The New Jerusalem: Heaven As It Was Always Meant To Be

When I first gave my life to Jesus, I was told I'd one day "go to heaven." I thought that was awesome - but I had no idea what it actually meant.

In my mind, heaven was this floaty place. Clouds. Harps. Maybe some angel wings. And I'm just kind of...floating there with my soul.

But that vision of heaven didn't come from the Bible. That came from pop culture, cartoons, and movies. The Bible's version of heaven is way more real, way more embodied, and honestly - way more hopeful.

And that vision is front and center in Revelation 21-22.

We've walked through a lot already. Revelation has shown us the risen Jesus, letters to the church, the throne of heaven, the judgement of evil. Now we arrive at the final chapters - and it's not an end as much as it is a new beginning.

Revelation 21-22 gives us:

1. A New Heaven and New Earth
2. A New Garden of Eden
3. A New Jerusalem

This isn't escape. This is restoration. God isn't getting rid of creation - He's making it new.

Here's what you've got to understand:
You can't make sense of Revelation without the Old Testament.

Genesis opens with:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1v1)

He places humanity in the Garden of Eden - where God and humanity dwell together in peace. But we rebel. Sin enters the world. That harmony is broken.

From there, the entire biblical story is about God restoring that relationship.

He chooses a people - Israel. He dwells with them in the Tabernacle. Later, in the temple in Jerusalem. But again, the people rebel. The temple falls. The question becomes: How will God dwell with His people again?

Enter Jesus.

Jesus is the true temple (John 2v19). God-in-the-flesh. He dies, rises, ascends - and promises to return to make everything new.

Revelation 21-22 is the fulfillment of that promise.

"Then I saw a new heaven and earth, for the old heaven and the old earth has disappeared. And the sea was also gone." (v1)

That opening line matters. This isn't about going up to heaven - it's about heaven coming down. This is God's world, made new.

"And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." (v2)

The city descends. God makes His home with His people. He doesn't whisk us away to the clouds. He comes to dwell among us.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes...there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (v4)

This is not just an upgrade. It's a total renewal. A world where loss is over. A world where healing is permanent.

"And the one sitting on the throne said, 'Look, I am making everything new!'" (v5)

Not "I'm making all new things."
"I'm making all things new."

Revelation 21v1 says "the sea was no more." Why?

In the ancient world, the sea represented chaos, fear, and unpredictability. To say the sea is gone is to say: chaos is over. There's no more threat. No more danger. No more fear.

The restored world is secure. Safe. Whole.

This isn't some dream state. This is a real place, with real bodies, real joy. Our resurrection bodies will live in a world that's fully physical, fully restored.

We get glimpses of this through the symbols of Eden. Water of life. Tree of life. No curse. No decay. This is Eden, restored and expanded.

The story started in a garden. It ends in a garden-city.

"To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life." (21v6)

This is the key. It's not about the performance. It's about thirst. Desire. Longing for God.

This is not a kingdom for the perfect. It's a kingdom for the surrendered. For those who know they need God.

The only people outside the city are those who didn't want Him.

In Revelation 21v9-27, John sees the New Jerusalem in detail. And it's not subtle. It's radiant. Huge. Filled with gold, jewels, foundations, gates.

But this isn't just about wealth - it's symbolic.

• The city is a cube - echoing the Holy of Holies in the Temple.
• The gates have the names of Israel's tribes.
• The foundations have the names of the apostles.

It's Old Testament and New Testament united. Israel and the Church together. And there's no need for a temple, because God is the temple. His presence fills everything.

The city gates are never closed. There's no night. Nothing evil gets in. The light of the Lamb illuminates it all.

This is what heaven is - a place where God lives fully with His people.

Fair question. If Eden was perfect, and we ruined it - can we ruin heaven?

Revelation 21v27 gives the answer:

"Nothing evil will be allowed to enter."

Evil doesn't get back in. Sin is finished. Death is defeated. There's no more risk of rebellion. That chapter is over.

Revelation 22 opens with a river flowing from God's throne. On either side is the Tree of Life. The curse is gone. Healing flows. Worship fills the air.

And what do we do?

"And they will reign forever and ever." (v5)

We reign. With God. That was the original design - and now it's restored.

God's name is on our foreheads. We belong to Him. We're fully known, fully loved, fully alive.

The book wraps with a repeated phrase:

"Look, I am coming soon." (v7, 12, 20)

This isn't just hope for someday. It's a promise to live by today.

We don't know when. But we know He will. And when He comes, He brings the city, the garden, the river, the light - everything we longed for.

You might hear all of this and ask:
What does this have to do with me today?

Honestly? Everything.

Because this is where the story is going. And if you know the ending, you can live with purpose in the middle.

This means:

• Your suffering won't last forever
• Your faithfulness is not in vain
• Your body, you tears, your waiting - it all matters

And it means you don't have to wait until Jesus returns to experience heaven. You can get glimpses now. In worship. In community. In beauty. In sacrificial love. Heaven is already breaking in.

Jesus says:

"Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life." (22v17)

That's the invitation. That's the open door. And it's still wide open.

You don't need to earn your way in. You need to come thirsty. And trust the One who is making all things new.