REVELATION 21:1-8
LESSON 3
The Honeymoon of Jesus
Part B
WHAT WILL NOT BE THERE IN HEAVEN
* No oceans (21:1), No tears (21:4), No death (21:4), No crying (21:4), No pain
(21:4), No temple-no church building (21:22), No sun, no moon, no night
(21:23), No sin, no unbelievers, no evil forces (21:27), No sickness (22:2), No
curse (22:3), No time (yesterday, tomorrow, early, or late)
WHAT WILL BE THERE IN HEAVEN
* Visible, face-to-face FELLOWSHIP with Christ (Rev. 22:4; 1 Cor. 13:12; 1
John 3:1,2)
* Full, complete KNOWLEDGE (1 Corin. 13:12b)
* ABUNDANCE…freely provided without charge-no restrictions, no restraint
(Rev. 21:6)
* A CELESTIAL CITY – a place of unbelievable, shining, brilliant beauty (Rev.
21:10-21)
* Meaningful SERVICE, although we do not know exactly what is involved
(Rev. 22:3).
^ WORSHIP.
HOW LONG WILL WE BE THERE IN HEAVEN
HOW LONG? (22:5) FOREVER because of faith in the Lamb sacrificed for us.
Rev. 7:4, 22:14
In this passage we discover the husbandly love of Jesus unveiling Paradise for
His Bride (21:1-8). Like John Wayne taking the bride home atop of a hill to see it
in distance. Standing on the hill with the rising sun he says here it is darling. And
we look as His bride and we say, what is that tree? One tree with many fruits,
one tree on both sides of the river.
“There grows the red Rose of Sharon, the Lily bright and fair,
But there’s no flower sweeter in all that land up there—
Than the blest Lamb of glory; the Savior, He’ll be there,
For the Lamb is all the glory—in Emmanuel’s land!”
Let us look today to the fair land of our pilgrimage and see that City which hath
foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. And in the wonders that we shall
behold, let us see Him who has made it our home to be—the Lamb is all the
glory of Emmanuel’s land!
Today advertisements mesmerize us into thinking we are to be amused,
comforted and secure in this world. God says only through Him, thus we live in
conflict. Today we each have an appointment made for us. At a precise moment
each of us will face death. Although not a very happy subject often, it really can
become one for us who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. For you see, it is
He who made that appointment for us. It is He who will wait to walk us through
that doorway called death should He tarry and not come to snatch us from this
world.
We need to look at the heart of John that ancient author whose words by
inspiration of God’s Spirit are presented for us in Revelation 21 and 22. Join me
learning from this wizened veteran of the Cross. Note how he looks at his soon to
be appointment with death. And note how in that appointment he saw it as the
glory of seeing Christ, which filled him with hope, joy and peace.
The Apostle John, beloved apostle. The place, a barren rock called Patmos in
the blue green Aegean Sea. The Book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ written at
the end of a long and fruitful life. Exiled to the quarries of the Emperor, the last
living apostle of Christ toiled to build temples of pagan deities. But was sustained
by a Sight that satisfied him. See with John a sight that filled him with hope and
joy. No matter how toilsome and exiled life may be for you, as John found
overflowing joy and unbounding purpose in life, so can you. I hope his sight that
satisfied is a sight you shall never forget!
THE SEVEN PERFECTIONS OF JESUS
The subject of Heaven is often spoken of as the sweet by and by: harps, clouds,
angel wings, and a seemingly ethereal world of misty spirit forms. But in reality,
Heaven is a gloriously described place of wonder and beauty. First, we find
seven facets of the love of Jesus for all the saints, His Bride. Of all the
indescribably beauties and unending glories, there is above all else the most
beautiful aspect of Heaven, and in the words of Anne Cousins’ “Emmanuel’s
Land”:
1. JESUS IS WITH US, AND NO MORE PROMISES (21:3) – “Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall
be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.” There is first the
unbroken presence of Him who promised to be “God with us.” (Emmanuel).
