THE HOPE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST: THE HOLY CITY

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

This city is what we typically think of as, “heaven.”  The New Jerusalem is described in Revelation 21:10-22:5.  It is a place of breath-taking beauty.  The glory of God fills the place.  It is constructed of the most exquisite and extravagant materials.  It is vast in its size—a cube 1500 miles in each direction, where there is room enough for any who wish to go there. Residing inside its walls are all the saints of the ages—from those of the Old Covenant and New Covenant—Israel and the Church.  There are twelve gates—each fashioned from a single gigantic pearl.  The streets are paved with a transparent gold.  Best of all—at the heart of the city will be the throne of God!

I love that old Gospel song which conveys this image so well, “I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy”

I dreamed of a city called Glory,
So bright and so fair.
When I entered the gates I cried, "Holy"
The angels all met me there:
They carried me from mansion to mansion,
And oh the sights I saw,
But I said, "I want to see Jesus,
The One who died for all."

Chorus
Then I bowed on my knees and cried,
"Holy, Holy, Holy."
I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory,
Glory to the Son of God."
I bowed on my knees and cried,
"Holy, Holy, Holy."
Then I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory,
Glory to the Son of God."

As I entered the gates of that city,
My loved ones all knew me well.
They took me down the streets of Heaven;
Such scenes were too many to tell;
I saw Abraham, Jacob and Isaac 
Talked with Mark, and Timothy
But I said, "I want to see Jesus,
'Cause He's the One who died for me."

Chorus
Then I bowed on my knees and cried,
"Holy, Holy, Holy."
I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory,
Glory, Glory."
I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory"
I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory"
I clapped my hands and sang, "Glory"
"Glory to the Son of God"
I sang, "Glory to the Son of God." (Michael English)

I’m looking forward to spending some time conversing with Moses and having a discussion with the Apostle Paul.  It will be remarkable to sit down at a banquet table with Spurgeon and spend a few thousand years together.  Some of my heroes in ministry who have crossed over already—Adrian Rogers, Stephen Olford, W.A. Criswell and my preacher grandfather, Paul Thurman—will be available for as much time as we need to get caught up.  But, infinitely better will be the opportunity to see Jesus and fall at His nail-scarred feet in worship!  His presence is what makes Heaven to be Heaven.

I’ve been to the old city of Jerusalem—and it’s a fascinating place—to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there!  One of the things that captured my attention immediately was the presence of armed soldiers, strolling down the sidewalk, machine guns slung over their shoulders.  Terrorism is an ever-present threat there.  In the back-alleys there were the smells and squalor—and litter in the street—which you find in any metropolitan area.  Thank God, there is the promise of a New Jerusalem where none of this will ever mar the environment!

Those who know Christ will have a real place, prepared for them, where we will blissfully abide for eternity.  That’s our real home!