REVELATION 21
Before we jump into these last 2 chapters on Scripture (which are among my personal favorites in all Bible), I want to begin by making a very sobering observation. Revelation 20 is the last chapter in the Bible for the unbeliever. It ends with God telling us that people who trust in their own righteousness and works instead of Gods only righteousness by grace through faith in Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from God forever in the lake of fire and brimstone.
But herein I see the amazing grace of God, and His relentless pursuit of lost mankind. God has given to mankind the gift of His Scriptures, and in them, He allows us to see the end before it happens. It’s like a teacher giving a final exam with the answers right next to the test!
In Scripture, God reveals those who are going to spend eternity with Him, and those who are not. If in the study of Scripture, God tells you that you are alienated from the life of God, by His Spirit, He is allowing you to see that in order that you might agree with God, admit your lost condition and trust in His Son Jesus to forgive you and give you a new heart.
Rom 2.4 clearly tells us that it is the goodness (kindness) of God leads us to repentance...our prayer is that God in His goodness and kindness will lead each and every one of you who are not born again into the saving arms of Jesus Christ this morning. If you go to the lake of fire (Matt 25.41) it is because you believe not the love of the truth that you might be saved. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Repent and believe in Christ today .
Heaven is mentioned 54 times in the Revelation, and it is here in chapters 21, 22, that we read the crowning description of our eternal home. God indeed saves the best wine for last.
One of the weaknesses of contemporary Christendom life is the absence of the teaching and doctrine of heaven. There are an abundance of books that deal with various aspects of the Christian life….marriage, child raising, finances, spiritual warfare, addictions etc, but very few book on heaven!
In all honesty beloved, we usually talk about how we long for heaven when life is tough…but here is a challenge for KF this morning. How many of us talk about heaven when things are going well? Do we long for heaven when we are sitting on a white beach in southern Florida in the middle of winter when our friends and family are in the frozen tundra of Upstate New York? Do we long for heaven when we get that promotion or that new house or that new bike…fill in the blanks.
The cynical Mark Twain was once told about heaven when he made this now famous remark, "You take heaven, I'd rather go to Bermuda."
John Bunyan writing in that marvelous Pilgrim's Progress which demonstrates such genius in making the Christian life into a graphic illustration or allegory has a conversation between two pilgrims who
are on their way to the celestial city, which, of course, is heaven. One of the two pilgrims says to the other, "When do you find yourself in the most wholesome and most vigorous spiritual state?" To which the other pilgrim says, "When I think of the place to which I am going."
I remember being in the city of Agra in India where the Taj Mahal is located. This amazing structure has been placed on some of the 7 wonders of the world lists. It is an incredible site beloved. Right outside of the Taj, there is a slum area. So, you go from a slum to the Taj…and when you see this building in all of its splendor and beauty, it hits you right between the eyes. The first time I saw the Taj, it took away my breath….for about 30 seconds. Then The Spirit of God spoke to my heart these words that went something like this. Son, compared to heaven, The Taj is not even a slum.
Rev 21,22 provides for the Christian the Big Picture. It gives us hope and comfort during those times of sorrow, loss or discouragement.
• 1Th 4:13 ¶ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
• Heaven and hope…let those 2 words from God resonate in the very depth of your souls this morning beloved….we have in Christ Jesus both hope and heaven.
The doctrine of heaven challenges us to live differently than an unsaved person lives.
• 2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
• Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
• The reality and hope of heaven teaches us to live lives that are productive, godly and holy. God has through Christ purified us unto Himself!!
Our perspective in life regarding possessions and money will be altered when we embrace the doctrine of heaven.
• Mt 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
• The doctrine of heaven frees us from the snare of covetousness and the need to grab all the gusto we can in life now.
The doctrine of heaven provides that lively hope that inspires us to stay the course in the midst of persecution and severe opposition.
• Mt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Let us not forget the immediate context of this letter. The apostle John was banished to the isle of Patmos because of his stand for Jesus Christ. The book of Revelation was written to the 7 churches in Asia who at the end of the first century were going through an intense time of severe persecution, martyrdom and oftentimes financial and social deprivation. The doctrine of heaven was written to encourage the persecuted church and provide them with hope and strength to endure these intense times of suffering.
• Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
• Many of these saints took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance (Heb 10.34).
• A real understanding of the doctrine and realty of heaven will change our lives beloved. It inspires us to live courageously and without abandon for The Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
A persons view of the future will affect the way they live today. If a person does not believe that there is such a place as heaven, then they are compelled to step on, or use, or con as many people as they can, in order to make as much money as they can, so that they can accumulate as much comfort as they can and experience as much pleasure as they can, because this life is all there is (which of course that is the lie of the enemy).
On the other hand, the Christians future is filled with the living hope of heaven. Our affections are to be set on things above. The more you set your affections on things above, the less likely you are to follow or be driven by fleshly impulses. Our inheritance in heaven is meant to outshine all of the false glitter and gold that this fallen world tempts us with. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord…not even death, Hallelujah!!!
In Rev 21, 22, God does not leave what heaven is like to our imagination, He describes it for us. He puts it right here in front of us. This is by no means an extensive description of heaven...but a preview
Heaven is home for the saints....our Father is in heaven, Our Redeemer is in heaven, The Spirit of God is in heaven....our citizenship is in heaven...our real family is in heaven....the great commission is the proclamation of the gospel in order to populate heaven. All of God’s people along with all of creation itself groans for this eternal state.
Beloved, this is home. What do you think of when you hear the word home? For some of you here this morning, maybe the word home means pain, regret, abuse, abandonment, broken heartedness. That is unfortunate. But if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, may you be encouraged and strengthened to fight the good fight of faith and not be weary in well doing because Christ has provided for you this promise of heaven beloved. We will see in this chapter how God is going to personally wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Let's get some foundational heaven data first, okay? Heaven is referred to 550 times or so in Scripture. As I said earlier, heaven is referred to 54 times in the book of Revelation.
• The Old Testament Hebrew word is shamayim, it means the heights. The New Testament word is a Greek word from which we gat the English word for the planet Uranus. It means that which is elevated, that which is lifted up, that which is raised up. Heaven is the raised up place, the heights.
Scripture mentions three heavens.
• In 2 Corinthians 12:2 it says Paul was taken up into the third heaven, that's the heaven where God dwells, that's the third heaven.
• The first heaven is the atmospheric heaven, that's the atmosphere around the earth, that's the air we breathe.
• The second heaven is the stratospheric heaven, that's the heaven of the heavenly bodies, the planets, the stars, the moons and everything else. And when you've gone through the atmospheric heavens and you've gone through the stratospheric heavens and come to the last heaven, it's the heaven of God, it's the divine heaven, the abode of God and angels and saints.
• We know that heaven is an actual place and not a state of mind, because Jesus said in John 14 He went to prepare a place for us and some day He'll come and bring us there.
• According to 1 Corinthians 15, our body is going to be transformed, we're going to get a new body fit to dwell in that heavenly place. Just like you need a space suit to go to the moon, you and I need a new body to go to the new heaven. How does a new body sound to you this morning beloved? Heaven is a real place.
o Ps 11:4 ¶ The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven.
o Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Because heaven is in an entirely different dimension than anything that we know about, we must be careful that we are not dogmatic about distance and all of that. But just for fun and show you know that I have spent some time and prayer into this study consider this. Let's just assume that we have to go through the atmospheric heaven and the stratospheric heaven in order to get to the up where the true heaven is. The moon is 211,463 miles, you could walk to it in 27 years if you could walk 24 miles a day, it's not that far. Now if we could just crank up your speed a little bit to like 186,000 miles per second, you could get to the moon in a second and a half, which is really the better way to go if you're going to take the trip. At that speed you could reach Jupiter in 35 minutes and 11 seconds cause it's only 367 million miles away. And if you could go 186,000 miles per second you could get to Saturn in one hour and 11 seconds cause it's only 790 million miles away. Now remember, you've got to go 186,000 miles a second to get there in a hour and 11 seconds. But you see, when you've gotten to Saturn and you've gone beyond, and you've even gotten to Pluto which is in to the billions of miles away, when you've arrived at the very extremity of what we know is our solar system, you haven't even gotten out of the front yard. You're still at the very, very beginning of the stratospheric heaven because Alpha Centauri which is a star is 20 billion light years away.
