All Things New

Text: Revelation 21:1-8 Big Idea: God's ultimate plan is not destruction, but re-creation—making all things new and beautiful.

Introduction

How would you describe the end of the world? If you're like most people, your mind probably goes to images of explosions, massive destruction, everything burning to the ground. We've seen it in countless movies—cities crumbling, the earth splitting apart, everything we know being obliterated. That's our cultural picture of how things end.

Personal Stories of growing up with a prepper family

But when we turn to the book of Revelation, we discover a vision that's radically different. Instead of destruction, we see something beautiful. Instead of everything ending in fire and chaos, we read about a "new heaven and new earth." Instead of God throwing away his creation like a broken toy, we see him lovingly renewing it, making it beautiful again.

This is a key insight that changes everything: God's plan is renewal, not replacement. He's not looking to scrap everything and start over. He's looking to take what exists—what he declared "very good" in Genesis—and make it new again.

Let's explore this beautiful vision of hope together.

Point #1: God renovates creation rather than replacing it.

Let's start by looking at verse 1:

Revelation 21:1 NIV

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

The Language: "New" (Kainos)

The first thing we need to understand is what John means when he uses the word "new." In Greek, there are two words that can be translated as "new." There's neos, which means brand new—something that never existed before. And there's kainos, which means renewed or refreshed—something that existed before but has been made new again.

John uses kainos here. This is renovation language, not demolition language. Think about the difference between renovating your house and tearing it down to rebuild from scratch. When you renovate, you keep the good bones of the house—the foundation, the structure—but you make everything fresh and beautiful again. You don't throw away the house; you restore it to something even better than it was originally.

The Scope: Heaven and Earth

Notice the scope of this renewal: both heaven and earth. Both the spiritual and physical realms will be renewed. This is comprehensive restoration. God isn't just fixing the spiritual dimension while abandoning the physical world. The text says "the first heaven and the first earth had passed away"—not because they were destroyed, but because they were transformed into something new.

The Symbol: No More Sea

Then we read this curious phrase: "and the sea was no more." Now, this might sound strange to us. We love the ocean! We vacation at the beach! But in ancient Hebrew thought, the sea represented chaos and separation. It was the unpredictable force that divided peoples and nations. It was where monsters lived, where ships were lost, where chaos reigned.

When John says there's no more sea, he's saying there will be no more forces of chaos. No more barriers between peoples. No more unpredictable destruction. The forces that divide and destroy will be gone.

The Implications for Today

What does this mean for us today? Several things:

First, the physical world matters to God.

He's not planning to throw it away. This means our care for creation—our environmental stewardship—is actually a gospel issue. We're caring for something God plans to renew.

Second, our bodies matter.

They will be renewed, not discarded. The goal isn't to escape our physical existence but to see it transformed.

Third, social justice matters.

When we work for healing in broken systems, for justice in unjust situations, we're participating in God's renewal project. We're not just biding time until everything gets destroyed; we're working toward the day when everything gets restored.

But the most beautiful part is who lives in this new creation.

Point #2: The goal of all history is God dwelling with his people.

The City: New Jerusalem (v. 2)

Revelation 21:2 NIV

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Notice the imagery John uses. This isn't a city being built up from earth—it's coming down from heaven.

This is God's initiative, God's gift. And it's described like a bride adorned for her husband.

This is wedding imagery, not funeral imagery! The end of the story isn't death; it's a wedding celebration.

The Climax: God With Us (v. 3)

Then we get to the climax of all human history. Verse 3: 

Revelation 21:3 NIV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

This is it. This is what everything has been building toward. From the moment sin separated humanity from God in Genesis 3, this has been the plan—to restore the relationship, to bring God and humanity back together.

The covenant relationship that was broken will be fully restored.

"God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them." Not just that we go to be with God somewhere far away, but that God comes to dwell with us. This is Emmanuel—God with us—taken to its ultimate fulfillment.

The Comfort: No More Suffering (v. 4)

And then comes one of the most beautiful promises in all of Scripture. Verse 4: 

Revelation 21:4 NIV

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Look at what gets eliminated:

—all the causes of sorrow Tears

—the final enemy is defeated Death

—grief over loss Mourning

—emotional pain Crying

—physical suffering Pain

But notice what remains: people, relationships, joy, worship, purpose.

God doesn't eliminate human experience; he eliminates human suffering. This is key.

The goal isn't to become something other than human, but to become truly human—human as we were meant to be, without the brokenness that sin introduced.

And God himself makes a promise about this.

Point #3: God renews what exists rather than creating something entirely different.

The Speaker: He Who Sits on the Throne (v. 5a)

Verse 5 begins:

Revelation 21:5 NIV

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

This is the ultimate authority making the ultimate promise. This isn't a prophet speaking, or an angel delivering a message. This is God himself speaking this promise directly.

The Promise: "I Am Making All Things New" (v. 5b)

And here's what he says: “I am making everything new!”

Notice carefully what this doesn't say. It doesn't say, "I will make all new things." It says, "I am making all things new." He takes what exists and renews it. This is present progressive tense—it's an ongoing action that God is already engaged in and will complete.

This applies to your life right now.

Your broken relationships—God is making them new.

Your painful memories—God is making them new.

