Alderwood Community Church January 18, 2009

Transcription

1 1 Alderwood Community Church January 18, 2009 HEAVEN: What is it REALLY going to be like? Part 5: The Eternal Heaven: The New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem Revelation 21:1-22:6 Intro: This world- including its natural wonders- gives us foretastes and glimpses of the next world. These people- including ourselves- give us foretastes and glimpses of the new people to come. This life- including its culture- gives us foretastes and glimpses of the next life. If we take literally the earthly depictions of life on the New Earth, it allows us to make a direct connection with our current lives. When I m eating with people here, enjoying food and friendship, it s a bridge to when I ll be eating there, enjoying food and fellowship. This isn t making a leap into the dark of a shadowy afterlife; it s just taking a few natural steps in the light Scripture gives us. Every joy on earth- including the joy of reunion- is the inkling, a whisper of greater joy. The Grand Canyon, the Alps, the Amazon rains forests, Hurricane Ridge- these are rough sketches of the New Earth. Whenever we see beauty in water, wind, flower, deer, man, woman or child, we catch a glimpse of Heaven. Just like the Garden of Eden, the New Earth will be a place of sensory delight, breathtaking beauty, satisfying relationships, and personal joy. God Himself prepared mankind s first home on Earth, Genesis 2:8-9 tell us, Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. So, when it comes to our new home in heaven, should we expect more or less than what God created originally in Eden. I think more. As we will see in just a few minutes, the New Heaven and the New Earth will not only include beautiful gardens and nature, but it includes a city. Fifteen times in Revelation 21 and 22 the place God and his people will live together is called a city. The repetition of the word and the detailed description of the architecture, walls, streets, and other features of the city suggest that the term city isn t merely a figure of speech but a literal geographical location. After all, where do we expect physically resurrected people to live if not in a physical environment? Everyone knows what a city is- a place with buildings, streets, and residences occupied by people and subject to a common government. Cities have inhabitants, visitors, bustling activity, cultural events, and gatherings involving music, the arts, education, religion, entertainment, and athletics. If the capital city of the New Earth doesn t have these defining characteristics of a city, it would seem misleading for Scripture to repeatedly call it a city. The city at the center of the future Heaven is called the New Jerusalem. The city is portrayed as a walled city; its security is beyond question. It is perched on the peak of a hill that no invading army could ascend. The city s walls are so thick that they couldn t be breached by any siege

2 2 engine and so high that no human could scale them. (Of course, the city won t ever come under attack, but it s structure will remind us of God s might and commitment to protect his people.) Read: Let s look at our text in Revelation 21. (page 1230) I will explain as we read through this. 1. Our Brand New World (21:1-8) A. It is planned as a new creation. (21:1) The Greek word translated new stresses that the earth God will create will not just be new as to time, but also as to kind. It will be different. Paul uses the same Greek word in 2 Cor. 5:17: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. It speaks of a change in quality. For example, there will be no more sea (Rev. 21:1). That s a significant difference immediately, because the current earth is covered mostly with water. Some Bible scholars think this stresses the erasure of all national boundaries. Others point out that the sea symbolized fear to the ancients, so they believe the absence of sea implies the absence of fear. Both may be true. In the new heaven and earth nothing will make us afraid, and nothing will separate us from other people. The only water described in heaven is a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22:1). This crystal-clear river flows right down heaven s main street (v. 2). While Scripture doesn t tell us everything about what the new earth will look like, we have reason to believe that it will in many respects be familiar. Jerusalem will be there albeit an allnew Jerusalem. John s description concentrates on the Holy City, which has streets, and walls, and gates. John also mentions a high mountain, water, a stream, and trees. Best of all it is populated with the people of God real people we will know and with whom we will share eternal fellowship. John Phillips explains, The eternal state is not simply a spiritual condition destitute of locality. The earth and the heaven are fixed locations throughout eternity. There is something particularly comforting in that for us who, at present, know only mortality. The Lord Jesus promised to go and prepare a place for us. If it were not so, He said, I would have told you (John 14:2) The clear implication is that, could we expect to find heaven drastically, shockingly different from the earth, then He would have told us. But it is not. We will feel as much at ease and at home in heaven as we do on earth right now. Heaven contains much with which we are fondly familiar. Paul, in describing his experience of seeing heaven, was not sure whether he was in the body or out of the body (2 Cor. 12:3). B. It is provided with a new capital. (21:2) As John watches, an entire city, magnificent in its glory, descends whole from heaven and becomes a part of the new earth. Heaven and earth are now one. The heavenly realm has moved its capital city intact to the new earth. Pay special attention to the key terms in this verse: Prepared seems to imply that New Jerusalem had already been made ready before the creation of the new heavens and new earth. John does not say he saw the city being created. When he laid

