The Heavenly Home

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 16, 1872

The Heavenly Home.

REV. H. BONAR, D. D., sets forth the “great city, the holy Jerusalem” (Rev. 21:10), the blessed and eternal home of all who love Jesus, in the following interesting way:

1. It is a great city. “That great city,” said John, gazing on it. Its circuit is vast—beyond Babylon or Nineveh, Paris or London. That “mighty city,” says John, speaking of Babylon the great (Rev. 18:10), but this is mightier far. There has been no city like it. It is the city, the one city, the great metropolis of the mighty universe, the mighty city of the mighty God.

2. It is a well-built city. Its “Builder and Maker is God.” Its foundations are eternal; its walls are jasper; its gates, pearls; its streets paved with gold. It is “compactly built together,” lying four-square, and perfect in all its parts; without a break or flaw, or weakness, or deformity.

3. It is a well-lighted city. Something brighter than sun or moon is given to fill its heaven. The glory of God lightens it. The Lamb is its “light,” or “lamp;” so that it needs no candle, no sunlight. There is no night there.

4. It is a well-watered city. A pure river of the water of life flows through its streets, proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb. What must its waters be! What must be the rivers of pleasure there! Who in it can ever thirst? Its inhabitants shall thirst no more.

5. It is a well-provisioned city. The tree of life is there, with its twelve variety of fruits and its health-giving leaves. It has more than Eden had; it is Paradise restored. Paradise and Jerusalem in one; Jerusalem in Paradise and Paradise in Jerusalem.

6. It is a well-guarded city. Not only has it gates, and walls, and towers, which no enemy could scale or force; but at the gates are twelve angels, keeping perpetual watch.

7. It is a well-governed city. Its King is the Son of God; the King of kings, Immanuel; the King eternal, whose scepter is righteousness; who loveth righteousness, and hateth iniquity. No misrule is there, no disorder, no lawlessness.

8. It is a well-peopled city. It has gathered within its walls all generations of the redeemed. Its population is as the sands or the stars; the multitude that no man can number; the millions of the risen and glorified.

9. It is a holy city. Its origin is heavenly, and it is perfect as its Builder. Nothing that defileth shall enter—no spot, or speck, or shadow of evil. All is perfection there—divine perfection.

10. It is a glorious city. The glory that fills it and encircles it is the glory of God. All precious stones are there; no marble nor granite, such as we boast of now; all about it is gold, and pearls, and gems. Everything resplendent is there.

11. It is a blessed city. It is truly the joyous city. It is the throne and seat of the Blessed One, and all in it is like him. Its name is Jerusalem, the City of Peace; its King’s name is Solomon, the Prince of Peace. There is no enemy there, no danger, no darkness, no sickness, no curse, no death, no weeping, no pain, no sorrow, no change forever. They that dwell in it “shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more” (Rev. 7:16, 17); for the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to it with songs; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isa. 35:10. Blessed city! City of peace, and love, and song! Fit accompaniment of the new heavens; fit metropolis of the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness! How eagerly should we look for it! How worthy of it should we live!