There are biblical prophecies that affirm that the resurrected saints, from the time of Adam to the time of the second coming of Christ, the second Adam, will live in the new heavens and earth, and also that they will live in mansions in "the city of God," in "new Jerusalem." However, as we have previously observed, it seems that the new Jerusalem does not descend from heaven till after the millennial kingdom age. If that is so, will the saints have their own private estates on earth during the millennium and must wait till the end of the millennium to take up residence in the new Jerusalem? I don't believe so.
In the previous chapters I have cited from Dr. John Walvoord a scholar in the area of eschatology. I cite him again now from the same source, where he talks about life in the Millennium. (See here) He wrote (all emphasis mine):
"According to this view, the city is proceeding from heaven to the earth as seen in Revelation 21:10 and is established with its foundations on the new earth. It is evident from any careful study of the millennial scene that the heavenly Jerusalem does not correspond to the earthly Jerusalem of the millennium."
That is true. The earthly Jerusalem, though glorious in the Millennium, is not the same as the New Jerusalem. As we will see, during the Millennium the New Jerusalem will hover as a satellite or moon, over the earth, and will descend from the sky and be firmly fixed upon the earth at the end of the Millennium.
Says Walvoord further:
"A third view, however, is sometimes offered which is a mediate view between the first two mentioned. This view contemplates the heavenly Jerusalem as in existence during the millennium over the earth as the habitation of the resurrected saints, and is in contrast to the city of Jerusalem located on the earth. The heavenly Jerusalem apparently is withdrawn at the time of the destruction of the present earth and heaven. Then as pictured in Revelation 21:2 it returns to the new heaven and the new earth when the scene is ready for its descent. This interpretation regards Revelation 21:9ff as the heavenly city in the eternal state though recognizing its existence in the millennium. This seems to solve most of the exegetical problems that are involved and, in fact, answers many objections to the premillennial interpretation of Scripture as a whole. It provides a clear distinction between resurrected saints who inhabit the New Jerusalem and the millennial saints on the earth who will inhabit the millennial earth. It is assumed, though the Scriptures do not state it, that the millennial saints at the end of the millennium will be translated prior to their entrance into the eternal state and thus will qualify for entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem."
Some speculation is involved in our understanding of these things. This is because there is still much mystery about life in the Millennium and in the ages that follow.
Walvoord wrote:
"Much of the confusion that exists in regard to the millennium and the eternal state stems from a failure to distinguish between the promises that are given to the last generation of saints who are on the earth at the time of the second advent and the promises that are given resurrected or translated saints in both the Old and New Testaments."
That is so true. It is failure to see this distinction that had led many to misunderstand certain scriptures, such as the judgment of the sheep and goat nations of Matthew chapter twenty five.
Bible teacher Randy Alcorn at the C.S. Lewis web page (See here) said:
"So God’s ultimate plan of redemption is not relocating us as disembodied spirits to live forever in an angelic realm, but to bring us down ultimately to a new earth that He will create, where we will live as resurrected believers."
It is a Gnostic or Pagan idea, prevalent both in ancient times and in today's world, to see the physical world as evil and that salvation is an exiting from the physical world so as to exist forever as a spirit in a purely spiritual world. That is not the Hebrew or Christian idea, however.
He also said:
"You think it’s going to be boring? No! Servants always have things to do, places to go, people to see. You only think of heaven as boring if you think of it as drifting around in this spirit realm that wasn’t really made for human beings. But God has made a place for us, and the ultimate place — for now He’s made a place for us in the present heaven and it’s a great and wonderful place — He’s going to relocate it to the new earth."
I agree and have addressed this question of boredom previously, though not yet as thoroughly as we shall yet do. I have contended that life in eternity will be in many ways like it is now, without however, the sin and the evils. Most things we do now to bring happiness to us will still be done, but added to those things will be other greater and better sources of joy and pleasure. We will discuss these pleasures in greater detail in upcoming chapters.
He also said:
"But again, if we weren’t told there is going to be a new earth, we’d almost have to suppose there was one because where are all these new bodies going to live? Where are we going to be when we eat and drink? Aren’t we going to have tables, and isn’t there going to be a floor? And isn’t there going to be ground to live on? And the answer is yes. The resurrection demands a new earth, the body promises it. Do we see this in Scripture? Absolutely: Isaiah 60, Isaiah 65, Revelation 21 and 22. They all talk about the new earth. And the end of Revelation 21 talks about God’s children ruling the earth: the kings of the nations of the earth will bring their glory into the new Jerusalem. And its gates will never be shut, and they will bring it with splendors and the honor of the nations. And what are these splendors? I think they’re probably tributes; people making stuff, creativity continuing. We will still be an image of God, and we will be all the more in the image of God in the sense that sin will not in any way tarnish us or hold us back, hold back our imagination and our creativity. So I think they will bring in tributes to the King of kings. Revelation 22 says His servants will serve Him; well, that’s redeemed work and redeemed rest and redeemed eating and drinking. If all that, and we know all that, why not redeemed culture, redeemed agriculture, redeemed music and arts and science and play and writing and reading and redeemed exploration of the world, all to the glory of God. If the current universe declares the glory of God in His handiwork, how much more in a universe that’s no longer under the curse?"
