SESSION #13: REVELATION #21 – A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN:
A DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND COMING:
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
• At the second coming of Jesus, the rapture of the church will take place.
• The rapture = being ‘caught up’ to meet the Lord in the air.
SET YOUR SIGHTS ON HEAVEN:
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2).
• This final lesson in the book of Revelation is important because God wants us to set our sights on the reality of Heaven, and to let Heaven fill our thoughts.
• Heaven is not about sitting around on fluffy clouds eating cream cheese!
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.” (Revelation 21:1-6).
• Believers will live together with God, enjoying sweet fellowship with Him, face to face.
• God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
• There will be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain. The old things have passed away!
• God says, “I will make all things NEW!”
• What do we learn about God’s nature? He is the Alpha and the Omega.
• God promises to let us drink of the fountain of the water of life freely.
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:7-8).
WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?
• The cowardly and unbelieving = the opposite of being faithful
• Abominable = polluted by the world’s abominations
• Sorcerers = the literal Greek refers to those dealing in drugs. (Spirit Filled Life Bible)
• Does this mean that anyone who has ever told a lie will not go to Heaven? No.
• This is referring to those who live habitually in a lifestyle of sin and rebellion.
• Where will these people go instead? Their doom is in the lake of fire.
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST:
“9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Rev. 21:9-27).
UNDERSTANDING THE PICTURE:
• What is this great city, called the holy Jerusalem? It is the bride of Christ = the church.
• Just as Babylon the great represented the world, and sinful humanity, so this heavenly Jerusalem represents the people of God.
• There is one people of God comprised of Israel (Old Testament) and the Church (New Testament. This is seen in the picture of the 12 gates (the 12 tribes of Israel) and the 12 foundation stones (the 12 apostles of Jesus).
• Heaven described: Streets of pure gold (v.21), God is the temple (v.22), the glory of God illuminates it (v.23), and those who are saved will enjoy its light (v.24).
• The only ones in Heaven are those whose names are written in the Book of Life.
REVELATION #22 – A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN:
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.” (Rev. 22:1-6).
WHAT HAS GOD PROMISED US IN HEAVEN?
1. The river of the water of life = the refreshing presence of the Lord.
2. The tree of life = bearing twelve fruits, and leaves for the healing of the nations.
a. Note the nation of Canada is the only country in the world that has the leaf as an emblem on our flag. A prophetic picture for our nation!
3. We will see God’s face, and bear His name. This speaks of intimate friendship.
4. We will reign with Him forever and ever – we are training for reigning on Earth.
QUOTE: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” (C.S. Lewis).
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS:
“7 Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." 8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 10 And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Rev. 22:7-21).
CONCLUSION:
• Jesus said, “I am coming quickly” three times in this closing section.
• Jesus said that if we will obey the things written in this prophecy, we will be blessed.
• When Jesus returns to the Earth, He will reward His followers for their faithfulness.
• Jesus again reveals to us something about Himself in this passage:
o He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End
o He is the Root and Offspring of David
o He is the Bright and Morning Star
• All who are thirsty are invited to come and drink of the river of the water of life.
• Note the closing promise in this book of the Bible: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
• As we have observed over and over again, the book of Revelation – like the first 65 books of the Bible – is about revealing Jesus to us, and the amazing grace of God.
ARE YOU READY FOR HEAVEN?
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:1-6).
• Jesus is the only way to Heaven!
• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WHOLE SERIES ON REVELATION:
Chilton, David. The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of Revelation.
Clouse, Robert G. Editor. The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views.
Cox, William E. Amillennialism Today.
Fee, Gordon & Stuart, Douglas. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth.
Grier, W. J. The Momentous Event: A Discussion of Scripture Teaching on the Second Advent.
Hayford, Jack. The Spirit Filled Life Study Bible.
Hendriksen, William. More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation.
Henry, Matthew. Commentary on the Whole Bible.
Spurgeon, Charles. 12 Sermons on the Second Coming of Christ.
