All Things New
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Joseph Scarfone
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Every new beginning comes from another beginnings end (2x).
Whether the passing of one season to the next, from one day to another, or one week transitioning to the next, we see the design of life point to the opportunity for a fresh beginning. Whether its new morning mercies that are delivered each day, or the passing from one stage of life to another, God has designed us to look toward the new.
There is a hopeful anticipation that is built into each of us. There is the excitement of going on an adventure to a place you have never been. There is dazzling emotion when you experience a new love through a biblical relationship. There is a sense of wonder and awe when you hold a new baby. We are wired for new. We are designed to appreciate new.
In a physical sense, we appreciate a new pair of shoes or the fit of new clothes. Why? It’s not just because we want new things. God has placed within us a desire and a hunger for new. He has given us an internal attraction toward newness.
From our own experience in the new birth on we have a desire to see All Things New. We have a nearly magnetic draw toward the new and we look forward to the promises of final chapters of the Bible.
Please open your Bibles to the last book of the Bible and join me in...
The Apostle John writes from his exile on the island of Patmos in his old age, scholars believe him to be in his 90s. He receives one vision after another that helps us to develop a biblical eschatology, which is an understanding of the end times. Through the powerful experience of what the future looks like God wants us to know He is making all things new. Let’s observe…
All Things New
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.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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.
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.”
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.”
Pray with Me!
This passage ends with a beautiful promise. One that is dear to every believers heart, one that is soaked with hope and drenched with grace.
God says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And so it is this future promise that we hold onto, it is this future promise that is placed within our hearts that we cling to, one that is connected to the entire story of redemption. It is the keeping of the promises of God that allow us to trust in this future promise. When we observe the promises of God we can trust our God and live for Him because we know Christ died for us.
When we observe the woven tapestry of God’s character we can look at the scarlet chord that is stained in blood that threads the entire Bible and see that newness is part of what God does. He makes things new, it’s part of his creative power as creator God.
Here we see three times in the first two verses the word new.
There is the new heaven, the new earth and the new Jerusalem.
The word used is the Greek word καινός, and here it means simply:
pert. to that which is recent in contrast to someth. old
For every new beginning comes from another beginnings end.
This new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem are replacing the old ones?
The first heaven and first earth have passed away, just as Scripture promises.
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.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The first heaven and first earth will pass away. For us it is a future promise, but the words of Revelation have them as completed in the past tense. They have passed away.
They have gone away or discontinued from their state as from the effects of a disease. We find this idea of a condition passing away when we look at those with leprosy in the NT.
42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
His condition had passed away and he was made new.
13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Again the condition passed away and the leprous man was made as new.
And just as those who had leprosy, which was an effect of sin, were given a new life going from unclean to clean, so the heaven and the earth passed away from their condition of sin.
Just saying that seems a bit odd, so we want to elaborate. Why the need for a new heaven and earth? It’s quite easy to see the need for the earth, we exist in it and experience the results of earths curse from sin. We see the effect of sin upon the earth and we can clearly trace back to Genesis the curse of the earth.
Adam sinned against God in the garden by disobeying the command “do not eat from the tree” and the result of that disobedience was not just sin and broken fellowship with God, but a new cursed relationship with the earth.
17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
Adam’s disobedience brought a change in relationship with God, his wife, Eve, and the ground. His sin essentially destroyed his relationship with everything.
How true is that for us as well? Sin destroys relationships. If you are in sin now, it is hurting relationships, it’s hindering your relationship with God, it’s an obstacle to your relationship with others. Yet, praise God, that in Christ there is a future promise... He is making all things new.
Every new beginning comes from another beginning end.
You see, the curse of sin will pass away in the fulfillment of this future promise. This was not just spoken of by the Apostle Peter but of the great prophet Isaiah.
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
This is the concept of newness displayed through out Scripture. The need for a new earth is easier to understand because of the curse of sin, but why the need for a new heaven?
When we think of heaven we tend to place the future, new heaven, as the heaven now. We mingle the two together in our minds. However, the heaven too needs to be made new, but why?
Let’s observe some OT passages which provide the context. The first is a passage about he King of Tyre from...
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.
16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.
There was a figure in heaven who had sinned. Sin had entered the first heaven, the heaven that is still there now. That figure was cast out of heaven to the earth, because of sin,but who could that figure be?
Bible scholars provide insight:
Ezekiel (7) Final Lament for the King of Tyre (28:11–19)
The statement “you were in Eden, the garden of God” (v. 13; cf. 31:8–9) must mean that the king of Tyre is being compared to someone who was in the garden of Eden. The verses describe someone in an exalted position who was favored by God75 but who became corrupt and lost that position. This could describe the first man, Adam.76 Yet even granting the figurative nature of language, it seems that something more than a human creature is in view.
Although this is a passage clearly talking about the King of Tyre there are some deep allusions to another figure.
