Revelation 21:1-8
For Ever and Ever
As we come to this chapter, I find two things very interesting:
1. Where we are.
A. \\#Revelation 4:2\\-The church age ended.
B. \\#Revelation 19:18\\-The tribulation ended.
C. \\#Revelation 20:7\\-The millennial ended.
D. \\#Revelation 20:15\\-Sin ended.
What’s left? Nothing but eternity. Throughout the Bible, we see
eternity being referred to in the little phrase "for ever and ever."
Revelation 20-21 are describing for ever and ever.
That is interesting because we really don’t have very much
information about what for ever and ever will be like. We know some
things that will happen in eternity.
But when it gets down to activities that eternal beings will be
engaged in for ever and ever, we really don’t know very much. So
let’s look at some of these chapters and see what we can see.
2. How the Bible is laid out.
It is also interesting because the first two chapters of the Bible
were written about for ever and ever. God created man to live for
ever and ever, but sin, sickness, suffering, death, and judgment got
in the way. Now, they have been removed and the last two chapters of
the Bible again focus on for ever and ever!
I. \\#Rev 21:1\\ There will be a new world.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:
for the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away; and there was no more sea.
A. \\#21:1\\ What kind of "new" are we talking about?
1. There has been debate for centuries about whether this is
a completely new earth or a renovated earth.
2. I have found 4 works in the Greek that can be translated
"new."
3. The one used all seven times in the book of Revelation is
the Greek word "kainos."
a. In its usage, Strong’s defines it as "fresh, recent,
unused, unworn."
b. From the aspect of substance, Strong’s says it means
"of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon."
c. From this, I take it that anything called "new" is
unused, and uncommon.
4. Add that with what the Bible says about the old heavens
and the old earth.
a. \\Rev 20:11\\ The old heaven and earth fled away.
b. \\#Rev 21:1\\ They had "past away."
5. Mix it with what Peter says.
2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as
a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall PASS AWAY with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be
BURNED UP.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be
DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought ye to be
in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the
day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be DISSOLVED, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat?
a. "pass away"-The same term used in \\#Rev 21:1\\.
b. "burned up"-Means "to burn utterly."
c. "dissolved"-It means "to destroy, to unloose, to
melt or break down or break up."
6. And the impression I get is that God will create a
completely new heaven and earth after a new and higher
order.
7. But even if He uses the old as a seed for the new, the old
will be so remote and changed that we will not recognize
it.
8. So a new earth and heaven are going to be created, one we
have never used or seen.
a. Some of it will be similar to what we have or have
had.
b. But some of it could be totally different. God may
create some things we have never imagined.
c. Case in point, a floating city.
B. \\#Rev 21:2\\ New Jerusalem
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
1. Again, this is a KAINOS Jerusalem.
2. Everything that has existed historically exists no
longer, including the Jerusalem which exists today and
even the Jerusalem as it will exist in the millennium.
3. The beauty of the new city cannot be imagined!
\\#Rev 21:2\\ It is prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband.
4. \\#Rev 21:9\\ It is even called the bride of Christ.
a. That is the same name given to us, the New Testament
saints.
b. Perhaps this place is called by our name because we
will abide there, but we will not be by ourselves.
c. It would appear that both the New and Old Testament
saints will have a heritage there.
(1) The twelve foundations have the names of the
twelve apostles.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and in them the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb.
(2) But the twelve gates have the names of the twelve
tribes of Israel.
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and
had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels,
and names written thereon, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
d. \\#Rev 21:2\\ The Bible describes the city has coming
down from God out of heaven but it never says the
city actually lands on the earth.
(1) Many believe that it does not.
(2) They believe that the city just levitates between
earth and heaven.
(3) Remember that heaven is the reward for the
Christians while the earth (and a kingdom) is
the reward for the Old Testament saints.
(4) A city that hovers between heaven and earth
could belong to both!
5. \\#Rev 21:2\\ This city is a holy city.
a. No sin or sinner will ever enter there.
b. That won’t be a problem since neither of those will
exist any longer.
6. I suspect that this city has already been prepared.
a. Jesus went to prepare a place for us. I suppose this
is the place He left to prepare.
John 14:2 …I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
b. It may be that God was speaking of that place in
Hebrews. Notice the verb tense that is used.
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God
is not ashamed to be called their God: for
he hath prepared for them a city.
c. But even though the city be already be built, I don’t
think the saints are living there yet.
(1) Remember, this is AFTER the millennium in
eternity.
(2) When John got to heaven in Revelation 4, he did
not go to New Jerusalem. He went to God’s
throne room.
(3) From Revelation 4 to Revelation 7 and onward,
the crowd in the throne room seems to get
larger and larger!
