, good statutes, and commandments.” The prayer also involved admission of sin. “Our fathers acted proudly, hardened their necks, and did not heed Your commandments. They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage.” The prayer praised God for His forgiveness. “You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.” They praised God for His Spirit, “You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them.” The prayer praised God for giving them the land in which they dwelt, “You gave them kingdoms and nations and divided them into districts.” The prayer praised God for population growth, “You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven.” The prayer praised God an inheritance of “strong cities, rich land, houses full of all goods, cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance.” The prayer praised God for delivering them from their enemies as often as they cried out to Him for help. The prayer praised God for His grace, “In Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; for You are God, gracious and merciful.” The prayer professed, “Here we are, servants today!” This profession foreshadows the words of the Apostle Paul always stating that He was a servant of Jesus Christ and God the Father.

After this prayer of confession of sin and praise, the people said, “We will not neglect the house of our God.” [7]

“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.” “Singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem.” “The priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.” [8]

They had two large thanksgiving choirs with the musical instruments including trumpets, and the singers sang loudly. They “rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.” [9]

Worship in heaven is done with loud voices. There is no holding back. There is no one there to intimidate the worshippers.

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” [10]

The captives in Nehemiah’s day were so filled with joy when they returned to Jerusalem. The Psalmist wrote of that day, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” [11]

Imagine how much greater our joy will be when we are delivered from this present age and brought into the new heavens, new earth and New Jerusalem to be with God forever!

The Lord says to us, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” [12]

[1] 2 Peter 3:10-13
[2] Hebrews 12:22-24
[3] Revelation 21:1-5
[4] Nehemiah 9:1-3
[5] Nehemiah 9:5-38
[6] Nehemiah 9:4-5
[7] Nehemiah 10:39
[8] Nehemiah 12:27, 29-30
[9] Nehemiah 12:36, 41-43
[10] Revelation 5:11-12
[11] Psalm 126:1-3
[12] Psalm 126:5-6