What does the Bible say about the New Jerusalem?

from the old testament

• There are Old Testament references to a future glorified Jerusalem that align with the New Jerusalem described in Revelation. Isaiah 2:2–4 predicts a future Jerusalem will be exalted above the nations, where God’s law and peace will reign.
• Isaiah 25:6–8 says that God will prepare a great feast, remove sorrow, and swallow up death forever in His holy mountain.
• Jerusalem will no longer need the sun or moon because the Lord will be its everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19–22).
• God promises to create new heavens and a new earth, where Jerusalem will be a place of joy with no more weeping (Isaiah 65:17–19).
• God promises to establish an everlasting covenant of peace, making His dwelling place among His people (Ezekiel 37:26–28).
• Ezekiel also has a vision of a restored temple and city, which points to a future glorified Jerusalem with God's presence (Ezekiel 40–48).
• Daniel 7:27 promises that the kingdom of the Most High will be everlasting, given to the saints, and ruled in righteousness.
• Zechariah also promises that God will dwell in Jerusalem, and many nations will join themselves to the Lord (Zechariah 2:10–12).
• The Lord will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem, calling it the City of Truth (Zechariah 8:3). Living waters will flow from Jerusalem, and it will be secure, never again to be destroyed (Zechariah 14:8–11).

from the new testament

• The New Jerusalem will come after Christ’s 1,000-year reign on earth (Revelation 20:4–6) and the final judgment, when God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1–2). It will descend from heaven as the eternal dwelling place of God with His redeemed people, after sin, death, and Satan are fully defeated (Revelation 20:10–15; 21:3–4).
• The New Jerusalem is the heavenly city the Bible prophesies will exist on the new earth at the end of time. It is described in detail in Revelation 21:9–27.
• The first aspect mentioned about the New Jerusalem in this passage is that its origin is in heaven: "the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God" (Revelation 21:10).
• The beauty of the New Jerusalem is also described as: "having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal" (Revelation 21:11).
• The New Jerusalem is described as being a magnificent, secure city with a great high wall, twelve gates guarded by angels, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them. Its foundation consists of twelve layers, each bearing the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, symbolizing the unity of God's people (Revelation 21:12–14).
• We are also told its size (Revelation 21:15–17). The length of the New Jerusalem is approximately 1,400 miles in each direction—length, width, and height—according to modern measurements! Most believe the shape will be a cube, though some argue for a pyramid-shaped city.
• The New Jerusalem is also built of precious jewels and riches (Revelation 21:18–21). Words certainly limited what John could describe, yet it is clear the New Jerusalem will include the most lavish features imaginable, far beyond anything this earth has seen.
• The city's light is the Lord Himself: "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there" (Revelation 21:22–25). The Lord God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, will serve as temple and light, providing for every need of the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem.
• The city's inhabitants are described this way: "They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Revelation 21:26–27). In addition to the Lord Almighty and the Lamb, only those whose names are in the Lamb's book of life will dwell in the New Jerusalem. It will be a city characterized by purity and the glory of God.

implications for today

The New Jerusalem will be far more than an improved version of ancient or modern Jerusalem. It will be a heavenly city that exists on an entirely new earth, along with a new heaven. There, the Lord Himself will dwell in perfect peace and unity with those who are children of God (John 1:12). The greatest joy of the New Jerusalem will not be its magnificent walls, gates, or foundations, but the eternal presence of God dwelling with His people. While its beauty and perfection will be beyond anything we can imagine, what truly makes it wonderful is that we will never be separated from God again. No more sin, suffering, or distance will hinder our relationship with Him—we will live in unbroken fellowship, experiencing His love, peace, and glory forever. Just as the city’s foundations bear the names of the apostles and its gates the names of Israel’s tribes, heaven will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem and unite His people. In His presence, we will find ultimate satisfaction, endless joy, and a home where we belong for eternity.