REVELATION 21

21:2,3 EARTH, CAPITAL OF THE UNIVERSE

“And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:2,3).

Sometimes when there has been a naughty child in the classroom the teacher will make him sit in the seat closest to the teacher’s desk in order to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble. Other times naughty children have to stay in their room away from everyone else as a punishment. Fortunately, neither of these scenarios are the reason for God establishing His capital on earth with redeemed mankind.

God’s purposes for humanity are from eternity, and these include our reigning with Him and sitting with Him on His throne. “God… has saved us and called us with a holy calling… according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9). “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4). The twenty-four elders, as representatives of redeemed mankind, "sang a new song, saying, 'You [God] have redeemed us...and have made us kings and priests to our God: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9,10. See 19: Rulers of the Kingdom).

One of the cardinal attributes of God is His omnipresence; He fills every place at the same time. However, the promise, “He will dwell with them...God Himself will be with them,” indicates that the earth will be the site of a visible manifestation of God, where His creation will gather before Him.

“New Jerusalem” on planet earth will be the capital of the universe! Here the “mansions” that Jesus told His followers that He was going to prepare for them will be located, no doubt “coming down out of heaven from God” with the Holy City (John 14:2). Jesus’ promise to His followers was, “Where I am, you may be also” (v. 3).

The city is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” because it represents the whole kingdom of God, which is the inheritance of Jesus (see 19: 6-9 The Marriage of the Lamb). It is now in heaven, and there it will be the home of the saved during the 1000 years. But after the millennium the holy city will descend out of Heaven to earth. “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). It will rest upon a desolate earth, broken by the great events associated with the Second Coming of Christ, and for this reason it is called “the camp of the saints” (Revelation 20:9). But after the great white throne judgment and the cleansing of the earth by fire the redeemed will spread out over the earth made new, and will come to visit the city. “The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; Indeed, there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it” (Revelation 21:25,26).

Continue to next section: 21:6,7 THE INHERITANCE OF THE OVERCOMERS