New Heaven and New Earth, Part 2

Tonight, as we begin, I want to draw your attention to Philippians chapter 1, verse number 21, when Paul said it so very well, for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. What a pers. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Here was the man who told us in the book of Colossians to set our affections on things above, not on things bel. Why? Because everything above was nothing but gain. Nothing but pleasure, nothing but greatness, and we are to set our affections above and not below. That's where our God is.

That's where our king resides. The Bible says in 1 Kings 8, eight different times that God is in heaven.

If God is in heaven, then our affections, our desire, our joy, our love should be centered on Him. That's what the psalmist said in Psalm 73, 25: Whom have I in heaven but thee? And besides thee, I desire nothing on earth. Last week, as we began our study in Revelation 21, the new heaven and the new earth, we began by looking at a perspective. Of heaven. A perspective that was anticipated by the saints, and a perspective that's articulated in the scriptures. It was anticipated by the saints all throughout the Bible.

They were looking for, they were longing for, the opportunity that they had to go home to be with their God. Another part of that perspective was that it was articulated in the scriptures and we looked at heaven being a particular place. It is a place in which you go to. It's a promised place. It was a or is a prepared place, a peaceful place, a perfect place, a permanent place, a praising place, a precious place. But it is a privileged place because not everybody goes to heaven. Many are called, but few are chosen.

And those who dec to disobey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be cast into everlasting punishment. All this should lead us to have a pers on life that influences us, a powerful influence on us. It would be John who said these words in 1 John 3: Beloved, now we know, or now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when he appears, we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on him purifies him just as he is.

Pure. The reason Christianity is not as pure as it could be In the lives of people who have given their lives to Christ is because they haven't fixed their hope above. They haven't anticipated the coming of their God, that day in which they see Him face to face. Because John promises that if that's your perspective, if that's what you anticipate, if you go through each day long and looking to your Savior's return, It has a purifying effect in your life, so much so that everything about you changes.

And we, of all people, we who know the Lord, ought to live a pure and holy life in a world that is so corrupted. Instead, a lot of us as Christians have compromised. A lot of us as Christians have been corrupted by our culture. Because our perception of Christ has been clouded, because we cease to look above. And all we do is look below. And so hopefully this evening, as we continue our study in Revelation 2, we will once again Gain a greater perspective of heaven's glory and all that the Lord God has for us.

Revelation chapter 21. We looked at the perspective, and now we're going to move to the preparation. The perspective on the new heaven and the new earth, and now the preparation for The new heaven and the new earth. And we're going to see where the old is removed. And once the old is removed, then the new will be revealed. Let me read it to you: Revelation 21.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

The new is revealed. But before the new is revealed, the old has to be removed. It says back up in verse 11 of chapter 20, these words. And I saw a great white throne, and him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. The old heaven, the old earth is removed. How do we know that? How do we know that the new heaven and the new earth just isn't a make over that which is old? We know that because the old is out of the presence of God. And if God is omnip, If God is everywhere, there's no place God is not, then the old has to be out of existence because it wouldn't be able to flee away from the one who is omnip, right?

So that's how we know for certain that the old is completely removed in order that the new then would be revealed. And that was prophesied in Scripture. Many times over. Isaiah 65, verse number 17. For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the old is no longer going to be in your mind when you get to the new heaven and the new earth Those things that were on the old earth are not going to be remembered anymore.

You're not going to be in heaven and say, Hey man, remember when we did this? Remember when we went to so-and-so's house? Oh, remember what a great time we had? No, no. That's not even going to be in your brain. Well, you know, the earth is like a disposable diaper, it's not meant to last forever. You see, we get all worried about what's going to happen in terms of the earth. We have all these save the earth campaigns. Why? Why are we going to save the earth? God is not going to allow us to save the earth, He is going to do away with the present system.

There needs to be a place where nothing but righteousness dwells on this present earth that's cursed, and all creation groans for the day of redemption. This earth is cursed with sin, and righteousness will never completely dwell on this earth. Until there is a new heaven and a new earth. Job 15: says, Since the fall of Satan, the heavens have been under the curse. Lord says, The heavens are not clean in his sight. The heavens are not clean in his sight. The heavens are affected by the curse. Over in Isaiah 24, verse number 5: the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof.

So we see where the universe is defiled. We see where the earth itself is defiled. And God wants a place where nothing but righteousness dwells. Everything about the new heaven, everything about the new earth is completely righteous. There is no sin, it's not tainted with sin. There needs to be a purging. It says in 2 Peter 3, verses 7 and verse 10, but the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved in the fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in 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 in it shall be burned up. There needs to be a purging. There needs to be a doing away with that which is defiled, with that which is corrupted, in order for there to be something brand new created by God where nothing but righteousness dwells. And that's what Christ is going to do when he recreates.

