'the Real Enviromental Changes.' Series

"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.