Revelation 21-22 Heaven, the New Creation
Last we talked about judgment and Hell, this week lets talk about Heaven.
The last two chapters of Rev. paint a beautiful picture of Heaven.
Lets read through and talk about it some.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
Heaven or NEW CREATION, will be a place with no more chaos. Sea is symbolic of chaos. Though, literally, I think there might actually be oceans, lakes, in new creation/Heaven. Everything ordered perfectly by God.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Heaven will be a place of close connection and relationship with God. We will finally see our Lord and Savior, Jesus, face to face.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
God will be among us, we won’t have to be wondering where is God? Is he ever going to show his face? Remember in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walking with God in the cool of the day, imagine how much more in Heaven?
4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
The old order gone, the order of oppression, manipulation, exploitation, and sin, the order of aging, sickness, and death. Every hurt, pain, tear, trauma will be eternally healed in Heaven, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Heaven WILL BE A PLACE OF JOY.
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
In Heaven, Jesus, will quench every thirst we have. It will not disappoint, Heaven is what we actually dream of, crave.
7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Who Goes to Heaven and Why?
(Genesis 1:26-27, John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 6:23, 8:1, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-10)
We believe that eternal salvation awaits those in Christ, and eternal judgment for those who are not.
All people would be judged guilty due to our personal sin if not for Jesus.
Old Testament believers were saved by Christ, by their faith in God’s mercy and grace, based on God’s revelation to them at the time, which was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
What about those who never hear the gospel?
The Bible is clear that the only name under heaven by which we must be saved is Jesus.
Therefore, we can conclude, anyone who is saved, will be saved through Jesus.
Perhaps this appears more difficult if you live somewhere that doesn’t have much gospel influence.
However, the Bible says God is revealed to all people, and that people can either receive or suppress that truth.
As people suppress what revelation of truth they have, the more darkness ensues.
As people receive what revelation of truth they have, scripture points to more revelation being given to them.
If people must hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved, we must trust that the Judge of all the earth will do right by each person when it comes to having an opportunity to respond to the truth.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, Acts 4:12, Romans 8:23, Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:51,52, Isaiah 11:6-9, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43-48, Romans 1-2, Genesis 18:25)
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
So we started with this idea of a vast new heavens and new earth, the universe remade in perfection.
Now we look at the city of God, the relational, societal, aspect of heaven.
City and people show all the fulfilled promise of Jesus to humanity, every nation, tribe, and tongue will be there
Built on the confession of the Apostles, Jesus is Lord.
It is made of precious stones and metals, pure and perfect.
12,000 Stadia, 1,380 miles x 1,380 miles, Des Moines to Orland is 1,340.
Heaven not limited to this city. The governance, this reign of God covers the earth, is massive, the beautiful reign and community centered on God and his ways will not fail in any way or place.
No temple, we will have this direct, close, access to God.
No sun or moon? God’s direct involvement and influence on us, his revelation will be our light.
New Creation might have nations or that reference may be metaphorical, if so whatever human government looks like it will be infused with obedience and honor to God, just imagine that. Exploitation and oppression gone.
Nothing impure or shameful or deceitful will ever enter it: sin is gone.
We will be free. We will be free from sin, from the struggle, from addictions, from anger, from anxiety.
Your clearest and healthiest mental health day cannot compare to this.
Revelation 22 Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse.
It alludes back to the beginning in Genesis. God’s plan of reception comes full circle.
No more curse. No more sickness, physical, mental, emotional, no more, dying, fighting, war
Work will be fun and pleasurable again, human life will flourish and be all it was meant to be.
There will be perpetual and sustained healing for us in every way.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
We will serve and worship Jesus in heaven. See his face, wow.
Name of their forehead, we will lovingly belong to God
You won’t rebel or fall away from or lose your spot in heaven.
No more night, literal or figurative, don’t know, but night can often be associated with negative things
So more importantly no more FEAR. No FEAR.
Don’t know if we will sleep or not, but if we do we will sleep without any FEAR. TOTAL PEACE.
Reign with Jesus, for ever and ever. This will last for ever. How long is heaven?
It is forever, how will time feel in eternity, don’t know but it is unlimited. No time limit on this.
Will we get bored there for so long? No, it will be an unending exploration and adventure that is infinite, like God.
What will heaven be like?
Life in heaven, what’s it like? Floating on a cloud playing a harp? No.
Last week I talked about the millennial reign of Christ, the 1,000 years we talked about, seems that happens right after Christ’ 2nd Coming, and then Jesus installs this completely remodeled heaven and earth.
