As the New Heavens and Earth is spiritual, so is the further description of the New Jerusalem of verse two. We will examine verse two and three, today. First, John wrote that he saw the holy city. The kingdom is often referred to as a celestial city (Luke 21:28,32-32; Heb. 12:28). In this city dwells righteousness (2 Pet. 3:18). It is a holy city (v. 1). “There shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that makes an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (v. 27). According to Isaiah, who prophesies of this very city, he writes, “Be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and there shall be heard in her no more the voice of weeping, and the voice of crying.” He also writes that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says Jehovah” (65:17-25).
The city is called “new Jerusalem.” This city cannot be Rome anymore than you can make a contrast between old Jerusalem and new Rome. This would be illogical. The contrast is between the old earthly Jerusalem and the new heavenly Jerusalem. By heavenly, we mean that it is spiritual and not measured by physical features and size.
A further description of the city is given in the same verse. The new city is identified as “being ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” Ephesians 5:22-23 portrays the body of Christ as a bride without spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. This description identifies the holy city, new Jerusalem as the people of God (the called-out, ekklesia) who is about to enter this new relationship with Christ or consummate this relationship. The relationship has begun but its consummation is about to begin just as the new Jerusalem will be occupied only by those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. The Lamb will take His bride unto Himself forever. As Jesus taught in Matthew 19, “What God joined together, let no man put asunder.” Matthew 25 pictures the coming of the bridegroom and the festivities expected to begin when the bridegroom arrives. The Groom has gone to prepare a place for His bride (cf. John 14:1-3; cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:50-58; Luke 21:20-33).
When Christ came in the flesh, He was God with us (the Immanuel), but few saw His majestic glory. Yet, all the citizens of this holy city will not only see His glory, they will dwell in His glory (21:23). Both the Lamb and the Father will, Himself dwell there and be their God. This is not heaven. The Groom and the Father come down the dwell in this new Jerusalem to be in fellowship with His people in the new Jerusalem, the holy city wherein dwells righteousness. This accords with the summary of chapter 20, wherein we find the reign of Christ with His saints in the thousand year reign. This reign will be interrupted with the loosing of Satan, the deception of the nations and persecution of God’s people before God sends fire from heaven to destroy the persecutors. Once again, this is a physical attack that can only affect the physical, not the spiritual creation. It that realm, nothing can touch, hurt or altar the peace and joy that is experienced in the holy city. Isaiah added that there would be no weeping. That is the character of this new age, measured by spiritual happiness and bliss.