All Things New Pt. 2 The Beginning and The End

All Things New – Part 2: The Beginning and the End

"The Beginning and the End"

Text: Revelation 21–22 Theme: God's work of redemption culminates not merely in rescuing humanity from sin, but in restoring creation to His original design. The New Earth reveals God's justice, vindicates His character, and fulfills His eternal purpose to dwell with His people.

Big Idea: The Bible begins in a garden and ends in a garden-city because God's sovereign plan has never been to abandon creation, but to redeem it completely.

Introduction: More Than an Ending

Last week read through Revelation 20 and discovered the purpose of the Millennium period of time described where God’s redeemed saints experience Heaven with Jesus, where the books are opened and man judges God’s judgment as just. It also describes Satan bound to the desolate Earth, living in an existence of his own doing. We examined how after that period there would be a second resurrection those who have chosen to follow after the beast and cling to sin in rebellion and a fire that burns up all of sin after a new Jerusalem descends on Earth and the next chapter of Human history begins on the New and restored Earth. Christ is shown as more than victorious but also transparent in all action.

Every great story has an ending that makes sense of everything that came before it.

But you students of Revelation know its not the easiest book to piece together. It doesn’t always read left to right, it seems to climax multiple times. Interpreters and theologians try and make sense of literal and figurative descriptions of future events. Some people will read the opening the opening chapters and closing chapters and have no clue about the middle. The beginning and the End. Yet many would say the same about the Bible as a whole, There is a salvation plan established in the first 3 chapters of Genesis and the plan of redemption prophetically comes to pass in the final three chapters of Revelation, while the Great Controversy plays out in the pages of scripture in our world throughout history.

God is present always, in fact He is identified as the alpha and omega, the beginning and the End.

The final chapter is not simply where the story stops; it is where every loose thread is tied together.

If we only had Genesis, we would know that humanity fell.

If we only had the Gospels, we would know Christ died and rose again.

If we only had Revelation 20, we would know sin loses and is eternally burned up.

But Revelation 21 and 22 answer an even greater question:

What was God working toward all along?

Sometimes Christians speak as though God's ultimate goal is simply to get us into heaven.

Scripture tells a much larger story.

Heaven is glorious. A unimaginable beautiful literal place.

The millennium is real, a real time period documenting the redeemed saints purpose in Heaven and the Devil’s stuuing on a desolate earth.

But heaven is not the final destination.

God's purpose has always been the restoration of His creation.

The Bible begins with humanity walking with God in Eden.

The Bible ends with humanity walking with God again.

Everything in between is the story of redemption.

Today we conclude our series, All Things New, by looking beyond the millennium to the fulfillment of God's promise.

Before we go further, lets take a moment to pray again.

The destruction of sin in Revelation 20 is climactic just like other moments throughout Revelation. Is the climax in the reminders of Christ’s ulimtate victory foreshadowed in the bowls, and plagues, and wars described in Revelation. Some would say, Revelation is a like a pyramid where the heart of the book is toward the center, at the Three angels message.

Call it a climax, or conclusion, Next chapter, But what should not be missed is found in Revelation 21:

"Behold, I make all things new."

That single sentence is a promise and a fulfillment of prophecy in the story of redemption. It also gives us a more clear picture of who God is.

I. Redemption Ends Where Creation Began

Revelation 21:1-5

Revelation 21:1–5 “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. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. 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.” 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.””

John writes:

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."

This language immediately takes us back to Genesis.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

The Bible begins with creation.

It ends with re-creation.

God does not surrender His creation to Satan.

He redeems it, what the devil made desolate.

Sometimes people imagine eternity as existing forever on clouds somewhere in outer space.

That is not John's picture.

My friends

Talking about the challenge of reading between literal and figurative language throughout the book.

I appeal strongly that

Heaven is a literal place, but what makes it Heaven is the presence of God. Being kingdom or eternity minded is not simply seeking the literal heavenly mansion or golden crown as eternal keepsakes. It is looking towards living as Adam and Eve prior to sin, where they dwelled in the presence of God daily. Revelation tells of a millennium for the redeemed to dwell in the literal place of Heaven with God. But it also reveals the transition to the the new Earth. Revelation 21:3 says “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.”

