Our Present Age

and how it will end

 

Chapter 24 – The New Jerusalem

After the heavens and the earth have passed away, God will create new heavens and a new earth.

Isaiah 65:17 For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

The New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven, and only those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will live there.

Rev 21:1-5 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."

Because the New Jerusalem comes down from a heavenly dimension, we can know that those who live there will be in their eternal glorified bodies. There are many Christians who believe that Jesus will return after a 7 year tribulation period, set his foot down on the Mount of Olives and rule from the city of Jerusalem that currently exists in Israel, however, Rev Chapter 21 will not support it. The Bible is clear that the Lamb of God will be living in the New Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven, which will have streets made of transparent gold, and there will be no need of the sun because the Lamb will be its light.

Rev 21:21-25 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.  But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).

However, it also appears that there will be persons that live outside of the New Jerusalem.

Rev 22:14-15 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are the impure; and sorcerers; and the sexually immoral, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Isaiah also describes the ability for those who live in the City to be able to go out and look upon the damned, who will forever be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Isaiah 66:22-24 "For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me," says the Lord, "So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the Lord. "And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."

Mark 9:47-48 [Jesus said], “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, and be cast into hell fire-- where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”