Ezekiel (7) Final Lament for the King of Tyre (28:11–19)
Who, then, was the person whose character was like the king of Tyre that fulfilled the elements of vv. 12–17? The serpent was known for his craftiness (Gen 3:1), his deceit, and his anti-God attitude (3:4), leading humanity to sin (3:6–7).82 Elsewhere he is presented as a deceiver (Rev 12:9; 20:2), an instigator of evil (John 13:2, 27), one who seeks worship as a god (Luke 4:6–8; 2 Thess 2:3–4), and one who seeks to get others to renounce God (Job 2:4–5). He appears as an angel of God (2 Cor 11:14) and as the father of lies and violence (John 8:44), distorts Scripture (Matt 4:6), opposes believers (2 Cor 2:11), and finally is judged (Matt 25:41; Rev 19:20–21; 20:13–15). Therefore the conclusion that the figure behind the poetic symbol is the serpent (also known as the adversary, the devil, Satan; Rev 12:9) is a logical one.
There must be a new heaven, because the old heaven had been corrupted by sin too, which was the sin of Satan.
This passage about the King of Tyre in Ezekiel is similar to another OT passage found in Isaiah about the King of Babylon.
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
Here we see the character of Lucifer, Satan, overlaid the character in the prophecy about the King of Babylon.
We want to be careful not to make every attribute about both the King and Satan, for the king was not in heaven, but that same quality of pride is in both Satan and the king. This too is the case for the previous passage in Ezekiel.
The OT talks about the sin of Satan that occured from heaven and Jesus himself talks about the expulsion of the great adversary in.
18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
So then the heaven and the earth had been corrupted by sin and God will make all things new.
Every new beginning comes from another beginnings end.
As there is a new heaven and a new earth, there is also a new Jerusalem.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This vision from John is filled with hope. Not only is there a new heaven and new earth, but there is a new Jerusalem, the Holy City. Here we see the renewed city as a symbol of restoration for Israel. Jerusalem is the capital city for the nation of Israel. Just as the old world had been corrupted by sin, so too had the former Jerusalem been polluted by sin. Jerusalem was the city where the prophets were killed and Christ was crucified. The city had been stained by sin, polluted by sin, and corrupted from the grandeur of its design, yet it has always remained beloved by God. Jesus, during his earthly ministry, spoke affectionately about the great city.
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Despite the rebellious history of the great city God promises a place for the restored people of God.
Here in Revelation we see of Jerusalem what scholars call....A Tale of Two Cities … The Harlot and the Bride (1974:315); whereas historically Jerusalem had been attacked, sieged and occupied as a consequence for her unfaithfulness and sin. The reason is that the people of God had often played the harlot.
Yet, God in is loving justice and mercy has provided a means for restoration and a way for them to return to Him. Here we see Jerusalem is no longer the Harlot, but the bride as the tables are turned. Just as the beautiful promise proclaims, He is making all things new. He is able to turn a harlot into beautiful bride.
Every new beginning comes from another beginnings end and we see an end to unfaithfulness and the beginning of fidelity as a pure bride.
The new Jerusalem, the holy city comes down out of heaven, prepared, adorned and beautified for her husband. Here we have this wonderful imagery that ties together the vision of John. We can place this understanding of the New Jerusalem as a bride alongside the reference in
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
The New Jerusalem comes down and is adorned like a bride because the bride, the church, the people of God are in the holy city. A city is not a city without the people. Here we see the importance of relationship. The people are in relationship to the city and it is their adornment, that makes up the beauty of the bridelike look of the New Jerusalem. The people, are ready for their husband.
The new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem are all masterworks of God’s amazing artistry. These are examples in the future that match the pattern of what he has done. God always has been in the business of making things new. Let’s trace the magnificent work of His hands throughout Scripture.
God does new things
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
6 “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.
God does new things...
Yet, God also gives us a new song to sing. He puts words into our mouths and a melody in our heart. Those who love the Lord have a tune in their mind and are constantly making a joyful noise. As our Scripture reading indicated there is a new song. Yet the Bible gives many references to the new song.
9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!
God’s people are always ready to sing a new song. Do you sing his praises? Do you have a new song constantly on your heart which reflects the new life where for you things are constantly being renewed and refreshed by His mercy and grace. God gives a new song.
He also gives new clothes and new wine, which is an illustration of the difference between the old life and new life.
16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.
17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
God illustrates the newness of life with new clothes and new wine.
God also gives the new life.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
God gives new life in Christ. He is in the business of making things new. With the new birth he takes the broken and makes them beautiful. With this new life there is a hope for a new future. One where we live for Him and His glory where we.
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Where we live in righteousness and holiness because we are made new. God is in the business of making things new. It’s what he does. His masterful artistic creation can be seen in the signature of new things.
Every new beginning comes from another beginnings end.
The vision continues...
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.
Its challenging for our finite minds to visualize what this vision is like. There is an amazing brilliance surrounding the freshness of the new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem. The absolute beauty and splendor surrounding all of this and in the midst of all this is God seated on His throne, surrounded by angels, who are messengers and the voice of a messenger declares the message. “Behold, everyone look, pay attention, as if the moment were not great enough the spectacle of all the beauty, so the messenger says, “The dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them , and they will be his people,.”
