REVELATION 21

We reach a much more pleasant subject tonight compared to the end of last week’s study “The Great White Throne Judgment.”

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the [sea] was no more.

The text tells us that the first Heaven, Earth and the Sea will pass away…The universe will be purged by fire.

For a large portion of my life, I believed that the earth in Revelation 21 would be completely annihilated. That God would give up on this world and start over with a new one…but I was wrong.

Randy Alcorn in his Book “Heaven” says this: "For many years as a Bible student and later as a pastor, I didn't think in terms of renewal or restoration. Instead, I believed God was going to destroy the earth, abandon his original design and plan, and start over by implementing a new plan in an unearthly heaven. Only in the past 15 years have my eyes been opened to what Scripture has said all along"

2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

The words “burned up ” does not appear this way in the greek. The word is better translated “laid bare ” which conveys the idea of being “uncovered or laid open” and exposed.

Peter is not talking about destroying the earth…but purifying the earth…

Earth’s structure will be preserved but everything indicative of this natural world will disintegrate.

Any evidences of rot, decay, and death will pass away before God once again creates the “New Heaven and New Earth” on the bare elements that remain.

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

When you drive through the cities of the world today, it does not take long to notice that they are overcrowded, crime prone and possessing of a mostly negative image.

But in verse 2 we see a city that is very different from the ones described above. It is a holy city, prepared by the hands of Jesus for his people.

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

The New Jerusalem , unlike the cities above, is a place where everyone should want to live. In fact, if you are apart of the family of God, then you are already the owner of a property that is just waiting on you to arrive.

Who all will live in this City?

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

God will be there!

The other thing that is noticeable to me is that the “Abrahamic Covenant ” hits a little different as you read verse 3.

Genesis 12:1–3 - Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God called a special people out unto Himself. With an everlasting covenant that is completely and eternally fulfilled here in Revelation 21.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and [death] shall be no more, neither shall there be [mourning], nor [crying], nor [pain] anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

During the tribulation and even the millenium , there will be death and tears, pain and sorrow. However, in the New Jerusalem God will wipe it all away!

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6a And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega….

Who is He? Jesus

Isaiah 44:6 - Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

What are some notable exclusions in the New Heaven and Earth? There Is No More:

Sea , Death , Mourning , Crying , Pain , Curse [22:3], Night [22:5]

6b…the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Sunday’s Sermon - Those who are born twice , will only die once . But those who are only born once, will die twice .

Next…beginning in verse 9…we see the Bride of the Lord Jesus…we see The Church !

9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

The high walls with gates guarded by angels signify an “invulnerability ” to attack!

The 12 gates represent Israel …

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Ephesians 2:18–20 “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone…”

Note that the Gates and Foundations signify a unifying or marrying of the OT and New Testaments.

15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.

16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement.

The length, Height and Width of New Jerusalem is equal . The cubic shape indicative of the Most Holy Place in the OT Sanctuary.

1 Kings 6:20 - The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar.

18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

John sees no Temple , because the city is the temple . The place of God’s presence .

The dimensions of the city are 1,380 miles . Which is roughly the distance from Texas to Idaho .

These dimensions may indicate the size of the literal city or symbolize the perfect life of the people of God.

23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.

26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

“When we all get to Heaven ” takes on a brand new meaning in this text!