There is, secondly, the fulfillment of all that He has promised, for He is the
completion of all His promises. To fear God is to acknowledge by what I do that
God is watching me! “If you fear men, you are not fearing God. If you fear God,
you won’t be fearing men!”
“HIMSELF”
Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word;
Once His gifts I wanted, now the giver owns;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.
Once ’twas painful trying, now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, now the uttermost;
Once ’twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting, now my anchors cast.
Once ’twas busy planning, now ’tis trustful prayers,
Once ’twas anxious caring, now He has the care;
Once ’twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking, now ’tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be,
Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me;
Once the power I wanted, now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, now for Him alone….
A. B. Simpson
2. JESUS IS COMFORTING US, AND NO MORE FORMER CONFLICTS (21:4)
– “And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall no longer
be any death, there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain, for the
first things have passed away.” The sadness of disappointments ends with the
security of divine appointment. The dread of death ends with the Lord of life. The
frailties of the flesh are ended with the entrance of the heavenly habitation. The
future like the past is kept by Him with whom our anchor is cast.
3. JESUS IS REFRESHING US, AND NO MORE FAINTING (21:6) – “I will give
to the one who thirsts from the springs of the water of life without cost.” A life of
dryness or of refreshing fountains.
* Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can
hold no water.
* Psalm 84:5-6 5Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the
ways of them.
6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
* John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water.
* It is an endless supply, for He within us shall be that Fountain. Are you a
cistern or a fountain?
* It is freely bestowed upon us by His grace, without cost save to Him.
4. JESUS IS CAPTIVATING US, AND NO MORE TYPES (21:22) –“And I saw no temple therein:
for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.”
The culmination of all the types in that from which they were fashioned – the True
One. Which satisfies you, the picture or the person? The figures were for the time
then present, but the fullness is for all eternity. Worship will be unbounded by
location or proximity—it is unending and all present.
5. JESUS IS KEEPING US, AND NO MORE REBELS (21:27) –“And there shall in no wise enter
into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
There is a narrow, blood stained path that climbs to a rough-hewn tree where God became
man gave Himself to ransom me from the slave market of sin! The exclusion of
all evil forever—at last, freedom completed!
At Calvary by Christ – from the penalty of sin. At the cross by faith –
from the power of sin by faith. At the
celestial City by grace – from the presence of sin. The welcoming of all the
washed ones, washed in the Lamb’s blood and written in the Lamb’s Book.
6. JESUS IS LEADING US, AND NO MORE SEPARATION (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:” The return of His rule –
that Kingship of the Kingdom will be unhindered. No dictator ever demanded so much as
Christ. He wants complete dedication not mere compliments. He never said
accept Me, rather He said leave all and follow Me! The submission to His service
– as bondslaves forever to our Master, to serve gladly and unhindered. The
complete destruction of the curse’s doom—no more shall God’s path have the
weeds of man’s sin.
7. JESUS IS LIGHTING US, AND NO MORE DARKNESS (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 Source shall be the Savior; the Lamb is the light,
and in its glow shall we walk in unbroken communion. The despair of darkness
will be ended; no more unfinished plans, for He is the completion of all. The
denial of dark deeds – they are consigned to the blackness of darkness forever,
while we shall rule by submission to Him forever.
Luke 1:78-79
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high
hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Oh, the wonders of our promised Haven, the glories of that eternal Home! But
nothing will compare with the knowledge that Heaven is just the outflow of Him.
In each aspect we looked at concerning that heavenly City, we see a character
trait of Him, our Savior. Let us seek Him, and in the words of the song – writer so
true:
“Tis heaven below, my Redeemer to know,
For He is so precious to me.”
The last thing will not be the intellect of Athens, nor the luxury of Babylon, nor the
power of Rome, nor the fashion of Paris, nor the commerce of New York, nor the
splendor of London, but the New Jerusalem, which stands for religion and
character, which shall descend out of Heaven from God.
The last thing will not be bombs, but blessings; not war, but peace; not
uncertainty but confidence; not sickness but health; not weakness, but strength;
not longing, but satisfaction; not sorrow, but joy; not weariness, but vigor.
