I Make All Things New Rev. 21:1-8

Introduction

Over the course of the last few weeks we have been speaking about the end times in terms of the Millennial kingdom, the defeat of Satan and his being cast into the Lake of fire. We have also seen, however briefly, the fate of unbelievers as they are also cast into the lake of fire. Now we turn our attention in these last two chapters to heaven.

I think John is revealing this to the believers of his day because as MacArthur declares “heaven on your mind changes the way you live.” (GTY). “John Bunyan writing . . . Pilgrim's Progress . . . a conversation between two pilgrims who are on their way to the celestial city, which, of course, is heaven. One of the two pilgrims says to the other, "When do you find yourself in the most wholesome and most vigorous spiritual state?" To which the other pilgrim says, "When I think of the place to which I am going." Bunyan understood that. . . .. The living in a joyous anticipation of the presence of God changes everything. “

How often do you think about heaven? Surely, you have heard the phrase, “he is so heavenly minded he is no earthly good.” Usually that is used to decry someone who has his head in the clouds. But I think Bunyan and MacArthur are right. If we are thinking about heaven it helps us to be better here. It helps us to face hardships here. In my P90x exercise tapes, Tony Horton is always saying you can do anything for 30 seconds, because alot of the movements are only for 30 seconds, but man that is a long 30 seconds. I think a similar thought could be said about this. When you set your mind on things above and not on earth () you can do anything, or endure anything.

Anyway, John is writing to people who are hard pressed for living life in a nice easy chair. It is hard, they are being pursued, dogged, dragged into prison and the stadiums. Life for a Christian in John’s day was not a walk in the park. It was more akin to putting your life on the line, losing everything you have worked for in order to follow Christ. These words in our text would help them to look to Heaven. To help them to see that what they are going through now is nothing compared to eternity.

But i think that is the issue for us. We don’t think enough about heaven. We Christians today are more about instant gratification now. We don’t want to suffer, we don’t want to have to give up our niceties. We put more into our lives for here than we do getting ready for then. Our focus should be on the other side. Solomon wrote in “The day of our death is better than the day of our birth.” Paul said “to die is gain.” but we don’t think of it that way. We look for ways to make our life longer here, to make it better here, more comfortable here. But in doing so we don’t get the smell of heaven. We are so focused on the here and now that we have closed our eyes to beyond the vail.

I think of Noah and the flood. He and his family were the only ones preparing for the other side of the flood. God destroyed the old world they knew and they floated into the new world. Everything was new to them as far as the landscape of the world in which they lived. Of course, evil, sin was still present, but it was kind of a precursor to what we have here. Our life now might be filled with pain mixed with pleasure, but looking toward heaven can help us endure any trial here because our hope is in heaven.

MacArthur mentioned that Heaven is mentioned over 550x in the Bible, 54x in don’t know, I didn’t count them, but when I looked up heaven there were a lot of verses. It is clear from scripture that it is a real physical place. Remember Jesus had a body when he returned, Paul speaks of it as a real place in . It wouldn’t make sense if heaven was just a spiritual place. It is going to be just as real and physical as this world is today. Otherwise, why make all things new. You’ll remember Enoch and Elijah both in their bodies were in heaven. I think of Moses and Elijah in their bodies speaking with Jesus in His body. Heaven is a place where we will have bodies.

This earth and heaven and sea as we know it will be destroyed. And a new one will be created. And that brings me to this truth in this title.

I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW!

It is what John is pointing at in our text. Paul even pointed this out to the Corinthian believers in

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

This is what is coming into sight in our text. All things become new. What was started way before creation and is seen in our lives when we trust Christ as Savior is now in full reveal. This is what we are looking and hoping for, the new heaven and new earth where everything is going to be set right.

So let us look into our text and see how far we get.

I. A New Creation, vss. 1-4

A. A New realm,

I saw a new heaven and a new earth

Now the reason he sees the new is because, as he explains it the first is passed away. Notice, he doesn’t say ‘old’ but ‘first’. This gives us a bit of clarity as to what he means.

John sees only the new heaven and new earth because the old is gone. The former world which he knew was nonexistent. All vestiges of this old sinful world are gone.

We have an explanatory gar the targets the support for that statement being that the first heaven and first earth are passed away.

The Scripture has told us this would happen:

Isaiah 65:17 ESV

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.

The reason he only sees the new is because the old/first is gone. All vestiges of this old sinful world are gone.

2 Peter 3:7 ESV

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

2 Peter 3:10 ESV

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.

This is not something new to John but this is an explanation, a revealing of the fulfillment of these things.

