LEARNING DAILY

 

Revelation 21:1-2, Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

We have gotten to the both a conclusion and a new beginning.  No sadness only joy.  After the Great White Throne Judgment comes the creation of a new, transformed, redeemed world; The Lord Jesus Christ lives with His people and righteousness in perfection.  Did you notice in the verses above that John saw the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven?  Does this not change our mind regarding where our eternal home is?  “Heaven” comes down to earth; we do not go “up” to heaven.

 

The old order of earth and heaven is replaced with a new earth and a new heaven.  Also, notice there is no sea with the new earth.  What is this all about?  The earth was Satan’s second habitat; when Satan was judged, the earth was judged as well.  A new earth and a new heaven is created and the New Jerusalem will come down to settle on it.  David Jeremiah’s Study Bible gives help in understanding the absence of the seas. “For ancient readers, the sea was a raging, threatening, and fearful place that the lord had to calm.  Furthermore, for them the sea signified chaos, disorder, and evil.  In Revelation it is the home of the dead (20:3) and is also associated with the abyss – the place from which the beast comes.  Therefore, when John says there will be no more sea in the new heaven and earth, he is saying that there will be nothing to harm or cause God’s people fear: no chaos, death, or evil.  Everything will be created equal.”

 

To erase all traces of sin, there will be destruction of the earth, stars, galaxies - heaven and earth will be shaken and the new earth will be inhabited by humans -the redeemed – and God.  The disappearance of death, sorrow, sin, crying, pain is the reversal of the curses found in Genesis 3.  All the redeemed will possess glorified bodies.  Think back to when Jesus met with those in the Upper Room after He was resurrected; He just appeared to them.  His body was real, visible and physical, but it was incorruptible and immortal (read Romans 8:23 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 to better understand this).

 

Revelation 21:8 once again speaks of those who are not included.  If the Holy Spirit believed this to once again be mentioned, I will mention it as a warning.  Do not be included in this group.  Repent and be forgiven and get back on the narrow way to God’s Kingdom.  The fearful and unbelieving are those who fear the disapproval and threat of people more than the value to Christ and His Word.  They include those overcome by former sins due to unbelief and disobedience.  One cannot be a true child of God and continue to be sexually immoral, a liar, a homosexual, or a murderer.  One must also consider how Jesus defined this way of life in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  I have had to examine my life and had to repent of my words, thoughts, and things I have done that He considers sinful.  Sadly, I have to do this every day.  He is faithful to forgive and His grace is sufficient.  Take time to be with the Lord right now and be truthful with Him about what you need to be.  Heaven is worth the time and the honesty!