The New Heaven and New Earth

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17

Revelation 21:1–22:21 – The Book of Revelation: Worship. Obey. Endure.
First Sunday of Advent – November 27, 2022 (am)

For several years now, we’ve included on the front of our bulletin where we are in the church calendar—what special Sunday or season this is in the church year. I really appreciate this practice primarily because I believe it’s much harder than we think to hear and heed the charge that is so often included in the expositions of the last days we find in the NT to stay awake (Mat.24:42-43; Mar.13:34-37; Luk.21:36; 1Th.5:6; Rev.16:15), to keep our eyes fixed on the return of the Lord and live our lives, every day, in light of that Day. The church calendar marks the passage of time according to the great works of God in redemption history, centering around Jesus’ birth and resurrection, Christmas and Easter, rather than according to the great events in national or world history. And observing the one does not keep us from observing the other. You’ll note that here at GCD we don’t ignore days like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Memorial and Veterans Days, 4th of July, Juneteenth, and others, even as we note Advent, Christmas/Christmastide, increasingly Epiphany, and Lent in preparation for Easter much like Advent helps us prepare for Christmas. Then there’s Ascension Sunday and Pentecost that complete Eastertide and are followed by Trinity Sunday. The season between Epiphany and Lent focuses on Jesus’ life and ministry, especially to the Gentiles, and the long season between Trinity Sunday and Christ the King Sunday is called Common Time and focuses on the church’s walk with the Lord and their pursuit of the great commission. Why do we mark time in this way? We do it to stay awake. Also, Moses reflected on the brevity and frailty of life in Psa.90. And right at the heart of it he presented a poignant request: 12 … teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. This request is almost as ignored as it is important!

Advent looks primarily to Christ’s second coming, using His first coming as a model. And Rev.21-22 capture the full hope of His return like no other text. We recall that part of the strategy of Revelation, in creating a symbolic world for its readers to enter, was to redirect their imaginative response to the world. If they were to dissociate themselves from Babylon and its corrupting influence on their own cities, they needed not only to be shown Roman civilization in a different light from the way its own propaganda portrayed it; they also needed an alternative. If they were metaphorically to ‘come out of’ Babylon (18:4), they needed somewhere to go, another city to belong to. If they were to resist the powerful allurements of Babylon, they needed an alternative and greater attraction. Since Babylon is the greater city that rules over the kings of the earth (17:8), even over the earthly Jerusalem, this alternative could belong only to the [end times] future. It is God’s alternative city: the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven. It belongs to the future, but through John’s vision it exercises its attraction already (Bauckham 129). Let’s follow John through his emotional telling of what the coming new world looks like—five distinct emotions.

Overwhelmed – 21:1-8

Why? There’s a whole new heaven and new earth! Imagine just seeing it, not to mention being charged with describing it! It’s like Paul trying to describe our resurrection bodies (1Co.15:35-49). John searched for words and ended up virtually quoting Isa.65:17 For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.

Then he’s quickly struck by another observation: in this new creation there’s no more sea! (21:1) I don’t believe this means there’ll be no ocean in the world to come. Rather, back in 4:6 we saw a sea of glass, like crystal, before the throne of God. The sea was a symbol of untamed evil and chaos in OT Israel (Carson 1995). Not even the shore is ever quiet! (cf. Isa.57:20). We said back in c.4 that this sea of glass (6) makes God unapproachable, magnifying His transcendence, His separateness, His apart-ness. But now it’s gone! He’s near!

Then John changed his metaphor again (in fact, twice more in v.2 alone!)—metaphors we’ve already introduced—a city then a bride. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This emphasizes the community and yet the intimacy we’ll enjoy with God and with one another in our new home. We’ve seen the celebration at Christ’s return described as the marriage supper (19:7-9), a wedding reception! How could there be a happier image than that?

All these descriptions together are simply additional ways of depicting the same reality John sought to capture in v.1. This is the Lion-who-is-a-Lamb (5:5-6) all over again! One impression just won’t cut it. All these images woven together only begin to describe the glory of this new creation!

The wiping away of tears, death, and pain struck John next (21:4)—the removal of all evil and hardship and suffering and sorrow, because God is present! The troubled church of cc.2-3 is now completely pure! The dead and dirty one who was betrothed to the Son (cf. Eph.2:1-3) has now been cleansed by the washing of water with the word such that she now stands before Him in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish! (cf. Eph.5:26-27)

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. These blessings are stated in the negative because it’s far easier for us to understand what we won’t have any longer than to attempt to imagine all that we will have!

What brings your tears? Unfulfilled dreams? Lack of intimacy? Personal failure? Illness? Lost loved ones? Hardened hearts among family or friends, or toward people in need? Those tears will neither be ignored nor shamed in the new Jerusalem. They’ll be wiped away!

Have you thought about this? In order to be wiped away they’ll first need to be noticed by our heavenly Father. Then they’ll need to be acknowledged, perhaps lingered over with a sympathy sufficient to assure us that He really does understand our pain. Then, to wipe away our tears, our Father will have to touch us as we weep, His hands made wet by our grief, personally entering into whatever it is that’s brought us to tears.

This is all entailed in the fact that there’s no more sea, nothing between us and God any longer. But how much more tender is this picture? Overwhelming!

Then God speaks. 5 Behold, I am making all things new. Think of that! What will this mean for you? The past wiped away, with all its regrets! Let that sink in! Then He tells John to 5 … Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. It will be done! Are you thirsty for that day? 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. In other words, it is all in My hands. I can get it done! To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment, entirely free of charge. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Those who pursue their own gratification in this life will have no part in being comforted and satisfied by Me, says God (8). But those who come to me—those who worship, obey, and endure— 7 the ones who conquer will have this heritage! Again, overwhelming!

Enabled – 21:9-21

One of the seven angels (21:9) we met in c.15 now provides a tremendous advantage to John (21:9). He called him up to a high mountain (21:9) to get a good view of the new Jerusalem as it comes down out of heaven from God (21:10)—like Moses on Mt. Nebo viewing the Promise Land (Deu.34:1), or Jesus viewing the kingdoms of the world when He was tempted by Satan (Mat.4:8). This not a second coming down. It’s a retelling of v.2 from a better vantage point (cf. Gen.1-2). This time it was the angel who called the city, the Bride, the wife of the Lamb (21:9)—of the One Who stood in the throne room of God and took the scroll from His right hand! (5:6-7) This is Jesus, the bridegroom! (cf. 18:23) And John is witnessing the descent out of heaven of the place where Bride and groom will live—so perfectly crafted for their life together that it becomes representative and reflective of them both: it is the Bride! (21:9-10) And it glistens with God’s glory because His presence is there! (21:11, 3)

We spend our lives looking for perfection, longing for it, (the perfect job, house, spouse, vacation, etc.) then, as we age, regretting never having found it. We know nothing’s perfect! But we never give up the pursuit, or the hope! Why is that?

I believe it’s because God has woven that desire so deeply into our hearts that we just can’t be truly happy without it! I believe it’s so deeply rooted within us that it even shapes our fantasies! Remember the Disney movies? We love the fantasy! But it’s more than that. I believe with Solomon that [God Himself] has put eternity into (our) hearts (Ecc.3:11), and we long for it every moment of every day. I believe with Augustine (1.1) the God has made us for Himself, and our hearts are restless until we find our all in Him. And I don’t believe our hearts will ever be truly satisfied until this series of events, described right here in Rev.21-22, actually takes place, with us as part of the story! This is reality! It really is! Everything else is fantasy!

The rest of c.21 is given to description of this breathtaking residence of the Bride and groom. You’ve already heard it read. I only want to point out one intriguing detail. This city is a cube! 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. Who measures the height of a city? The fact that it’s a cube, though, is just one more symbol. There’s one other cube in Scripture, right? It’s the Holy of Holies, the place where God dwelled among His people. Remember that loud voice from the throne before? 21:3 …Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people…. This city, the whole place, is the new, the eternal, Holy of Holies!

Enthralled (to capture the fascinated attention of [OED]) – 21:22-27

It was in the wake of this powerful description of the city that John began to notice that some things were missing, beyond the sea (21:1) and self-absorbed people (21:8). And he was intrigued! First, John said: 22 … I saw no temple in the city! There was no need for it, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. Jesus had told us this was coming (Joh.2:19-21). We’ll commune with our triune God directly, in our new home, in His eternal Holy of Holies!

Next, 23 … the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, again, God’s got that, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. This light will never fade! In the ancient world, night was a time of danger and evil. The city gates would be shut for safety. It’s the same today, except that most towns don’t have city gates. But none of that here! In this city, 25 … its gates will never be shut because there’s no threat here! The self-gratifying people are gone! (21:8) But there’s more here—25 … its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night…! Night never happens in this city! There’s no darkness! Children, did you hear that? No more night! I remember all sorts of malevolent beings that inhabited my room at night—snakes under the bed, trolls in my toybox, shadows of God-only-knew-what in the closet! And heaven forbid that I turn out the light before closing the closet door! That would let them all loose!

There will be nothing impure in this city—27 … nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life, only those clothed in the righteousness of Jesus because they’ve accepted His death as payment for their sin.

Astounded – 22:1-5

John was enthralled but now he’s astounded! What he sees here just restructures all his categories! As c.22 opens, he starts putting it all together. 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The tree that was protected by angels when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden (Gen.3:24) is accessible again! And now there are two of them!

This could mean only one thing. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. The curse is banished! Now the leaves on these trees will maintain the health of all who live in this city (22:2). And the river that sustains them flows from the throne of God. Eternal life flowing from God and the Lamb! Ezekiel saw this river and described it in compelling detail as it grew from a trickle (Eze.47:2) into a river that could not be [crossed] (Eze.47:5), a river that makes ocean water fresh! (Eze.47:8)

Impassioned – 22:6-21

Having been astounded, John is now impassioned to share these visions broadly! His writing isn’t some feeble attempt to generate mutual encouragement among the ranks of an oppressed church. This is God Himself speaking directly to His people through His chosen servant addressing these days!

There is much repetition in this final section as John brings this remarkable letter to a conclusion. You can see this in 7 … behold, I am coming soon…. 12 Behold, I am coming soon…. 20 … Surely I am coming soon….  You can also see it in 7 … Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes… (7:14 cf. 19:8).

So, let me simply summarize for you what John is saying in 22:6-19 making each statement just once: The entire testimony in this book is true (6, 13, 16, 20); Christ is coming soon (7, 10, 12, 20). The one ‘who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’ will be blessed (6-7, 14) and rewarded (12) by God. Worshiping God alone is our calling (8-9), and obedience is our highest priority (7, 9, 11, 14-15). This invitation remains open to all who will come (17), but don’t even think of trying to change the terms as they’ve been laid out here (11, 18-19). And what an impassioned invitation this is! It’s the central charge of this letter. 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Conclusion

Do you look forward to living in this city? Does it captivate your mind on a daily basis? Is it often hard to think about other things? Is it so much on your heart that it’s also on your face? In your conversations? For all of us who know Christ, this is our future! It’s coming! You can count on it! We will live here! But is it the central aim around which all of your life revolves? Or does that sound excessive to you, like too much heaven?

Well, let me ask, if you knew that you were going to inherit $100 million, do you think your life would begin to revolve around the day of its delivery? Would you confirm the time and location where the will is to be executed?

If you just became engaged to the man or woman of your dreams, would people around you be able to tell that this day is different than all other days?

Well, we’ve done better than all this! Wouldn’t you agree? And reminding ourselves of that fact from this passage is like receiving a report card that tells us how we’re doing in the most important subject of our lives, namely, living in light of our promised eternity—staying awake!

Report Card Pick-up Day was always an anticipated event in the Worley home. How’d each one do this quarter in the tough subjects, and in the favorite subjects? Did they hit the mark? Did they do their best? Did they manage the quarter well? And do their grades and teachers’ comments reflect that? When I arrived home at the end of that Day, I never had to wonder how well my kids had done. They wore it on their faces. It was impossible to hide!

When you’re walking with God, truly looking forward to your wedding day (the marriage supper of the Lamb [19:7-9]), you just can’t hide it! You can’t get enough of His Word! You can’t get enough of His people! You can’t give enough to His work—time or money! You just want to walk in His ways, holy and pure, fully at peace with Him to the very depths of your soul. You want to be godly: that means acting on the conviction that His ways are always better and more fulfilling than yours. Peter expressed this very same thought and included a penetrating question stated so powerfully that I want to close with his words this morning—and to close this whole study in Rev. posing his poignant question to us all. Peter writes: 2Pe.3:10 … [T]he day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. This is our inheritance! Do our lives show it?

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Resources

Augustine. 401. The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Translated by Edward Bouverie Pusey. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos.

Arnold, Clinton E., ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, vol. 4, Hebrews to Revelation. Revelation, by Mark Wilson. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Aune, David E. 1997. Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 52abc. Revelation, 3 vols. Dallas: Word.

Barclay, William. 1976. The Daily Study Bible. The Revelation of John: Revised, 2 vols. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Bauckham, Richard. 1993. The Theology of the Book of Revelation. Cambridge: Cambridge

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Revelation, by G. K. Beale & Sean M. McDonough, 1081-1161. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Beale, G. K., with David H. Campbell. 2015. Revelation: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Black, Matthew, NT ed. 1974. The New Century Bible Commentary. Revelation, by G. R. Beasley-Murray. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Bruce, F. F., ed. 1986. The International Bible Commentary, Revised Edition. Revelation, by F. F. Bruce, 1593-1629. Basingstoke, Eng.: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott.

                  , ed. 1977. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Book of Revelation, by Robert H. Mounce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Carson, D. A. 1995. Personal Notes from 20-Part Lecture Series on Revelation. Waukesha, WI: Elmbrook Church.

Carson, D. A., and Douglas J. Moo. 2005. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Revelation, by George R. Beasley-Murray, 1421-1455. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clements, Roy. 1981. Personal Notes from Introductory Sermon in a Series on Revelation. Cambridge: Eden Baptist Church.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. The Message of Revelation, 530-547. Wheaton: Crossway.

Dockery, David S, ed. 2012. New American Commentary. Vol. 39, Revelation, by Paige Patterson. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Revelation, 2463-2497, by Dennis E. Johnson. Wheaton: Crossway.

Hendriksen, William. 1967. More than Conquerors. Grand Rapids: Baker.

Ladd, George Eldon. 1972. A Commentary on the Revelation of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2010. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 9, Matthew-Mark. Matthew, by D. A. Carson, 23-670. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

                  , eds. 1981. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 13, Hebrews-Revelation. Revelation, by Alan F. Johnson, 571-789. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

MacArthur, John. 1999. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Revelation, 2 vols. Chicago: Moody.

Marshall, I. Howard, & Donald A. Hagner, eds. 1999. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. The Book of Revelation, by G. K. Beale. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Mathewson, David L. 2020. A Companion to the Book of Revelation. Eugene, OR: Cascade.

Morris, Leon, ed. 1987. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 20, Revelation, by Leon Morris. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Walvoord, John F. 1966. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago: Moody.

                  , & Roy B. Zuck, eds. 1983. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Revelation, by John F. Walvoord, 925-991. Wheaton: Victor.

NEXT WEEK’S SERMON: Psalm 2, Nick Conner