Your damaged dreams—God is making them new.

He doesn't throw away what's been broken; he redeems it and makes it beautiful.

The Parallel: Resurrection

Think about Jesus' resurrection as the pattern for this. When Jesus rose from the dead, he came back as the same person, but renewed. His scars remained, but they no longer caused him pain. Instead, they became proof of his victory, not reminders of his defeat. He was recognizably Jesus, but Jesus transformed, Jesus made new.

This is the pattern for all of God's renewal. He doesn't erase the past; he redeems it and transforms it into something beautiful.

The Command: Write This Down (v. 5c)

Then God says something remarkable: “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” This is God emphasizing the certainty and reliability of what he's just promised. He stakes his reputation on this promise. He's so sure of it that he wants it recorded permanently.

But this renewal comes with both invitation and warning.

Point #4: God offers renewal as a gift, but the choice is ours.

The Declaration: "It Is Done!" (v. 6a)

Revelation 21:6 NIV

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

"It is done!" These are the same words Jesus spoke from the cross: "It is finished!" God speaks of the future as if it's already accomplished. That's how certain his promises are.

The Identity: Alpha and Omega (v. 6b)

God identifies himself as "the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.." This means God frames all of reality. He has both the first word and the last word in every situation.

Whatever you're facing, whatever seems hopeless, God gets the final say.

The Invitation: Free Water (v. 6c)

Then comes the invitation: To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

This is a gift offered to anyone who recognizes their need. Are you thirsty? Are you looking for something to satisfy the deep longing in your soul? God offers living water—true refreshment for your soul—and it's free.

We spend so much time trying to quench our thirst with things that can't really satisfy. Career success, relationships, entertainment, possessions—they're like drinking salt water when you're thirsty. They might taste good for a moment, but they leave you thirstier than before. God offers the real thing, and it costs you nothing because it already cost him everything.

The Promise: Inheritance (v. 7)

Revelation 21:7 NIV

Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

To "victorious/conquer” here doesn't mean to win battles or achieve great things. It means to persevere in faith, to trust God even when life is hard. To remain faithful to Christ. And the reward is not just a place in the new creation—it's a personal relationship with God. "I will be their God and they will be my children." This is intimacy with the Creator of the universe.

The Warning: Second Death (v. 8)

But then comes the warning. Verse 8:

Revelation 21:8 NIV

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

This isn't God being mean or vindictive. This is the natural consequence of choice. The list here describes people who have chosen to remain in their brokenness rather than accept God's offer of renewal. They've chosen to stay thirsty rather than drink from the spring of life.

The key point is this: you cannot choose both. You cannot choose both renewal and remaining in brokenness. You cannot choose both life and death. The choice is real, and it matters.

This vision changes how we live today.

Point #5: The new creation vision transforms present living.

Our Suffering Has Meaning

When we understand that God is going to wipe away every tear, it means every tear you cry now matters to him. Your pain isn't ignored or minimized. It will be acknowledged and healed. The suffering you're experiencing today is not the end of the story.

Our Work Has Purpose

If God renews creation rather than replacing it, then our efforts to bring healing, justice, and beauty into the world aren't just busy work—they're participating in God's plan. When you work for justice, when you create beauty, when you bring healing to broken places, you're getting a preview of what God will do completely.

It's like hiking up a mountain.

Personal story of climbing Commit falls at Mount Rainier

The climb is difficult, but every step up is worth it because you're getting closer to the incredible view at the top. Our work in this broken world can be hard, but every act of love, every moment of justice, every creation of beauty is a step toward the renewed world God is preparing.

Our Hope Is Certain

"It is done!" God's promises are that reliable. This isn't a matter of if, but when. We can live with confidence in God's ultimate victory. No matter how broken things look now, no matter how hopeless your situation might seem, God gets the last word, and his last word is renewal.

Conclusion

Let me recap what we've seen: God's plan is beautiful renewal, not destruction.

The Love Story

The book of Revelation ends not with destruction but with a wedding scene.

God isn't angry with his creation—he's in love with it. He loved it so much that he gave his Son to redeem it, and he promises to renew it completely.

This is a love story. God created a beautiful world, humanity broke it through sin, and instead of scrapping the project, God entered the brokenness to fix it from the inside.

And his promise is that he will make all things—all things—new.

The Personal Application

Whatever you're facing today—broken relationships, physical pain, injustice, loss, disappointment, sin—this isn't the end of your story. God is making all things new, including your situation. The tears you're crying today are tears that God himself will wipe away. The pain you're experiencing is pain that God will heal. The brokenness in your life is brokenness that God will restore.

The Essential Question

The question isn't whether God will renew all things—he will. The question is whether you'll be part of that renewal. Will you accept his free offer of living water? Will you trust him with your brokenness? Will you let him make you new?

Final Challenge: What broken area of your life do you need to entrust to God's promise to make all things new?

Maybe it's a relationship that seems beyond repair.

Maybe it's a dream that's been shattered.

Maybe it's pain you've been carrying for years.

Maybe it's guilt and shame from past mistakes.

Maybe it's fear about the future.

Whatever it is, God's promise to you today is the same promise he made to John: "Behold, I am making all things new." Not just some things. Not just the easy things. All things.

Will you trust him with your all things today?

Let's pray.