Revelation 21:2

2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Many people get confused on this passage because they interpret the passage by the allegorical theology they have been taught. They seem to think that because New Jerusalem is prepared as a bride for her husband that New Jerusalem is the Church. Nowhere in scripture does it say that the city of New Jerusalem is the Church or the bride. However, the bride of Christ will be citizens that occupy New Jerusalem because New Jerusalem is the eternal dwelling place of the Lamb’s wife.

John 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The Passage says the Holy City comes down from heaven  as a bride adorned for her husband. The husband is not Jesus. If there actually is a husband, it is the people on the new earth but the passage is probably just a figure of speech for what John saw approaching the earth.

To understand the passage one might consider some conjecture that is not directly taught in scripture.  It is not physically possible for the billions in the Body of Christ to dwell in Israel. The saints will live in the Holy City orbiting above the earth or in the third heaven and they will ascend and descend from it on assignment. Jacob had a dream vision where he saw angels ascending and descending upon the earth from heaven. In the era of the thousand-year reign, the immortal saved people will be ascending and descending to and from the Holy City.

Genesis 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and decending on it.

After the new heaven and earth are created, the Holy City takes orbit above the earth in the sight of those who dwell on the earth. The city is so beautiful it is said to come in appearance as a bride adorned for her husband. She will be a beautiful flawless city made by God. The city probably will not actually rest on the earth because of her enormous size. The laws of physics make that extremely unlikely.