Revelation 21-22v5

This morning we are in the New Creation - new heaven, and new earth. Instead of our regular rhythm of having us all stand for this - I want to invite you to do something different. That is - I want you to listen, and to picture this (as best you can) as I read it. So I’m going to read Revelation 21 all the way through Revelation 22v5. Please hear the word of God, and I invite you - close your eyes, and picture this, feel these words, as I read them.

Revelation 21:1–22:5 CSB

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. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He then 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, arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations. The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel: the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Let’s pray.

A lot of people in our culture who claim to be Christians have very unbiblical views, and often live unchristian lives. We often throw around that we live and or grew up in a Christian Culture. And while there are elements that are true in that - I’ve come to realize and believe more and more that it’s not true.

“Christian” in our society is often equated with Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - or live mostly good, cause it makes me feel good, to appease some far off God that isn’t involved in my life.

Or especially in our region - it’s more Midwestern Folk Religion mixed with Christian themes rather than the Biblical Christianity. And it’s very dangerous - because it uses a lot of Christian themes and hymns and slogans - but it is far from what orthodox Christians have subscribed to for thousands of years - but we as a people are quite stubborn and historically ignorant.

One of the most common “errors” of our Christian Midwestern Folk Religion is our views of heaven and the afterlife.

Most in our culture have view of Heaven, and the afterlife that is much more influenced by Plato, And the Simpsons than scripture.

And I admit - growing up I thought that the end state of humans is either Heaven or Hell - and in Heaven, we would just be around the throne with like harps singing songs forever.

And I’ll be real - not super motivating or exciting to me!

From greek thought, many have come to treat the physical as bad or much under the spiritual, so we have thought of heaven as an ethereal place.

So let’s listen to Scripture, (I’m gonna break some stuff down rather quickly here, and I’d encourage you to look Biblically into this stuff, and know we can always dialogue more):

Paul says in Philippians that should he die he would go be with the Lord. Before Christ comes back - if you are redeemed, in Christ, and you die - your body is buried - but your soul and spirit go to the Lord in heaven. We don’t know a ton about what that looks like - but there is existence and presence before God in the heavens. We retain our personhood in heaven when we die - though our bodies are not present.

If you are not redeemed - if you are not in Christ, and you die, it doesn’t seem like you would go straight to hell. In Revelation and throughout the Bible it talks about Hades, or the Abyss, or Sheol - these are ideas of the place of the dead. People aren’t thrown into hell till the Judgement Seat we read about in Revelation 20.

When Christ returns - The redeemed will be with Christ, and return to earth - and their bodies will be raised and glorified! We will be with Christ ON EARTH in glorified and restored bodies.

The unrepentant will be raised, bodily, and then receive the punishment for their sins that is hell.

But notice - throughout the whole of Revelation 21 - Jesus doesn’t take us back to heaven. We are to live in an ethereal state from now till forever.

We will live a physical life - forever - with God - on the new, recreated earth. And THAT should fill us with great hope and expectation!

But MOST of “Christian” view of heaven, hell, and the afterlife doesn’t jive with scripture and the testimony of the Church throughout the age.

So as we look ahead in Revelation 21&22 to new creation - while there is a LOT of symbolism, one thing needs to be clear - it will be a physical reality for us to be with God on earth. More real than this.

God doesn’t give up on the earth - the earth is his!

George Eldon Ladd said it this way:slide

“The Bible always places men and women on a redeemed earth, not in a heavenly realm removed from earthly existence. God will not concede the earth to the enemy. It will be remade. It will be renewed.” - George E. Ladd || The Gospel of the Kingdom

And let’s remember the point of Revelation - it was written to real believers, real people. It was written for us to take hope, and confidence, in Jesus Christ who is our king of kings and lord of lords, so that we can become overcomers! To choose the narrow path rather than the broad way that leads to destruction.

So if you, my dear friend, are overwhelmed, outraged, exhausted, anxious, and defeated in this world. If you are feeling the temptation to sin. Look to Jesus and what he is doing and will accomplish! And not just in a spiritual ethereal sense - in a real, tangible, physical reality. That gives me great hope and joy - even when things are hard.

So let’s turn to the passage. As it’s a longer passage, I’m going to put the sections up on the screen, but I will not read them all again every time, just because there’s a lot to get through!

Look at Revelation 21:1-6

Revelation 21:1–6 CSB

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. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.

First - John sees the new heaven and new earth.