Living for Heaven should not mean despising the world today. It’s the opposite really. God created this world as a place for humanity to live in love and dwell in His presence. It’s hard to picture when we see so much hatred and war daily in this world. When we live for God today as sanctuaries for His presence to shine from, may it be a glimpse of His restoration plan.

Revelation 21 records

The New Jerusalem descending

God comes to dwell with humanity.

Earth becomes the eternal home of the redeemed.

Notice the direction.

Humanity is not escaping.

God is restoring his creation.

That tells us something profound about God's character.

Sin revealed its nature and outcome while God's plan was enacted..

Satan never defeated God's plan.

Satan has always sought to convince the universe that God's purposes can be frustrated and thwarted.

Revelation says otherwise.

Every promise God made finds its fulfillment.

God’s covenants reach finality.

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Paul says in Romans 8 that creation itself groans for redemption.

Romans 8:19–23 “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

John now witnesses in vision as the God’s children have been redeemed, and creation restored.

Theology

Salvation has never been merely about forgiving sinners.

It has always been about restoring God's kingdom.

It includes the renewal of the entire created order.

Christ did not die simply so we could leave earth.

He died so earth itself could become holy again.

That is why Revelation echoes Genesis so intentionally.

God is bringing history full circle.

Only now Eden is without naivety toward sin

In the New Earth there will never again be rebellion.

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This is prophesied:

Nahum 1:9 becomes reality:

"Affliction will not rise up a second time."

II. God's Justice Makes Peace Possible

One question we might be tempted to ask,

Why couldn't God simply overlook sin?

The answer is because love without justice eventually hardens and distorts and destroys love itself.

Imagine a judge who never punished abuse.

Never confronted crimes of all kinds.

We would not call that love.

We would call it injustice.

Likewise, God's justice is not contrary to His love.

It is an expression of His love.

The destruction of sin in Revelation 20 makes the peace read about in Revelation 21 possible.

Notice that God never celebrates the destruction of sinners.

He celebrates the absence of sin.

There is

No more death.

No more sorrow.

No more crying.

No more pain.

Those are not arbitrary blessings.

They are the inevitable result of sin's complete removal.

God has not merely hidden evil somewhere in the universe.

He has eradicated it forever.

The cancer cells are removed.

That is justice.

His Justice is not revenge.

God’s Justice is the restoration of what evil destroyed.

Throughout Scripture, God's judgments have always had restorative purposes whenever possible.

But when rebellion has become permanent, judgment protects the future of the redeemed.

A surgeon removes cancer not, sometimes a very painful process but it is for the purpose that the patient can eventually live cancer free.

Likewise, God removes sin because He loves His creation and wants us to be able to live free from it.

III. "Behold, the Tabernacle of God Is with Men"

Like most of us, I to sometimes try and picture Heaven the place, and not that there is anything wrong with that but as mentioned before, the holiness of Heaven is because of the presence of God. Maybe instead we should be imagining the face of Jesus.

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Revelation 21:3. says

"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men..."

This is the fulfillment of the entire Bible.

In Eden...

God walked with Adam.

Sin separated humanity.

The sanctuary symbolized God's desire to dwell among His people.

Jesus became Immanuel—God with us.

The Holy Spirit dwells within believers today.

But in the New Earth...

There is no separation at all.

Notice what heaven is ultimately about.

The greatest gift is God's presence.

Heaven is heaven because God is there.

Moses understood this.

At Sinai while the Israelites had been worshipping a golden calf. God offered Israel the Promised Land but without His presence, Moses refused.

"If Your Presence does not go with us.,” do not bring us up from here.” Ex 33:15

The promised land would not be the promised land without God.

David wrote,

"In Your presence is fullness of joy."

The redeemed finally experience what humanity was created for.

Perfect communion with God.

Application

Every earthly relationship points toward this reality.

Marriage.

Friendship.

Family.

Church.

All of them reflect humanity's deepest need.

Not merely companionship with one another.

But fellowship with God Himself.

IV. The River and the Tree

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Revelation 22 returns us once again to Genesis.

There is the Tree of Life.

There is a river.

There is fruit.

There is life.

Everything lost is restored.

Except one thing.

The serpent is absent.

That omission is intentional.

The Great Controversy is over.

Sin will never again enter God's universe.

The Tree of Life now stands permanently accessible.

Humanity no longer lives under the shadow of death.

Notice in vs 2 also that the leaves are "for the healing of the nations."

