What Will Eternity Be Like?

Revelation 21:1–8 KJV 1900

1 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. 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. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Introduction

Herbert Lockyer wrote, “With Satan, sin, and sinners forever removed, with death and hell vanquished, and with Christ recognized and revered as Lord of all, a perfect age begins in which God becomes all in all. At last, the eternal state appears. Gloom has been banished, and glory begins. An everlasting sunrise ushers in a new creation, for the world’s last dark day has gone.”

In Revelation 21 we are told about the New Heaven. The Judgments are over, the sinners are cast forever into the lake of fire with Satan and his host, and the beast, and the false prophet. A new day dawns and John sees the glories of the New Heaven!

1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV 1900

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

One of the most wonderful promises in the whole Bible is that persons who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with God in a place called heaven.

Philippians 3:20 KJV 1900

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

That word conversation in that verse means “citizenship” - If you’re a child of God, then your citizenship is in heaven!

Colossians 3:1–2 KJV 1900

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, “A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth “thrown in:” aim at earth and you will get neither.”

Revelation 21–22 brings us to the end of the Apocalypse and to the end of the Bible.

You know? One of the most wonderful things about the Bible? In the first two chapters, Satan is not there, and in the last two chapters, Satan is not there!

The old song says, “When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!” I want to look into these verses for a moment and see what eternity will be like…In eternity…

I-We Will Enjoy a New Heaven and a New Earth...

...according to verses 1 and 2.

The first heaven and the first earth will be no more—they will be gone—they will pass away, they will be dissolved! The first heavens and the first earth were tainted by the fall of man and the fall of the wicked angels.

Sin corrupted the earth and the prince and power of the air corrupted the atmospheric heavens. There will be a brand new heaven and a brand new earth.

Charles Swindoll wrote, “To use a film metaphor, this isn’t a sequel; it’s a completely new and different production. It isn’t simply a reedited version, enhanced with clearer sound, brighter colors, and a smattering of digitally enhanced special effects. This is no reedit; it’s a remake!”

Isaiah 65:17 KJV 1900

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

The new heaven and the new earth will be the permanent home of the saved! It will be so much better than the old that the former heavens and earth will not be remembered by anyone. We’ll not talk about the “Good Ole Days” in Glory!

At the end of verse 1, the Bible says there will be no more sea. To the Jewish mind, the sea was a place of separation and evil. We’ve seen the sea in the Book of Revelation as the place where the Satanic beast comes from (Revelation 13:1) and the place of the dead just last week in (Revelation 20:13), but here, we find that it is no more!

Verse 2 sees the descent of “the Holy City, new Jerusalem.” She is pure, spotless, and without blemish in character. She comes down as a wonderful gift of grace. And she is “prepared like a bride adorned for her husband,” the Lamb, the Lord Jesus…We will talk about this city in detail later...

By the way, I love how Revelation is naturally outlined...

In chapters 1-3, Jesus is the Lord of the Churches.

In chapters 4-20, Jesus is the Lion over the Nations.

In chapters 21-22, Jesus is the Lamb among believers!

In eternity...

II-We Will Live in Intimate and Personal Communion with Our God

Verse 3 gives us one of the most wonderful promises in the Bible...

Really, this is what the Bible has been pointing toward in it’s 66 books...

John, again, hears a great voice out of heaven…it says, “…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.”

It was in the Old Testament that Moses had the tabernacle built as God designed—the glory of God dwelt with His people in the tabernacle. John 1:14 says,

John 1:14 KJV 1900

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The word “dwelt” is the same word used for “tabernacle” which tells us Jesus came and dwelt among His people.

Simply put, God’s desire is to live in close fellowship with man, and man’s purpose is to be a people unto God.

Spurgeon wrote, “This is the greatest glory of heaven, and the ultimate restoration of what was lost in the Fall. “I do not think the glory of Eden lay in its grassy walks, or in the boughs bending with luscious fruit-but its glory lay in this, that the ‘Lord God walked in the garden in the cool of the day.’ Here was Adam’s highest privilege, that he had companionship with the Most High.”

In eternity...

