A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
Will the New Earth Be an Edenic Paradise?
This world -including its natural wonders- gives us foretastes and glimpses of the next world. This life -including its culture- gives us a look into the next world. If we take literally the earth depictions of life on the New Earth, it will allow us to make a direct connection with our current lives. We have gone through many, many scriptures in the past 4 weeks that seem to make that case very strongly. When we are eating with people here, enjoying food and friendship, it’s a bridge to when we will be eating there, enjoying food and friendship. This isn’t making a leap into the dark of a shadowy afterlife; it’s just taking a few natural steps in the light scriptures give us. The Grand Canyon, the Alps, the Amazon rain forests, the Serengeti Plain- these are rough sketches of the New Earth/ (Can you imagine the trips to be taken by Thelma and Louise?) What about a visit to the Serengeti Plain without the worry of being eaten by a lion? Whenever we see beauty in water, wind, flower, deer, man, woman or child, we catch a glimpse of Heaven. Just like the Garden of Eden, the New Earth will be a place of sensory delight, breathtaking beauty, satisfying relationship, and personal joy. “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He put the man He had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.”(Genesis 2:8-9). The phrase ”planted a garden”, shows God’s personal touch, His intimate interest in creative details of the mankind’s home. John 14:2-3 tells us that Christ is paying attention to the details as He prepares for us an eternal home in Heaven. Think- if He prepared Eden so carefully and lavishly for mankind in the six days of creation, what has He fashioned in a place He’s been preparing for us in the 2,000 years since He (Jesus) left this world?
There are those who believe that the New Earth will “start over” with Eden’s original paradise. The scriptures indicate the New Earth will be a carryover of culture and nations from the old earth. The New Jerusalem will be a great, advanced city as we see in Revelations 21:22. Besides Eden wasn’t just a garden. It was an entire land of wonders (Gen. 2:11-12). In Revelations 21:19-20, it tells us about the foundations of the New Jerusalem’s walls. The onyx of Eden (as described in Exodus 28:9-12 & Ezekiel 28:13) will be on this foundation and displayed as a memorial to Eden. So we will not return to Eden but we will remember it. Isaiah 51:3 says “Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and sound of a melody.” Isaiah, considered the greatest prophet of the Old Testament, says all of the New Earth will be magnificent and glorious. But so does Ezekiel 36:35- “This desolate land has become like a Garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.” Isaiah even goes further in 35:1 and 55:13. That seems to be saying that if we want to see a desert, we had better do it now. In studying Isaiah, I am amazed at the New Earth prophecy in the Old Testament. Wait until you hear about animals from Isaiah.
What will New Nature Be Like?
We’ve never seen men and women as they were intended to be. Herman will likely be able to out race us all. We’ve never seen animals the way they were like before the Fall. Have you seen the new Travelers Insurance commercial with the scenes of the animals? We have seen marred remnants of what once was. Likewise, we’ve never seen nature unchained and undiminished. Authors C.S. Lewis (Narnia) and J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) saw core truth of old mythologies and they give us a glimpse of people & beasts & trees that are vibrantly alive. Lewis goes on to say that “Christians have the best of both worlds; we have joy whenever this world reminds us of the next and we take solace whenever it does”. If you get a chance, watch the original Narnia where Lucy & her family and friends come upon what reflects the biblical revelation of the New Earth. It also uses the comparisons of the Old Narnia to the New Narnia to capture the biblical theology of the old and New Earth better than any theologian- according to Randy Alcorn. So C.S. Lewis has used scripture in the making of his Narnia series. It is hard to believe that these movies became popular in today’s environment. On the New Earth we will see the Earth where no good thing will be destroyed. The New Earth will be a place of healing, the place where all hurts are healed, all suffering forever eclipsed by joy (Rev. 22:2). Every healing was a memorial to the Eden that was and a signpost to the New Earth that will be. Everything changes when we grasp that all we love about the old Earth will be ours on the New Earth – either in the same form or another. Think about what this means- we won’t have to regret leaving all the wonders of this world we’ve seen or mourn not having seen its countless other wonders now. We will yet be able to see them.
What is the New Jerusalem?
Scripture that we have talked about before describes Heaven as both a country and a city, (Hebrews). Fifteen times in Revelation 21 & 22 the place where God and His people will live together is called a city. In these verses there is a detailed description of the architecture, walls, streets, and other features of the city. So it is a literal geographical location. What do we know about cities? A city is a place with buildings, streets, residences occupied by people (both inhabitants and visitors), bustling activity, cultural events and gatherings involving music, arts, education, religion, entertainment, and athletics. It would seem to be misleading for Scripture to repeatedly call it a city if the New Jerusalem, as the capital city of the New Earth, doesn’t have these defining characteristics. The New Jerusalem will be the largest city any human could imagine. In Revelations 21:15-16 the exact dimensions are given, as measured by an angel. It is said to be 12,000 Stadia, or the equivalent of 1,400 miles in length, width, and height. A metropolis this size in the middle of the United States would stretch from the Canadian border to the Mexican border and from the Appalachian Mountains to the California border. ( I have heard others use from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains- not sure which is most accurate. Either case- it is big!) That makes the ground level two million square miles- 40 times bigger than England, 15,000 times bigger than London, 10 times larger than France or Germany, and many times larger than India. However, we are told it is also 1,400 mile high. I am not sure how to compare that- except if each story was 12 feet high, the city would consist of 600,000 stories- each 1,400 miles long and 1,400 miles wide. All of this is very hard for us to try to understand or visualize. However, this is just the city. Revelation 21:4 appears to be telling us that the Church (us when it says nations) will live in the Holy City. The rest of those who came to Christ during the Tribulation and Millennium will likely live outside the New Jerusalem in other cities and in the country (which will be the rest of the New Earth). All who live on the New Earth will be able to travel to all parts and come and go to the New Jerusalem and other areas at will.
