"The real enviromental changes": Rev 21:1-7.
In the Bible overview series we have really come full circle: God’s plan for the world began with creation and it ends with the new creation. The Big picture series has unfolded from the foundations to its fulfilment. Creation – fall – pledge - Exodus – law - promised land – Kings – prophets – Exile –Life death and resurrection of Jesus – Pentecost - His return – New Creation.
The birth of a child is generally quite a traumatic time for women when they experience birthing pains, but after the child is born both mother and child will encounter a new environment outside of the womb, with new experiences and new emotions. So it is with the recreation we too will encounter new environment – new experiences with new emotions.
This New creation can be thought of as the ultimate promise land, but not only a place where God rules as King once more with us as His people but the new creation will be completed in us also (perfected) in the lives of His people as we rule with Him. We too will encounter a recreation and enter into a new environment- engage with new experiences and experience new emotions.
1. We will encounter a new environment. Rev 21: 1.
I wonder if you ever watch nature programs on TV with R. Attenborough when he takes you half way round the world too completely new environments from the tropical jungles to freezing Antarctica or down the abyss of the ocean. For the first time through our TV screens we can encounter new environments, amazing wonders.
The new earth and heaven will blow our minds into orbit.... v2 Heaven will be joined in union with earth as the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven as the bride v1 with no sea – v23 No sun or moon our light will be God himself, v22 no temple because God will be the temple in the city a city described with precious Jewels, 22:1 The river of the water of life flowing from God – The tree of life with leaves for the healing of the nations – No more night v5 People from all nations serving God no more sickness – glorified bodies - with new names upon our foreheads. With nothing impure only those written in the Lambs book of life.
Planet earth is an amazing planet with some environments still un explored. One thing is for sure in the 21st century is that this earth is a finely tuned eco system which many believe is nearly at breaking point in many areas from climate change to population explosion, the present eco system is changing.
As a result people in the 21st century are more aware of environment issues today than ever before, to the extent many would consider themselves environmentalists, all of us I am sure are concerned about the planet we all share, if not we should be Gen 2: 15 God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
• Hands up if you recycle? All this is to be commended and should be practiced by Christians; we shouldn’t be those who just pillage the earth but actually care for it. God called us to be environmentalists
But no matter how environmental we go there is coming a day when this environment will change for us when we will encounter a completely new environment v1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth and heaven had passed away and there was no longer any sea
Re-Creation: Here we see Gods work of the new creation takes us back to Gen 1:1 when God first made this earth but unlike the first creation it was subject to the fall and has been held in a state of bondage and decay Rom 8:22 We know that the whole of creation has been groaning as in pains of child birth right up to this present time. The present ecological changes are fundamentally caused of the fall of creation.
• Systems restore on windows XP or vista.
This earth is heading for a system restore.
Maybe you want some convincing in this area? Jesus said Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away. Peter tells us 2Peter 3:13 we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. And also it is spoken about way before the NT but in the OT Psalm 102:25-27 and Isaiah 65:17
How will it take place? Well the word for new is not the same sense that the old will be destroyed and something out of nothing will be created like the first creation . New here means a radical transformed renewed heaven and earth 2Peter:3:10-12 talks about everything being laid bare refined by fire. (As fire scorches a prairie) This is not annihilation but as John says 1a a passing away.
What does it mean? It all means a total eradication of all that was to do with the fall and sin upon this earth, planet and people included v8. The environment will be perfected. No more natural disasters, disease, no more thorns and thistles no more evil people no more crime all part of the curse Rev 22:3 will be gone.
This environment is going to change in greater ways than people can possible imagine ... One day all the vestiges of the curse upon the earth and sin in the world will be eradicated the old will pass away and too many it will be a natural disaster when the heavens and earth pass away but to the real environmentalist it will be a radical transformation a recycling program of God to create a new heavens and earth
REAL RECYCLING: So the next time you recycle your waste maybe you can think about the new environment God is creating through his recycling process that is due to take place so that we can experience a new environment. He too will wipe away all that is impure and recycle that which is redeemed.
2. We will experience God’s presence V2-3 read
We will experience so much... The new beauty with the heavens and earth new personal emotions new bodies with new life new service in the presence of God but above all we will be in the presence of God.