Now the word New =kainos- new qualitatively, not in time, the new in time would be the word neos. thus, it is qualitatively better than the old., it is different than the old. It is new and distinctive, better than the old, superior in value or attraction, It is the wholly different and miraculous. Let me explain it this way. When You became a believer you were made a new creation. That’s our word. It wasn’t that your bodily characteristics were changed. you still look like you. However, you are a changed person, a new person. You have a new way of thinking, a new value set, a new focus and purpose of life. However, someone might notice a different you. Your countenance changes, you might have a spring in your step, a change in your vocabulary, or your desires. When a friend or family member sees you that might notice the change and ask, ‘what happened to you?” you are different somehow. That is what is meant here. in the same way the old heaven and earth is gone. You won’t recognize the place. All is made new.

New =kainos- new qualitatively, not in time, the new in time would be teh word neos. thus, it is qualitatively better than the old., it is different than the old. It is new and distinctive, better than the old, superior in value or attraction

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 2. Theological.

a new heaven and a new earth, Rev. 21:1; 2 Pt. 3:13 (Is. 65:17); the new Jerusalem, Rev. 3:12; 21:2 (Test. D. 5:12); the new wine of the eschatological banquet, Mk. 14:25 par. (→ II, 34); the new name, Rev. 2:17; 3:12 (Is. 62:2; 65:15), cf. 19:12; the new song, 5:9; 14:3 (cf. Is. 42:10; ψ 95·λ etc.); “Behold, I make all things new,” 21:5 (Is. 43:19

There is a new heaven and new earth, a new Jerusalem, there is a new wine Jesus speaks of in ; we have a new name written down in glory as the old hymn says,

Isaiah 62:2 ESV

The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.

We sing a new song that has already been mentioned in ; ;

Isaiah 42:10 ESV

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.

Isaiah 42:

He makes all things new,

Isaiah 43:19 ESV

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Even the sea is no longer. Why is that singled out as somewhat different than the earth?

Not even the heavens are seen in this. The stars as he knew them are gone and all that has focus is the new heaven and earth.

Well the sea, if you will recall, is from where the false prophet and beast ascend, . it is often considered the place of the wicked that do not rest but cause trouble for the righteous. For example in he compares the wicked to the tossing sea. It is the place of the dead . In it is identified as a major trade figure in the trafficking of sin. So then the sea in Scripture fills out the picture of the wicked sinful world. So it is singled out as also being destroyed and thus revealing that Satan and all wickedness will no longer be present. No need for the sea for there will be no more death, no more trafficking of sinful wares on the sea. Even the tempest of the sea with all its dangers will no longer be. So then, the elimination of the sea gives hope to believers that there will be no more sin, wickedness in this new creation. Thus the removal of the sea highlights the removal of all wickedness.

There is a kai that adds that the sea is also no longer. So the first earth, heaven and sea are no longer in existence can be deduced from this.

So we have the vision of the new heaven and new earth because the first heaven and earth and the sea are eliminated. This is a hopeful looking forward to the eternal time of righteousness where everything is set right.

Now we turn to the second new creation

B. The New Jerusalem, v.2

v.2

The Holy Bible: King James Version Chapter 21

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

the new jerusalem is mentioned in . it is contrasted with the old Jerusalem, it is also contrasted with the city babylon that is destroyed.

The order of the words is emphasizing the fact that this new Jerusalem is both holy and new. New in the same way that the heavens are new.

I notice another kaithat moves the narrative along adding that the city the holy new Jerusalem I saw. The order of the words is emphasizing the New Jerusalem, it is new and holy.

Remember that Jerusalem was the city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital. It was called the holy city throughout Israel’s history. Then there is the Jerusalem that is defiled by the antichrist during the end times and then the Holy City Jerusalem where Christ reigns during the Millennial kingdom. It is the city surrounded by Satan’s forces in the final battle. But even this city is no the city mentioned here. It is the place where God dwells with His people for eternity.

This is that city that Abraham was looking for as we are told in ,. The one he went to when he died. He is there now.

John sees this city descending out of heaven (ek) from (apo) God, and because of its source it is holy.

He saw this descending out of heaven (ek) from (apo) God,

Then John gives a picture of a Bride.

He elaborates that it has been prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. That is the New Jerusalem is beautiful like a bride that has been prepared to meet her husband at their wedding. He is not saying the city is the bride, but that it is beautiful like a bride. But I am not sure that he is speaking only of beauty here.

It is prepared beautiful as a bride prepared for her husband The thought of prepared brings to mind that of Jesus in when He states that he is going away to prepare a place for you. This is that. This is that place Jesus has prepared for his people. It is the place that exists now. this is the paradise Jesus told the man on the cross he would go to that very day.

Holy

beautiful as a bride prepared for her husband The thought of prepared brings to mind that of Jesus in when He states that he is going away to prepare a place for you. This is that.

The word adorned (kekosmenmenen) (we get the word cosmetics from it) refers to being bedecked with things, like jewels, clothing etc. to make her appear attractive to her husband. But I think that because it is called the holy city, that it is really her holiness that is being emphasized here. Additionally I think it refers mainly to her holiness because the bride would want to be a pure bride for her husband and the husband would want a pure bride for himself.

