Hope and Glory: The New Creation Revealed
Summary
### Summary
In Revelation 21 and the first five verses of chapter 22, we are given a vivid depiction of the new heavens and the new earth, a place of ultimate hope and eternal rest for believers. This passage marks the culmination of God's redemptive plan, where all evil has been vanquished, and a new, perfect creation is established. The destruction of Babylon, representing all evil systems, and the final defeat of Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, pave the way for this new creation. The new heavens and the new earth are described as a place where God will dwell directly with His people, eliminating the need for a temple or any physical barriers. This new creation will be free from sin, death, pain, and sorrow, offering believers perfect fellowship with God and each other.
The new Jerusalem, descending from heaven, will be the capital city, characterized by its stunning beauty and divine architecture. It will be a place where the glory of God illuminates everything, eliminating the need for the sun or moon. The city will have twelve gates, each named after the tribes of Israel, and twelve foundations, each named after the apostles, symbolizing the fulfillment of God's covenantal promises. The inhabitants will experience perfect harmony, rest, and worship, serving God in a way that is free from the constraints of sin and death.
Believers are encouraged to set their minds on this future hope, as it provides a perspective that transcends the temporary struggles and sufferings of this world. The new creation will be a place of endless satisfaction and fulfillment, where everything is provided freely by Christ. It will be a place of complete transparency, security, and holiness, where nothing unclean can enter. The eternal capital city of heaven will be a place of indescribable beauty, where God's glory shines without restriction, and believers have unlimited access to their Creator.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Final Defeat of Evil: The new heavens and the new earth come after the complete defeat of all evil, including Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. This marks the end of all sin, death, and suffering, paving the way for a perfect, eternal state where believers will dwell with God forever. This ultimate victory assures us that no matter the current struggles, God's plan for a perfect future is certain. [06:15]
2. Perfect Fellowship with God: In the new creation, believers will experience perfect, unhindered fellowship with God. There will be no need for a temple or any physical barriers, as God's presence will be fully accessible to all. This fulfills the deepest desires of every true worshiper, offering a relationship with God that is free from the limitations of our current existence. [15:16]
3. The New Jerusalem: The new Jerusalem, described as a city of immense beauty and divine architecture, will be the capital of the new creation. It symbolizes the fulfillment of God's promises, with its twelve gates and foundations representing the tribes of Israel and the apostles. This city will be a place of perfect harmony, rest, and worship, where believers will serve God in a way that is free from sin and death. [14:20]
4. Eternal Satisfaction and Fulfillment: In the new heavens and the new earth, everything will be provided freely by Christ, offering endless satisfaction and fulfillment. There will be no more socioeconomic disparities, and all inhabitants will depend entirely on God for their sustenance. This highlights the contrast between our current world, where nothing is truly free, and the perfect provision of the new creation. [22:55]
5. Complete Transparency and Holiness: The new creation will be characterized by complete transparency and holiness. There will be no need for walls or anything to hide, as everything will be pure and transparent as glass. This signifies a state of perfect security, rest, and openness, where nothing unclean can enter, and all relationships will be free from strain and sin. [36:47]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:59] - Destruction of Babylon
[03:24] - Jesus' Victory and the Millennial Reign
[05:11] - Final Defeat of Satan
[07:21] - New Heavens and New Earth
[09:25] - Our Heavenly Citizenship
[11:15] - The New Jerusalem
[13:35] - Dependence on God
[15:16] - Perfect Fellowship with God
[17:03] - Worship in the New Creation
[19:15] - No More Tears or Death
[22:23] - Eternal Satisfaction
[25:13] - The Inhabitants of the New Creation
[27:56] - Characteristics of the New Jerusalem
[30:23] - The Beauty of the New City
[33:01] - Vertical and Horizontal Travel
[36:10] - No Need for a Temple
[37:08] - Privileges of the Inhabitants
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Revelation 21:1-5
2. Revelation 22:1-5
3. Isaiah 65:17
### Observation Questions
1. What significant events lead to the establishment of the new heavens and the new earth according to Revelation 21? ([07:21])
2. How is the new Jerusalem described in terms of its physical appearance and structure? ([28:39])
3. What are some of the key characteristics of life in the new creation as mentioned in Revelation 21:4? ([19:15])
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does the final defeat of evil, including Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, signify for believers? How does this ultimate victory impact our understanding of God's redemptive plan? ([06:15])
2. How does the promise of perfect fellowship with God in the new creation fulfill the deepest desires of believers? What does this tell us about the nature of our relationship with God? ([15:16])
3. In what ways does the new Jerusalem symbolize the fulfillment of God's covenantal promises? How do the twelve gates and foundations reflect this? ([28:39])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the idea of the final defeat of evil. How does knowing that all evil will be vanquished affect your perspective on current struggles and sufferings? ([06:15])
2. The sermon mentioned that in the new creation, believers will have perfect, unhindered fellowship with God. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God now, despite the limitations of our current existence? ([15:16])
