New Jerusalem will have a ‘great and high wall’ in which are twelve gates; each gate being a single pearl. And on each gate is the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The wall of the city rests on twelve foundations. Each foundation is adorned with a precious stone and on each foundation is the name of one of the twelve apostles. Ten of the twelve foundation stones can be identified with the stones on the High Priest’s breastplate.
The street of the city is literally pure gold. As such the street or any part of the city is not subject to decay.
There will be no need of the sun or moon because the glory of the presence of God will illuminate both the city and renewed earth. Therefore, there will be no night in the new heaven or new earth.
“There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light…” Revelation 22:5
Again the absence of the sun in the future was addressed by the prophets of old.
“The sun shall no longer be our light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.” Isaiah 60:19
In addition, presently the solar system provides the dimension of time which will not be needed in the new heaven and new earth.
Jerusalem has always been the city where God would dwell forever as He revealed to Ezekiel.
“…Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever.” Ezekiel 43:7a
Jerusalem was Israel’s capital city up through 70 AD. Jerusalem will once again be the capital of Israel where Christ will reign during the millennial kingdom, and New Jerusalem will be the place where God the Father, God the Lamb, and the fountain of living waters will reside forever.
It is interesting to note that during the present geopolitical turmoil Jerusalem is such a political hotspot that the UN will not allow Israel to claim Jerusalem as their capital; rather their present capital is Tel Aviv.
All that will change.
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2
The city is referred to as ‘the bride’ and is described as ‘the Lamb’s wife.’ Interestingly the nation of Israel was said to be wed to God the Father while the church is said to be the bride of Christ, His Son.
New Jerusalem was introduced millennia ago.
“At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it…No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.” Jeremiah 3:17
But even more than a millennium before Jeremiah, Abraham envisioned the heavenly city.
Abraham was a faithful servant who simply took God at His word. He waited for New Jerusalem.
“By faith Abraham obeyed…By faith he dwelt in the land of promise…for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:8a, 9-10
The writer of Hebrews listed others who were faithful servants of God and then proclaimed God’s reward for their faithfulness.
“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16
Thereafter the writer of Hebrews compared Mount Sinai, the frightening mountain at which Moses was given the law; with the future heavenly Mount Zion and the ‘city of the living God.’
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven…to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant…” Hebrews 12:22-24
And New Jerusalem will be the home of the ‘Church’ forever.
What a wonderful future awaits the faithful.