Heavenly Jerusalem
Psalm 122:1–9
Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Psalm 122:2

We look for the heavenly Jerusalem still to come, for we are still pilgrims. We have not yet fully arrived, and our eyes are fixed not even on the church, as wonderful as it can be, but on the heavenly “city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10).

We catch a glimpse of that city in Revelation, where the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descends from heaven. It is no mere copy of the earthly city that had been destroyed for its sins. It is a glorious new city described in what we would call surrealistic terms: “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed. . . . And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (21:11–14).

When John looked for the city’s temple, he did not see one, because “the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. . . . Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (vv. 22–27).

A river of life is in the city, flowing down from the throne of God. It causes trees to bear fruit, and their leaves are for “the healing of the nations” (22:2). John’s description ends by glancing at God’s servants, those who see God’s face and bear his name on their foreheads. They dwell in perpetual light and reign with him “forever and ever” (v. 5).

These descriptions bear ties to reality, for heaven is a real place, not merely an idea; yet they are also clearly symbols, all with a rich biblical history, pointing to the glories, joys, and eternal security of those who are truly God’s people. What really matters is that we are going there. Christians are pilgrims who know that God is able to keep them from falling and at last to present them before his glorious presence with great joy (see Jude 24).

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.