The New Jerusalem is the eternal dwelling of God with His people — the final answer to every longing of the redeemed. John sees it coming down out of heaven from God, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2). It is a city of gold, pearl, and precious stones, shaped as a cube (14,000 furlongs on each side — roughly 1,400 miles) like the Holy of Holies in the temple, because the whole city is now the dwelling place of God. There is no temple in it, "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" (21:22). There is no sun or moon, "for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light" (21:23). There is no night, no curse, no sea, no tears, no death, no sorrow, no pain (21:4, 22:3). The tree of life grows in the midst of it, bearing twelve fruits, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. The New Jerusalem is not a metaphor for something better — it is the better, the real, the ultimate. Everything that has ever been beautiful on this earth is a trace of what awaits there. "Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
Revelation 21:2-4 — "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.""
Revelation 21:22-23 — "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light."
Hebrews 11:10 — "He waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."