Author: Don Gerrity

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Rev. 21:2-3 KJV)

Some are teaching that this does not happen until the end of the 1000 year Millennium reign of Christ on Earth. They believe this because of the previous chapter, Rev. 20 where it describes what will happen at the end of the Kingdom Age. The thing is, if you think about it, in Revelation 20, it is just discussing about Satan and His Angels and all those who rejected the great gift of salvation through belief on Christ, and where their final destination is going to be. It shows the Great White Throne Judgement of all the dead who rejected Christ. All at that final destination are going to be condemned because they are not found in the Book Of Life, which contains the names of every person who ever lived who was not blotted out because of unbelief on Christ at their death. It is not a chronological order between chapter 19 and 21. It is like an insert to discuss what will happen to the unredeemed and the devil and his angels and how it will take place. It is written as warning to people to repent and believe the Gospel of salvation.

Then John goes back to writing about the start of the Kingdom Age Millennium reign of Christ on Earth. This is written as a great encouragement for people to believe on Christ and get eternally saved by belief on Christ and His once for all blood atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 10) for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). This is how I see it and it makes sense by the Scriptures in Matthew 24 and Revelation 21 as well.

In Matthew 24:29 Jesus said that after the Tribulation period, the sun and moon will not give it’s light. They will be darkened. That could be the New Heavens of Revelation 21. We already know the Earth will be renewed during the Kingdom Age and become the utopia it once was before the fall of Adam and Eve. Maybe the Earth was taken off it’s axis giving it different stars? It is speculation on my part and we do not know the specifics, but we do know that it will happen.

In describing the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 it does read,

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.” (Rev. 21:23-24 KJV)

The light of the New Jerusalem will be bright enough as the sun and all on the Earth will walk in it’s light! Jesus said He is the light of the world and this also gives new meaning to the enormity of the presence of God and the light He is.

And then there is another clue in Revelation 21 and that is how it starts right at the first verse.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1 KJV)

Now let’s compare this to the description Isaiah gave those in the Old Testament as an encouragement about the final destination of those who will believe which is not the New Jerusalem but the Earthly Jerusalem on Earth in the Kingdom Age promised by God to come,

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” (Isaiah 65:17-20 KJV)

Sound familiar? This sure looks exactly the same as Rev. 21 and the timing is at the start of the 1000 year Kingdom Age where Christ is ruling on Earth, the New Jerusalem hovering a certain distance from the Earth in space.

That is how I see it, in any case by looking at the context closely.

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:1-2 KJV)

This passage is Jesus describing to us The New Jerusalem. This is the place Jesus referred too when He said,

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3 KJV)

I believe that Scripture shows that at the Rapture event, before the Tribulation Period begins, believers will be snatched off the Earth and find themselves in the place Jesus has been preparing for all who believe on Him for salvation; The Bride Of Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). This place is what many refer too as “Heaven”. Only Church Age believers, from the cross to the Rapture event to come, will reside in this Heavenly City.

During the 7 year Tribulation Period on Earth, the Bride of Christ will reside in this city located in the 3rd Heaven where God is. After the Tribulation Period, this physical 3 dimensional object/city will leave the 3rd Heaven and start it’s way toward Earth from space. The New Jerusalem is not on Earth during the 1000 year Millennium reign of Christ on Earth (The Kingdom Age). At the Second coming of Christ we see the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven (space). It will arrive hovering the Earth at some distance not mentioned, after the Second Coming. Why do I believe will it not land on the Earth?

If we look at Rev 20:9 it describes the final rebellion after Satan is released for a short time near the end of the 1000 year Reign of Christ on Earth.

“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:9 KJV)

Let us look at this verse as written in the Greek to gain a better understanding about this beloved city. It says that those rebelling against Christ and being led by Satan, “went UP on the BREADTH of the Earth”. The original Greek word for ‘UP’ is ‘anabainō’ and means ‘to climb…ascend’. The original Greek the word ‘BREADTH’ is ‘platos’ and means ‘a great extent’. The original Greek word for ‘EARTH’ is ‘gē’ and means ‘the earth as a whole, the earth as opposed to the heavens’.

This verse mentions two locations. One is the camp of the saints (City of Jerusalem in Israel on Earth) and the other  ‘the BELOVED city’ (The New Jerusalem hovering above the Earth in space). It does not state one place being attacked in this final rebellion led by the devil. It seems to indicate an attack on the camp of the saints on Earth and a Beloved City. I believe this beloved city is the New Jerusalem.

Because of the enormity of the size of the New Jerusalem which is 1500 miles x1500 miles x 1500 miles it does not seem plausible to land on Earth and that it has 3 dimensions and is within our 3D universe. It is so huge that the Earth would likely wobble if it was on the planet.

The survivors of the Tribulation Period in the future will see The New Jerusalem coming. Unlike the Rapture, which is in the twinkling of an eye, in an instant, the Tribulation survivors (both believers watching for it and unbelievers not watching for it) will have time as it approaches the Earth. The unbelievers will have great fear and hide themselves in caves in terror of it approaching. Believers will be getting very excited!

After Christ judges the survivors of the Tribulation Period (Sheep and Goats Judgement), surviving believers will start repopulating the Earth in mortal bodies. Old Testament saints will be bodily resurrected at that time and will reside on Earth in Israel. Israel is the camp where they will rule over the nations as Jesus has appointed tasks and positions for them to do and fulfill; they will rule as priests. They will live on the Earth. The Bride of Christ have glorified bodies and reside in The New Jerusalem forever, and will be Kings and Priests. And so, the 1000 year Kingdom Age will begin like this.

The Tree Of Life is mentioned in the Garden Of Edan and the fruit and leaves from it sustained Adam and Eve. It has properties giving immortality. Why would it be needed in the New Jerusalem when all who reside there already have eternal glorified bodies that can never become ill nor die? Well when we look at the words closely, it does not state that the residences of The New Jerusalem will be the ones needing it.

“…and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22 KJV)

These are for the ‘healing of the nations’. They will be no nations in the New Jerusalem and so this means it is for the mortals living on Earth. The leaves and fruit will give them long life and healing. They will live very long lives, up to 1000 years even as did those before the flood. Remember, the Bride of Christ will reside in The New Jerusalem and be ‘kings and priests’. We will be going back and forth to Earth and the New Jerusalem in helping rule , reign and teach with Christ on the Earth.