Heaven Is Even Better Than Eden

Intro:

Ask: Who can remember what Daniel taught us about last week? Word that begins with an “I.”

Last week Daniel very helpfully taught us about the inheritance that God is keeping in heaven for those who trust in Jesus that will be revealed when Jesus comes again to put all things right.

Tonight I want to look at what that inheritance will look like when we receive that inheritance in all its fullness.

Heaven is Even Better than Eden (Draft)

Why talk about heaven in that way? Because I think the Bible does that.

What’s the first book of the Bible? What’s the last book of the Bible?

The first two chapters of the Bible, Genesis 1-2, tell us about creation, and the last two, Revelation 21-22, tell us about the new creation that God brings about through Christ.

In Genesis God created everything out of nothing, including humans, and it was good.

In Revelation God brings about a cosmic new creation out of a broken, cursed, sin-infested world.

So the question is really… why will the new creation be better than the first creation? How is it that heaven can be even better than Eden was?

Because We’ll Have Better Access to God and all the blessings that come with that (Rev 22:1-4)

We’ll get to experience the Lord more intimately than Adam and Eve did.

What was Eden like for Adam and Eve?

Adam and Eve had it good, right?

Adam and Eve had no worries

they had everything they needed and weren’t worried about their safety

they didn’t have to fear any animals eating them (bear spray)

No death, no sin, no sickness

they spent all of their time in God’s beautiful creation

they got to spend quality time with people they love (each other) and BEST OF ALL got to walk with God in the cool of the day

Revelation 22:1-4

This is a vision that John sees from an angel about the new heavens and the new earth will be like after Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead.

He sees 4 things that we are going to talk about tonight:

River flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb

Tree of Life

No Curse

God’s throne and God’s face

So we’ll look at these four things and talk about how they are better than what Adam and Eve had in Eden.

1. River Flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb (FIX THIS)

Revelation 22:1–2 (ESV)

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city;

How is this better than Eden? Well in Genesis there was a river that flowed out from Eden coming from a mysterious place. We are not told its exact origin, it’s starting place. Here, we are told that in heaven there will be a river, the river of the water of life, flowing directly from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

God and the Lamb are the source of eternal life. The word translated flowing here means that this river is ever-flowing, pouring out, gushing out and is a symbol of the unending blessing of eternal life that those who trust in Jesus will experience in heaven.

Not only that, but it seems like we may be able to actually see God and the Lamb seated on the throne in all his glory!

2. Tree of life with healing and eternal provision for all the nations

Revelation 22:2 (ESV)

2also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

In the garden of Eden there was one tree of life. Here, John sees either one huge tree that is able to be on both sides of the river, or many of this same type of tree. There is more of this tree than there was in Eden. Why? Because the amount of people from all of the nations that have trusted in Christ will be so numerous that they’ll need to be more fruit to eat!

For all who are there, their needs will be met forever and they will be healed forever.

Can you imagine the multitudes of people who are going to be there that day? Those who were once enemies of God who have been forgiven of their sin, reconciled to God, redeemed and adopted as his children! I wonder if we thought about that day more if it would change our interactions with those that we would call our enemies. Everyone who is a Christian was once God’s enemy. Let’s go and share the gospel with those who reject him and look forward to that day when we will stand with multitudes who were once enemies of God but are now worshipping him.

3. No Longer Any Curse

Revelation 22:3 (ESV)

3 No longer will there be anything accursed,

Well, what was cursed after the fall?

Childbirth (painful)

Marriage (the most intimate human relationship fractured)

Ground (work would now be hard and frustrating)

Worst of all, death.

Now, there was no curse in the garden, so how would heaven, where the curse is removed, be any better than Eden? There is no curse in heaven either, right? So how would it be better?

Because those who have been forgiven of much, and who have suffered much have seen God prove faithful over and over again understand and appreciate the mercy and grace of God in a much deeper sense.

You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, right?

English Standard Version Chapter 7

47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, iwhich are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Heaven will be better than Eden because those who are there will have a deeper appreciation and sense of God’s grace than Adam and Eve did in the garden, mostly because we know Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. I think we will love God more than Adam and Eve could have because of this.

Did Adam and Eve love God? I’m sure they did. But before they fall, they didn’t know God as a Savior. How could they? They weren’t in need of one. In the same way that in a god marriage that you grow to love someone the more you know them, that can be said of us in loving God because we have more to be thankful to him for and know him more fully because Christ has been revealed to us, the Savior of the world!

Which brings us to the 4th thing that John sees

4. This is the kicker here everybody: God’s throne and God’s face

A Restored Relationship with God and the Lamb

Revelation 22:3–4 (ESV)

3 but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the Garden-city, in heaven. In Eden, Adam and Eve don’t seem to have access to God’s dwelling place.

Adam and Eve got to walk with God in the cool of the day. They had contact and conversation with him, but we know from scripture that they couldn’t have seen his face, and they only had access to him at a limited time of the day—the cool of the day.

4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Those who trust in Jesus will see God and the Lamb face-to-face, the greatest blessing of all.

Now, what will that moment be like? That’s hard to imagine isn’t it. It’s not like we can put a face to the name, right? But scripture does tells us what his disposition, his countenance, what his temperament will be toward us. It tells us how he will react in that moment.

What will his face look like when we see it? (Close you eyes and listen to this, just try to imagine this moment for you, with the multitudes of saints from all nations surrounding you)

Zephaniah 3:14–20 ESV

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. 18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. 19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

God and the Lamb will rejoice over us? Exult over us with loud signing?

What will that be like? I don’t even know how to describe it. Jesus, the King of the Universe, with a big smile on his face, singing, “I love you. I died to purchase you. I redeemed you. I saved you. You are mine forever! You will dwell with me forever! There is no more evil! Only joy and rest in my presence! You conquered by my blood and made it to your final destination! I love you.”

And all of this with no threat of us being destroyed by the one who dwells in inapproachable light. In that moment, when we see him face to face, our joy will be complete, forever. MAN, WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE!

Conclusion

So why will heaven be better than Eden? Because we will get to see, face-to-face, the one who took on flesh for us, was obedient for us, suffered for us, died for us, conquered death and satan and was raised to life for us, who pioneered a way to heaven for us, who loved us so that he might bring us to God.

I challenge you to try and find a more joyful moment than that in all eternity!

Not only does the Bible begin with creation and end with new creation, it begins with a marriage and ends with a marriage. This will be the consummation of all things—of Christ and his bride, and a feast with the multitudes will be so much greater than any feast Adam and Eve could’ve had, most of all because God and the Lamb will be there.

AND IN HEAVEN, DIFFERENT THAN ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN, WE WON’T EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO SIN. Imagine that?!

How do you get to experience these blessings?

By trusting in Jesus, that he is who he said he is, the son of God, who came and took on flesh, lived a perfect life in our place, took the just punishment for our sin, and believe that he rose from the dead. He’s at the door knocking. Would you hear his voice tonight, and open the door to him.

Pray (and sing the doxology?)