By those terms, we would all say that if I intend to go to heaven, I should have left a long, long, time ago. But in reality beloved, how long does it take to get to heaven? Luke 23:43 Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "In 100,000 light years you'll be with Me in Paradise." Is that what He said? No, Jesus told him that today, you will be with Me in paradise! He said what? .... Isn't that amazing?
• 2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
• In Rev 4.1, John was caught up into heaven instantly!
1 And I saw ( a phrase found 24 times in the Revelation) a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Rev 20.11); and there was no more sea.
As this chapter opens, let me just give you a fast review, as this chapter opens in the chronology of end times, all the sinners of all the ages, demons and men, including Satan, the false prophet, the Antichrist and everybody else are now in the eternal Lake of Fire. They are out of the presence of God and the saints and the holy angels forever. They have been dismissed into their own disconnected isolated place of eternal punishment.
What John saw, was in fact the very fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by Isaiah the prophet:
• Isa 65:17For, behold, I create (bara) new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
o It is interesting that the word "create" in Isaiah is the Hebrew word bara, which is also used in Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created [bara] the heaven and the earth." Bara in Hebrew means "to make something out of nothing," which only God can do. God uses the same Hebrew word bara when He speaks of creating the new heavens and the new earth.
• Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
o Now the Hebrew word for "new" is important. It's not the Hebrew word which means new as opposed to old, it's the Hebrew word which means new in quality.
• 2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. This is the Big Bang, beloved!!
• Beloved, the earth that you and I are living on is disposable. The idea of this earth being preserved forever may be the doctrine of Al Gore or Greenpeace, but it is not the doctrine of Jehovah. Yes, do all that you can to be a wise steward of God’s resources, but know this; the present earth that we live on is going to be dissolved!
• (KJV) Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
• If I am understanding what is happening here, right after the first heaven and earth flee away, you and I are going to experience first hand our God creating the new heaven and new earth, just as He did in Gen 1.1! Oh that is how He did it!!!
• 2 Pet 3.10 tells us how the present heaven and earth passed away. This event signals the end of the groaning period of creation. Rom 8.18-22.
o This is what is called in Eph 1.10 the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:
o Heb 1.10 Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
• As I said a moment ago, we have now passed beyond the realm of time into the realm of eternity. The last marking of time was the thousand-year reign of Christ upon the earth. After the millennial reign of Christ, we enter into timelessness. Everything is now forever.
• Remember the intro to the Star Trek programs? ..space, the final frontier. NOT! After space, we step into eternity beloved!
There was no more sea. Today the surface of the earth is around 74% water. 330 million cubical miles of water fill the planet. When John was writing this, he was stranded on the Isle of Patmos, surrounded by water. The present hydraulic system will be non-existent. The new heaven and the new earth do not operate on water anymore. Now that's enough to tell you it's going to be different. No more evaporation, distillation and condensation. In other words, the eternal state will be unlike anything that we have ever imagined it would be.
Mystery…though there will be no sea, there will be a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Speaking of water, did you know that your blood is 90 percent water and your flesh is 65 percent water? Our human existence is water based. You and I would die if we got dehydrated. So what is he saying here when he says that there will be no more sea? It is going to be different.
God is going to give us a new body that is adapted to this new heaven and earth. 1 Cor 15.42 It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
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.
• There are 3 Jerusalem’s mentioned in Scripture. There is the present earthly holy city of Jerusalem which will be a cup of trembling and burdensome stone for all people. The there is a Jerusalem of the millennial kingdom.
• This New Jerusalem is the heavenly Jerusalem spoken of in Heb 12.22-24. Heb 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, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
• Our eternal home is not heaven saints, it’s the New Jerusalem. Between the heaven that now is and the eternal state is the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. Note that Jerusalem in Gal 4.26, is called the mother of us all. This city is wholly new, belonging not to this world, not to the millennium, but to eternity.
• In Revelation 3:12 this city was first mentioned in the book of Revelation. And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from God and he says it's promised to those who are overcomers
• I wonder if John is not thinking of the words of Jesus from John 14.1-3. Jesus, The Lord of glory has gone to prepare this place for us beloved.