3 3 eyes on it, it was complete already. In other words, it was brought to the new earth from another place. Where is this other place? Coming down from God out of heaven indicates that the city already complete and thoroughly furnished descended to the new earth from the heavenly realm, no doubt from the place Paul called the third heaven. Again, this occurs immediately after the new heaven and earth are created. New Jerusalem, the capital city of the eternal realm, descends right before John s eyes, out of the very realm of God, where it has already been prepared. Who prepared it? Evidently this incredible heavenly city is precisely what our Lord spoke of when He told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them (John 14:3). Now at the unveiling of the new heavens and new earth, the city is finally prepared and ready. As a bride adorned for her husband. This speaks of the glory of this unimaginable city. C. It is prepared for a new community. (21:3-4) Two things are mentioned about our new community in Heaven. First, we will be blessed to live in the very presence of God. (Vrs. 3) In Eden, before the fall, God came and walked with Adam in the cool of the day. Now He will live with us forever, and we will enjoy being literally in His presence. We will also be blessed by the absence of grief. (Vrs. 4) Death will be a thing of the past. There will be no more funerals, no more graves, no more hospitals, no more broken homes, no more broken hearts. That will be heaven! D. It is protected by a new constitution. (21:5-8) Notice that in vrs. 5 when God says I am making everything new!, He adds a message to the apostle John: Write these this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. as if to add an exclamation mark to the reliability of these great promises. We who truly know the Lord know we can trust Him even with our unanswered questions. All His words are true and faithful, so when He says He is making all things new, it is a promise we can cling to, despite our inability to know precisely how all the difficulties will resolve. Heaven will be utterly perfect, no matter how impossible it may be for us to understand everything now. (1) It will be a spectacular new place to live. (vrs. 5) When our family moved into our home in Grand Junction, CO we moved into a brand new home. Untouched and unlived in by anyone else. One day we will move into a brand new world. What does the Bible mean by the term New Heavens? Look at a few passages. The Old Testament uses no single word for universe or cosmos. When Genesis 1:1 speaks of God s creating the heavens and the earth, the words are synonymous with what we mean by universe. Heavens refers to the realms above the earth: atmosphere, sun, moon, stars, and all that s in outer space. Then in Isaiah, God says, Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. (Isaiah 65:17). This corresponds to Genesis 1:1, indicating a complete renewal of the same physical universe God first created. So, the new heaven in Revelation 21:1 also refers to exactly the same atmospheric and celestial heavens as heavens does in Genesis 1:1. In Revelation 21:2,

4 4 we see God s dwelling place isn t replaced but relocated when the New Jerusalem is brought down to the New Earth. (2) It will be a satisfying place to live. (vrs. 6-7) We will enjoy satisfying resources- we will drink from the spring of the water of life. We will enjoy satisfying work- we will inherit all of this, meaning heaven. God gave Adam a special occupation in Eden. Satisfying work is rewarding, challenging and worthwhile. In heaven, as heirs of all things there, we will administer this inheritance for God s glory. We will enjoy satisfying relationships- he will be our God and we will be his children. Just a note about the phrase, he who overcomes in verse 7. this includes every redeemed person. There is no partition in heaven between the overcomers and the defeated Christians though some have attempted to teach this. According to Scripture there is no such thing as a true believer who does not persevere in the faith because God Himself promises to keep us. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (1 Peter 1:5). And therefore all true Christians are ultimately overcomers. Those who depart from the faith demonstrate that they were never really in Christ to begin with (1 John 2:19). This is the doctrine known as perseverance of the saints. (3) It will be a safe place to live. (vrs. 8) No murderers or thieves, guarded by 12 angels, one at each gate entering into the city (vrs. 12) 2. Our Brand New Home- The New Jerusalem (21:9-22:5) A. John s First Impressions (21:9-11) John is impressed with the majesty of the city. B. A Survey of our New Home (21:12-27) (1) A broad view of the city. (21:12-17) (a) The walls and gates (21:12-14) Verse 12 says the city had a great, high wall. Why would the heavenly city have a wall? Walls are for defense against one s enemies. But there will be no enemies in this realm; all the enemies of God will have already been cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14 15). So this wall serves no functional purpose. Like everything else in heaven, it is a display of the glory of God. It also symbolizes the total security of heaven. The gates in the walls are named after the tribes of Israel and the foundations after the twelve apostles. This will be the dwelling-place of all the people of God for all time. Israel and the church are brought together in the eternal realm to form one people of God for all eternity. The existence of gates implies that people are able to leave and enter the city. Don t think the city contains us. It will be our home, but we will not be confined there. We will have the entire new earth and the infinite universe to travel, and when we do, we will go in and out through those gates.