This is a familiar message for these words are the echo of
27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
What a beautiful promise. What an amazing return and restoration of the effects of sin that started in the garden, where God dwelled with Adam and Eve. Yet, now God is with all those whose name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, whose garments have been washed by the blood of Christ and those who are prepared for union with Christ forever.
Here is the best part.
...and God himself will be with them as their God.
God will be with them as their God. Let’s personalize it. This future promise is for those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God himself will be with you as your God. God himself will be with me as my God, God himself will be with us as our God. That sounds so overwhelmingly amazing, that it brings a joyful smile to your face. But what does that experience look like?
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.”
I don’t know all the details of what you have been experiencing lately, but I can tell you this is a verse to treasure, to memorize and keep dear in your heart. This promise helps us to understand...
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable.
When you are the object of persecution, remember this promise. When your friends abandon you, remember this promise, when you’ve cried every tear you could possibly cry from the hurt and pain of sin and life, remember this promise. Why?
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable.
God, the great shepherd, will wipe away every tear. He is the healer of the hurting. He is loving kindness to a thousand generations. Find true comfort in the everlasting loving arms of a faithful God. He will comfort you.
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable.
Yet, the promise gets better...”And death shall be no more.”
Here in Revelation death is abolished altogether. This line recalls Isa 25:8: “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces” (cf. Rev 7:17). Other passages say that when the redeemed come to Zion, “sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa 35:10; 51:11), and in Jerusalem “no more shall the sound of weeping be heard” or “the cry of distress” (Isa 65:19; cf. Jer 31:16; 4 Ezra 8:54 (1).
Revelation 21:4 goes onto say...
neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,
All the anguish has an antidote in the presence of God. All the pain will be purified in the presence of God. All the mourning will be made to not exist.
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable.
One commentator says this…
Revelation The New Earth / 21:1–8
All that has caused sadness and suffering will be taken away. All sin that has been the source of sorrow will be gone. God himself will wipe away the tears, and they will never return.
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable.
Revelation The New Earth / 21:1–8
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave it with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
C. S. Lewis
Lewis here reminds us as the verse says...the former things have passed away. And we can all say Thank you God for that. No more sin, Thank you Jesus, No more pain, Thank you Jesus, No more death, Thank you Jesus, No more Tears, Thank you Jesus.
Aren’t we all grateful that every new beginning comes from another beginnings end?
But why are we saying thank you Jesus? It’s because of the promise of THE GOSPEL that we see here brought to its final completion.
The curse of sin that began with the disobedience of Adam in the Garden, whereby paradise is lost, here we see the curse is reversed and paradise is regained. All because the great hero of mankind, the Awesome God-man Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth to pay the final price in his bloodshed sacrifice upon the cross to defeat sin and death. And any who places their faith in the finished work of Christ by repenting from sin and accepting the free gift of grace found in the only way, the truth, and the life Jesus Christ will not perish but have eternal life.
Every new beginning comes from another beginnings end.
Not only is being in the presence of God indescribable, but we get to hear His voice give a promise. God in all His glory, High and lifted up... the verse says this.
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
The promise of this passage keeps getting more beautiful. All things new! Everything new. The new heaven, the new earth, the new Jerusalem, the new life in Christ is made to its fullest potential in the future with the new glorified body where All these new things will reflect and project the Glory of God.
This promise is so amazing that God told John this in the rest of the verse.
Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Write down this promise John. This is just to world changing not to John. Generations are going to want to cling to this. When times become overwhelming hold onto this promise. When life has defeated you, hold onto this promise. When there is nothing left and you have hit the final rock bottom, hold onto this promise.
We too should write down promises of God that impact our own life. Sometimes life happens so fast that we barely take the time necessary to recognize when God is up to something big, when He is making something new. We should be like the Apostle John and write things down, for remembrance, for reminder, and to help build our faith and trust. A practical way to do this is by keeping a journal where you can catalogue answered prayers, where you can write down where God did amazing things in your life, where you can be reminded of His faithfulness.
Write this down.
He is making All Things New.
From Genesis to Revelation we see this pattern of newness from God.
The sun is created.
The sun is not needed.
Satan is victorious.
Satan is defeated.
Sin enters the human race.
Sin is banished.
People run and hide from God.
People are invited to live with God forever.
People are cursed.
The curse is removed.
Tears are shed, with sorrow for sin.
All sin, tears, and sorrow are gone.
The garden and earth are cursed.
God’s city is glorified, the earth is made new.
Paradise is lost.
Paradise is regained.
People are doomed to death.
Death is defeated, believers live forever with God.
Behold! He is making....
All Things New!
Pray with Me!
(1) Koester, C. R. (2014). Revelation: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. (J. J. Collins, Ed.) (Vol. 38A, p. 798). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.