A New Heaven and Earth

Revelation 21:1-2

Have you ever made something and as you are making it, something happens to it. Perhaps you are making a cake, you put all the ingredients in, placed at the right temperature, waited and watched it. But something happens to the cake, as you take it out of the oven, it falls flat. What do you have to do? Remake the cake.

Well, that is what we are about to see in these next verses. Creation is about to be remade. It had fallen because of the influence of Satan. God sees it, and decides to remake it.

Now there are four distinct things that we see in these four verses. Let us take notice of what they are.

A New Creation

· The very first thing we read, is that God remakes the heaven.

· Now remember, there are three heavens.

o The first heaven is the sky, where we see planes fly, birds soar, and clouds float.

o The second heaven is space, it is where the sun, moon and stars are all located at. This is infinite space, were we see different galaxies and celestial bodies.

o The third heaven, is the place beyond space, it is a spiritual place, where saints and angels dwell, and most of all, where God dwells.

· So, when John sees a new heaven, what is he referring too?

· Well, simply, John is seeing a new atmospheric heaven and a new outer space heaven.

· John is not implying that the third heaven is going to be remade, for it is a spiritual place.

· These heavens, will undergo a change, meaning that the appearance will be totally different than what it is now.

· We can only imagine what the new heaven will look like, perhaps the sky will be clear, where you can see right into the third heaven. However it will look, it will be something so amazing and beautiful, that we can’t even comprehend it right now.

· John also says, the earth will made new. This means that the literal earth will undergo a radical change as well.

· We know that the earth will look very different in the fact that there is no more sea. No more oceans, and large bodies of water. They do not exist anymore.

· Just in that, we see that the earth will look differently.

· But how is this going to occur? Is God just going to speak the old earth and heaven out of existence? Or, is something else going to occur.

· Well, the Bible makes it clear what takes place. In 2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

· What Peter tells us, is that the world will be remade, and it will undergo this change by fire. God will purge this world from all remnants of sin. And it will be remade, perfect, as God intended it to be.

· Now God does this to wipe away sin, and folks when he remakes the heaven and earth, we won’t even remember this place anymore.

· Isaiah 65:17 makes that clear – “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

· This present world won’t even be in our thoughts. The new world we live in will be far greater and amazing, that this world isn’t even thought about.

· Now, I know what some of you are thinking, and for those who aren’t thinking it, you probably had somebody say something like this to you.

o “Well, if I can’t fish up in heaven, its not going to be heaven to me. Basically, if I can’t do the things I enjoy now up in heaven, then its really not heaven to them.”

o You know what I have to say to that? Get that idol out of your life. If God can’t make you happy in heaven, and you have to depend on something like fishing, or hunting, or playing some sport to bring you happiness. Then friend you need to rethink your relationship with the Lord.

· Now, again this is a renewed heaven and earth. It is new, but God didn’t recreate a new world from nothing. He used this present place and renewed it.

· We can understand that this is the case, by the original wording that is used here.

· Here the word “new” in verse 1 is the Greek word “kainon” meaning “new in quality or fresh”

· So, all of the remnants of the earth as we know it now, will be removed, it will undergo a changed appearance, and we understand that there will be no more oceans or seas from this point on.

A New City

· Now we see a new creation, but the second distinct thing we see is a new city. Look at verse 2.

· John witnesses a holy city, named new Jerusalem.

· Now remember what Jerusalem has been for the Lord. It has been the model city, it has been the capital for the Lord.

· We can understand that this city will be the capital city in the new heaven and new earth.

· Now think about where it comes from. It comes from God out of heaven. This city has been built by God himself. It is his design. And we know that he is perfect. So this city will be perfect.

· There will not be the need for city inspections to come and check the buildings. There will be no worry about the foundation. This city will be perfect. Designed and built by God.

· We know that this city is being built by the Lord, because he told us this in John 14:2-3

o 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. 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.”

· This New Jerusalem will be the place where the very presence of God is symbolized. God’s presence will be manifested everywhere in the new heavens and earth, manifested in all of God’s glory and majesty.

· John describes it even further by saying that it has been prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

· Some of you ladies, when you were getting married, you took a long time to get ready. You made sure that the dress was in place. That your hair was done. That your makeup was just right. You took time to prepare yourself, that when your husband saw you, it was a moment that stood out in their minds.

· Well, that is how John is trying to emphasize this verse. It is one of those awe moments. It takes your breath away.

· Everything has been done with care and elegance. This is not something that was just thrown together, it was prepared.

· I think there is also a deeper meaning to why John said what he said here. It is a coming together moment as well.

· I believe that this city in a way brings us together with the Lord. He is there within that city. He is that city.

· This is a place of great beauty, and holiness. It is God’s capital city, the new Jerusalem.

Now there are two more distinct things we see in the next two verses, but that will be looked at next time.

A New Command (vs 3)

A New Comfort(vs 4)