Jesus and his Apostles taught us to keep our focus on the next age. However, when it comes to the next age when we live on the New Earth it is important to remember that God has only revealed what he wants to reveal and we can’t force Scripture to answer questions it isn’t trying to answer. Yet, we have more than enough information in Scripture to assure us that the next age will be euphoric for God’s saints.
In Revelation 21 the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven onto Earth (v. 2). Throughout Revelation 21-22 we find signs that this New Jerusalem is also a New Eden. From Revelation 2:7 we know that it is a paradise; remember that Eden means “pleasure” in Hebrew. We will live in delight.
This new Eden will not just be a restoration of the first Eden but rather a vastly superior Eden. In the New Eden God and the Lamb will sit on their throne for all to behold. In the New Eden the people of God will not be vulnerable to committing sin but rather will be married to the Lamb of God. Nothing unclean will ever enter the city of God (Rev. 21:27). We shall have full knowledge (1 Cor. 13:12) and we will be luminous and divinely beautiful. The Enemy will be destroyed and nothing will ever threaten us again.
In the New Eden and we will enjoy nature in perfect harmony. We will enjoy the new sights and sounds and smells of a wondrous world without corruption or death. We will be fruitful, free of violence and destruction and tears. Presumably this New Eden will fill the whole earth since it too is new.
We will drink of the river of water of life (21:6; 22:1). Jesus said “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37, ESV) and we “will never be thirsty again” for his water will be “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14,ESV). On the old earth our souls were thirsting to be with God (Ps. 42:1-2) and to drink of his wondrous nature (2 Pet. 1:4) and now we will drink from a river of his delights!
This is the life we look forward to and it makes all our current sacrifices worth it.
