“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Revelation 21:1-4.
Having been a sailor at the end of World War II, there were a few times, times of great celebration, when we held “open house” and the public was invited aboard our ship, the flagship of the fleet. At such times, the Admiral was on board. We were always at the dock side when this happened, and everything had to be in perfect condition. The ship was dressed like a Christmas tree. Signal flags stretched the length of the ship from stem to stern. Actually, I do not recall having ever seen then at any other time. I was usually stationed in the CIC where it was our assignment to find and track any aircraft in the area on radar and pass along the bearing, altitude, and speed to our anti-aircraft gun emplacements.
How the new Jerusalem will be prepared “like a bride adorned for her husband” will appear, I do not know, but I picture every signal flag flying, perhaps surrounded by a gigantic rainbow. Light everywhere, not from lamps, but from God himself. I picture all that light reflecting off the precious jewels that make up the foundations of the new Jerusalem, and the gigantic pearls that form it‘s gates.. How can anyone not long to be there? Three places in chapter 22, John records the words of Jesus, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”,“behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” and finally, “Surely I come quickly.” and then our prayer in response, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” It can not be too quick.
What a glorious time, what a magnificent sight, and to be a part of it all. “Come Lord Jesus!”
Since there will be no sadness, and no tears in heaven, I can only presume that all memories of earth, families and friends that we know here, will have to have been erased, and that we no longer think of those we know and love there as husband, wife, children, grandchildren, brothers or sisters. They will all have come to be fellow children of God, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and we will be so thrilled with what is there that the things of earth will just have faded away.
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