A New Glorious Earth

Revelation 21:1-5

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”


The purpose of God, for those whom He has shaped from the dust (Genesis 2:7) and redeemed with Christ’s blood (Ephesians 1:7), is not that they should return to the ground as we often hear at atheistic funerals. He desires that they receive glory. It is important as God’s people to maintain a taste of the glory that He has laid up for us in heaven. 

Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). He spoke delightfully of the greatness of the glory that is to come. To die is to be with Christ (verse 23)! The perspective of Paul is that when we die, we are not going into the dark depths of Sheol, but rather entering into a world that is far greater and far more joyous than anything in this world.

Jonathan Edwards says we are to be like pilgrims, travelling to a magnificent holiday destination:

A traveller is not inclined to rest in what he meets with, however comfortable and pleasing, on the road. If he passes through pleasant places, flowery meadows, or shady groves, he does not take up his content in these things, but only takes a transient view of them as he goes along. His journey’s end is in his mind. If he meets with comfortable accommodations at an inn, he entertains no thoughts of settling there. He considers that these things are not his own, that he is but a stranger, and when he has refreshed himself, or tarried for a night, he is for going forward. And it is pleasant to him to think that so much of the way is gone. 1

He says that no person in their right mind would spend all their time at a comfortable inn to which they travel the first day, and decide to spend all their holiday time there, rather than at the destination itself! However, that’s the way we tend to think about this world. We cling to it, spending all our time and money on our outward enjoyments that we have here. Both Paul and Jonathan Edwards tell us to look to those things that really matter: our future of eternal glory.  We should desire heaven more than the futile pleasures of this life.

In Revelation 21 John describes this heavenly glory in vivid detail. He says that we will live with God, in the midst of His glory. He says there will be no diseases, no calamities, no depression, no guilt, no shame, no misery, no pain (Revelation 21:4).

God says, “I make all things new” (verse 5). That’s comforting. It is the renovation and renewal of the old earth. It’s not the destruction of the old, but the perfection of the old. It’s the glorification of the old. Our bodies will not be destroyed. They will rather be renewed and glorified!

I urge you to take the time to read the rest of Revelation 21. Imagine a city like that. It is just unspeakable beauty and indescribable splendour. These images are beyond spectacular. However as images, or signs, they are only shadows of the true nature of heaven. They are human images that inadequately describe eternal realities. It will be better than this. And all that will be yours. God has promised it to you.

These pictures describe a glory for which we were made from the dust. It is the wonderful glory that is the destination for all who put their faith in Christ.

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1. Jonathan Edwards, The Christian Pilgrim (1733)