• Now there are always those commentators who try to tell us that we cannot take the bible literally. Are you sure this is a real, literal city Ray, and not just apocalyptic verbiage to identify a heavenly state of mind or existence?" Well if it isn't a real city, I haven't got any idea what he's talking about. You see, if you ask me to accept this as something that's not literal, then how am I going to know what it is? You read commentators who say, "Well he doesn't really mean a real city." Well what does he mean? It says "city." And if he doesn’t mean city then who, prey tell, is going to unravel the mystery of what he means when he doesn't say what he means? That kind of thinking is when you need to start playing the musical intro to Star Trek because you are sure to get lost in space!
3 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.
• Jesus dwells in us now spiritually Joh 14:23; 2Co 6:16; in the New Jerusalem, He will dwell with us visibly. 1 John 3.1,2. In 22.4 we are told that we shall see our God face to face.
• In the old covenant, the Shekinah, the emblem of God's presence, dwelt in the tabernacle between the Cherubim. John used the term tabernacle to describe the Incarnate Christ on earth by John in John 1:14.
• God being with His people was the eternal plan of God. Beloved who possess a God wrought, blood bought redemption, this is your eternal future....dwelling in the visible presence of The Almighty.
• (KJV) John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
• It is not until after the 1000-year reign and the great white throne judgment that there will be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain. All of these things are connected with the curse after the fall in the Garden of Eden.
• We will actually feel the hand of God wipe away the ears from our face. Beloved, we are living in the age of former things. This is the way God planned for man to live before the fall in the Garden of Eden. No sickness, no death, no pain, no sorrow.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
• Indeed in Christ all things are new. We become new creatures (2 Cor 5.17). We now follow a new commandment (John 13.34,35). In the new economy, we will be given a new name (Rev 2.17;3.12). When we turn our lives completely over to Jesus Christ, He can turn things around for us.
• 14 times in the Revelation, John is commanded to write something down. Maybe it is the musician mentality in me, but I believe that at this point in time, John is on revelation overload. I believe that he is over the top with all of the things that God is showing him. Thus, God tells John, write John…write down what you are seeing!!!
• Repeatedly in Scripture we read that our God is faithful (which means that we can depend upon Him) and true (which means that He will never lie to us, deceive us or manipulate us). God wanted to make sure that John wrote down that He is faithful and true….some of us may be doubting that right now….those are emotions that are typical of living in the age of the former things.
• Dear ones...precious KF family….make a note to self….Jesus Christ is faithful and true, period. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but what you and I hold in our hand is faithful and true.
6 And he said unto me, It is done (the ultimate work of man's redemption is accomplished). I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
• Jesus is called the author and the finisher of our faith, the beginning and the end.
• This verse provides some huge Deity of Christ, Trinity truths. The One Who is seated on the throne here declares that He is The Alpha and Omega. In Rev 1.11 & 22.13, Jesus declares that He is The Alpha and Omega. Jesus and The Father are One. Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one.
• Secondly, note that God offers to him that is athirst the water of life freely. Freely. Greek, "gratuitously": the same Greek as is translated, "(They hated Me) without a cause”. Grace is undeserved beloved. I hear so many saints groveling in the mantra of I am so unworthy to the point where they have lost their joy. We are unworthy sinners beloved, that is what makes the redeeming grace of God so wonderful!
• Please listen to this. God is The Giver of the water of life freely to all who are thirsty. Sound familiar? John 4.13,14; 7.37,38; Isa 12.3. 22.17 refs. Grace is free because it comes from God, and cannot be purchased or merited. Because grace is free, we can only boast in Jesus Christ. You can come and drink of the water of life freely this morning if you are not born again.
• The lie of the devil is that if you live for self and pleasure, than you will be a happy person. Really, then alcoholics should be happy people…drug addicts should be happy people…sexual perverts should be happy people…covetous, materialistic people should be happy people, but the truth is that they are not. Happy are those people, whose God is The Lord.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
• Overcomers defined (1 John 4.4;5.4). Overcomers promises are found in Rev 2,3. Overcomers are adopted children. We overcome by drinking of the grace of God undeservedly. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. We are in love with Jesus, not rituals or routines. We are not fans of Jesus, we are followers of Jesus.
• Note that in eternity we will not become little gods, we will forever be the children of the Living God. The creature can never become the Creator. That is one of the fundamental lies of Mormonism and their doctrine of eternal progression.