A City Unlike Any We’ve Ever Experienced

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 21:22-27

In Revelation 21:22-27, John describes a city unlike any we’ve ever experienced. First, this heavenly dwelling place has no need for a temple. What’s more, this city needs neither a sun for its illumination nor gates for its protection. In one sense, this city of the Lamb will be the climactic end to all of human history. But in another, it will be just the beginning of an eternity spent in communion with the Triune God. This city is, without exaggeration, the place we were made to inhabit forever.

Now, it is no small thing to say that this city lacks a temple. In the New Jerusalem, Christ Himself will be this place of holy communion. Indeed, it is just as John said, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Only then, in the heavenly city, Christ will be with us bodily, and He will not be going anywhere. Communion with God will not be limited to the confines of a physical building, and sin will not cloud our sight. In fact, the whole of creation will be the stage for the eternal enjoyment of our Creator. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the triumphant words earlier in the chapter, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God’” (Revelation 21:3).

It is a strange thought that this city will be one without a sun or moon. However, this makes a little more sense when we read Revelation 21:22-27 in light of the prophetic words of Isaiah 60: “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended” (Isaiah 60:19-20). When face to face with the Lamb, He will be all the light we need (John 8:12). Just like Jesus says in Matthew, this light will not be put under a basket; the light of this city will not be hidden (Matthew 5:14-16). All of creation will be bathed in the illuminating truth of God. We will no longer walk in darkness but with clarity and focus.

Verse 11 of Isaiah 60 says, “Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession.” Echoing this, Revelation 21 stresses that the gates of New Jerusalem will not need to close for the night, as there will be no such thing. Its inhabitants need not fear any invading opposition. Eternal security will be ours forever in Christ, and this security will extend to all of the nations.

Now, the beauty of this city comes with the seriousness of potential exclusion from it. Revelation 21:27 stresses that nothing unclean will ever enter this heavenly dwelling place. Anything not washed by the blood of Christ, and anyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. This should prompt us to seriously look at our lives and more intently turn our eyes to Jesus. His interceding work will be the only reason we enjoy eternity with Him.

Ultimately, heaven will be wonderful not because of where it is or what it is, but because of Who is there with us. Heaven will be wonderful because we will be in the presence of God. Indeed, after reading Revelation 21:22-27, we can confidently say, “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).