His presence has always been with his people in a unique way. But here in Revelation we see completed picture of His presence with His people. Jeremiah 31:33: ‘I will be there God and they will be my people.’ Of course Jeremiah all those years ago was pointing further on to the time of Christ when the Holy Spirit would be in the hearts of God’s people but the greater fulfilment is when we will be perfected in the presence of God.
God’s presence in the OT God was with his people in particular the temple and the most Holy place from where he protected, guided, forgave them and his presence experienced. But to a large extent that was an external relationship. Sin was a barrier
God’s presence In the N T through the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus we see that God dwells with his people in a different way through the indwelling Holy Spirit. He lives in our hearts and lives - He has written his law on our hearts and minds, this is an internal relationship experience. The NT tells us that our bodies are the temples where the Holy Spirit indwells. Here we see that God reign externally is internally, from within.
Able to Stand and serve
But even at this present moment with this internal presence there are imperfections in our relationship with God, not on God’s behalf of course, but on ours, because sin continues to manifest itself in our lives seeking to bring division in our relationship with God.
In this new environment we will experience God’s presence in a completely new way without any vestiges of Sin in our lives and beholding Him with our eyes we will experience Him externally, we shall physically see Him! Internally we shall be perfected glorified without any sin .
The priests 2Chro5:14 were unable to minister when the glory of God filled the temple - The Shepherds were filled with fear when they saw the glory of God, but we will be able to stand before the glory of God in complete worship of Him Rev 22:3
We may find these new experiencs difficult to comprehend so it is described as with a comparison to the present experiences and our emotions where here v4 we shed tears – God will wipe them away, here there is death –there it will be life, here we mourn – there we will be consoled, here we suffer with pain – there we will be without pain – here we cry – there we will be filled because the old order has passed away .
This we may find difficult to believe: Those amazing offers on TV or in the paper and you think wow! This is too good to be true where is the catch? Well Good wants us to be assured of the validity of the new creation.
V5 Firstly God makes a statement that he wants recorded (a document- a guarantee) It is God who is seated on the throne He is the one who is going to do it..... It’s not some dodgy salesman but God.
6b Secondly he confirms it with the words it is done and he puts his stamp of approval upon it like a royal King would put his seal on a document I am the Alpha and the omega the beginning and the end from the first creation to the new creation he says it is done Here we see his permance and all his ways are fulfilled from beginning to end .
3.We are encouraged to receive eternal life. 6b-8.
• We all have to make important decisions throughout our lives, but what is the most important decision you will make in your life? Will we receive eternal life?
To him who is thirsty : Here we see God encouraging those who are thirsty to receive water to drink - this water is the water of life – this water is the water that Jesus spoke of to the woman at the well (John 4:7-14) The water of life that God is offering is symbolic to God and eternal life.
People are thirsting.... there appears to be a lot of who are satisfied, so much on offer and it satisfies many in this life things like our homes, our relationship, our families, our money, our jobs, our leisure activities our opulent lifestyles seem on the surface to satisfy.
God is speaking ......to those who are thirsting for something different, something far more profound and wonderful a spiritual thirst for God, something this world cannot give. To receive the water of life is to receive Him through Christ. God alone is the one who satisfies into eternity. He is the one who satisfies .. As King David said “as the deer pants for the water so my soul pants after you”..... What are you thirsting for my friend?
Without cost...... when our family go out to restaurants or a cafe or pub lunch, Danielle will often ask me to go and get some water, but she doesn’t mean bottled water she means get some tap water because its free. I always feel embarrassed asking for this water... Because they sell water...
I will give to drink without cost...... We don’t need to be embarrassed about coming to God we don’t need to have anything in our pockets ( like Good works, Christian upbringing, baptised, church member) to pay for the water of life because God’s water of life is also free to all who thirst , God gives us the opportunity to drink “I will give” God has given us all the opportunity through Jesus Christ the price has been paid in full on the cross ... Our spiritual thirst can be quenched and its free to all who thirst.
V8 But on the other side of the coin is the 2nd death for all those who do not thirst for God, for those who reject the his personal invitation to drink from the water of life.. They will receive the eternal wrath of God upon them.
But how the grace of God amazes me because this is exactly what some of us were, as Paul says 1 Cor 6: 9-. 11 read..We are no different but the gospel is powerful to change our lives as we enter into the real enviromental changes which ae to take place.
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