New Jerusalem

Title: NEW JERUSALEM

Text: Revelation 21:2-7, "2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of

heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,

and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 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. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am

Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water

of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Truth: When we tire of the turmoils of the present, how wonderful to hear, "Behold, I make all things new."

All things will be made new. An inner city for the soul, a golden city, and a crystal one descending from

God out of Heaven.

What blessings and hopes for mankind are unfolded by the descent of this city

of God! God shall dwell with men. They shall be His people. He shall be their God.

Al things will be made new. The New Jerusalem will for all eternity be a success! The old one failed.

It was spoiled by the wickedness of men.

Let me illustrate: "Certain warehouse property was selling. The building had been empty for months and

needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the

interior.

"As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace

the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

"’Forget about the repairs,’ the buyer said, ’When I buy this place, I’m going to build something

completely different. I don’t want the building; I want the site.’

"Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as

sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God’s, the old life is over

(2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build."

In the New Jerusalem, everything will be at peace and under the full enjoyment of God’s presence. What

a safe and happy city it will be! Oh! New Jerusalem, guided and ruled by God in every detail. There sin

will have been banished. There will be a life of brotherhood, and most importantly the absolute supremacy

of Christ.

Now, comparing and contrasting the two cities under consideration in this treatise may give shock and

awe concerning the first city and a wonderful anticipation of someday being a resident of the second city.

The first city Enoch, built by Cain, was located in the land of Nod (Gen. 4:16-17). It was the land

to which Cain fled or wandered after the murder of Abel. Nod, in this context, means wandering.

Cain had attempted to defy God. Now he wanders being continually restless and uneasy.

According the the Word of God rest can be found only in God.

An unknown author penned these appropriate lines:

"Return therefore to thy rest, O my soul,

to thy rest in God; else thou art for ever

restless."

Cain! You build that city (Enoch). Build. Build. Build. Establish that headquarters of apostasy.

Cain, you have forsaken God. You have pitched your tent in this decaying world.

Now that you have disobeyed God’s command to be a fugitive and vagabond; are you attempting

to drown your guilty conscience in the noises of axes and hammers?

The spirit of Cain was the spirit of ungodliness that manifested itself in the following:

worldliness

Earthly side of things became a priority

ignoring the spiritual and the divine

materialism as a substitute for God

attempt at independence from God

The spirit of Cain was the spirit of unrighteousness. He acted in untruthfulness, injustice, and violence.

What saith the Scripture? 1 John 3: 11-12, "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning,

that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And

wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous."

Jude 8, 11, " Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of