All things new

• 1^st – New Things… vs. 1-4
  • 1^st – Heaven and Earth… vs. 1
    • New Universe…
      • Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth!
      • AFTER the Great White Throne judgement – God will create a NEW heaven and a NEW earth…
      • HEAVEN [singular] – is NOT talking about the dwelling place of God…
      • There are THREE heavens [plural] – SKY – SPACE – and HEAVEN – II Corinthians 12:2
      • It is outer SPACE and the EARTH that are made NEW…
      • God is going to go back to the beginning [very good] – recreate the UNIVERSE – Genesis 1:31
      • To a place before SIN came into the world and corrupted it [cursed] – Genesis 3:17
    • Old Earth…
      • For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away!
      • We will NEED a NEW heaven and earth – because the OLD one will be GONE…
      • Psalms tell us – God will change the earth like an OLD dirty shirt – Psalm 102:26
      • Isaiah tells us – we will NOT even remember the OLD earth – Isaiah 65:17
      • Peter tells us – that it the OLD earth will go out in the BLAZE of glory!
    • Destroyed by FIRE…
      • II Peter 3:7 – “The heavens and earth which are now preserved by the same Word – are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men!
      • God promised Noah He would never again destroy the earth with WATER – Genesis 9:11
      • But he never said anything about FIRE – this world will NOT last…
      • Jesus [Word] who holds the UNIVERSE together – will LET go!
      • If you hold TWO positively magnets together – they REPEL each other…
      • Yet within every ATOM there are REPELLING forces that should cause them to explode…
      • When they are released – it is what we call a NUCLEAR blast…
      • Jesus literally HOLDS the whole universe together – atom by atom…
      • And when He lets go – the whole universe will just explode in a NUCLEAR blaze!
      • II Peter 3:10 – “The heavens will pass away with a great noise – and the elements will melt with fervent heat – both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
      • People strive their whole lives to find success – but what is success worth apart from God…
      • Everything in this life is destined to BURN – we cannot take any of it with us…
      • We might end up RICH – but all we really get is a lot of nice FIREWOOD…
      • Therefore – why should we devote our TIME to something that is DOOMED…
      • How much better to invest our TIME into a Kingdom that will NEVER fade!
    • Also there was no more sea!
      • There are different views on WHY there will be no SEA on the NEW earth…
      • FIRST – some believe it is meant to allow for more SPACE for people to live on…
      • Potentially because so many people will be SAVED – we will need the room…
      • But I do not think so – as we will see next week – there is LOTS of room!
      • SECOND – some believe the SEA is a picture of the source of EVIL – Revelation 13:1
      • Therefore no SEA – speaks of the fact there will be no EVIL!
      • THIRD – our world is mostly [two thirds] covered by WATER today…
      • But that was not always the case – all that WATER is the result of the JUDGEMENT of God…
      • After the FLOOD – much of the WATER remained on the earth – Genesis 8:11
      • It was meant to be a permanent reminder that God JUDGES sin!
      • We will NOT need a reminder in on the NEW earth…
      • There will be NO more SIN – it will be perfect like the Garden of Eden!
  • 2^nd – New City… vs. 2
    • Holy City…
      • Then I – John – saw the holy city – New Jerusalem!
      • Having seen the NEW heaven and NEW earth…
      • John then saw the CAPITOL city of this NEW world – the NEW Jerusalem…
      • We will look at this city more in depth NEXT week – Revelation 21:9-27
      • This is NOT the same Jerusalem that we know today [in Israel]
      • The Jerusalem today is NOT a good place – like SODOM and EGYPT – Revelation 11:8
      • This NEW Jerusalem will be HOLY [ἅγιος] – set apart for God…
      • Because this will be the CITY where God dwells – where He RULES from!
      • The NT word for church [ἐκκλησία] – means to be called out of this world…
      • God wants us to be HOLY – we are to be SAINTS [ἅγιος]
      • What makes us HOLY – having Jesus dwell in our LIVES!
      • II Corinthians 6:16 – “For [we] are the temple of the living God.”
    • From God…
      • Coming down out of heaven from God!
      • Men can NEVER be able to create a HOLY city on earth…
      • No matter how many RULES men make – no matter how many POLICE they hire…
      • The only way to have a HOLY city – is for it to come from God!
      • It turns out our BIGGEST problem – is us…
      • We can make PROMISES – be determined to live a GODLY life…
      • But we end up FAILING – because we are not GOOD… 
      • It is not that we do not WANT to do the right things – we CANNOT do the right things!
      • Romans 7:18 – “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn – I cannot make myself do right…” [NLT]
      • But what we CANNOT do – God CAN do…
      • When God comes down into our lives – He can transform us – make us HOLY
      • He takes our BROKEN lives – and makes them BEAUTIFUL!
      • Mark 10:27 – “With men it is impossible – but not with God. With God all things are possible.”
    • Like a Bride…
      • Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband!
      • BRIDES put a LOT of effort into getting prepared for their weddings…
      • They make sure to have the perfect LOOK [κοσμέω] – cosmetics!
      • When Jen came waking down the AISLE in her wedding dress…
      • It did NOT matter what the design was – her hairstyle – or her makeup…
      • All I saw was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen coming to marry me!
      • The NEW Jerusalem is NOT beautiful because of what it LOOKS like…
      • It is beautiful because of WHO is inside of it [the church]
      • We are the BRIDE of Christ – and the most beautiful thing in His eyes!
      • Song of Solomon 4:1 – “How beautiful you are – my beloved – how beautiful!”
  • 3^rd – New Tabernacle… vs. 3
    • Jesus Christ…
      • I heard a loud voice from heaven saying: Behold the tabernacle of God is with men!
      • John heard a LOUD [μέγας] voice commanding [imperative] him to LOOK [behold]
      • The TABERNACLE of God was DWELLING [σκηνόω] with men…
      • This is NOT talking about a building – or a TENT – this is Jesus!
      • John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt [σκηνόω] among us.”
      • In the garden of EDEN – the Lord walked daily with Adam and Eve – Genesis 3:8
      • They could come into His presence whenever they wanted to!
      • In the NEW Jerusalem – it will be that way again – daily WALKS with Jesus…
      • But we do not have to wait till then – we can come into His Throne room today!
      • Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.”
    • New Covenant…
      • He will dwell with them – they shall be His people. God will be with them and be their God!
      • Because Jesus WILL be with us – we WILL be His people – and He WILL be our God…
      • This is a quote from a PROMISE given to Jeremiah!
      • Jeremiah 31:31-33 – “I will make a new covenant… I will put My law in their minds – and write it on They shall be His people.  God Himself will be with them and be their God!
      • their hearts. I will be their God – and they shall be My people.”
      • When Moses FIRST gave Israel the OLD Covenant – Exodus 20-23
      • They answered – ALL the WORD the Lord has said – we WILL do – Exodus 24:3
      • That was the right answer – but it was not the TRUTH – the people quickly rebelled…
      • Just FORTY days later they would make a GOLDEN CALF – Exodus 32
      • The NEW Covenant is NOT about what we have to DO – but what God DOES for us…
      • Because Jesus is LIVING with us – He can transform our hearts and give us new life…
      • As we come to Him – we are CHANGED – and we become His people!
  • 4^th – New Creation… vs. 4
    • God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
    • There shall be no more death – nor sorrow – nor crying – there shall be no more pain.
    • The former things have passed away!
    • We often hear this verse quoted to bring COMFORT…
    • When we get to HEAVEN – God will WIPE [ἐξαλείφω] away ALL [πᾶς] our TEARS…
    • Because we will no longer have loved ones DIE – or get SICK – or have PAIN…
    • But the source of those TEARS is not our suffering – it is our SIN!
    • Acts 3:19 – “Repent… that your sins may be wiped away [ἐξαλείφω].”
    • SIN – is what causes DEATH – Romans 6:23
    • SIN – that causes us so much SORROW and TEARS…
    • SIN – that causes PAIN – because we continually battle it – Galatians 5:17
    • But When we get to the NEW Jerusalem – where Jesus will LIVE with us…
    • We will NO longer have to deal with SIN – it will be WIPED away…
    • The person we used to be BEFORE [πρῶτος] will be gone – and we will be a NEW creation!
    • II Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Old things have passed away – behold all things have become new.”

