God and man will be face to face once again.
“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.’” Revelation 21:3
The separation resulting from sin in the Garden of Eden is no more. The voice John heard was from the celestial heaven proclaiming that the tabernacle of God, i.e. the temple in the heavenly Jerusalem, was descending from the heavens to earth.
The earthly tabernacle was patterned after this heavenly tabernacle.
The Greek word for ‘dwell’ means ‘among us, remain, and abide.’
We can refer to the prophet Ezekiel to see where God reveals His plan to be in the presence of His chosen nation Israel forever.
“David My servant shall be king over them…Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them…and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”
Ezekiel 37:24, 26-28
Wouldn’t America like to have such a promise?
The prophet Isaiah spoke the same about Israel several centuries earlier.
“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the LORD, “So shall your descendants and your name remain.” Isaiah 66:22
Some of the greatest blessings on the new heavens and earth are things that will not be.
In the very presence of God there will be nothing that will hinder redeemed man from living wonderfully forever.
“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.” Revelation 21:4
The Greek for ‘death’ in the present context means physical death which was the due payment for sin beginning with Adam and Eve.
To be from free from ‘pain’ means that there will be no more travail, toil, grief, or sorrow or mourning.
The New Jerusalem spoken of by Isaiah seven centuries before Christ was born also mentioned the absence of suffering.
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind…I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” Isaiah 65:19
All such suffering will have passed away just as the first heaven and earth, meaning to depart or be unloosed. And recall that the pain and sorrows experienced in the old will not even be remembered in the new heaven and new earth.
Then God tells John that He (God) was the beginning and the end. Nothing was before Him and nothing will be after Him. Then He tells John of what awaits him.
“…I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.” Revelation 21:6
The Greek for fountain represents an emblem of the highest enjoyment.
Water of life in the present context represents the refreshing, comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. The Greek for life means physical life and existence as opposed to death and nonexistence. It is similar to the sustenance of the tree of life.
God will freely give the water of life to anyone who thirsts, and the Greek for thirsts means one who ardently desires.
God then confirms sonship for those who prevail.
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” Revelation 21:7
The meaning of ‘overcome’ is ‘to be victorious, subdue, conquer, and/or prevail’ over the world and all of its evil.
‘Inherit’ means ‘to acquire and possess’ all things.
And to be a ‘son’ or child of God is tremendously profound. Such define those whom God loves and cherishes as a father. Sons include God’s chosen from every nation, tribe, and tongue.