Just to be clear, heaven will be much longer than 1,000 years, it will be forever
Heaven will be a renewed earth and heavens, New Creation, we will have access to the heavens
In fact the physical and spiritual realms will become one again
We will see ancient angels and heavenly beings
So we will be on a heavenly earth, and it will be infinitely better than ever.
You see eternal life with God will not just be floating on a cloud playing a harp
It will be dirt under the fingernails, grass stains, and sweat, the good kind, campfires, travel, adventure
Wonderful food, the arts, music, writing, games, Tons of FUN, sports, grilling out, festivals, so much life and beauty to enjoy.
Many of the good good things of this world but infinitely better. And many new good things, as well.
The good of human flourishing will be there
Without sin, sickness, and death to ruin it.
5 C’s of heaven
Calling: You will have a calling, purpose.
We will need to explore and steward the New Heavens and Earth, a big job!
We will continuously be learning.
You will need to use your brain, your redeemed resurrected brain to build, design, and create
We will use our hands and feet and bodies to hike, run, build machines, homes, and cities
Cultivating: Planning, sowing, growing, reaping, work and industry.
I don’t think we will just snap fingers and have food, shelter, etc.
We will enjoy the beauty of cultivating the new heavens and earth.
We will care for new creation plant life, animal life, nature will be amazing and connected to us closely I think.
Community: You will not be alone in some cloud vacuum
We will be interconnected and in community with others. People from every nation tribe and tongue
You will need to use your heart, to connect in community
While healing seems to be instant in heaven, perhaps we do process, and heal in some ways over time, we might help each other in the power of the Holy Spirit, in that.
I think sometimes in this life, you forgive but you still have a hard time relating to some folks
There will be reunions and restoration.
In heaven, there will be full healing of relationships.
Creativity: Creating, designing, enjoying life with God and others. Art, music, dance, inventing, engineering, industry I think will be part of the new creation.
Conversations: We will be able to relate to one another in a new and redeemed way.
I think heaven will be filled with the most amazing conversations you’ve ever had with those you love here and now and those you will meet.
Worship in Heaven
Worship: Un-ending worship, but worship is not just singing and playing music
Worship is all we do in life unto the Lord.
I think we will sing and make music in heaven, but worship will be in all we do,
How we grow and sustain food, build communities, make things, travel, explore, all acts of worship.
We will still have limits and depend on a limitless God.
What are relationships like there?
Will we know our loved ones and have ongoing relationships with them?
Scripture gives no indication of a memory wipe causing us not to recognize family and friends.
Paul anticipated being with the Thessalonians in heaven (1 Thess. 4:13-18), and it never occurred to him he wouldn't know them.
Relationships among God's people will resume in ways even better than what we've known here.
Marriage? Matthew 22:30 Jesus here does seem to indicated that marriage like here and now isn’t part of the New Creation. There isn’t a lot said about that in scripture.
Some get sad about that, but I think you will still have a relationship with your spouse that is special and all relationships then will be better than now.
Will we still be ourselves with our memories of this life?
We will have resurrected bodies
Will we be able to fly or have super human strength or mind powers, or teleport? I don’t know.
When Jesus appeared to his disciples He seemed to be able to walk through walls, we will be like him, but it isn’t clear on every little detail like that. I would assume we will not have all the powers of Jesus.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He said to His disciples, "‘Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.' Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet" (Luke 24:39-40)
The resurrected Jesus did not become someone else; He remained who He was before His resurrection.
And His old body was the same body made new.
Not subject to sin, sickness, decay, age, death.
What age will we be? Will we age? Not sure how that works, just know we won’t be subject to the ravages of time, aging, sickness or death.
Our bodies will be the old ones made new, just as the new earth will be the old earth exceedingly new.
Scripture is clear that our own personal history and identity will endure in a redeemed, healed, eternal state.
Judgement Seat of Christ
Christians will face judgment, the Judgement seat of Christ, what we do on this earth does still matter
Now this is not about getting into heaven, only faith in Jesus does that and that matter is settled for believers
But the good, Godly things we do, have a way of being continued and rewarded in heaven.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
2 Corinthians 5:10, 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Personal application, in light of heaven how shall we live?
Leaf by Niggle: JRR Tolkien: The unfinished work, dreams, the regrets, the things we didn’t get to, the relationships for which we wished we had more time, will come to full fruition in heaven.
Friend whose lost his young son recently. The loss is palpable. Some day, he will get that back and so much more.
Redemption.
I remember thinking as a teen, life is short, I need to party, then realized that wasn’t satisfying.
I realized life is short, I need to experience and serve God.
We can get so busy and distracted chasing the trophies of this world we forget about heaven and what matters
The phrase “you can’t take it to heaven with you” is meaningful.
Heaven is definitely not fair, we get way more than we could ever deserve.
Collisions 3:1-4
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.