The city will have “a great high wall with 12 gates and with 12 angels at the gates.” There will be three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west- Revelations 21:12-13. Revelation 21:25 says these gates will never be closed. There will be no need for security, plus the angels will keep watch. There will be no enemies outside the city’s gates as the entire New Earth will be filled with the knowledge of God- Habakkuk 2:14. And citizens from outside the gates will regularly travel through them, (Rev. 21:24, 26). The city’s open gates will be a great equalizer. There’s no elitism in Heaven; everyone will have access because of Christ’s blood. All people will have access to the city’s parks, museums, restaurants, libraries, concerts- anything and everything the city has to offer. The vast distances involved between the three gates on any side of the city, suggests each gate may go out into a different country, perhaps each with radically different terrain and spectacular sights. People have always gathered at city gates to share news and tell stories. We will be freed to be even more rational, without fears, inadequacies, and sins that plague us now. Revelation 21:8 says there will be no deceit and no lies. To be part of a city is to be a citizen. Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:20 says “Our citizenship is in Heaven.” Note the verb tense- “is” – not “will be”. Although our citizenship in Heaven is present, our residence there is future and assured! This New Jerusalem will be a solid, permanent city, secured by far more than tent stakes. It has not one foundation but 12, each decorated with a different gem-Rev. 21:14, 19-20. Hebrews 11:8-10 tells us that Abraham “was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” The New Jerusalem is that city. This city will have all the advantages of an earthly city but none of its disadvantages. The city will be filled with natural wonders, magnificent architecture, thriving culture- but it will have no crime, pollution, sirens, traffic fatalities, garbage or homelessness. Imagine moving through the city to enjoy arts, music, and sports without pickpockets, porn shops, drugs, or prostitution. Imagine sitting down to eat and toasting the King (with a glass of fruit juice), who will be glorified in every pleasure we enjoy. All who wish to come to Him, anytime, at His throne may do so. God will delight to share with us the glories of His city – and ours.
What will the Great City Be Like?
The New Jerusalem, capital city of the New Earth, will be the largest city that has ever existed. However, in Luke 19:17-19, Jesus mentions many other cities that will be on the New Earth. So others will come from many cities and countryside to visit New Jerusalem. Heaven’s capital city will be filled with visual magnificence. “It shone with the glory of God and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal”.-Rev. 21:11. John continues on in Rev. 21:18-19 to describe the opulence- “The wall made of Jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone.” John then names twelve stones, eight of which were stones of the high priest’s breast piece in Exodus 28:17-20. “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.- Rev. 21:21. Tressa- there is your streets of gold!
What is the River of Life?
John describes a natural wonder in the center of the New Jerusalem: “The river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city”- Rev. 22:1-2. Because the city is a center of life and water is an essential part of life, it suggests further that our new bodies will still want water. And where does John say is the source of this great river of life? The Throne of God!! So we won’t have to leave the city to find natural beauty. This river will very likely have many tributaries throughout the rest of this vast city. We are able to walk down the street beside this river and even drink from it (no pollution). The city will have countless other streets but likely none like this great street with the river that leads directly to the Throne of God and the Lamb.
What is the Tree of Life?
John then mentions another striking feature: “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. And leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations.”- Rev. 22:2. (It seems that we, the Church Age believers and the Old Testament saints are referred to as the “nations” many times.) This may be indicating we will continuously get “refreshing” from God. The tree of life is mentioned three times in Genesis 2 and four times in Revelations, three of those in the final chapter. We are told the tree of life is presently in Paradise- Present Heaven- Rev. 2:7. All of this seems to be saying two other note-worthy observations: 1) in the New Earth there will more than one tree of life, (“on each side of the river stood the tree of life”), possibly an entire park of these trees in many locations in the New Jerusalem, and 2) as we talked last week about past perfect verbs in Hebrews description of the New Jerusalem, this also seems to be saying John was seeing the city in Present Heaven. So this is the second time that scriptures may be indicating that the New Jerusalem is also ready to live in – in the Present Heaven- and has been prepared long before it comes to Earth as told in Rev. 21:1. This tree of life suggests a supernatural provision of life as Adam & Eve ate the fruit their Creator provided for their use, and we shall have access to it forever. Notice there is no mention of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil to test us. “To him who overcomes (believes in Jesus), I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”-Rev. 2:7. So this tree of life will be brought down to the New Earth. The indication that there is a monthly yield of fruit demonstrates the newness and freshness of Heaven and that the fruit is to be consumed. Ezekiel 47:12 prophesied the same thing, “Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” So Ezekiel seems to be confirming that there will be many types of trees and Rev. 2:7 seems to say the city is full of parks containing these trees. (See how all of this fits together.) In Rev. 22:2 John says “the leaves of the tree are for healing nations”. This is the third time in Rev. 21 and 22 that the inhabitants (us) of the New Earth are referred to as Nations. So nations will not be eliminated but healed. Indicating that our source of everything is coming directly from God!
CHECK OUT THE BANNER FOR GREAT CHRISTIAN SOURCES:
