Revelation 21:1-9

1             Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.

2             And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3             I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be with them.

4             He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5             And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

6             And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.

7             All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

8             “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murders, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and liars – their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

9             Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

The earth as we see it will not last forever. After God’s ultimate judgment against the evil forces of the world, we will have a new earth. This is one of God’s eternal promises, mentioned all the way back in the book of Isaiah. He will remove the sea. This was important in the historical context of John’s time. John’s audience would have understood this to be dangerous because that’s where the Beast lives. The Beast was understood to be the Antichrist or the False Prophet. We don’t know what the new earth will look like or where it will be, but God’s followers will be united there with God.

As citizens of the new Jerusalem, we are called to live as ambassadors of God’s kingdom on earth, reflecting His values and love in their daily lives. We are taught and commanded to live as a representative of what God’s kingdom looks like. To be able to show the world what it means to live in the community of God. It’s something to abide by his love and share that compassion, mercy, and love to those around us. To be able to provide for the needs of others through our resources, understanding that our heavenly father will provide and has provided enough for us to live off of and how to ensure that others can be helped.

In the new Jerusalem, God will live amongst his community. Instead of us going up to him, he is coming down to us; similar to how Jesus did during his ministry. Wherever God lives and reigns, there will be peace, security, and love. The “holy city, the New Jerusalem” will be a place where God will “wipe every tear from their eyes.” There will no more death, no sorrow, crying or pain. We must remember that whatever we’re dealing with is not forever. God has written the ending down for us. The end of everything will be about fulfillment and true joy. We may not have all the information needed, but what we do have is enough to have faith and trust that an eternity with God will more be powerful than anything we could ever imagine.

God created this universe. He created it beginning in Genesis 1 and Revelation 22 ends with the creation of a new heaven and earth. When we are with God and following his mission for the world, with our sins forgiven and our future secure, we will be truly like Christ. We will be made perfect, with new bodies, new hearts, and a refreshed desire to worship him. We will get to be willing millions of our siblings in Christ that we haven’t met yet. By faith, we can look forward to eternal life with God in the beautiful, blessed place that he has created.

Just as God finished the work of creation and Jesus finished the work of redemption, the Holy Spirit will join forces and finish the entire plan of salvation by inviting us into the new creation. This is a reminder for us to keep our eyes on the future. I’m not talking about next year or even within the next decade – but our future. We do not know when Jesus will return, but our focus just needs to be focused on where God is taking us. It could be with our life here on earth for him or for when our eternal life will begin.

The “cowards” John mentions are the fearful ones who abandon Jesus at the threats of the Antichrist and/or the False Prophet. They feared being persecuted so badly that they chose to cling to the things of this world instead of the security and eternality that comes with God. These people are thought of in the same capacity as non-believers, corrupt people, murderers, immoral people, witches/sorcerers, idolators, and the liars. Those who overcome and choose the security found in God will receive the blessing that God promised in the end. To follow Jesus requires boldness and bravery. It requires us to stand for what Jesus teaches when we begin to find resistance. We must pray for courage to follow Christ, no matter what pressure you face. The pressures of the world could lead us to push God away, thinking “Why would God allow this to happen to me?” and “God must not be worth following if I am still happening.” We must stay true to his teachings. We must keep the goal of the heavenly God offers, so you won’t be tempted to turn away. We must keep our focus on the place that no sorrow, sadness, or death occurs – which sounds better than the world we have right now. Those who endure this test will find this reward. Those who don’t will face a second death – and eternal separation from God.

Next Part: Earth 2.0 – Part 2

Associated Scripture

Revelation 21:1          Isaiah 65:17, 66:22

Revelation 21:2          Isaiah 52:1, 61:1

Revelation 21:3          2 Chronicles 6:18; Ezekiel 37:27; Zechariah 2:10; 2 Corinthians 6:16

Revelation 21:4          Isaiah 25:8, 35:10, 43:18, 65:19

Revelation 21:5          Isaiah 43:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Revelation 21:6          Revelation 1:8, 22:13

Revelation 21:7          2 Samuel 7:14; Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:16

Revelation 21:8          Psalm 5:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:5

Revelation 21:9          Revelation 15:1, 7; 19:7