III-We Will No Longer Experience the Horrible Effects of Sin

Verse 4 is one of the most precious in all of Scripture…This sinful, fallen world has left so many people beaten and broken. The pain we experience in this world often-times overwhelms us, but this verse promises us that God is going to fix it all!

Revelation 21:4 KJV 1900

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.

God will be with His people and He will be their God.

He will minister to His people. John tells us how He will do that. He will wipe away all tears.

There will be no more crying there—for we are going to see the King! The hurts and pains of life—the physical hurts, the emotional toil, the spiritual struggles will all be over with!

Christians will never sorrow again!

Revelation 7:17 KJV 1900

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Isaiah 25:8–9 KJV 1900

8 He will swallow up death in victory; And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; And the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: For the Lord hath spoken it. 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; We have waited for him, and he will save us: This is the Lord; we have waited for him, We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Adrian Rogers used to say, “Death is only a comma to a Christian—not a period!”

In eternity, all the former things associated with this fallen world will pass away, and listen, dear friend, they are never coming back!

In eternity...

IV-We Will Rest in the Sure Promises of God

According to verse 5, God will make all things new and this time there will never be any sin, Satan, or sinners to corrupt the world! His works are great and glorious.

John Phillips wrote, “He who said in the early dawn of time, ‘Light be!’—and light was! Will again put forth His power and a new universe will appear.”

The Lord makes all things well—and He will make all things new.

Verse 5 also tells us His words are true and His words are faithful.

They will not fail, for they are faithful!

They will not falter, for they are faithful!

They will not fizzle, for they are faithful!

God’s word can and should be relied on, depended on, tried, and practiced! There will never be a time that God is not faithful to His word!

We can rest, even today, in the promises of God! Because of our sinful nature, many times, we doubt His Word, but in eternity, we will rest in His promises!

He says in verse 6, “…it is done.” God’s eternal purpose in Jesus is now accomplished.

Ephesians 1:10 KJV 1900

10 That in 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:

He’s the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end...Lehman Strauss said it well. He wrote, “Christ is the beginning and the end. He is the beginning, not merely first in point of time, but the source and origin of all things. All things have their beginning through Him. He is the end, not merely in point of time, but the goal, the consummation, the One through whom all things reach their grand climax … Christ is the A to Z in wisdom, power, and glory.”

The end of verse 6 gives an wonderful promise...Because He is Himself eternal life, He can give eternal life to others. That is what He has done for all who have trusted in His Son… “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

If you’re thirsty, come to Christ and be satisfied! It’ll cost you nothing! Jesus has already paid it all!

In eternity...

V-We Will Love as God’s Adopted Children with No Fear of the Second Death

This introduction to the new creation of eternity concludes with a word of blessing in verse 7 and a word of warning in verse 8. The blessing is for the overcomers who trust in Christ. The warning is for sinners who are headed to the lake of fire without Christ.

To those wonderful promises our Lord has added the promise of eternal life via the springs of water in verse 6. Now he adds the promise of a gracious heritage: “I will be his God, and he shall be My son.”

In eternity we will be the adopted heirs of a perfect heavenly Father...

Tragically, this is not the destiny of those who never trust in Christ for salvation.

A judgment and justice is all they can expect. God provides a list of persons who will not be in heaven in verse 8.

Revelation 21:8 KJV 1900

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

These are the types of people who have ruined our world, but they will not ruin that world, for they will not be allowed in!

1. The Fearful—individuals who, because of fear, will not confess Christ openly when confronted with persecution

2. The Unbelieving—those who deny Christ by their conduct and speech.

3. The Abominable—Those who are morally and spiritually filthy.

4. Murderers

5. Whoremongers—those who lived sexual lifestyles contrary to God’s plan and purpose.

6. Sorcerers—those who mix drugs with the practices of spirit worship, witchcraft, and magic.

7. Idolaters—worshipers of idols and images.

8. Liars—those who habitually deceive others.

These will have their part in the lake of fire...

Conclusion

I’m glad as a child of God, I don’t have to worry about the lake of fire…I’m headed to my permanent home in Heaven!

So many wonderful things can be said about eternity one hardly knows where to start and end.

Are you going?