Not because sickness still exists.

Rather, they testify that every wound caused by sin has finally been healed.

Think about that.

All things ruined are now restored.

Nothing remains untouched by God's restoring grace.

The New Earth is not simply life extended forever.

It is life made whole.

V. We Will Reign with Him

John says,

"They shall reign forever and ever."

Sometimes we imagine eternity as endless inactivity.

Scripture presents purposeful existence.

Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were given meaningful work, tasked with preserving and caretaking for the Earth.

They exercised loving dominion under God's authority.

The New Earth restores humanity's original vocation.

The redeemed will continue discovering God's creation.

Joyfully reigning under Christ.

Eternity is not boredom stretched infinitely.

It is endless discovery.

Isaiah 65:21–22 “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”

the prophet pictures people building houses.

Planting vineyards.

Enjoying the work of their hands.

The curse on labor is gone.

Meaningful work remains.

Only tiresome frustration disappears. Stamina remains.

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VI. The Alpha and the Omega

God declares,

"I am the Alpha and the Omega."

The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

He is saying something extraordinary.

"I began this story."

"I will finish this story."

Nations rise.

Empires fall.

Wars erupt.

Economies collapse.

Disease spreads.

Civilizations change.

Yet above every headline stands the sovereign God of Revelation.

Nothing catches Him by surprise.

Nothing prevents His promises.

Our confidence is not rooted in political stability, gas prices, or interest rates.

It is rooted in God's faithfulness.

The God who began redemption will complete redemption.

That gives Christians hope in every generation.

VII. Living Today in Light of Tomorrow

If the New Earth is our future...

How should we live now?

First...

We live with hope.

Christians should never be the most pessimistic people in the room.

We knowledge of the ending.

Second...

We invest in eternal priorities.

Jesus told us to store treasures in heaven.

The kingdom lasts.

Third...

We care about this world.

Sometimes Christians wrongly assume,

"It's all going to be desolate one day.”

That is not biblical thinking.

The earth belongs to God.

Its renewal demonstrates its value.

Do any of you have an old car sitting in your lawn you won’t part with, because you have intentions of restoring it. Thats how God feels about the Earth.

Christians should care for creation, serve their communities, relieve suffering, pursue justice, and proclaim the gospel because all of these anticipate the kingdom to come.

Finally...

We invite others.

Revelation ends with one final invitation.

"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.'"

Even at the end of Scripture...

God is still inviting.

His heart has not changed. He still desires that none should perish.

The invitation remains open.

But it can not remain open forever.

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Conclusion: The Beginning and the End

The Bible begins with a garden, and finishes in the same place restored.

It begins with a marriage.

It ends with the marriage supper of the Lamb.

It begins with humanity given dominion.

It ends with humanity reigning with Christ.

The only interruption is sin.

And because of Jesus...

Even that interruption has an ending.

One day...

The redeemed will stand upon a recreated earth.

Children will laugh without fear.

Families will never say goodbye.

The curse will be remembered only as the backdrop against which God's grace shines forever.

The scars in Christ's hands will remain—not as reminders of suffering alone, but as eternal testimony that love paid the highest price to secure our home.

The universe will forever know two unshakable truths:

God is perfectly just.

God is perfectly loving.

No one will ever again wonder whether another way would have been better.

The cross, the judgment, the millennium, and the New Earth will together declare throughout eternity that God's government is righteous, His law is good, His mercy is unfailing, and His love is stronger than sin.

Appeal

Perhaps today you are carrying burdens that make God's promises seem distant. The brokenness of this world can make eternity feel abstract. But Revelation reminds us that our hope is not wishful thinking—it is anchored in the character of God.

The God who spoke creation into existence has not abandoned His world. The God who gave His Son at Calvary has not forgotten His people. The God who judged sin with perfect justice will also wipe away every tear with perfect compassion.

One day, faith will become sight. The prayers whispered through tears will give way to songs of joy. The graves will remain empty. The curse will be gone. The dwelling place of God will be with humanity forever.

Until that day, let us live as citizens of the coming kingdom—loving generously, serving faithfully, proclaiming Christ boldly, and fixing our eyes on the promise that the Alpha and the Omega will finish what He began.

For the One who says, "Behold, I make all things new," also says, "Surely I am coming quickly."

May our hearts respond with the final prayer of Scripture:

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."