Everlasting Light

Illustration: There was a saying that the sun never set in the British Empire. On a similar tone the light of Christ never sets as He is the light and the everlasting. It is always and ever beaming. Similarly the sun will not set in the New Jerusalem.

2. End of Mourning (v. 20b)

In this verse it’s also possible that our sun not setting nor the moon waning is a figure of speech for “the days of your mourning will be over.” In other words, since God will wipe away every tear (Revelation 7:15-17) and sorrow and mourning will be no more (Revelation 21:4) that is like constant light of day in our souls. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

The comforts and joys that are in heaven, the glories provided for the soul, as the light of the sun, and those prepared for the glorified body too, as the light of the moon, shall never know the least cessation or interruption; how should they when the Lord shall himself be thy everlasting light - a light which never wastes nor can ever be extinguished? And the days of thy mourning shall be ended, so as never to return; for all tears shall be wiped away, and the fountains of them, sin and affliction, dried up, so that sorrow and sighing shall flee away forever.

One of the most encouraging parallel verses in the bible for believers is Revelation 21:4. In this verse God promises us that one day in heaven the things of this earth that have brought us to tears, brought sorrow and pain, have brought death, will be wiped away by God Himself. It is indeed a great comfort to know that one day we as believers will no longer have to deal with the troubles of this fallen world. But while this verse is indeed true, and a day will one day come when all of these things are fulfilled, do we really understand its meaning? Many misinterpret this verse to mean that once we die, and come into the presence of Jesus Christ, all of these things will be fulfilled. Sadly, this is not the case.

3. God’s people are Righteous (v. 21)

And finally, Thy people also shall be all righteous. What does he mean by that? Well he means that all who enter the new city of Jerusalem shall be justified. Now no one is righteous inherently. It is by faith in Jesus Christ that we are declared righteous. Paul says that we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So when I look off to the cross of Jesus Christ and see him as the one who died for me, and I believe in him, I am declared righteous by God, given righteousness. Remember what is God’s righteousness? It is the righteousness which his righteousness requires him to require. Perfect righteousness! And that is given to us when we believe in Jesus Christ. You can say of the church, it is all righteous. Every member of the church of Jesus Christ is justified. Isn’t that wonderful to know that? You know that means that you and I have accepted the God only. We do not come in our merits. We come in his merits. So the door is always open. We are always accepted. We are accepted in him. If we have sinned, we do not lose our acceptance. We lose our fellowship and we confess and are restored, but our acceptance depends not upon us, but upon him and what he has done, and that is settled and finished and complete. And that is going to be true of Israel in that day. Thy people also shall be all righteous. All who enter that kingdom are justified individually. They shall inherit the land for ever, the branch that the Abrahamic promises reach their ultimate fulfillment in the possession by those who are the seed of Abraham of the land that was promised to them.