It’s important to note here - that when we think of heaven - we think of angels and the realm of God - but from a jewish perspective - the sky was the heavens. There were the three heavens - the first was the air around us and the clouds, the second was the sun moon and stars and the celestial bodies, and the third heaven was the spiritual realm.

Perhaps one of the reasons so many believers feel like God is so distant, is because when we think of heaven we think of a far of place, when biblically speaking - heaven, the sky and air was all around us - God was ALWAYS present and near, just invisible.

So he ins’t JUST talking about the spiritual place - but is referring to ALL of creation - it was all passed away, and the sea is no more.

Why the sea going away? Lot’s of potential reasons for this - not the least of this that the sea is symbolic for chaos in the ancient mind! Also - in the images of Revelation - Babylon used the seas to conquer both militarily and economically.

Imagine with me a day without any chaos. Like i feel like a good portion of my day is dealing with chaos (both my own, others, and the worlds). Imagine what it would feel like, to live without chaos reining.

We get glimpses of it - but God is saying that new creation will be like that - no more chaos or conquering - just peace. Like a still lake on a summer morning.

John then sees a holy city - a new jeursalem - who is also the bride. Again like Revelation 7, we seem to have Jews and Believers put into one holy people. The whole city now being used as the image.

And God declares that he will now live with humanity!

They will be his peoples - is an important line - as grammatically it indicates that there are more than one people! Peoples - plural. People from every tribe and nation and tongue are now his. And God is with them, and will be their God.

And because of that - and the fact that sin and death have been cast into hell - no more death, grief, crying, or pain. Those are the past, and they have passed away! Amen!

God the declares that things are being renewed. The author of creation and time is speaking again. and then like Christ on the cross declares: IT IS DONE! It is decided. The Judge has clapped his gavel - newness for all creation. He will now give freely to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.

Then the voice reiterates for the reader who is invited to this eternal renewal, and who is not. Look at Revelation 21:7-8

Revelation 21:7–8 CSB

The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Who will inherit these things? The one who conquers, the one who overcomes. This is the call of Revelation - it was the call to each of the seven churches, where each letter ended: To the one who overcomes!

Why? Because it’s a call to be like Jesus- In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.

Friend - in this world you WILL have trouble - but in the life of Christ you are called to conquer, and overcome, not give into sin. But don’t look to conquer like the romans or the pagans do - conquer like Christ. A person of love and truth even if it costs everything. For after Jesus was obedient and crucified - Philippians 2 says that it was for this reason that God highly exalted him, giving him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow!

So the question is - do you want to be exalted by God, and reign with Christ forever (even if it costs in the here and now), or do you want to be exalted in the here and now, chasing all the vainglories that satan has to offer - only to be cast out when Christ comes again?

Our post-modern ears don’t love the exclusionary picture that Jesus paints. But He’s the one who lived a perfect life, died for others, and rose again from the dead. So if it’s good with you, I’m gonna follow him.

God says in Revelation 21:7 that those who conquer or overcome will INHERIT these things, He will be our God, and we will be his son!

Why does it say son here, and not son and daughter - because for most of human history the one who would inherit from the father would be the sons. Daughters were to be married off, treasured, but no inheritance. Here - it’s crazy - by overcoming with Christ - we all will receive the inheritance that Christ has won. Whether male or female, slave or free, greek or jew - all who are in Christ, will receive in Christ’s name just like he does.

What a crazy gift! To receive what Christ has earned! To be called by Father God his children and inheritors of the promise. How good is our God?

This is the promise to the overcomers - now the warning to the others, in verse 8, God shares who will inherit the second death,

The cowards - those who in fear chose to compromise faith, rather than stand firm.

The Faithless, or the unbelieving, again who give up in the face of adversity.

he Deterstable, or the vile, those who commit abominations before God which in the old testament is generally spiritual idolatry and sexual immorality.

The Murderers, a general term that refers to all those who kill unjustly, though perhaps meant to indicate those who slay believers.

The Sexually Immoral, which is just a glaring obvious sign of those not living in God’s way.

Sorcerers, or those who practice magic arts, This is “black magic” and “white magic” as some say. Have nothing to do with crystals, and new age, and tarot cards, and horoscopes - all of that is demonic malarky.

The Idolaters, think of all those who decided to fold to the pressures of imperial worship and idol worship. They take the mark of the beast and worship other things for their own supposed gain.

And then all liars. This would not just be those who are false teachers and prophets, but all those who say they follow Jesus but dont, AND those who are committed to spinning false into the truth rather than just walking truthfully. I think it’s worth sitting here for a minute on this concept of lying.

