Living With Hope (Revelation 21:1-22:21)

 

Living With Hope (Revelation 21:1-22:21)

 

And I saw the holy city—the new Jerusalem—
descending out of heaven from God
Revelation 21:2

When J.J. Abrams was called in to direct the last Star Wars film episode 9, he commented on the gravity of his responsibility. Not only was he making a sequel to episodes 7 and 8 of the Disney era sequel trilogy, he was making a film that was intended to sum up all Star Wars films since 1977. It was a huge undertaking.

 

That’s sort of what John had to do with his epic letter to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He had to sum up all that God had done in the past and all that God had promised to do. God is the one who was, who is and who is to come. And today, I have similar responsibility to sum up Revelation. This is our 11^th week in the Apocalypse of John. Apocalypse means revealing or unveiling. The Lord lifted the curtain to show us what’s really going on in the world, an ancient battle between God and Satan, good and evil, light and darkness. The message for the churches suffering persecution and complacency is that the end of that war is soon to come. Remain faithful to God to the very end and you will be rewarded your heart’s desire, a forever home with Jesus.

 

John’s final visions are of new creation come in all its fullness. New creation began in the resurrection of Jesus and the spiritually empowered Church. All who are in Christ are new creations! The old has passed, the new has come! (2Co 5:17)

 

John saw the new heaven and earth. This current broken world, sin-corrupted cosmos will cease to exist to make way for the new creation. I thought about that. God made the earth and all that is in it. God created the universe in the vast reaches of outer space. God saw all that He had made and called it very good. But Adam and Eve listened to the lies of the serpent in the garden in Eden and sin’s pollution spread. The good creation fell into corruption. Humanity continued to heed the devil’s lies and ignore God’s call to righteousness.

 

There is a lot to love about life in this imperfect world. We will talk about that next week for Thanksgiving. Please share on our Facebook page what you are thankful for. There’s a lot I will miss about life on earth. I have doubts that rock music will be enjoyed there or Star Wars movies. Maybe, but those are not holy pastimes. And in a perfect union of heaven and earth, we will only ever enjoy the fullness of God’s love. That is all we ever truly needed. There may be people I have loved, or cared about, who will not be in heaven. Will I miss them? Will I feel sad that they aren’t there? I doubt it. I think the presence of God and Jesus will be all my heart will be able to hold. There won’t be any room for sadness or regret, or missing music or movies. Life with God will be overwhelming joy!

 

As God told John,

 

God “will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death will not exist any more—or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.” (Rev 21:4)

 

The former things have ceased to exist. The old broken, sin-corrupted world will pass away. And there are many things about it that I will not miss. In fact, I rejoice at the thought of things like war, murder, rape and child abuse going away forever. I will not miss arguing, social networks, political strife, and anxiety-provoking news. I look forward in hope to peace eternal, right relationships, and love. I look forward to drinking deep from the water of life flowing from God’s grace.

 

The visions in Revelation are highly symbolic and draw from Old testament prophets. John is showing us that God is keeping His promise to restore God’s people in righteousness under the leadership of Messiah. Revelation shows us God’s power to unravel evil’s grip on the world. God sends various plagues on the earth similar to God’s battle with the Egypt. Satan, the seven-headed red dragon fights against God and God’s faithful. He calls up terrible beasts, in the devil’s image, to battle against the Church. God defeats them all.

Satan, the beast of the sea, and the false prophet, the beast of the land, are cast into the lake of burning sulfur. Humanity was given multiple opportunities to turn their hearts to God in obedience. Those who persist in their devotion to an evil empire like Rome are cast into the lake of burning sulfur as well. Evil is ultimately conquered by our God.

 

John witnesses the New Jerusalem come down from heaven to earth. It measures 12,000 stadia (1500 miles) in every direction. 12 represents the 12 tribes of Israel and the Church’s 12 apostles (New Israel). 12,000 is 12 X 1000 or 12 X 10 x 10 x 10. 10 is a number meaning completeness or complete order under God’s righteous law. The shape of the New Jerusalem is a perfect cube. The most holy place in the temple, the Holy of Holies, is a cubic shape. Ezekiel envisioned a new temple with the most holy place measuring 20 cubits in all directions. The New Jerusalem is the true Holy of Holies, an eternal dwelling space for God and God’s people. No mediator, like the high priest, is needed. The entire city is a massive dwelling for God and God’s people to live together in holiness and righteousness.

