A grand and glorious day is coming for the city of Jerusalem, because when Jesus Christ returns, He is going to reign over all the world for a thousand years, and His reign of peace, righteousness and justice will be based in the city that God singled out for his son, “Jerusalem”: "For from Zion will goforth the law, even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3 and Micah 4:2). Jerusalem will be the political, economic and religious center of the world (Micah 4:1-7). The city will be very different from the old worn down city that we know today. The great worldwide earthquake that will occur upon that auspicious occasion when Jesus returns will radically change the earth's topography, including that of Old Jerusalem (Isaiah 40: 4, Revelation 6:12 and Revelation 16:18). The Bible indicates that Jerusalem will be greatly expanded in area and will be lifted up in elevation, to a height that compels men toward its lofty place on the earth (Zechariah 14:10). The city will be considerably enlarged and greatly beautified, and the most magnificent temple in all Jewish history shall be built in the city under the personal supervision of Israel’s Messiah. That temple is described in explicit detail in chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel. The glory of Jerusalem in those days is probably best summarized in the words of the Old testament prophet Isaiah 62:1-7 where we are told that the city will be "a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord" (verse 3). The prophet also says the city will be "a praise in the earth" (verse 7). For the first time in its long bloody history, it will be a city that will be a refuge of peace (Joel 3:16-17 and Zephaniah 3:14-20).

      It will also be the greatest wonder on the earth, far surpassing the ancient seven wonders of the pagan world. Think about this too, it will house the “Prince of Peace”, Jesus Christ himself, and will contain His holy temple. It will serve once more as the home of God's spectacular Shekinah glory. But that glory will not be contained within the Holy of Holies. Incredibly, Isaiah says that the Shekinah will hover over the whole city of Jerusalem as a cloud by day and a fire by night, providing a canopy to protect the city from heat and rain (Isaiah 4:5-6). Zechariah says the nations of the world will send delegations to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. And the last verse of Ezekiel says that in that day the name of the city will be changed from Yerusaliam to Yahweh-shemmah, meaning "The Lord is there" (Ezekiel 48:35).

      Zech 8:20-23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that, God is with you.

      Finally, the prophets tell us that the Millennial Jerusalem will be replaced by a new Jerusalem which Jesus is preparing in Heaven even now. At the end of the Millennium, the new Jerusalem will be lowered down to the new earth, and the Redeemed, in their new glorified bodies, will live in this new city in the presence of Almighty God, who will come down from Heaven to live forever with His children (Revelation 21:1-3). 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 Then cometh the end, when he ( Jesus ) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, ( millennial kingdom ) till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 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. What an amazing city this new Jerusalem will be! The Apostle John devotes 24 verses to its detailed description in Revelation 21 and 22. It will be a 1,500 mile cube with 12 foundations made of precious stones — each one named for one of the 12 apostles. Likewise, there will be 12 pearly gates, one named for each tribe of Israel. The walls will be made of jasper. The city itself will be pure gold, like clear glass. But the best part of this city will not be its beauty or its spaciousness. The best part will be the personal presence of Jesus our Lord and Almighty God, His Father. Revelation 22 says we will eternally serve God in this city and that we will "see His face." I think that means we will have intimate, personal fellowship with our Creator, Jesus Christ eternally. That really sounds like heaven to me! The New Jerusalem is described in the book of the Revelation:

      Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, and Rev 21:10-22:5 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.

      The city not forsaken by God shall eventually be the city of our God.