Revelation
21:1-27; 2:7; 3:12, 21;
The final state of the faithful in Christ is coming and it is
going to be glorious. We have no continuing place in this world (Heb.13:12-14),
no lasting resting place. But our Lord promised that He is preparing a place
for us and will come and take us to himself so that where He is there we shall
be also (John 14:1-3).
God is going to make all things new. I wonder if any of you
has watched ABC’s Extreme Makeover. A bunch of men will take a poor, rundown
house, send the owners on a week’s vacation, and within the space of 10 days
transform it into a delightful and luxurious home. They would then bring the
owners back who are blown away by the extreme transformation that has taken place. This old earth and old heaven will pass away
with all that are in them. God is going to do extreme makeover of all creation.
That is no joke (Isaiah 34:4; 2Peter 3:10-12; Rev.6:12-14). Prophets and
apostles describe this event as the heavens being on fire, will vanish with a
noise; the earth will be burnt up; the heavens will be rolled up as a scroll. When
this has happened, a new heaven and a new earth will be created and a new city,
the heavenly New Jerusalem will be made and brought down from heaven. It will
be unparalleled in beauty and size. The Throne of God will be in it and God
will dwell among His people.
In a world that is fractured and full of misery; a world full
of crime and wickedness; a world full of hatred and disappointment, this is
great news for all who would believe in Christ as saviour. Their future is
glorious. We can look beyond the present trial and temptation; distress and
anguish, and look forward to the coming resurrection and the New Jerusalem
coming out of heaven, our place of final abode. We will be talking about 1. The Place,
2. The People, 3. The Preparation, 4. The Privileges
The Place Called New Jerusalem (Rev.21:9-21)
(i) The Resplendent City – The city is called by
many names – The Holy City (Rev.21:2; 22:19); New Jerusalem (Rev.3:12; 21:2);
The Tabernacle of God (Rev.13:6; 15:5; 21:3); The Bride, the Lamb’s, the Lamb’s
Wife (Rev.21:2, 9); Holy Jerusalem (Rev.21:10); Heavenly Jerusalem (Heb.12:22);
The Father’s House (John 14:2). This City will be the centre of the Universe.
God will live there with restored creation. New Jerusalem is unsurpassed in
beauty. From the description it will be a translucent, gleaming city. Think of
gleaming jasper walls. It gleams with the glory of God, resplendent with
vibrant colours. The street of New Jerusalem will be of pure gold, not one whose
purity is measured in carats. It will be so pure it look like a sea of glass! For
inhabitants of that city, a list of things will be totally absent:
(a) No more Death
(Rev.21:4) – death the invincible arch enemy of mankind has been judged and
consigned to the lake of fire; (b) No
more Sorrow, (c) No more Crying – where there is no sin, there will be no
sorrow nor crying, for sorrow is a product of sin. Jesus took our sins away and
there will be no repeat in the New Jerusalem; (d) No more Pain – (Isa.11:6-9) –
all the things that cause pain are destroyed: the venom of the serpent, the
blood thirst of the lion are gone. (e) No more Temple. There will be no need
for one. The Almighty God and the Lamb will be the temple there. (Rev.21:22);
(f) No more Sun and Moon. Those are artificial, created lights. The glory of
the Lord will light up the city with eternal light throughout eternity
(Rev.21:23); (g) No more Night ((Rev.21:25); (h) No Defilement (Rev.11:27). The
new earth will have no more sea. The sea is part of the old things that must
pass away. The sea has been serving as grave for thousands of people. We also
note that the wrath of God was poured out to the seas and the rivers of the
world in judgement (rev.16:3-4). But the New Jerusalem will have a river – the River
of life whose source is the very throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev.22:1). There
will also be the Tree of Life on either side of the River of Life.
(ii) The Rock-solid Foundation Of New Jerusalem
God used Israel to lay the foundation for the salvation of
mankind. All those saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are described
as the bride of the Lamb, precious stones. They will be the occupants of this
glorious city. This that city with foundations sought for by the patriarch
Abraham (Heb.11:10).
1. Jasper – representing the tribe of
Gad; 2. Sapphire
– Representing the tribe of Simeon; 3. Chalcedony – representing the tribe of Reuben;
4. Emerald
– representing the tribe of Zebulun 5. Sardonyx – representing the tribe of Issachar;
6. Sardius
– representing the tribe of Judah; 7. Chrysolite – representing the tribe of Dan; 8. Beryl
– representing the tribe of Asher; 9. Topaz – representing the Tribe of Naphtali;
10. Chrysoprasus
– representing the tribe of Ephraim; 11. Jacinth – Representing
the tribe of Manasseh; 12. Amethyst – representing the tribe of Benjamin
These are all precious, translucent stones. The city from
foundation to the walls are unparalleled in beauty. The street is made of pure
gold clear as glass. The twelve precious foundation stones are related to the
twelve precious stones that studded the breastplate of the high priest. Each foundation
stone represented one tribe of Israel. The beauty of the foundation, the walls
and the street of the city are in comparable.