 

John sees no temple because God and the Lamb, our Lord Jesus, is the temple. There are no streetlights or lamps. God and Jesus are the light. Divine glory illuminates the New Jerusalem.

 

The city is built upon 12 foundations. The 12 apostles are represented by each foundation. The foundations are made of precious jewels, corresponding, for the most part, to the twelve gemstones that adorn the breastplate of the high priest. These symbolize the New Israel under the new covenant in Jesus. Just as the high priest bore the names of the 12 tribes before God when making sacrifices and offerings, now the entire city, (the true Holy of Holies), is upheld by the 12 apostles who proclaimed the gospel and built the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

 

Down the middle of the city flows the river of life. It pours from the throne of God and the Lamb. The tree of life is watered by this river and produces 12 kinds of fruit monthly. 12 fruit symbolizes Israel and the Church. Spiritual nourishment comes through God’s faithful. The leaves of the tree of life heal the nations. After their fall into sin, Adam and Eve were kept from eating from the Tree of Life. Now God has cleared the way for all who love God and His Christ. There is no longer any curse keeping us from eating from the tree of life.

 

There are 12 pearly gates with angels attending, three gates facing the four directions. The streets are made of gold! The ornate quality of the New Jerusalem communicates the glory, majesty, and holiness of God.

 

We can’t truly imagine such a place. A 1500 mile cube would take up over half of the continental USA. Our planet’s atmosphere borders space 62 miles above the surface. 1500-mile-high walls of the New Jerusalem would put most of this colossal city in space. We cannot read this as a literal place, but rather a symbolic dwelling.

 

Of course, one could argue that the new heaven and earth will have different geography and dimensions to accommodate such a massive walled city, but it’s more likely we are to understand life with God to be glorious, plentiful and peaceful, perfectly ordered, and excellently supplied. There will be no darkness, no night, and no sea threatening us with destructive forces, and evil beasts.

 

The kings of the nations will bring their wealth into the city in thankful tribute to God. This fulfills Isaiah’s vision.

 

Your gates will remain open at all times;
they will not be shut during the day or at night,
so that the wealth of nations may be delivered,
with their kings leading the way. (Isa 60:11)

 

But no unclean, immoral or detestable thing or those who practice wickedness shall be allowed entry. The angels will keep the city holy unto the Lord.  Those who conquer by remaining faithful to the end will be granted entry.

 

But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.” (Rev 21:8)

 

You may ask yourself, “Is my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Will I be welcomed in the New Jerusalem?” All of us sin and fall short of God’s perfect glory. It is the unrepentant who willfully resist God’s call to righteousness and holiness who will find themselves outside the city. But those who turn their hearts to God in obedience and trust in God’s mercy through Jesus Christ have washed themselves in the blood of the Lamb. They can stand before God without blemish because of their faith in God’s salvation through Jesus Christ.

 

The closing chapter of Revelation includes words from Jesus.

 

Look! I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book. (Rev 22:7)

 

To keep the words of Revelation is to heed the words, pay close attention to the hope God has given us in this book. It means to guard your heart with hope, trusting that God will triumph and we will live forever with the Lord in glory. It means to resist despair and doubt. Keep hope alive in your heart in the face of evil and every trial. The devil’s days are numbered.

 

Jesus proclaims, “Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done! Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates. (Rev 22:12, 14)

Jesus warns, “Outside are the dogs (symbolic for wicked humanity) and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood!” (Rev 22:15)

 

John personally commends what he has written to be trustworthy and true. You can bank on it. But don’t add to this book or take away from it. To do so brings a curse from God, according to our apostle from Patmos.

 

Come! The Spirit calls to all who thirst. Those who respond may drink freely of the water of life.

 

All God’s faithful filled with hope cry out in one voice, “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!”