A new heaven and a new earth. At this point in Revelation, Revelation 21, the universe is gone. We saw where, at the great white throne judgment, we talked about the fact where the universe is gone, the earth is gone, it's all gone, and there's a great white throne judgment. Unlike anything we've ever seen before, in a location unlike we can ever imagine, because everything about the universe, the solar system, the galaxies are all gone. And there's a great white throne, and a multitude of people stand before it and are judged.

And God creates a new heaven and a new earth. So, the universe is gone. All the ungodly are gone. They have been cast into the lake of fire. So, God now is going to create something beautiful. And the Bible says, and I saw.

Seventh time that phrase is used, and I saw. Be with Revelation chapter 19, when it says in verse number 11, And I saw heaven opened with the descent of Christ coming out of glory. To fight in that great battle of Armageddon, where he destroys all the ungodly and sets up his earthly kingdom. Seven different times, John says, I saw this. I saw that. Then I saw this. And then I saw that. John saw it all. God let him see the future. And now you come to verse number one, and it says, And I.

Saul. It chronicles the events. They are in logical sequence from the return of Christ to the destruction of the ungodly to the removal of Satan. To the ruling upon heaven and upon earth, to the release of Satan, for him to be thrown then into the lake of fire, for the judgment upon man, and now the new heaven and the new earth. And it says, I saw something new. Two words for the word new in the Greek. One is ne, and the other is kain. And the word used here is kain, which means new in terms of quality.

Na is new in terms of time versus that which is old. Now we've got something new in time. But kain deals with the newness of quality, something fresh. Something different, something unique in terms of its newness. And John says, I saw something so unique. So fresh, so unbelievable. It is a new heaven and it is a new earth. A quality beyond anything you could ever imagine because. God did it. Now, you and I would have to admit that when we go outside and we look out on a clear day, which is like three times a year in Southern California.

But when we have a clear day and we can see up into the mountains and maybe it's usually around January, February, it's usually during the Rose parade, you, when everybody back east is. Snowed under, and they're watching the Rose Bowl, and the parade's going by. You know, they're at the Rose Bowl Parade, and the mountains are snow-capped, and everybody wishes just for that one moment that they lived in Southern California with us. And we're so glad they don't. But they wish for that one moment, oh, to be there in that 75-degree weather, there in Pasadena, watching the Rose Parade, going to the Rose Bowl, the snow-capped mountains.

What a beautiful atmosphere. And we've got to admit that the world that we live in, as cursed as it is, as defiled as it is, as corrupted as it is, it is a beautiful place. It's a beautiful place. And these mountains that are here and the hills that are here were formed by the flood in Genesis and even in the destruction of the world. When God would kill all the wickedness of the people, way back in the book of Genesis with a global flood, He used that flood to create mountains and hills and valleys and gullies that look so gorgeous when we look at them.

We can look at the oceans, we can look at the fields and the valleys and see how beautiful they are in spite of the world's corruption.

It's a sick earth filled with disease and pollution, death, and disorder. Imagine, just imagine what the new earth will be like. What the new heavens will be like. No longer infected with thorns or thistles. Imagine that. I'd love to have that. I hate weeds. I hate pulling weeds. I hate getting stuck by my rose bush when I take my garbage out because it. Overhangs where my trash cans are. And I walk by, and the thistles, you know, they rip my shirt, and that gets me angry, and then they cut my skin, that gets me angry.

And I like to think of it as the curse of Genesis chapter 3. But just wait when you get the glory. No more thorns, no more thistles. What a great place. Listen, this earth is full of graves. Can you imagine a soil that doesn't have one dead body in it? That's the way the new heaven and the new earth are going to be. A soil, a sod, never moistened with tears or bloodshed. That's the new heaven. That's the new earth. And I like what John says because he tells us what the new heaven or what specifically the new earth is going to be like.

Listen to what he says. I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

There's your description of the new earth. See, so what's the big deal about that? Well, There are several possibilities. One is the fact that the sea is that which divides the boundaries in which people exist. So it separates people. The sea in the Old Testament was that dark, gloomy place that was unknown to man and had lots of fear in it. So some people believe, well, because there's no more. C, it depicts the fact that there's not going to be any more fear, there's not going be any more separation of people that they're all going to be together.

And that could very well be, but I think it goes way beyond that. Three-quarters of the earth is what? Is water. So could we say that the earth is basically a water world? Right? Sure it is. Do you know That your blood is 90% water? Did you know your body is 65% water? Did you know that? So, for there to be no more sea means there's no more water. Somehow the glorified body has No components of H2O as we know it, innit You, wait a minute. Revelation 22 says that there is a water of life. Clear as crystal coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

See, there is water in the new heaven. No, that's not H. We'll talk about that when we get there. But it's not water as you and I know water. Animals and plants are basically nothing but water as well. So we live in a watery world. And then it says in verse number two, and I saw the eighth time that phrase is used, and I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride.