• 2^nd – New Life… vs. 5-6
  • 1^st – Faithful words… vs. 5-6
    • No Entropy…
      • Then He who sat on the throne said – Behold I make all things new. 
      • And He said to me – Write for these words are true and faithful!
      • Then the one who sat on the throne SAID – the WORD of God [λόγος] – Jesus…
      • LOOK [imperative] – He is MAKING [present] all things NEW…
      • It was such an IMPORTANT statement – Jesus told John to WRITE it down!
      • There is a LAW of physics called the law of ENTROPY…
      • It states that all things go from ORDER to CHAOS…
      • If we CLEAN our house – a day later [less with kids] – and it is MESSY…
      • If we BUY anything NEW – it does not take long before it gets OLD!
      • But that will NOT be the case in the NEW Heaven and Earth…
      • The LAW of ENTROPY will be gone – Jesus will make all things continually [present] NEW…
      • And we know it is TRUE – because God who is FAITHFUL will do it!
    • Already done…
      • He said to me – It is done! 
      • Jesus told John – it has already happened [γίνομαι]
      • Meaning in the MIND of God – this is not something to look forward to…
      • It is something He that has already taken place [perfect]
      • Because God – who sees the END from the BEGINNING – Isaiah 46:10
      • Having seen the END – knows this is what the NEW world will be like!
      • Imagine a world where we buy something once – and never have to buy it again…
      • A world where our bodies NEVER grow old – they are ALWAYS new…
      • Even though we live in a world defined by DEATH…
      • We can be confident the NEW world will be defined by LIFE!
    • First and Last…
      • I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End.
      • For the THIRD time Revelation Jesus uses the title – the ALPHA [Α] and OMEGA [Ω]
      • These are the FIRST and LAST letters of the GREEK alphabet…
      • But it turns out this is NOT a new title – is a VERY old one!
      • Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
      • There are TWO letters that sit untranslated next to the word GOD [אֱלֹהִים] – the [אֵ] and the [ת]
      • They are the FIRST and LAST letter of the HEBREW alphabet!
      • The God who CREATED all things in the BEGINNING – is the same God who will be there in the END…
      • He is the ONE who always has been – and always will be TRUE!
        
