When you think of heaven, what comes to your mind? The stereotypical view is of white puffy clouds, with us dressed in white robes with wings, carrying harps and just lazing around all day with nothing to do. Is that heaven? No.
Chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation give us about as much information as we know about heaven. One of the reasons it’s so hard to describe is that it is not just another place but another dimension, another creation. But these chapters do give us some hints and clues about what our eternal state will be like.
Chapter 20 left off with some pretty sobering words: "And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." This happens at some point either during or at the end of Christ’s thousand year reign on the earth. So at this point, only those who have been redeemed by the Lamb of God, and God’s angels, are around. Everyone else is in the lake of fire. These last two chapters don’t mention it - in fact, hell is just referred to as "outside".
Unlike the return of Jesus to the earth - the coming of heaven will not be a sudden event. It might be sort of a gradual transition. There are suggestions that God will literally blow up the existing heaven and earth - like one of those buildings slated for demolition that you see imploded on TV.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. ESV
If Peter is referring to the end of the planet - then by that time a new earth and a new heaven will have been established and God’ll just be getting rid of the junk. The truth is that we are really hazy when it comes to this time period. But let’s see what these chapters do tell us.
In a lot of ways what we will see here is the return to the Garden of Eden - except that this is perhaps the Garden (as a city) that God always intended for us - where we can live and prosper in God’s presence.
1. Creation is new - but different (Verse 1)
The old heavens and earth had "gone off" literally in the Greek. This new earth doesn’t have a large body of water, but does have a river.
2. There is a city in the new creation - details later (Verse 2)
It’s possible that this new city is symbolic - and is actually the church (more on that later). Though it may be physical, yet also we, the church, make up the city. Our problem is we are trying to describe a heavenly reality by earthly means. The important thing to note is that God will now dwell with His people in the New Jerusalem.
3. God will live with us in that city (Verse 3)
This also returns us to the state in the Garden of Eden, where we could walk with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3).
4. Life will be entirely different in the absence of pain (Verses 4-7)
Everything that caused pain and sadness on earth will not be present in heaven.
5. Little is said about hell because it won’t really matter (Verses 8 & 27)
Look at this list - I’ve always marveled at the fact that liars are on this list. We tend to judge people that don’t measure up to our standards - and we say things like "if you smoke or dance or go to movies then you are going to hell." Yet we don’t realize that if we have ever told a lie - that is enough to send us there as well. God is far more perfect than we can ever imagine - that’s why we need Jesus so much!
Verse 27 - the only way to get in is to be in the book.
6. The New Jerusalem IS the Bride - the church (Verses 9-11)
Here it almost suggests that this new city IS the Bride of Christ. Peter suggests something like that too:
1 Peter 2:4-6 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ESV
If you have ever flown into Las Vegas you know what man’s neon glory looks like. The radiance from this city will be so incredible it will make Las Vegas look like an ember in a dieing fire.
7. The city is nothing like you’ve ever seen (Verses 12-21)
The city is a cube 1500 miles on a side. Walls are 217 feet thick and tall. Gates were very important in ancient cities - they represented security, just as walls. They were also a place of government. They also were designed to keep some people in and some people out. These gates are always open - no one of God’s people will ever be shut out from His presence.
And notice that the sons of Israel are written on the gates - and the twelve apostles are written on the foundations - both groups had an important place in God’s redemptive plan. They will be honored and memorialized that way for all of eternity.
Are these stones real? Probably not - it was the color John focused on and the clarity and brilliance. Notice one more thing - what is used for asphalt in heaven? Gold.
8. The environment is nothing like you’ve ever experienced (Verses 22- 22:5)
Notice the similarities with the Garden of Eden - a river, the Tree of Life, and God’s presence.
Let’s compare this with the other reality in the new order: hell.