I agree that people will still be making stuff and that creativity and discovery will still be a part of the human experience. Of course, life for the glorified church will not be exactly the same as those who are yet on earth in mortal condition, as we have noticed before. We have seen where the new heavens and earth still have people growing crops under ideal conditions, and how animals will still be on earth, though their natures will be changed, and how all the evil beasts (pests) will be eliminated. The record is "they will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Isa. 11: 9) Yes, there will still be music and the various arts to enjoy. People will enjoy people and there will be nothing to make anyone afraid. Of course, for that to be so on earth as well as in heavenly Jerusalem, a drastic and miraculous change must be made to the psychology, character, and nature of the people who will dwell there. Of that we will surely, the Lord willing, have much to say later.
He also said:
"It means restoring something that’s been lost, and now it’s in a better than-ever form. In Acts 3:21, Peter said that Christ must remain in heaven “until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.” Again, His mission is not obliteration; it’s restoration! So what does it mean that one day God will restore everything? Again, it means the biblical doctrine of the new earth, and the great thing is that if we realize this, we will no longer have to have bucket lists. We will no longer have to grab for everything we can grab in this world because, you know, you only go around once. This is our only opportunity to really experience the wonders and joys and beauties of this world. No, it’s not! The best is yet to come so if you’re disappointed because there were things you really would have liked to do, things that were on your bucket list and now you’re realizing you’re not going to be able to do because of your own health, or maybe your spouse’s health or your financial situation. Whatever it is, for whatever reasons you can’t do some of the things you longed to do, the best is yet to come! We do not pass our peaks in this life. So don’t let the evil one fool you into thinking that you have passed your peak."
I agree with these well spoken words. There will always be new things to discover and to enjoy. It is true that the redemption of the human race and the physical world brings restoration so that Eden or Paradise is now the scene on earth, yet this does not mean that people will go back to being naked (as Adam and Eve were before they sinned). Also, the pleasures of eating and drinking will be experienced although I don't think the new bodies of the resurrected saints need to use the toilet, no more than Christ does now in his glorified human body. He ate bread and fish with his disciples after his resurrection. I believe part of the transformation of the body will involve the ability to enjoy eating without digestion and excretion.
He also said:
"All the missed opportunities in this life will be replaced by billions of better opportunities forever. So when you think about the promise of heaven, think about the amazingly good news that God has in store for us, a redeemed physical world. No child wants to grow up to be a ghost. If we give our children the impression that heaven is this ghostly existence where all we do is sing hymns forever and strum a harp, and it’s going to be boring — no. The greatest adventures await us in the world to come."
Oh so right! So many people's idea of life in eternity or in heaven is not bible based, but is rather pure fiction. These false ideas about heaven, the afterlife, and life in eternity as immortals, include the Gnostic (of which we have already spoken along with the authors cited above), the Pagan, the sensual, and the fanciful. As we have seen, and see yet further, there will be no boredom, restlessness, apathy, or disinterest. I like Alcorn's describing life having then "the greatest adventures." So true! So exciting too.
The Good & Bad of Cities
Cities often conjure up negatives in the minds of many people, especially those who live in rural or country land areas outside of the city. But, this negative connotation to city life will no longer exist for those who will occupy the New Jerusalem, nor the cities on the earth in the millennial age next to come or in the ceaseless ages to follow. Though there have been some glorious cities in the world since the beginning, most of them degenerated in both the physical aspects of them or in the citizens who lived in them. Many of them became "sin city." If one reads the first ten chapters or so of the book of Genesis he gets the impression that cities are evil in themselves. In "Hate the City, Love the City" by Jonathan K. Dodson (See here), we have some good things said about this subject. Before defending cities as not being in themselves evil, he first gives the negative view of them, asking a question at the beginning of his thesis which asks "After all, doesn’t the Bible support a God-against-the-city stance? Doesn’t the Bible hate the city?" He then responds with these words (emphasis mine):
"In the first eleven chapters of Genesis, urban development is associated with the cursed line-the line of Cain, not the blessed line of Seth. The first mention of a city in the Bible is associated with Enoch, son of Cain the murderer (Gen 4:17). Enoch came from a long line of criminals. His offspring cultivated cities of immorality (polygamy, murder) and culture (music, metallurgy). The story of the Cainite line appears to lead to the conclusion that cities are evil; that they are hotbeds of hostility and immorality, dwellings of dangerous people and devilish culture. Doesn’t Genesis endorse hatred of the city? A conclusion further warranted by God’s solution to flood the earth and start over with the creation project?"
Well, it seems Genesis does leave one with that impression. Even Jerusalem never became the ideal city, though it had an ideal constitution from the Almighty. But, the conclusion of this question is seen in the words of the apostle Paul, cited earlier, "for here we have no continuing city" (Heb. 13: 14), or no ideal or perfect city. But, we do "seek one to come." That city will not have all the bad things that are now associated with cities. But, how God will keep the cities of the new heavens and earth, including New Jerusalem, from degrading and becoming slums is not fully known, although we have already seen how heaven on earth changes the physical environment so that things do not rust or decay. Further, how will the citizens of the New Jerusalem move around in a city 1400 miles square and 1400 miles high? Will we need elevators? If I live on one level in one corner of the city, and another believer who I want to visit is on another level in another corner, how will I get there? What kind of transportation system will be in the New Jerusalem and in the numerous cities in the age to come? That there will be other cities on earth during the Millennial Kingdom is seen in these words of Christ:
"Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities." (Luke 19: 16-19 kjv)
In upcoming chapters we will discuss the work that the resurrected and glorified saints will be doing as appointed priests, kings, judges, and lords.
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