(4) I don’t think we get to move into New Jerusalem
until EVERYONE is in heaven.
d. But just knowing of that city’s existence should
encourage us.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion,
and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels,
II. By this time period, we will have our new bodies.
A. I do not preach this at funerals because I do not want to
confuse someone who is already grieving but God’s saints do
not have their glorified bodies yet.
1. We will received our glorified bodies at our resurrection.
2. We spoke of three resurrections:
a. The resurrection and rapture will be the one where we
receive our glorified bodies.
b. The tribulation saints will receive theirs at the end
of the tribulation.
c. And those who are apart of the last resurrection will
receive their eternal bodies at that resurrection.
B. The book of Revelation does not get into the details of our
glorified bodies, but I believe they are alluded to in
\\#Rev 21:4\\.
Rev 21:4 …and there shall be no more death,
neither shall there be any more pain…."
1. So the bodies God will give us are not going to have
pain or die.
2. Interestingly, I just read an article yesterday entitled,
"British Experts Find Reason Causing Painlessness in
Humans" by Chris Saunders which says they have discovered
that Nav 1.7 is the key element in human beings that
transmits pain. By creating some Nav 1.7 blockers,
doctors may one day be able to eliminate some of the pain
that people have to live with.
http://www.thenewsrecorder.com/british-experts-find-reason-causing-
painlessness-in-humans/
3. For the sake of those who suffer from chronic pain, I
pray it works but God is not going to block the pain,
He is going to eliminate the pain.
4. In eternity, both pain and death will be only an ancient
memory if even that.
C. We will have a cleansed soul.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes… neither sorrow, nor crying….
1. I don’t think it is an accident that this verse is written
just after the Great White Throne Judgment.
2. The question is asked, "How can God wipe away our tears if
we know that we have loved ones in hell?"
3. I do not know how God is going to do that, and I don’t
know of anyone else who does.
4. I don’t think God will wipe away our memories because our
memories help to make us who we are.
5. The best guess I have is that God is going to pour enough
of Himself into us that we will finally be able to view
things the way He views them.
III. \\#Rev 22:1-5\\ There will be a new order; that is, a new way
of doing things.
A. We have already talked about the new world order that will be
established during the millennial; but the millennial has
come and gone now.
B. Now, we are talking about a new eternal order.
1. Some things will not be there:
a. \\#Rev 21:4\\ As already mentioned, there will be no
pain, sorrow, or death.
b. \\#Rev 22:5\\ There will be no night there.
Rev 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.
(1) Night is a symbol of sin and sinfulness.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness.
(2) Lost Nicodemus came to Jesus by night
\\#John 7:50\\.
(3) Sinners like to commit their sins in the
darkness of the night.
c. \\#Rev 22:3\\ There will be no curse. Instead of
things naturally going wrong, they will go right!
d. \\#Rev 21:8\\ There will be no wicked there.
2. Some new things will exist there.
a. \\#Rev 21:3, 22:3-4\\ Both God and Jesus will be
there.
Rev 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:
(1) We have a new relationship with God.
(2) The Godhead will dwell in that new city with us!
(a) God has been AROUND us all of our existence.
(b) Once we were saved, He dwelt IN us.
(c) But then, God will dwell WITH us in a way
that humanity has not enjoyed since the
Garden of Eden.
b. \\#Rev 22:2\\ The Tree of Life will be there.
(1) I do not understand the Tree of Life.
(2) The fact that it is there implies that nations of
people will need healing, but as far as we know,
there will be no flesh or sin there, so why
would there be a need for a healing tree?
(3) I have considered that there might be fleshly
people still alive but I don’t think that is
the case.
(4) I notice that the verse speaks of the healing of
nations not people. The Judgment of the Nations
is a judgment of nations. Perhaps this healing
is for nations and not individuals; but even
that is difficult for me to understand since
there will be no sin.
(5) I have about decided that I am going to have to
wait to find out what that means.
c. \\#Rev 22:1\\ River of crystal water will be there.
Rev 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.
(1) The Bible talks about a healing river that will
flow from the throne of God during the
millennial and will heal the land.
(2) But again, we are past that.
(3) This river is just a beautiful river of water.
d. \\#Rev 21:24\\ Lots of people from all nations will be
there.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are
saved shall walk in the light of it: and the
kings of the earth do bring their glory and
honour into it.
(1) We have said many times that every human being
from every nation that has lived on any page of
time was welcomed to come to Christ.
(2) It looks as though every nation will be well
represented in eternity.
(3) Sadly, most will have rejected God’s offer.
There are so many more things that we could consider, but the most
important is that Jesus wants you to be apart of this eternity.
Rev 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.
A second important thing to say is happening soon so you better
decide quickly.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things
saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so,
come, Lord Jesus.
Please decide for Jesus today.
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