There’s a great time coming, so let us lift up our heads and our hearts, for the
day of our redemption draweth nigh.
“The way of the Cross leads Home” Jessie Pounds
I must needs go home by the way of the Cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the Cross I miss.
Chorus: The way of the Cross leads home, the way of the cross leads home; It is
sweet to know as I onward go, the way of the Cross leads home.
APPENDIX
Before the turn of the century, a group of archeologists digging in Egypt in search
of fabled treasure found an area untouched.
The workers’ excitement grew as steps were unearthed. Though the shaft was
dangerous, they pressed on – One was temporarily buried – then a door! Scarab
the seal was intact; they were exhilarated, with glitter in their eyes. The door
opened with a hiss and light penetrated the darkness of over 2,000 years! With
torches in hand, they groped into the chamber only to find twelve mummified
crocodiles! The buried-alive worker in a moment of angry disappointment struck
one. It burst open and with it our study of the New Testament! The ruptured
crocodile spewed forth piles of wadded papyri.
Turn to HEBREWS 11:1.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
One word was filling those papyri of 2,500 years ago – HUPOSTASIS – Indeed
for the scraps of paper came from a law office and by careful study, the word at
last burst from the pages of Hebrews and the Word of God!
Let’s read this verse
KJV Faith is THE SUBSTANCE.
Talk about of confident assurance of God’s promises=faith, right? Now, back to
the Egyptian rubbish heaps and this Greek word, faith, is Hupostasis. What did it
mean when it was written 2,500 years ago? Well, all those scraps in the
crocodile translated it – Title Deed.
Look at Heb. 11:1 again. Faith is the Title Deed to what? TO ALL, GOD HAS
PUNISHED!
Now, to Heb 11:13.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Again these of the faith…
Having seen them.
Having welcomed them from a distance.
Having confessed, they were strangers and exiles.
WHY? Heb 11:16 KJV–Pilgrims
God prepared a city for them.
NOW, TO CHAPTER 12:22-23
THERE IT IS – V.22 – Mt. Zion – City of the
Living God. HEAVENLY JERUSALEM – ALSO CALLED –
• “My Father’s House” – Christ
• “New Heaven and a new Earth” – John
• “Paradise” – Christ
• The Tabernacle of God” – John
• “The Holy City” – John
• “The Heavenly City”
• “Heaven”
• “Heavenly Kingdom”
• “Before theTthrone”
• “With the Lord” – Paul
AND, LOOK AT ITS BEAUTY – V. 22-23
• Thousands upon thousands (Myriads) or hundreds of millions of angels (Ken
Taylor said). (LB “countless happy angels).
• Enrolled in Heaven!
• And to God, the Judge of all (God the Son).
• And, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.
After the great Chicago fire of 1871, evangelist Dwight L. Moody went back to
survey the ruins of his house. A friend came by and said to Moody, “I hear you
lost everything.” “Well,” said Moody, “you understood wrong. I have a good deal
more left than I lost.” “What do you mean?” the inquisitive friend asked. “I didn’t
know you were that rich.” Moody then opened his Bible and read to him
Revelation 21:7-“He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his
God.”
Remember – We have come to the conclusion of God’s revelation that started in
the Book of Beginnings “Genesis”, finds its conclusion in the Book of Endings
“Revelation” which is actually the fulfillment of God’s purposes to be with man
(Isaiah 9:6-Matt. 1:22).
He walked with man in the Garden until mankind fell –
He led the Nation, Israel until they apostatized – He walked on earth in person
until He was crucified.
Now He comes to finish all things; many times God says the present Earth will
pass away. Ps. 102:25-26; Matt. 5:18; Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33;
Hebrews 1:10-12; 2 Peter 3:7, 10-13.
And, of course, our text, Rev. 21:1.
Over and over God predicts the dissolution of this planet and the surrounding
atmospheric universe, but what will it be? Let’s compare God’s first and second
creation.
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
REVELATION 21:1-8 LESSON 3 The Honeymoon of Jesus Part B