Characteristic Heaven Hell
Light Always there Always absent
Day Always Day Always night
Pain Non existent Always present
God Present Absent
Healing Available Not available
Tears Wiped away Always flowing
Death No more Forever a living death
Lake None - just River of Life bringing healing Lake of Fire bringing torment.
Rest Rest for the believer No rest forever
The nations and kings means that people from every tribe, language, and nation will come into God’s kingdom - and even those who were in positions of power will bring that before the feet of the one who is truly King of Kings!
The healing of the tree of life means that wherever this tree is produces health and strength to the believers.
Seeing God’s face is very important - to see His face any other time meant certain death. Then we’ll be able to sit down and talk with the God of the Universe face to face. Wow!
Verses 6 - 7
"Quickly" means that when it happens, it will happen suddenly - not that it will happen soon after it was written in a chronological sense.
"Keep" here means "to pay attention to." We need to pay attention to the fact that Jesus will return - and all the things that happen with that and all the implications of that return - i.e.: that we should repent and turn our lives over to Jesus and as Christians we should live like He could return for us at any time.
Verses 8 - 9
John is so overwhelmed by it all that he just falls down and worships the angel - who rightly tells him only to worship God (again). John did the same thing in 19:10 when presented with the marriage supper of the Lamb. The angel did the same thing there as well.
Verse 10
Daniel was told the seal up his prophecy because it involved the end of time - but not John (Daniel 12:4). The message of Revelation was for John’s time, and our time.
Verse 11
The angel isn’t telling people to be evil - the point here is that we need to make up our minds - are we with Jesus or not - because at this point it will be too late. Man is appointed once to die, and then comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
Verses 12 - 13
Jesus rewards us with salvation - but there also seem to be individual rewards for the things we’ve done in Him. (See James 1:12, 1 Corinthians 3:8)
And you know - it really is all about Him after all.
Verses 14 - 15
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were barred because of their sin. Here, those that have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb can enter freely.
"Dogs" were referred to as something unclean. It doesn’t mean that unbelievers will surround the New Jerusalem - they are in the Lake of Fire. It just means they are on the outside of where God is - excluded from the blessings.
Verses 16 - 17
Jesus is creator, He is redeemer, and He is our hope and promise of a new dawn. His Spirit and the church here both extend the invitation to anyone who will come to Jesus and experience the life He brings.
Verse 18 - 19
Here at the end is a solemn warning. Some suggest that this refers to the Bible as a whole. It doesn’t seem to indicate that here - but it is still true none the less. To tamper with what God gave to us in the Bible is a most serious thing. And not just to those who copied it down but also to us who hear it and who teach it.
I take very very seriously the teaching of God’s Word. My intent is to bring you His truth in as clear a manner as possible and to never purposefully distort or ignore parts of it. That’s yet another reason why we teach verse by verse through the whole Bible.
Verses 20 - 21
Jesus Himself attests to the book of the Revelation and adds "surely" which means a strong affirmation. John, after seeing this incredible vision, adds his "amen" and we should add ours as well.
And I love how he ends this - and the last book of the Bible. It is God’s grace extended to us that allows us the opportunity to be in God’s presence and in all joy and peace forever - nothing of our own effort, but His free gift to us.
Conclusions
To see that city, to enter into it’s gates, to see its beauty, to kneel down at the River of Life and drink deeply of its waters, to reach up and take fruit from the Tree of Life and feel strength fill me - then to turn and gaze into my Creator’s face - to realize the incredible beauty and holiness and wonder of it all - and to realize that I can plumb those depths, and enjoy that presence forever. What a thing to look forward to.
That’s what I want to leave us with in our study of Revelation - not the destruction and the evil and Lucifer and the Lake of Fire. It’s actually so easy to avoid all of that - by belonging to the One who is good and loves with an everlasting love.
Let this vision of heaven give you clarity of purpose on earth, let the light of that place reflect on you in a dark place, and let the promise of His presence bring you comfort in any lonely place you might find yourself.
Amen - maranatha - come Lord Jesus!
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