The new Jerusalem

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Heaven”

Our Bible verse for today: “He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God’s glory.” Revelation 21:10-11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The new Jerusalem”

In his very helpful book “Heaven” author Randy Alcorn poses the question, “After all, where do we expect physically resurrected people to live if not in a physical environment?” He wrote that in reference to the apparently physical environment God creates for us in the new heaven and the new earth. We have already learned that our resurrection bodies will have both spiritual and physical qualities to them – similar to Jesus’ resurrection body. And we have read of how God describes the new heaven and the new earth in very physical terms, with buildings and streets, water and trees, people and animals.

To complete His new creation, in addition to the new heaven and the new earth, God also creates a new Jerusalem. An angel showed it to John and had him record it in Revelation 21:9-27. As we read this passage, we realize two things: first, the new Jerusalem is the crown jewel of the new creation. Second, it too is described for us in very concrete, physical terms. Once again, we are told of walls, gates, streets, and stones. Beyond that, we are even given the exact measurements of the city – and it is truly astounding. We are told that it is laid out in “human measurement” and it is a “12,000 stadia” square – a cube.

12,000 stadia is estimated to be the equivalent of 1,400 miles. Randy Alcorn did the math for us. 1,400 miles in length and width would stretch from Canada to Mexico, and from the Appalachian Mountains to California – nearly two million square miles. That is ten times bigger than France or Germany, and forty times bigger than England – and that’s just the ground floor. Since it is a cube, that means it is also 1,400 miles in height. If you allow for 12 feet per story, that would be over 600,000 stories high. In such a city there will be room for billions of people.

Although the dimensions given to us in Revelation 21:9-27 could be figurative rather than literal, they do nevertheless convey the fact that the New Jerusalem will be immense. There will be plenty of room for a whole lot of people.

So, now God’s new creation is complete. We have a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem. They all exist at the same time, in the same creation, and they are all intended to be used and occupied by God’s people. But in what ways? If they are three distinct parts of the new creation, which one do we live in? Do we come and go between the three? And for what purposes?

You’re probably thinking the Bible doesn’t answer those questions directly, and you would be right, but do we have some clues? Well, let’s see …

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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