Liars are included on this list. Friends, we live in a dishonest culture. And I’m not just talking about “them” like the forces that control things - i mean in our day to day lives, we have tolerated lying and false-truths WAY too often. We may not flat our lie - but we definitely don’t tell the truth. So we spin. We deflect. And we lie.

If you have a meeting, and you arrive late - and you say: “Sorry I ran into some unexpected traffic,” When really you just left 5 minutes late. When someone asks you for your opinion, and instead of being honest and risk offending them, say “It’s fine” and then judge them behind their back.

We live in passive aggressive world - which is trying to tell people how we feel without telling people how we feel. Let’s call it what it is - we are liars! and we need to repent.

God is faithful and true - and if we are his people - we need to start telling the truth. And if we struggle to tell the truth in the little things - like being late or why something didn’t get done - how on earth are we gonna tell the truth when there are consequences on the line?

We need to live no lies - because God is truth and there is no falsehood in hi.

All these - will inherit the second death.

Now we continue on, a description of New Jerusalem. As I read these - know that John is pulling from jewish images like crazy, from the prophets, from other jewish apocalyptic literature, and more. And while it’s, in my view, highly symbolic, it’s meant to be a picture of hope! look at 9-14 first

Revelation 21:9–14 CSB

Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He then 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, arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

Notice that the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles are identified as the gates, and the foundations. One people - grafted together because of Christ. And the people who make up this city are called the wife of the lamb! Arrayed in God’s glory. The closest thing to it is like precious stones and crystals.

The walls are less about keeping anyone out (for there are no longer any enemies!) but about strength and might.

And then John continues with measurements and more descriptions: verses 15-21

Revelation 21:15–21 CSB

The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel: the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

First thing to notice here - the measurement of the city isn’t just square, but cubic. 12,000 stadia length width and height. Now what does that mean? 1 stadia is about 600 feet - which means 12,000 is 1,400 miles!

This is an outrageously large object - and based on the numbers, do not seem to be meant to be taken literally, as in Revelation numbers are to be symbolic. 12 x 1000 is 12,000. This is a “whole number” of the people of God times 1000 which was the “largest” number they had a specific number for. This is supposed to communicate the granduer and splendor and power of god’s people!

But what is more significant to me - is that the square shape is the most like The Most Holy Place in the temple. It’s not just that new Jerusalem is like a temple with God - more than that - it’s the very presence of God, The whole existence is the holy of holies. We will experience God’s blessing and presence like never before.

Being able to live and work and play in the holy of holies because we are made like the lamb - we are his children. Y’all that’s insane stuff! In the best possible way! Now only is the church the temple of God (see ephesians 2) but when he comes - we will live and dwell in the holy of holies. The Spiritual world and the physical seemingly brought together in a crazy union.

More descriptions follow - jasper, and gold thats so pure it’s clear. Every kind of jewel, twelve kinds then.

The main street, or perhaps the public square is pure Gold - shining like glass.

This is a shiny place! And it is all made to reflect God’s radiant glory. next section.

Revelation 21:22–27 CSB

I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Craig Keener points out that The fact that there is no temple in the new jerusalem stands in stark contrast to the traditional jewish expectations of the end times, where a new temple was the feature of the city.

Here - God himself is the temple. And there is no need for sacrifice - for the blood of Christ is sufficient! The shekinah glory of God is so radiant, that in this apocalyptic vision - there is no need for sun or moon - because God and the lamb illuminate it.

Again I would caution a too woodenly literal reading of this section - and instead take it in context of earlier in Revelation where the promise was that the sun would no longer scorch, that there would be relief.

The radiance of God will shine around the globe - and all people will walk by God’s light, and the Kings of the earth will bring their glory, their gifts and worship - into it. Matt Chandler and other thinkers see this as how the redeemed will still live around the globe - and sees the kings of the earth being an image of the people of God ruling over creation, coming into the presence of God to worship.

And because there is no enemy - the gates are open all the time. We can always go to and be with God.

Look at the 22:1-5 now, and we see the fufillment of Genesis now victorious forever.

Revelation 22:1–5 CSB

Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.

The water of life - the river of life is such a common image in the old Testament, and JEsus’s messages. This river, this life and truth, flows from God’s throne down the main city - and the tree of life, the one from which Adam and Eve were blocked from eating when they were kicked out of the garden - now is available to all - and bears fruit year round.

Life, eternal life, sustained by the very presence of God and the lamb.

We will see his face - and we will bear his name.

