A City Designed and Built by God *WorldNetDaily* by Greg Laurie

Heaven is not a mysterious, atmospheric realm of smoke and mirrors. It is a real place where real people can do real things.

This is the place Abraham was looking for. The Bible says that “when he came to the land which God had promised him, he stayed there by faith; for he was like a stranger living in tents” (Hebrews 11:9).

As we travel through this world, you and I are also foreigners. It’s like visiting another country. We may not understand the language or some aspects of the culture. And we probably don’t understand the way they drive either.

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The author of Hebrews continues: “Abraham looked forward to the city that has eternal foundations, the city God planned and built” (verse 10).

This is what heaven is: a city designed and built by God.

In the last two chapters of Revelation, John uses the word “city” 11 times in reference to heaven. Again, this is a real place for real people. Let’s not forget that Jesus told his disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2–3 NKJV).

The night Jesus spoke these words was an unprecedented night. All the disciples could see that his heart was heavy. Then he dropped the bombshell: one of them would betray him, and he identified Judas Iscariot as the traitor.

After this he said to Judas, “Hurry up and do what you have to do” (John 13:27 NLT).

After Judas left the room, Jesus said to the others, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified through him. … My little children, I am with you only a little while longer” (verses 31, 33 NLT).

Peter protested, even going so far as to say that he was ready to die with Jesus (see verse 37).

But Jesus said to him, “Will you die for me? Truly, Peter, truly, I say to you, before the cock crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you know me” (verse 38).

Everything was falling apart for the disciples. But in this context of worry and panic, Jesus spoke these now familiar words: “Let not your heart be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me” (John 14:1).

The apostle John was there with the other disciples that night. He wrote that he leaned on Jesus’ chest, probably so he wouldn’t miss anything he said (see John 21:20). Later, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, and he was probably alone there. As he wrote the book of Revelation in the New Testament, John may have thought back to the night Jesus spoke these words.

Sixty years had passed and John had a personal glimpse of the place Jesus had said He would prepare. John was catapulted into the future and saw eternity. He also saw the Tribulation, the Antichrist, angels, and demons.

In Revelation 21, John gives us a glimpse of the New Jerusalem from an outside perspective. Then, in chapter 22, we see the inside and what really awaits us, as John’s description of Heaven becomes clearer.

It is interesting to note that in the first few chapters of the Bible we see paradise disappear when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Genesis 2:15–17). Then in the last two chapters of the Bible we see the paradise that God created for us in heaven.

In Revelation 22 we learn that heaven and the new earth are places of satisfaction. Verse 17 says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come, and whoever wants, let him drink the water of life freely.” (NLT) God will provide for all our needs and quench our thirst. We will want for nothing.

We also learn that both Heaven and the new Earth are places of sufficiency. Describing a “river of water of life,” John writes, “It flowed down the middle of the main street. On either side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, each month a new crop. And the leaves of it were used as medicine to heal the nations” (verse 2).

Remember, because of Adam and Eve’s sin, they—and all of humanity—were excluded from the tree of life. Yet here’s what’s interesting. John said that the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The Greek word he used for “healing” is therapy, the origin of our English word “therapy”. These leaves have therapeutic value and invigorating power.

John continues, “There will be no curse on anything, for there will be the throne of God and of the Lamb, and his servants will worship him” (verse 3). The curse that came upon humanity after Adam and Eve’s sin brought sickness, aging, and worst of all, death itself. It affects everyone. And as I have often said, one in two people will die.

Yet heaven is a place where tragedy turns to triumph, sadness to joy, and disability to ability. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, “joy is the serious business of heaven.”

John concludes the book by saying, “He who is the faithful witness of all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints!” (verses 20-21 NLT).

God offers us a new beginning. He offers us forgiveness for all our sins. But it is up to us to accept it or reject it. Jesus Christ died for our sins, but we must be willing to turn from them and ask Him to come into our lives to be our Savior and Lord.

Eternity is at stake. Our choice is heaven or hell, forgiveness or judgment. Make the right choice and believe in Jesus.

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