I am sure it is impossible for us to see, in our minds, the fulness, the splendor, and the glory of the vision John had before him when he wrote this glorious chapter of Holy Scripture. But we must try to get, at least, the context of it before us.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ has come in power and great glory.
2. At his coming, our Lord purged the old creation with fire.
3. The final, great white throne judgment is over.
4. And now John sees The New Creation, "a new heaven and a new earth!" This shall be our subject tonight. What is this New Creation?
When our Lord Jesus comes the second time, in the glory of his advent, this present universe shall be dissolved with fire and purged of all the consequences of sin. The heaven shall depart as a scale when it is rolled together. And every mountain and island shall be removed out of their places (Rev. 6:14). Peter said, "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (II Pet. 3:10).
There is a day coming when God's creation shall be thoroughly, completely purged of every stain of sin and scar of evil. Every trace of sin upon the handiwork of God shall be removed. But then there will be a new heaven and a new earth created. (Read Isa. 65:17; 66:22; II Pet. 3:11-13).
Proposition:The Lord Jesus Christ will redeem the earth itself from the bondage of corruption by his transforming power and make this earth a suitable habitation for his glorified saints. (Read Rom. 8:20-23).
It is this wonderful transformation of the universe which John describes for us in Revelation 21:1-4. May the Spirit of God give us eyes to see what John here describes.
Divisions: In these five verses John describes five things to us.The old world with all its sorrows and troubles, this world of care, will pass away to make room for an entirely new world. It is this new world which John describes.
A. "I saw a new heaven and a new earth."The word that is used here implies that John saw "a new" creation, but not "another" creation. What John saw was heaven and earth completely purged of sin and regenerated, renewed, rejuvenated by the power of God. In this new creation all the potentialities of nature, so long held in bondage by sin, shall be fully realized.
1. All the curse of sin shall be removed from the earth. Weeds, thorns, and thistles shall be no more!
2. The Old order of the world shall vanish away.
For six thousand years the dragon, the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot have defiled the earth, led revolt to the throne of God, and corrupted the earth with evil. But they shall pass away! "The first heaven and the first earth" smeared with the slime of the serpent, "were passed away"!
3. "And there was no more sea,"At present the sea is a constant emblem of trouble. Raging, roaring, tempest tossed waves of the sea represent the agitation and unrest of the world in opposition to Christ. You will remember that the beast symbolically, arose out of the sea. The great whore, the religion of antichrist, and all the nations of the world are found in the sea (Rev. 13:1; 17:15).
This earth, when it is restored to its pristine beauty, will be a glorious habitation for the glorified sons of God. As Eden was the garden of the Lord, perfect and glorious, a home well suited to God's glorified, sinless people. Imagine what this world will be when it is delivered from the bondage of corruption!
C. This New Creation Will Be The Eternal Home Of All Who Have Been Made New Creatures In Christ.
"We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This will be the ultimate consequence of Christ's redemptive work and God's transforming grace.
"The holy city, new Jerusalem," is not a literal walled city. It is the Church of the living God in its complete, perfect state. John describes the new Jerusalem, God's glorified Church, more fully later. But for now he simply tells us three things about it.
A. The Church of God Is "The Holy City, New Jerusalem."
It is called, "new," to set it apart and distinct from the earthly Jerusalem, the symbolical Old Testament center of worship. It is called, "holy," because it has been purged and cleansed of all sin by the blood of Christ and the power of his grace. It is evident from the Scriptures that "The Holy City, New Jerusalem," is indeed the whole Church of God's elect. Throughout the Word of God the Church is represented under the symbolism of a city (Ps. 48:1-2; Isa. 26:1-2; 40:9; Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22-24).
1. A city represents a place of permanent residence.
2. A city is made up a great number of people.
3. A city is a place of safety and security.
4. A city is our home, the place of our family and our most intimate fellowship. (Heb. 11:16).
B. John Saw This Holy City, New Jerusalem, The Church of God's Elect, "Coming Down From God Out Of Heaven."
When Christ comes again to this new earth, purged and transformed by his power, all the saints of God shall come with him into his new creation (Jude 14; Dan. 7:13-14, 18).
C. This City, The Church of God, Is "Prepared As A Bride Adorned For Her Husband."John saw the Church of God in her eternal glory, beautified with all the perfection of holiness, in perfect likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. This was the object of God in Election. (Eph. 1;4; Rom. 8:29-30).
2. This was the goal of Christ Redemption. (Eph. 5:25-27).
3. This is the life to which we have been called by the Holy Spirit in Regeneration. (Eph. 1:13-14).
4. This will be the End Result of Our Resurrection.
Read v. 2 – This is how the everlasting marriage feast of the Lamb and his wife, the Church, shall begin. This is the climax of Election, Redemption, and Grace. (Heb. 2:13).
III. The Divine Presence – (v. 3).Now here is the glory of heaven, the joy of the saints, the delight of the New Creation, the Lord our God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, his dear Son, shall be immediately, eternally present with his people! God shall eternally tabernacle with men!
A. The Presence Of The Lord With His Church Is The Glory Of The Church In This World.
1. It is a wonder that the Holy God should dwell with any man; but he dwells with all his saints upon the earth (John 14:23).
2. In the midst of all your troubles, child of God, your God is with you (Isa. 43:1-5; Heb. 13:5).
3. And the Lord God graciously visits the assembly of his saints in the sweet manifestations of his presence (Matt. 18:20).
B. But, Blessed As Our Fellowship Is Now, It Cannot Be Compared To The Presence Of God With Us In The New Creation.
1. God himself shall be with us!He will be with us forever. His presence with us will never be interrupted! This is heaven! This is the heaven of heavens.
2. In the blessed glory of the New Creation our covenant interest in and relationship to God shall be fully revealed, perfected, and enjoyed.
Oh, tempted, tried, troubled child of God, there is a day soon to come when trouble shall be no more! In that blessed New Creation, there shall be no more trouble!
A. God Shall Wipe Away All Tears From Your Eyes.We have many tears to shed here. Our sins, our afflictions, our heartaches, the struggles of our souls, the troubles of God's Church in this world, the cares of the world, and the perishing souls of lost friends and relatives all cause our checks to burn with tears. But God will dry our tears.
There will be absolutely no sorrow of any kind in the New Creation forever!
1. No Purgatory!Here the truth and certainty of this blessed, eternal, new creation is affirmed and ratified by the word and promise of God.
1. There is a New Creation coming.
2. If you would enter that New Creation, you must be made a New Creation now (II Cor. 5:17).
3. If you would be a New Creation in Christ, be reconciled to God.
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