We will reign with God forever and ever.

Amen! Right?

Okay, so what

So What?

Craig Keener notes 5 principles for today out of this passage that are brilliant, and so I’m borrowing heavily from him here.

New Jerusalem is God’s creation. That means all we do is prepare and live in faith for that hope to come. the promise is only ours because of the grace of our heavenly father. We don’t deserve it, or earn it - it is given to us in Christ by grace through faith. It’s HIS creation HIs work, and HIS rule and reign. It’s his.

We, therefore, need to put on righteous acts now! While the new Jerusalem is a future reality - it is being put together now! as more and more are saved and born again - more and more are brought into the future city. So let the world see our good works and praise our father in heaven! Don’t delay, worship God and live righteously.

The promises of New Creation gives us help in trials. Funerals, deaths, accidents. injustice, wars, where we can feel hopeless - we are pointed forward to know that we have hope and therefore help. God wins. Light wins. We can live in and out of that hope when our current reality is painful.

God’s perfect dwelling place will be with us; we will be in the Holy of Holies with Him, forever. This is really what it’s all about. Do you love God? Do you want Jesus? He is our reward. And here is the scandalous part - we can enjoy and cultivate that relationship with our savior now in prayer.

I wonder if there are many people, even some in churches, that are terrified by eschatology because they don’t have a real vibrant relationship and love of Christ. Like, to be real - all i want is to see Jesus. The man who saved me, the man who loved me, the man who knows me in all by brokeness and looks on me in love. The man who walked with me through sin and depression. And who calls me and wants to be with me so bad that he was willing to die!

I can’t wait to see him. I long for new creation not just for the benefits, no sin, no death, no pain - that’s all good - but I get to be with JEsus. in the flesh. That’s the stuff! That’s everything. We will be with him and like him forever. I want HIM.

In my devotions this week I was reading through 2 Timothy 4, and theres a familiar passage: 2 Timothy 4:7-8

2 Timothy 4:7–8 CSB

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.

familar right. A crown of righteousmess - for all those - who what? lived good lives? gave 10% every sunday? Memorized the book of psalms?

TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING. you can also say who “have longed for his appearing.”

I just want him to come. I want his presence.

Perhaps we just need to that God in Christ is human, a person that we can know and be known by and be loved by! Do you know the love of Christ? Do you long for HIM?

And because of that love made realized in new creation - when I feel overworked or unappreciated I can go to him for love and comfort and hope. The wife who doesn’t feel loved by her husband can feel loved by God. The kid who is teased by peers for their weight can feel secure in the love of God. The husband who works and never hears the words “Thank you” God sees all that you do and is even with you.

Therefore - let us be real with him and vulnerable because Christ shares in our pain WITH US. as Keener wrote: “we must remember that his love gives us a promise of fufillment ahead.”

Final so what:

5. We need to be overcomers. By the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony - yes. But some of this is just repentance and choice.

The reality is when I see the list of those who are not in new creation, if i can be honest - i don’t deserve to be there.

Coward? Check. Faithless? there are many times I fail to live by faith. Detestable? There are times when I feel rotten. Murderer, well I’ve never killed anyone, but I have hated some - which Christ says is like murder. Sexually immoral, I’ve been there. Sorcerer, not magic - but I have gone to other wells for comfort rather than God. Idolater, not paganism - but I have worshipped comfort, the dollar, and myself by how i live my life. Liar? oh I was plagued by lying as a child. And as a recovering people pleaser, I FEEL the temptation to spin the truth in my favor often.

Friend - I see that list and if I can be real - i recognize how wrong I am.

But then I remember how great Christ is. He came for the sick. He came for the unrighteous. He came to give life and life abundant. He became sin who knew no sin that I may become the very righteousness of God.

And so I boast in my weakness, and ask for the Spirits strength. I slay my sin at the cross, and beg for his provision and forgiveness,

And when I get to the end, I am not going to plead my case based on my works - I’m going to plead the name of Jesus. Jesus is my hope in life and death. And HE has the name above all names.

I pursue him and live by faith daily! and therefore, even though I hate my sin - I am not afraid of Death - and I LONG for his appearing.

Friends - do you know him and love him? Confess your sins, and he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Would we, walk and live in the blood of Christ, and overcome sin, death, and the devil by following the Lamb wherever he goes.

Would you stand with me?

Before I pray - I just want to invite you, if you would like prayer - a few of us elder will be in the corner and we are willing to and would love to pray with you.

Let me pray and we will sing.