Revelation 21:21-27 - "There Will Be No NIght There"

Yesterday we tried to describe the great city, the Holy Jerusalem that John saw come down out of heaven from God. As we said, it is beautiful beyond description. Edith and I were on our way home last evening, coming back from a doctor’s appointment in Roanoke. It had been raining and just before sunset the sun came through the clouds in the west and we begin to see the most beautiful rainbow ever, go across the sky to our east. But that was only the beginning of the display of God’s creative beauty! As the sun was setting, the western sky light up with a hue of numerous colors almost like we have never seen before. Purple, orange, red, pink, blue and so on. Goodness, I can’t even begin to tell you how fantastic it was as they all seem to blend together in indescribable colors! I remarked to Edith, it was if the Lord was saying to me, especially after our devotion yesterday morning about the light of God and the Lamb shining thought the crystals, gems and precious stones that made up the foundations of the Holy City, “If you think this is beautiful, just wait till you see what I have prepared for my people for eternity in heaven!” As if just seeing the magnificent capital city of heaven from a distance was not privilege enough, John's angelic guide took him inside. As he entered the city, the apostle noted that the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. The streets in the New Jerusalem were made of the highest quality pure gold which, like everything else in the heavenly city, was transparent like glass. Translucent gold is not a material familiar to us on this earth. But everything there is transparent to let the light of God's glory blaze unrestricted. Once inside the city, the first thing John noted was that there was no temple in it. Up to this point, there has been a temple in heaven (cf. 7:15; 11:19; 14:15, 17; 15:5-8; 16:1, 17). But there will be no need for a temple in the new Jerusalem, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Their blazing glory will fill the new heaven and the new earth, and there will be no need for anyone to go anywhere to worship God. Life will be worship and worship will be life. Believers will be constantly in His presence (cf. 21:3); there will never be a moment when they are not in perfect, holy communion with the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. Thus, there will be no need to go to a temple, cathedral, church, chapel, or any other house of worship. Believers will be the true worshipers God has always sought (John 4:23). Returning to the theme of God's brilliant, shining glory, John notes that the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The new heaven and the new earth will be radically different from the present earth, which is totally dependent on the sun and moon. They provide the cycles of light and darkness, and the moon causes the ocean tides. But in the new heaven and the new earth, they will be unnecessary. There will be no seas (21:1) and hence no tides. Nor will the sun and moon be needed to provide light, for the glory of God will illumine the New Jerusalem and its lamp will be the Lamb. Be blessed and encouraged today as you meditate on our future eternal home! God bless!