Several things are missing from the city: a temple, natural light, and night. Since God dwells personally with His people, no temple is necessary. His glory replaces the glory of the sun, moon, and stars. Night in the Bible symbolizes death, sin, sorrow; these things are banished from the city forever. The New Heaven and the New Earth will be radically different from the present earth. The gates will never be shut, so God’s people will have access to the city from every part of His renewed universe! The streets of the New Jerusalem were made of the highest quality pure gold. This new earth will have nations (21:24). All the glory of these nations will be brought to God, where it belongs.
All in heaven will be perfectly holy. No one who practices abomination and lying, shall never come into the New Jerusalem. The only occupants are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Next the angel shows to the Apostle John “a river of the water of life” (22:1). The river was clear as crystal so it could reflect the glory of God. It flows down from the throne of God and of the Lamb in a dazzling, never-ending stream. On either side of the river was the tree of life which is a counterpart of the tree of life in the garden of Eden. But this celestial tree bears 12-kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month with infinite variety. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (22:2). They would be life giving or health giving leaves. The saints in New Jerusalem will not have the necessity to eat the healing or health giving leaves, perhaps they may eat for enjoyment.
The privileges of the occupants: (22:3-5):
- Curse is removed: The most dramatic change in the New Jerusalem from the present world is that there “will no longer be any curse” (22:3). The removal of curse means the end of sorrow, pain and especially death (Gen. 2:17).
- No temple: The throne of God and the Lamb will there, and He will be the Heaven’s sovereign ruler. All the saints will see God’s face. Being perfectly holy and righteous, they will be able to endure the heavenly level of the glorious light from God’s presence without being consumed which was something impossible for humans on earth (Ex.33:20).
- An identity is given: God’s name will be on the foreheads of saints. This shows that they belong to God. There will be no longer be any night, nor they would need any light of a lamp or the light of the sun.
- Intimate fellowship with God: The saints will enjoy eternally in New Jerusalem with intimate fellowship with God. Once sinful rebels but now converted by the blood of Christ and designated as saints will serve God and will also reign with Him.