Scripture: Revelation 21:22-23 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
Devotional: We can read in Scripture a little bit about what heaven’s descent will look like. And, oddly enough, heaven coming to earth will be a giant cube. Here is what Revelation 21:15-21 (NLT) says, “The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel). The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.”
John’s description of the new heaven here is a bit confusing and perplexing, yet amazing and awe-inspiring. Even though it is nearly impossible to picture, it helps reiterate the ideas of how much higher and greater God is than us. Yet, the verses that follow this description help to give us an even better idea of just how magnificent this will be.
Where the presence of God used to dwell in a tabernacle in Jerusalem, there will be no temple in the new Jerusalem. This is not because the presence of God does not exist there, rather the opposite. The presence of God and Jesus will pervade all throughout the new heaven and the new earth. His presence will be everywhere. Where the holy of holies was once a building, the holy of holies will now be all of creation. The presence of God will not be confined or contained but will permeate every ounce of space. The very presence and glory of God will light the whole city.
Reflect:
- As believers, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. But imagine what it will be like to experience God’s presence every minute of every day everywhere we go.
- God Himself created light and gave us night and day. There will be no night and day because His glory will be a light at all times. Imagine the warmth and comfort of that. Praise Him for both of these things!
