The New Jerusalem

by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

"But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." (Isaiah 65:18)

Here is a remarkable act of creation! The verb "create" always has God as its subject, and it would surely require the divine Creator to "create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy!" Jerusalem throughout her history has been a city of conflict and sorrow, and her people have suffered under oppressors longer than any other nation, not only in Jerusalem (meaning, ironically, "city of peace"), but all throughout the world.

The ultimate fulfillment of this striking prophecy can only be when we (like John in his vision) see "the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2). In that day, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

If there is no more sorrow, there can only be rejoicing; if there is no more death, there will be eternal rejoicing, just as our text assures us. This will be our everlasting home, so indeed "her people" will be, in their new creation, "a joy" forever.

Since the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven, it is now in heaven, where Christ has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14:2). Our Creator/Redeemer has created this new Jerusalem as our eternal dwelling place, as well as the new heavens and new earth.

Isaiah then ends his remarkable prophecy with this wonderful assurance: "As the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain" (Isaiah 66:22). HMM