Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation 21-22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2007

Moody Saw Heaven

 

A few hours before entering the Homeland, D L. Moody caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him.

Awakening from a sleep, he said, /Earth recedes, Heaven opens before me.

If this is death, it is sweet!

There is no valley here.

God is calling me, and I must go./

His son who was standing by his bedside said, */No, no, father, you are dreaming./*

/No, said Mr. Moody, I am not dreaming: I have been within the gates: I have seen the children’s faces./

A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle he spoke again: /This is my triumph; this my coronation day!

It is glorious!

/

 

We have lots of questions about heaven.

The Bible does give us many of the answers.

*1 Corinthians 2:9-10: */But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.

For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

/God showed John a glimpse of heaven on the Isle of Patmos.

Today we’ll see 3 different aspects of heaven; */God’s City, God’s House, God’s Temple.

/*/All 3 speak of perfect unity; *One** Celestial City, One Family Home, One Holy Temple.*/

 

1.

God’s City - Citizens

 

/a.

The Builder/

 

*Revelation 21:1-2:* /Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Also there was no more sea.

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, *coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.*/

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

So it shouldn’t surprise us that He makes the New Heavens, the New Earth and the New Jerusalem.

*Isaiah 65:17-18:* /For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

/In *Revelation 21:5* we read that God /makes all things new.

*I believe we will see God make these things new.*/

God is the Architect and builder of the */Holy/**/ City/*, the */New Jerusalem/*.

God planned to make this city a long time ago.

The Lord promised Abraham that he would live in a city that He made.

*Hebrews 11:9-10:* /By faith Abraham dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise*; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.* /Abraham was waiting for the New Jerusalem.

/He longed to live there.

Now he does/.

/b.

The City/

 

/What do you normally find in a healthy city?/

You have city limits marked out by walls or fences for protection.

You need a water supply and food.

You need */government,/* streets, lighting, trees, buildings and houses.

God has provided all of these in the New Jerusalem.

*Revelation 21:10-12; 14; 16; 18; 21; 23; 22:1-2:* /And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.

Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.

And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs.

Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

/

/ /

/The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl.

And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

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.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.

The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations./

*/God Himself will rule as king over the city.

/*The city is secure having high walls made of jasper stone.

God makes the city secure.

There are 12 gates made of pearl.

The city and its streets are made of pure Gold.

God Himself lights the city.

I personally believe the whole city will shine.

John says that it has the glory of God and reflects light like a precious stone.

A city made of gold, precious stones and pearls will naturally radiate any light within it.

God is that light.

The river of life proceeds from God’s throne providing pure water.

There will be no water shortage.

The tree of life provides 12 kinds of fruit for the citizens.

The leaves of the tree of life provide good health for the people.

There’s no pollution, disease, sickness or overcrowding in the Holy City; About 1600 miles square.

/c.

The Citizens/

 

*Revelation 21:24-27:* /And the nations of those who are *saved* shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their *glory* and *honor* into it.

Its gates shall not be shut at all by day, there shall be no night there.

And they shall bring the *glory* and the *honor* of the nations into it.

But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are *written in the Lamb’s Book of Life*./

Only believers will enter the New Jerusalem.

The citizen’s role is the */Lamb’s Book of Life./* *Isaiah 26:1-2:* /In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.

Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

/No unbeliever will ever see the glory land; their place is in the Lake of Fire.

*/Anyone who defiles himself through lies, idolatry, immorality, or unbelief won’t be allowed to defile heaven./*

Heaven’s citizens bring their /glory and honor/ into the city.

/What does this mean?/

I believe that it refers to their good works.

Heavenly citizens walk in the light.

/Abraham looked for the heavenly city and lived righteously as a stranger on earth.

Lot looked at Sodom and compromised./

*Philippians 1:27:* */Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ/*/, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

/The words */let your conduct be worthy of/*,* **πολιτεύω**,* literally mean */to conduct yourself as a good citizen keeping the law,/* a heavenly citizen.

*Phil 3:20:* */For our citizenship is in heaven, /*/from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

*Are you living like a heavenly citizen?*

Is your conduct like Abraham a sojourner or lot a settler in Sodom?* */

/ /

2. God’s House - Sons

 

*Revelation 21:3-7:* /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.