The Destiny of the Church

VI. THE BELIEVER WILL ENTER INTO A NEW CONDITION AND ABODE OF LIFE.
1. A NEW SPHERE OF LIFE FOR THE SAINTS.
New Heavens and a new Earth: Paradise regained; new spiritual environment; new physical conditions. Not surrounded by the temptations and defects of this mortal life. "No more sea"—to the Jew a symbol of unmixed peril, trouble, and restlessness.
2. A NEW HOME FOR THE SAINTS.
Rev. 21-22:5—A picture of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is to be the final and eternal abode of the people of God.
Within the New Heavens and on the New Earth is the Holy City. Note some characteristics of the Holy City: Its Name: New Jerusalem—what music to the ear of the Jew, who for so long had been without a city of his own! Its Walls (21:17): high, secure, safe against all assaults. Its Gates (21:15, 21): guarded by angels; names on gates; only saints enter. Its Foundations (v.14): the Apostles of the Lamb; lustrous (18). Its Citizens: of the nations that are saved (citizens' characteristics 21:6, 7; 22:14, R. V.; contrast with 21:8, 27). Its Magnitude: 4800 stadia (the earthly Jerusalem being but 33 stadia). Its Glory (11-23): what costliness!
3. NEW CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE REDEEMED.
God's home is there (21:3); thus the believer has uninterrupted communion with God. Some things that used to be have all passed away: death, mourning, curse, tears, sorrow, night—all have gone. New created things appear: the river of life, the tree of life, new service, new relationships, new light (22:4).
"AND AFTER THESE THINGS I HEARD A GREAT VOICE
OF MUCH PEOPLE IN HEAVEN, SAYING, ALLELUIA;
SALVATION, AND GLORY, AND HONOUR, AND POWER,
UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD:
"AND THE FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS AND THE
FOUR BEASTS FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPPED GOD THAT SAT ON THE THRONE, SAYING, AMEN; ALLELUIA.
"AND A VOICE CAME OUT OF THE THRONE, SAYING,
PRAISE OUR GOD, ALL YE HIS SERVANTS, AND YE THAT FEAR HIM, BOTH SMALL AND GREAT.
"AND I HEARD AS IT WERE THE VOICE OF A GREAT
MULTITUDE, AND AS THE VOICE OF MANY WATERS,
AND AS THE VOICE OF MIGHTY THUNDERINGS, SAYING,
ALLELUIA: FOR THE LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH.
"LET US BE GLAD AND REJOICE, AND GIVE HONOUR
TO HIM: FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB IS COME, AND HIS WIFE HATH MADE HERSELF READY.
"AND TO HER WAS GRANTED THAT SHE SHOULD BE
ARRAYED IN FINE LINEN, CLEAN AND WHITE: FOR
THE FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF SAINTS."
The Great Doctrines of the Bible.