The New Jerusalem🔊

In a time beyond time, there rested a prophetic vision of a place called the New Jerusalem. This wasn't just an ordinary city. It was described as a dazzling spectacle; an eternal home of God's people, where peace prevailed and God's glory radiated in every corner.

The New Jerusalem was visualized as a city of pure gold, as clear as glass, where the foundations of the city walls were adorned with all types of precious stones. At the heart of the city was a river, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It was peaceful and splendid. There were trees of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits and yielding a different one each month. The leaves of the trees were said to heal nations.

The city had no temples, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb were its temple. It also didn't need the sun or moon to shine, for the glory of God was its light, and the Lamb was its lamp. The nations walked by its light, and the kings of the earth brought their splendor into it.

Its gates were never shut, for there was no night, and the world's glory and honor would flow continuously into it. Upon its gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the city walls had twelve foundations, with the apostles' names inscribed.

Life in the New Jerusalem was free of pain, sorrow, and death. Its inhabitants had no needs, for God was their provider. The veil between the earthly and the heavenly didn't exist, and God dwelled among them. He wiped every tear from their eyes, and they saw His face, radiating endless love and mercy. The citizens of New Jerusalem served God, and He marked His name on their foreheads - a symbol of belonging to Him forever.

However, not everyone could enter this city. It was solely for those purified by the Lamb's blood, those written in the Lamb's book of Life. They were the ones whose robes were washed clean, who valued truth, and shunned what was false, detestable, or deceptive. For those who conquered, they were given the right to the tree of life.

In the celestial city of the New Jerusalem, there was an unending chorus of praise, where angels and redeemed souls worshiped God on His throne day and night, singing: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.' There was genuine fellowship where the saved saw each other as brothers and sisters whose love for one another mirrored God's love.

The vision of the New Jerusalem was a vision of hope, where God promised to make all things new. It was a promise that kept God's people going amidst trials, holding on to their faith while anticipating their entrance into their eternal home. A home promised to those who truly believed, where God Himself would be with them, being their God.