Christians have no idea of the beauty of this place, if they did they would be talking about it constantly.
We learned something that was very interesting in Revelation 21:25 speaking of heaven, we read, And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
• Generally at night we lock the doors but since there is no night in heaven that means the gates will always be open.
• Also, the gates will always be open means that we will not be prisoners locked behind gates in heaven and cannot get out.
The gates will always be open for us to go in and out to the New Earth. We will have access to leave anytime to see this New Earth that God has prepared for us.
But now let us look at some other things about this glorius place God has prepared for us.
God can not tell us all about this great place heaven…Why?
(1) Because we can not comprehend such beauty.
(2) Also, if we got such a glimpse of the reality of heaven we would be begging the Lord to take us from this life and God is not through with us yet here on earth.
But let’s look at Revelation chapter 22 and see some more things about our eternal home.
Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Out of the throne in heaven proceeds a river of the water of life.
Illus: When Ponce de Leon looked for the fountain of youth, he was looking in the wrong places.
Illus: As the old country preacher has said, "When you get old in Heaven, just take a drink and you will be young again; when you see a grey hair, just take a drink of water. When you see a wrinkle in your face, just get a drink, and it will be smoothed out again."
There are some things in heaven that we will recognize…
Notice that there will be a street in Heaven. Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Notice the tree of life and the fruit.
Will we eat in heaven?
Many people wonder if we will eat food in heaven. If we have a new body, will it be necessary? Even if it is not necessary for life, will we eat because it is enjoyable?
What does the Bible teach?
First, Jesus stated in Mark 14:25 that He would one day eat again with His followers: "Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God
Second, the resurrected Jesus ate: "They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them" .
Third, Revelation 22:2 mentions "the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month." There will be food available, though this passage is not clear whether people will eat it.
Fourth, Matthew 8:11 discusses that many will come to eat at the future feast with the Lord: "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Here, it appears eating together with the Lord will take place even though food will not be required to sustain life.
Fifth, Revelation 19:9 states, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." People eat at a marriage supper, so it would be reasonable to expect a celebration involving food with the Lord.
Two principles emerge from these and similar passages.
(1) Food will no longer be essential to sustain life in heaven.
(2) It seems that people will eat together with the Lord in heaven not to sustain life, but rather to enjoy fellowship and to celebrate together forever.
Someone has suggested that it wouldn’t be Heaven to them if we couldn’t eat.
Illus: I personally hope that the Lord will have strawberry Ice Cream in heaven. One thing certain is that if we do eat, we won't have to watch our calories and our waistlines.
Notice the purpose of the leaves. They are for the healing of the nations. There will be no sickness, for the leaves on the tree of life are healing agents.
Illus: There will be no more polio, cancer, diabetes, of heart trouble, or any other sickness. Thank God for the tree of life.
Revelation 22:3 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.
No more curse; the curse shall be no more; that is, the terrible curses originally denounced against human sin in the days of Adam's transgression (Ge 3:14-19) shall now be removed forever.
You will recall that in the Garden of Eden a curse was put upon man. This curse included suffering, death, etc. This curse will someday be lifted.
"AND HIS SERVANTS SHALL SERVE HIM." This teaches that there shall be occupations in Heaven. We shall serve the Lord Jesus. Many have the idea that Heaven will be a place where we shall sit around all the time. That is not the case. We will have occupations. I believe, and yet we shall never tire as we do here because the curse will have been lifted.
Revelation 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
This is the big moment of them all. We shall gaze upon our blessed Lord and see His face.
Notice again that we shall be branded for Jesus. We shall wear His mark on our foreheads. That is a sign of ownership. We shall be His forever.
Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
The brightness of His presence will be so great that we will have no need of any other light.
Revelation 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Notice again that God reminds us that these sayings are "FAlTHFUL AND TRUE." You can depend on these writings as being true.
"SHORTLY" means "surely." These things will surely be done.
Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Again God is reminding us that He is going to come quickly some day.
The word "BLESSED" also means "happy and contented."
