Revelation 21:1-4
June 4, 2017
he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 1 John 5:He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: From your side you are to believe on Christ for Eternal Life,"...God hath given to us eternal life. From God's side, all that needs to be done for you to be saved has been done by God. That is why that verse says, 1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The Gospel is the account, the story, the record of how God has provided salvation for you. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17. The assurance of heaven is from believing the Gospel of Christ, Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.Heaven is the hope of mankind. All people in their heart of hearts have this hope. It is a real hope or a false hope. The True Hope is Christ; the false hope is counterfeit. 10 . Salvation is knowing you are saved, Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
2Co 5:6 - 8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather When people die and enter eternity, we speak of the saved going to heaven. The Bible tells us the saved go to be with Christ, to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: All of the saved, who have died, are with Christ now. and that evidently is the third heaven where Paul was caught up too, 2 Cor. 12:1-4, i.e. 2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (we will look at the doctrine of paradise later). But this is not the New Heaven and the New Earth of Rev. 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. We are still living in the first, therefore, the New Heaven and New Earth is yet future.
The New Heaven and the New Earth is the Eternal Abode for the Saved of all Mankind:
Our eternal dwelling place for eternity going forward from Revelation 21
Rev 21:1 -2 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Before that point in time, many eternal events take place. And each is of significances to us.
When the New Millennium was ushered in at midnight,12/31/1999, in Sydney Australia, that celebration was designed to out- do all others. The dazzling display of fireworks over Sydney Harbor is amazing ( I viewed it on youtube). Something that made their celebration different is from the middle of those exploding fireworks, toward the end of the display, came forth the word "Eternity". That word penetrates our heart because we are eternal beings. "Eternity" is a sermon in that one word. You could take the word "Eternity and write it over Revelation 21 and 22.
Eternity is a sobering Word The question is not will I be in eternity but rather where will I spend eternity. As an eternal being, I am a part of eternity now. From the cradle to the grave, we are a people that will live somewhere forever. Where will you spend eternity?
Let us see the Inside of the New Heaven and The New Earth, The Eternal Abode of the Saved
Starting with Genesis 1:1, the beginning of the written word of God, until Revelation 22:21 the end of the written Word of God; you find the infallible Word of God. Any writing claiming His inspiration beyond this cannon of scripture is false.
First, you find the passing away of the first heaven and the first earth, ".....for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;...." Rev. 21:1b. See also Hebrews 1:10-12( a quotation from Psa. 102:25-27). 2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Second, you find some things not there. You may say it is the place of "no mores". (1). No more seas, oceans were left over from the flood - water separates - a place of no separation. (2). No more tears -all hurt will be removed.(3). No more death, (4). No more sorrow, (5). No more crying, (6). No more pain, (7). No more curse, (8). No night, No locks. All the former things will be passed away.
You could say there will be no hospitals, no funerals homes, no abortion clinics, no bankruptcy courts, no treatment centers, no porn, no cancer, no talk shows, no missing children, no hurt feelings, no injustice, no emptiness, no child abuse, no heartaches. no pain. But there is one thing we have now that will not pass away and that is His Word. Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Third, What do you find in the New Heaven and the New Earth? A city prepared, Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I don't think this city is synonymous with heaven for it came down from God out of heaven. The New Jerusalem is a placed prepared. It is the place promised in John 14:2,3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, It is the City Abraham was looking for,Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
If you die today you will either go to heaven or to hell. The unsaved go to hell. Hell is located in the center of the earth.
We will give a brief overview of what happens to the saved from death to the N.H. and N. E. (1. ) Go to be with Christ. And I believe receive a temporary body. ( 2.) Will go to the JSOC. (3.) Will return with Him, Rev. 20:1-4. ( 4. ) Will rule and reign with Him 1,000 years, 2 Timothy 2:11-13. ( 5.) Will be with Christ at the G.W.T.J. ( 6. ) Will be with Him in the New Heaven and the New Earth.
At Christ death on the Cross, He went to Paradise, Ephesians 4:8-10. At that time Paradise was in the center of the earth. He took the saved from Abraham's bosom, Luke 16:19ff to Paradise on high, 2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. The present location of all the saved.
Revelation 21:-22:In 5 , Paradise will be in the New Jerusalem, in The New Heaven and the New Earth, will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
He is preparing a place for you - the question to be answered - are you preparing for Him? Will you be in the New Heaven and the New Earth?
Where is the Lake of Fire? It is not on this earth and it will not be in the new heaven and the new earth! Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Lake of Fire could be a star somewhere, Jude 13. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Every person that does not have Eternal Life (their name in the Lamb's Book of Life) is in the Lake of fire. Eternal Life is the Gift of God, Romans 6:23. Receive Christ, Believe on Christ, Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
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JSOC = Judgment Seat of Christ
GWTJ= Great White Throne Judgment
NH= New Heaven, NE= New Earth
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