  • 2^nd – The Fountain… vs. 6
    • I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts!
    • Jesus has a FOUNTAIN in the NEW world – for anyone who is THIRSTY…
    • We are all made up of THREE parts – BODY – MIND – and SPIRIT – I Thessalonians 5:23
    • Our BODY thirst for WATER – we need it to survive physically…
    • Our MIND thirsts for RELATIONSHIPS – we need it to survive emotionally…
    • Our SPIRIT thirsts for JESUS – we need Him to survive spiritually…
    • People often try and quench SPIRITUAL thirst – with PHYSICAL or RELATIONAL things!
    • How many times have we SEEN something and thought – this will make me be HAPPY…
    • It might be a new GADGET – or OUTFIT – or e new PERSON…
    • And when we get what we WANTED we are happy for a moment – but it does NOT last…
    • When we try and drink the WRONG water – we get thirsty again!
    • John 4:13 – “Whoever drinks of this water [from the world] will thirst again…”
    • We were not CREATED by God to be FULFILLED by the things of this world…
    • We were CREATED by God to KNOW Him – WORSHIP Him – John 17:3
    • And only when we use our life for the purpose God intended for it – are we SATISFIED…
    • The GOOD news is the fountain of LIFE is available to all to FREELY drink from!
    • John 4:14 – “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”

Or we will be given GRACE – and get to cry out ABBA Father – in a NEW world!

3^rd – The Choice… vs. 7-8

1^st – The Inheritance… vs. 7

The Victory…

He who overcomes! 

This same statement Jesus gave to all SEVEN churches…

There were a variety of REWARDS described – but all with the same CONDITION…

OVERCOME [νικάω] – to those who have VICTORY [present]

How do we have VICTORY over SIN over DEATH…

I Corinthians 15:57 – “God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Reward…

Shall inherit all things – and I will be his God and he shall be My son!

The REWARD we get for having VICTORY over SIN…

God will give us ALL [πᾶς] things – because we become His CHILDREN…

Romans 8:15 – “[We] received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out – Abba – Father.”

When we were in Israel – I heard little kids running after their dads – crying out ABBA…

It is an extremely intimate and personal title – like PAPA!

And our ABBA [Ἀββᾶ] does not want to give us just what we need…

He will give us His whole KINGDOM – bless us beyond imagination – I Corinthians 2:9

Because we have become HEIRS [κληρονομέω] to all that God has – Romans 8:17

To the extent we will even sit on Jesus throne with Him – Revelation 3:21

God does not just provide for our needs – He will give us EVERYTHING!

Luke 12:32 – “It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

2^nd – The Second Death… vs. 8

The List…

BUT – sadly there is a SECOND option for what will happen in ETERNITY…

John is given a PARTIAL list [not exhaustive] of who will NOT be in the NEW world!

Spiritually…

COWARDLY – those who DOUBT the Word of God [disciples in the storm] – Matthew 8:26

UNBELIEVING [ἄπιστος] – anyone who does NOT have FAITH in Jesus…

ABOMINABLE – the word means to STINK – spiritually corrupt!

This is the most important part of this list – because it means a REJECTION of Jesus…

Those who do NOT believe the BIBLE – are NOT going to believe in Jesus…

As a RESULT – they will STINK spiritually before the LORD!

Practically…

MURDERER – those who kill – or even HATE others – Matthew 5:22

SEXUALLY immoral [πόρνος] – any act outside of marriage – I Thessalonians 4:3

SORCERERS [φαρμακεύς] – those who use DRUGS

IDOLATERS – anyone who puts something in life before Jesus – Exodus 20:3

All [πᾶς] LIARS – this is where the list get convicting!

We might ask – how many LIES does it take to make us a LIAR…

Well – how many MURDERS does it take to make us a MURDER…

The point being – we have ALL told a LIE – so we are ALL liars!

This LIST is NOT even complete – it is just a partial list of SINS…

Yet even this LIST make it look BAD – because we are ALL guilty of at least one…

But we must remember – it is NOT about what we have DONE – but what God DID…

When God looks down at us He does NOT see our SINS – He sees Jesus!

Hebrews 10:17 – “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Fire and Brimstone…

[They] shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone 

Which is the second death!

We are ALL guilty sinners who deserve the Lake of Fire…

But we ALL have the opportunity to put our FAITH in Jesus and be FORGIVEN…

Where we will spend ETERNITY hangs on that ONE decision…

Either we will get what we DESERVE – and end up in the LAKE of FIRE…