The happiest people in the world today are those who are looking for the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus in the air. If you want to be a happy and contented Christian, then look up for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
The word "KEEPETH" means "to guard as a treasure." We are to guard as a treasure the things in the Book of Revelation. What a pity when so few even take time to read and study this marvelous Book.
Revelation 22:8-9 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
There is a real danger here. John began to worship the angel which brought the message to him. The angel reminds him that God is the one whom he should worship. Dear friend, the One to worship is not the teachers of the truth, but the one who is the Truth.
Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Notice the words, "SEAL NOT."
It is the command of God that we seal not the things written in this Book.
Notice the words, "THE TIME IS AT HAND."
The reason that we are to seal not is that the time is at hand. We are to let people know about the prophetic truths because His coming is near.
Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
This verse teaches that what you are here determines what you will be when He comes.
• If you have been filthy here, you will be filthy in eternity.
• If you have been holy here, you will be holy in eternity.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
When He comes, His rewards will be with Him. We are to work here in order that we may receive rewards from Him at the judgment seat of Christ.
Revelation 22:13-14 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
"DO HIS COMMANDMENTS" should be translated, "wash their robes."
The only way that you may have a right to the tree of life is to wash your robes. The only way to have your robes washed is to be born of the Spirit by faith in Jesus.
Also, we find that the only way a person can enter the gates of the City is to wash his robes.
Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
In this verse we find some of the ones who will NOT be in the City.
• They are: DOGS...meaning "unclean ones." SORCERERS... those who deal in witchcraft, fortune-telling, spiritism, etc. MURDERERS.
• WHOREMONGERS... those guilty of sexual sins so prevalent in our day.
• IDOLATERS...those who worship anything or anyone but the real God, our Lord Jesus Christ. LIARS.
How would you like to spend eternity with this crowd?
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
I Jesus have sent my angel to testify these things - Primarily. To you - The seven angels of the churches; then to those churches - and afterwards to all other churches in succeeding ages.
I - as God. Who is the root - and source of David's family and kingdom; as man, an descended from his loins.
In this verse we find the place where Jesus wants Revelation taught...IN THE CHURCHES.
So many neglect it and say that we cannot understand it. Many churches never study this wonderful Book. God says that He wants this Book taught in the churches.
Note the words, "THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR." Have you ever noticed the Morning Star? It is the brightest one of all just before daybreak pointing to the coming of the day.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
There are two pleas in this verse:
(1) One meaning is for the lost to come to Jesus.
(2) But I believe that the main meaning of this verse is the plea for Jesus to come. When the personalities mentioned in this verse say, "Come," I believe that they are beckoning for Jesus to hurry and come back for His own.
• "THE SPIRIT SAYS, COME."...He has been calling people to Jesus and He is anxious for the marriage of the Lamb.
• "THE BRIDE SAYS, COME."...In Revelation 21:2 we find the Holy Cityis prepared as a bride. Not only does the Holy Spirit cry out for Jesus to come but all Heaven is crying, "Come."
• "LET HIM THAT HEARETH SAY COME."...We, too, are to join in the chorus with the Holy Spirit and say, "Come." Think of it...all of the believers are to join in one big chorus saying, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Illus: You have probably been to a football game when the entire crowd cried, "Go...Go...Go...Go...Go..." So it should be as all of the redeemed cry to Jesus day by day,...."Come...Come...Come..."
"FREELY" in this verse means "undeservingly."
Even though we are saved we do not deserve salvation. Thank God for His grace.
Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
These verses warn anyone about tampering with this Book. You had better be careful what you say about this Book, for God will punish those who add or take away from it.
Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The word "SURELY" means "for a fact." Jesus is coming quickly "for a fact." We know that He is coming.
John says, "AMEN." He just couldn’t wait for Jesus to come.
"EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS." John had seen the whole prophetic future. He had seen the rapture, the marriage of the Lamb, the millennium, the New Jerusalem, and the many other wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Jesus. He cried out,
"Hurry up, Lord, and come."
Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
"THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN."