Adorned for her husband. The new Jerusalem. This is the capital city of the New Earth. And John says, I saw something. Not only did I see this earth with no sea, not only I see this brand new heavens, new and complete quality. But what I saw was the holy city, the new Jerusalem, the main attraction. I'm going to go on to talk about this through Revelation 21. The main attraction somehow is in this city, this new Jerusalem. Sid has the character of a bride. And we have told you before about the analogy of a Jewish wedding.

From the time they are betrothed to the time that marriage is consummated. Why is this important? It's important because at the very end, every is encompassed in the bride. Old Testament Saints, New Testament Saints. Tribulational Saints, everybody is encompassed in the bride. Because at the very end, everybody has the same status. Everybody's on equal par. There isn't these Christians and those Christians and these kind of Christians and those kind of Christians. Everybody is the same, all children of the living God.

Why? Because in eternity past, there was betrothed to God the Son. A redeemed humanity. And that redeemed humanity included everybody who would be redeemed from the beginning of time to the end of time. So at the very end, The bride concept, which is an analogy, which is a concept, draws in every believer. Because this city takes on the character of a bride because everybody in there is part of now the bridal system. And consummates the marriage for all eternity. Hebrews 11: the heavenly city was the hope of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

This was their hope. This was their joy. This is what motivated them. Ezekiel 48:3 says, The name of that city shall be, the Lord is there. Isn 't that great? That's the name of the city. The name of the city is the Lord is there, which leads me to point number three: the purpose of the new heaven and the new earth.

And I'm going to give you the first one tonight. And it's this. The purpose of the new heaven and the new earth is the manifestation of God's presence. The manifestation of God's presence. This is so good. Look what it says. And I heard a loud voice. There's that word again. God likes it loud. I heard a loud voice. From the throne, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he shall dwell among them. And they shall be his people, and God him shall be among them. There was a loud voice.

That comes from the throne. And that loud voice tells us what. That God is am his people. This is so good because this is what heaven's all about. Heaven is a place, but that place is nothing without the presence of Almighty God. Nothing. And the Bible says, the blazing glory of God Himself will enhance the splendor of this city.

Behold, stand astonished. Stand back, John. Be amazed at what you're going to see. Because what you're going to see is unlike anything you've ever imagined. It says, The tabernacle of God is among men, the dwelling place of God, the tent of God, the habitation of God. Is among men. God no longer will be distant, nor will he be afar off, nor will he be veiled in the form of flesh. Nor will you see him or imagine him in a cloud or a pillar of fire. Nor will you understand him to be inside a place called the Holy of Holies.

No, this is completely different. God is going to be among his people. He is their holy habitation. Look what it says in verse number 22. And I saw no temple. No temple. Where? In this city, in the New Jerusalem. John says, I saw no temple. I saw no temple. What's temple for? Temple was a place. To hold the symbol of God's presence. John says, I see no temple in this new city. You know why? It's like a picture. You got a picture of your sweetheart. Let that picture. When you're away from her, you look at that picture, it reminds you of your sweetheart.

But when you're home, you're with your sweetheart, you don't need a picture anymore. Because you got the real thing. When you get the glory, you're with God, you got the real thing. You don't need any more symbols. Why? Because you see him face to face. It's God Himself. This is what the psalmist said: At thy right hand are pleasures forevermore. In thy presence is joy. This is what the psalmist long for. This is it. The exciting thing. God Himself. Yes, you heard him right. It's God Himself is among his men, among his women, among his boys, among his girls, among his people.

God is there. Wow. What an amazing thing. So much more I want to say about that because it is so exciting. But that's what heaven is: it is the manifestation of his presence. Unlike anything you've ever seen before, because you see, man is unable to look upon God. No man has seen God and lived. But when you have a glorified body, you have a perfect body, guess what? You'll be able to see him face to face. That's what heaven is. And that's what Charles Gabriel said when he said, Oh, just to look on that face I adore, that will be glory for me.

Is that what you long for? Boy, I hope it is. I hope it is. Are you going there? Are you going to be in glory? Do you know for certain that if you die tonight, you go to heaven? I hope you do. I hope you do. You know I need to say something. about what's happening in our country again. Because I think we need to get perspective. You know, God has given us a wake-up call. The wake-up call is that every is going to die. Everybody is. You know what? We don't believe that. We don't even think about that.

It takes a tragedy to wake us up to that. To think of all those dead bodies there under the trade center. If I was to tell you, I know a place, not where 6, people died. I know a place last week where 50,000 people d. How would you react to that? You say, where's that place? You know what that place is? In the United States of America. Fifty thousand people die every week in America. But we're not astonished by that, are we? See, if they die one at a time, it's not a big deal. Right? It's when they die in masses, it's when they die in tragedies that we're going to die.

They died in a tragic way. But the reality is everybody's going to die. Everybody. The question is: Are you prepared to die? Will we point people to heaven? Will we use this time? This is your day to put God on display. Today is the day of salvation. If you're not saved, you need to give your life to Christ tonight. Because you don't know what tomorrow holds. So you better be ready. Let's pray.