The word adorned (kekosmenmenen) (we get the word cosmetics from it) refers to being bedecked with things, like jewels, clothing etc. to make her appear attractive to her husband. But I think that because it is called the holy city, that it is really her holiness that is being emphasized here. Additionally I think it refers mainly to her holiness because the bride would want to be a pure bride for her husband and the husband would want a pure bride for himself.

it is the dwelling place of God with His people.

THis restores what was begun in the garden. The word adorned (kekosmenmenen) (we get the word cosmetics from it) refers to being bedecked with things, like jewels, clothing etc. to make her appear attractive to her husband. But I think that because it is called the holy city, that it is really her holiness that is being emphasized here. Additionally I think it refers mainly to her holiness because the bride would want to be a pure bride for her husband and the husband would want a pure bride for himself.

As Patterson puts it “the idea of the city coming down from heaven prepared as a bride . . . captures the awe of the moment when the bride is presented to the groom. “

So then the new Jerusalem is the place where God dwells with His people when they die. And it is this new city John sees descending from God. We have a more detailed picture of the city later on, but for now we know this is the place that all believers are looking forward to.

Can you imagine a holy city, beautiful as this one. I don’t think there is a holy city today anywhere in the world. Cities are cesspools of sin and vice of all kinds. The internet posts articles like ‘what is the safest city in the world?’ but even still death and sin and wickedness are there. Not so in this New Jerusalem. All of that will be gone, erased. All of believers will be taking a trip to this city.

Are you not hopeful and looking forward to that day when we celebrate anew in the New Jerusalem. People save up for years to take a trip to Israel and see Jerusalem. But this trip is paid for in advance by Jesus Christ.

Have you taken advantage of that?

Set your mind on things above, on this new heaven and earth and New Jerusalem and that will change your life here.

v.3

I see also that not only does he see the new Jerusalem and the new heaven and new earth, but now he hears a great voice (great in the sense of commanding, loud, overpowering all other noise so that nothing else is paid attention to) This voice comes out of (ek) the throne. We saw the throne in the last chapter. It is most probable that it is the same throne since no other markers are offered to identify it as a different throne. John wants us to conclude it is the same throne of chapter 20 (the great white throne, the one Isaiah saw). In other words, this is Jesus (God) who is speaking.

John uses the word behold to point our attention to what He is about to say. This breaks the flow of attention and gets one alert to what is being said, and off of the awe of what he has been seeing. It is kind of like jolting him awake from his being entranced with the vision of the new heaven and earth and the new Jerusalem.

I THINK I AM PUTTING TOO MUCH IN HERE SO I AM GOING TO BREAK IT OFF. SOME OF THIS INFORMATION SHOULD GO IN ACTUAL SPECIFIC NOTES. SO I AM GOING TO WRAP THIS PART UP WITH A SUMMARY OF THE REST OF THE PERICOPE

vss. 3,4 speak of God tenting with men at this time and wiping away all tears, along with the first heaven, earth and sea, death is no longer, mourning, weeping and pain are no longer.

I also note that v.1 and v.4 end with the word apelthan/passed away with the adjective prota or first.

Thus, it appears to me at first glance that John is pointing this fact out and contrasting that with what is after those are passed out of existance.

I also think that the 'behold' of v.3 God is pointing at the new jerusalem as if to say that is the place I will dwell with my people. He is pointing at the New Jerusalem as it is descending and saying "This is the tent of God with men."

While the old/first is passed away all things are becoming new.

And that is what He says in v.5

In v.3 John heard the voice out of the throne saying, now in v.5 the one sitting upon the throne said, (we can recognize him as also Jesus.

With the same behold of v.3 and the statement, "I make all things new."

the additional kai moves further adding another statement, this time word of instruction to John personally,

"Write, because these things are faithful and true."

another kai

and said to me,

THe further statement in v.6 that identifies Him more specifically,

and His invitation to give living water to those who thirst.

v.7 with the promise of inheritance to those who overcome.

v.8

There is a listing here of 8 characters more like traits of unbelievers and their destiny in the lake of fire. This is called again the second death.

So we have the passing away of the first heaven, earth, sea, and death along with the unbeliever who ends up in lake of fire.

We have sandwiched in between those statements the new heaven and earth, the new Jerusalem and the believers/overcomers who will inherit them and live forever with God in an all new environment.

Thus, the emphasis on the destiny of the believer.

So what I see in these verses is that the believer lives in the new heaven and earth in God’s presence, tears are wiped away.

The old heaven and earth and see are no longer, along with death, mourning, weeping and pain.

On the other hand, the unbeliever listed with his 8 characteristics lives on too, but in the lake of fire, called the second death.

Behold! I make all things new.