(iii) The Residence Of God With Men
(Rev.21:2-7; Exo.25:8; 1Cor.3:16; 1Pet.2:5)
The New Jerusalem is God’s residence among men after the
restitution of all things, when He has made all things new. God has always
planned to stay with His people, to be their God (Exo.25:8; Lev.26:11-12). God’s
presence was represented by the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by
night. Believers are described as
precious stones that make up the temple of God. In the New Jerusalem, there
will be no physical temple. The Almighty God and the Lamb will be the Temple in
it (rev.21:22).
The Resting Place Of the Faithful
(Rev.21:24) – those saved by grace through faith in Christ will live therein. The
best part of it is that this belongs to you and me! No wonder it is written, “Let
the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich”. If you have not seen
wealth in this world, if you have not experienced beauty in this world, you
will see and experience it in the New Jerusalem. Though people who have wealth
in this world will share it with you, in the New Jerusalem it will all belong
to you!
The People Of the New Jerusalem (Revelation
21:2-3, 9-11; Heb.11:9, 13-14; 12:22-24; John 14:1-3)
Who will populate the New Jerusalem? It is described as a
City wherein dwelleth righteousness. There will be no wicked. The air is cleared
of evil spirits. The new earth is cleared of wicked men.
All the saints of God whose souls are in heaven – the patriarchs,
Abraham, Moses, Elijah and all the prophets, the apostles, (ii) all saints who
will meet the Lord in the air at the rapture (John 14:1-3; 1Thes.4:13-18) will
come down with Jesus, the millions and millions of the Church of God (Rev.7:9-17)
will come with Jesus into the New Jerusalem. All those whose names are written
in the Lamb’s book of life will be the inhabitants. They will be as kings and
priests to the Lord and shall reign with Christ.
The Preparation For New Jerusalem
Since the New Jerusalem is the
dwelling of Righteousness, the seat of the Holy Throne of Almighty God, a holy
city, an eternal city, astonishingly beautiful, the dwelling place of God and
of the Lamb, of the apostles and prophets, of all the saints who have served
God since creation, to enter there would require thorough preparation.
- Heaven is a holy place, Filled with glory and with
grace, Sin can never enter there;
All within its gates are pure, From defilement kept secure— Sin can never enter there. - Refrain: Sin can never enter there, Sin can
never enter there; So if at the judgment bar, Sinful spots your soul
shall mar, You can never enter there.
- If you hope to dwell at last, When your life
on earth is past, In that home so bright and fair, You must here be
cleansed from sin, Have the life of Christ within— Sin can never enter
there.
- You may live in sin below, Heaven’s grace
refuse to know, But you cannot enter there; It will stop you at the door, Bar
you out forevermore—Sin can never enter there.
- If you cling to sin till death, When you draw
your latest breath, You will sink in dark despair
To the regions of the lost, Thus to prove at awful cost, Sin can never enter there.
If you want
to be in the mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare, if you want to walk the
street of gold, if you want to eat of the tree of life and drink from the river
of life; if you want to enter the New Jerusalem, you must get rid of sin! But
sin is so stubborn. It is a spiritual law and you have no power to get rid of
it in your life. You need help. Only Jesus has the power help you get rid of
sin.
(i)
You need to be saved (John 3:16; Rom.3:23; 6:23;
5:8; 10:9-10). When a young ruler asked Jesus what he must do to inherit
eternal life, Jesus said to him, “Keep the commandments” (Mat.19:16-19)
(ii)
You need to be holy (Heb.12:14; Mat.5:8) – New Jerusalem
is holy, the Temple of God and the Lamb there is Holy, all sin and wickedness
and filthiness have been eliminated, you cannot enter there with sin and stain
in your life.
(iii)
While still here on earth submit yourself to God
and resist the devil.
(iv)
Reject sin and sinful behaviour
(v)
Keep the faith in spite of trials and temptations.
(vi)
Put Christ first in your everyday life.
(vii)
Pray, read the Bible, apply the truths to your
life.
Only
overcomers, or victorious Christians can enter there. Prepare yourself here,
now. Jesus will help you, just come to Him today.
THE PRIVILEGES IN THE NEW JERUSALEM
(i.)
A place of perfect
fellowship
(ii.)
A place of perfect rest
(iii.)
A place of perfect joy
(iv.)
A place of perfect love
(v.)
A place of perfect harmony
(vi.)
A place of eternal rewards
In (Mat.13:1-9) Jesus spoke about
fruit bearing proportions – 100/60/30 fold. Christians will receive reward
according to the fruit we bear on earth. (In Mat. 16:27) Jesus said Christians
will be rewarded according to their deeds. Some careless Christians may yet
scrape it to heaven but their works will be burnt by fire (1Cor.3:9-15). Jesus
commands us to lay up our treasures in heaven (Mat.6:20). How do we do this? He
tells us in (Luke 16:9-13). So first and foremost, book your place in New Jerusalem - believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved. Then boost your place in New Jerusalem - live for Christ and work so that your work may be rewarded.
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