The Earth Made New

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16.

After the judgment of the wicked dead had been finished, at the end of the one thousand years, Jesus left the city, and the saints and a train of the angelic host followed Him. Jesus descended upon a great mountain, which as soon as His feet touched it, parted asunder, and became a mighty plain.

Then we looked up and saw the great and beautiful city, with twelve foundations, and twelve gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate. We cried out, “The city! the great city! it is coming down from God out of heaven!” And it came down in all its splendor and dazzling glory, and settled in the mighty plain which Jesus had prepared for it.—Early Writings, 291.

As the prophet beholds the redeemed dwelling in the city of God, free from sin and from all marks of the curse, in rapture he exclaims: “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her.”

“Violence shall no more be heard in thy land,
Wasting nor destruction within thy borders;
But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation,
And thy gates Praise….”

The prophet caught the sound of music there, and song, such music and song as, save in the visions of God, no mortal ear has heard or mind conceived…. “They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord.”—Prophets and Kings, 729, 730.