The New Jerusalem – Our Eternal Residence

Revelation 21

21 Fellowship, SBC

Dr. Simon Goncharenko

 

The Big Idea: Our eternal residence will be an unimaginable place of peace, happiness, and enjoying God’s presence.

 

I.                   Our eternal residence - heaven and earth re-created – v. 1.

II.                What will eternity be like? – vv. 2-8

A.    Walking with God – vv. 2-3. (like in Eden)

B.     No more pain – v. 4.

C.     RESERVED for the redeemed – vv. 5-8.

III.             A few specs on the divinely designed Jerusalem – vv. 9-27

A.    The bride/wife of the Lamb – vv. 9-10.

Two reasons for this analogy:

1.      Seen – the beautiful analogy of the bride – “Ideally, a bride is the epitome of all that is right and beautiful.  She is a symbol of purity, hope, purpose, trust, love, beauty, and wholeness in a world pockmarked with ugliness” (Joseph Aldrich).

2.      Though the new Jerusalem will eventually be the home of all the redeemed, it will first be the home of the church, the bride of Christ…

B.     It possesses the glory of God, which makes it shine like a diamond – v. 11.

C.     Its wall is massive and high – vv. 12-14

                                                              i.      With 12 gates – an angel sitting on each gate – vv. 12, 21.

                                                            ii.      The wall has 12 foundations – 12 apostles, 12 stones – vv. 14, 19-20.

-          Jasper – green

-          Sapphire – blue

-          Chalcedony – green

-          Emerald – green

-          Sardonyx – brown and white

-          Sardius – red

-          Chrysolyte – yellow

-          Beryl – green

-          Togas – yellow

-          Chrysoprasus – apple green

-          Jacinth – blue

-          Amethyst – purple

 

D.    Its shape and measurements – vv. 15-18.

E.     Main St. – pure gold – v. 21.

F.      Needing no temple – v. 22

G.    Having no light – v. 23.

H.    Accessible only by the redeemed – v. 27.