5 5 (b) The physical dimensions of the city (21:15-17) So the city is perfectly symmetrical, a massive cube, 1,500 miles in length and width and 1,500 miles high. A height of 1,500 miles is frankly difficult to envision. On the current earth, something 1,500 miles high would extend well out of earth s atmosphere (which is only about a hundred miles deep). But remember that heaven and earth will then be merged, and atmosphere will have ceased to be an issue. Are these great heights and distances merely symbolic? I don t think so. John describes the angel s measurement of the city wall: He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick (around 200 feet) by man s measurement (v. 17). The fact that such precise measurements are given seems to suggest that this describes a real place with real, earthly dimensions. According to these measurements, the New Jerusalem covers a surface area of 2.25 million square miles. How far is 1,500 miles? It is about the same as the distance from Maine to Florida. Imagine such an area squared off, then cubed, with multiple levels and millions of intersecting streets. New Jerusalem is a place of immense size and majesty and beauty! (2) A detailed view of the city. (21:17-21) (a) The details of the walls (21:17-18) The city itself is pure gold, as pure as glass. Of course, the gold we re familiar with is not transparent. As pure as glass could refer to gold that is polished to a perfect sheen so that it reflects like a clear mirror. (Mirrors in ancient times were made of polished metal.). More likely it describes a variety of the precious metal so pure that it is translucent. (b) The details of the foundations (21:19-20) Along with the glasslike gold and translucent walls, this forms a picture of unbelievable and indescribable beauty. God has planted within us a love of beauty and heaven s surpassing beauty will satisfy that love forever. (c) The details of the gates (21:21) Some hold the view that the pearl in the gates is symbolic of suffering. Since the pearl is formed out of an irritation in the oyster. Therefore, every time we pass through the gates of heaven, we will be reminded forever of the suffering our Savior went through to secure our redemption. (3) Some unique distinctives. (21:22-27) What is missing in heaven? (a) There is no temple. (21:22) In what sense is God the temple of heaven? A temple is where you go to worship. John is suggesting that in heaven when we worship, we will worship in the very presence of God. He is the place of worship.

6 6 Unfortunately, we tend to think of worship as active participation in a Sunday Worship Service. But the biblical idea of worship incorporates all of life. That s why Paul could write to the Corinthians, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). There s nothing necessary and legitimate in life that cannot be done to the glory of God. And since worship is simply glorifying God, this means there is nothing required of us that cannot be done as an act of worship. (b) There is no light source. (21:23-24) The glory of heaven is a far more brilliant light than the light of the sun. In fact, Isaiah wrote, Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders (24:23, NASB). Next to the glory of God, the light of the sun and moon are paltry, flickering candles. The light in heaven is not a radiant light. The only light is the glory of God. It permeates all heaven; it does not shine from any source. It is a light unlike any light known on earth. It is the very light of Him who is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Notice that this verse does not say there will be no more sun or moon. They say that the New Jerusalem will not need their light, for sun and moon will be outshone by God s glory. The emphasis isn t on the elimination of sun and moon, but on their being overshadowed by the greater light of God. (c) There is no security system (21:25-26) In an ancient city the gates were shut at night to protect the people from robbers, bandits, and invading armies. Gates that are always open speak of perfect security and protection. There will be absolutely no threat to the security of heaven, so there will be no need of closed gates. (d) There are no sinners (21:27) Sinners will be far removed from this place, for they have already been cast into the lake of fire. C. John s Final Impressions (22:1-6) (1) The River of Life. (22:1) A river meant cool water to a mouth parched by the desert heat. Cities were built next to rivers. And imagine the joy of someone who lived in the desert finding a tree with fruit! The New Jerusalem will be the epitome of everything precious a city, a river, and trees. The River of life will be a welcome place of comfort and rest, refreshment and sustenance. (2) The Tree of Life. (22:2) Eden had the tree of life also in the midst of the garden (Gen. 2:9). So the scene in heaven seems to be the final perfection of everything Eden represented. (3) The Lord of Life. (22:3-6)

7 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:7 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4-5 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7 Bibliography: Heaven by Randy Alcorn The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur The Biblical Doctrine of Heaven by Wilbur Smith Revelation Commentary- by John Phillips Revelation Commentary- by John Walvoord Revelation Commentary- by David Jeremiah Revelation Commentary- by John MacArthur