Then John saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth—the one God made at the beginning—had passed away.

And John heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Look, heaven is coming to earth. God is coming to dwell with his people. No more tears, no more pain, no more death. When God is everything, nothing sad can endure.”

Then the one who sat on the throne said, “Look, I am making all things new. It is done! I am your A and your Z, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. I am your faithful God, and you are my forever children.”

And John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven like a bride walking down the aisle for her husband. The city sparkled with the glory of God. The foundations of the city were adorned with every kind of precious jewel. The city had twelve gates for the twelve tribes of Israel, with great high walls and a street through the middle made of pure gold.

What a sight the holy city must have been for John. What a sight it will be for us—not only for what is there, but for what is not there. There is no temple in the city because God is all in all. There is no sun or moon in the city because God and the Lamb give it light. There is no night because the city is never at risk, and the gates never shut because nothing bad can ever enter in.

The world to come is like a new creation. It’s like a new city. And it’s like a new garden.

John saw the river of the water of life flowing from the throne. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, with twelve kinds of fruit, and the leaves were for the healing of the nations. This garden will be the paradise that the first garden was meant to be. There will be no more curse in the heavenly garden, no more separation from God, and no more scary things in the dark.

Then Jesus said to John, “These words are trustworthy and true. Listen to this book. Obey this book. Trust this book. And look for me. I will be back to judge the living and the dead.”

That’s our hope. That’s our confidence. The Snake Crusher will return. He will be our joy, and we will be his delight.

The Holy Spirit says, “Come.” The church says, “Come.” Let everyone who is thirsty for living water say, “Come.” Let everyone who wants to live forever say, “Come.”

Then Jesus had one last message for John, and it is one last message for us. “Count on it,” the Snake Crusher said, “I am coming soon.”

And so we say, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”