The Future Home Of The Redeemed - Part 2 - The New Jerusalem Series

Some believe that the Earth may be the future location of Heaven (Romans 8:19-22, Matthew 5:5, Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:10,13). Others believe Heaven is a planet located somewhere in the Universe or even in the Sun! In actuality, Heaven exists outside the dimensions of both space and time. What is known is that the Redeemed will go to be in the presence of the Lord forever more.

The Bible says that the first Earth and Heaven, as they are currently known, will pass from one condition to another as they are renovated through a transition by fire (2 Peter 3;10-13; Isaiah 65:17; 66:22-24). The Earth will not be destroyed because the "earth abideth forever" (Ecclesiastes 1:4; Psalm 104:5,119:90).

The Apostle John saw a picture of a prostitute who represented the evil city, "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations" (Revelation 17:5 ESV). In contrast, he was also shown the new Holy City of God.

"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:2 ESV - also 21:9-11)

The word "heaven" is the Greek word 'ouranos' and refers to the visible heavens, sky, atmosphere, the spiritual heavens. The word "as" is the Greek word 'hós' which means like, as, in the same manner.

The Body and Bride of Christ

Jesus is the head of the universal Church, which is comprised of those who are Born-Again and is referred to as the Body of Christ because their physical body, which houses the mind and spirit, is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The word "temple" in Greek refers to the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God. The universal Church is the Body of Christ, and all Born-Again Christians are "members of His body" (Ephesians 5:30 ESV). This "mystery" is great (Ephesians 5:32 ESV). The word "mystery" (Gk: 'muste¯rion') means something which is concealed, hidden, an unknown truth that is not discoverable by observation or inference, but something that a person must be taught or have revealed to them before they can understand it.

Every Born-Again Christian is a member of Jesus and belongs to Him (Ephesians 4:12; Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 6:15, 12:2,27). Each person who is a member of the Church, the Body of Christ, is His Bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:9, 22:17). The "bride, the wife of the Lamb" is not a description of Heaven or a physical building but a figurative description of each person that makes up the assembly of God's people, the universal Church.

The Bride of Christ will live with Jesus for all eternity in the Kingdom of God, the Father's House which is currently in the Third Heaven and will come to Earth as the New Jerusalem when Jesus returns to set up His millennial Kingdom. The New Jerusalem is the capital city of the Universe's and the future home of the Redeemed. It will be moved from its current location in the Third Heaven to Earth forever. It is adorned in splendor like a bride but is not a description of the Bride of Christ. The city is the complete opposite of the old Jerusalem before and after the Babylonian captivity. It is called 'new' because it is always fresh and new every morning, just as God's mercies are new every morning. Yet, it is as old as Heaven itself and was promised to exclusively to the Redeemed (Hebrews 11:1-16; Psalm 93;2; 103:19).

"Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty - but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." (Revelation 21:27 NLT)

"Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie." (Revelation 22:14-15 NLT)

Just as the "Father's House" is currently in the Third Heaven, the New Jerusalem is the "Father's House" on the New Earth and is called the Bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2).

"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3 KJV)

The word translated as "Father's House" is 'stadia' in Greek and refers to a stadium. A Greek or Roman stadium averaged about 1/8 of a Roman mile or 220 yards. The New Jerusalem is "laid out like a square, as long as it was wide" and is "12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long." (Revelation 21:16 NIV). 12,000 stadia x 220 yards per stadia x 3 feet per yard divided by 5280 feet per mile equals nearly 1500 miles on each side. So, according to the Bible, the "Father's House" - the New Jerusalem - is to be 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, and 1500 miles high. That equates to almost 2 million square miles per floor or over a billion square feet! If you allow a generous 12-foot high ceiling per floor, that's over 600,000 floors! If you gave each person a generous 2,000 square feet of living space, the New Jerusalem could house over 341 billion people! That is almost 50 times more than the Earth's total population as I write this! God originally intended EVERY human being to live there for eternity.