3. The new Jerusalem is described as a place of immense beauty and divine architecture. How does this vision of the future inspire you to live a life that reflects God's glory today? ([28:39])
4. The new creation will be a place of endless satisfaction and fulfillment, where everything is provided freely by Christ. How can you shift your dependence from worldly provisions to trusting in God's perfect provision? ([22:55])
5. The sermon emphasized complete transparency and holiness in the new creation. What steps can you take to live a life of greater transparency and holiness now? ([36:47])
6. Considering the promise of no more tears, death, or pain in the new creation, how can you find comfort and hope in this promise during times of personal grief or suffering? ([19:15])
7. The new creation will be free from socioeconomic disparities, with all inhabitants depending entirely on God. How can you practice generosity and support for those in need in your community, reflecting the values of the new creation? ([22:55])
Devotional
Day 1: The Final Defeat of Evil
In the new heavens and the new earth, all forms of evil, including Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, will be completely defeated. This marks the end of sin, death, and suffering, paving the way for a perfect, eternal state where believers will dwell with God forever. This ultimate victory assures us that no matter the current struggles, God's plan for a perfect future is certain. The destruction of Babylon, representing all evil systems, and the final defeat of Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, pave the way for this new creation. This victory is a reminder that God's redemptive plan is unstoppable and will culminate in a perfect, sinless existence for all believers. [06:15]
Revelation 20:10 (ESV): "And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
Reflection: Think about a current struggle or challenge in your life. How does the assurance of God's ultimate victory over evil give you hope and strength to face this challenge today?
Day 2: Perfect Fellowship with God
In the new creation, believers will experience perfect, unhindered fellowship with God. There will be no need for a temple or any physical barriers, as God's presence will be fully accessible to all. This fulfills the deepest desires of every true worshiper, offering a relationship with God that is free from the limitations of our current existence. Imagine a place where you can walk and talk with God freely, without any hindrance or barrier. This perfect fellowship will be the ultimate fulfillment of our spiritual longing and will provide a sense of peace and joy that is beyond our current understanding. [15:16]
1 John 3:2 (ESV): "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."
Reflection: Reflect on your current relationship with God. What steps can you take today to deepen your fellowship with Him, knowing that one day you will experience perfect communion with Him?
Day 3: The New Jerusalem
The new Jerusalem, described as a city of immense beauty and divine architecture, will be the capital of the new creation. It symbolizes the fulfillment of God's promises, with its twelve gates and foundations representing the tribes of Israel and the apostles. This city will be a place of perfect harmony, rest, and worship, where believers will serve God in a way that is free from sin and death. The glory of God will illuminate everything, eliminating the need for the sun or moon. This city will be a place of indescribable beauty, where God's glory shines without restriction, and believers have unlimited access to their Creator. [14:20]
Revelation 21:2-3 (ESV): "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.'"
Reflection: Consider the beauty and perfection of the new Jerusalem. How does this vision of your future home inspire you to live a life of worship and service to God today?
Day 4: Eternal Satisfaction and Fulfillment
In the new heavens and the new earth, everything will be provided freely by Christ, offering endless satisfaction and fulfillment. There will be no more socioeconomic disparities, and all inhabitants will depend entirely on God for their sustenance. This highlights the contrast between our current world, where nothing is truly free, and the perfect provision of the new creation. In this new creation, believers will experience a life of complete contentment and joy, where every need is met by the abundant grace of God. [22:55]
Isaiah 55:1 (ESV): "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
Reflection: Reflect on areas of your life where you seek satisfaction and fulfillment. How can you shift your focus to depend more on Christ for your needs and find contentment in His provision?
Day 5: Complete Transparency and Holiness
The new creation will be characterized by complete transparency and holiness. There will be no need for walls or anything to hide, as everything will be pure and transparent as glass. This signifies a state of perfect security, rest, and openness, where nothing unclean can enter, and all relationships will be free from strain and sin. In this new creation, believers will live in a community of perfect trust and love, where God's holiness permeates every aspect of life. [36:47]
Revelation 21:27 (ESV): "But 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."
Reflection: Think about your current relationships and areas where you may be hiding or holding back. How can you strive for greater transparency and holiness in your interactions with others, reflecting the purity of the new creation?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If you are a sinner that doesn't know Jesus Christ as Lord, this is your best life. When it's over, you will suffer a just penalty for your sin and eternal conscious punishment in the final Hell, which is the Lake of Fire, called the second death, also known as Gehenna. All of those at the great white throne judgment will be judged for every action and sin. They will not have a defense. They will not receive a second chance. They will not have mercy. There will be no grace. The time for that is over. They will be immediately cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity." (41 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Being obsessed with Heaven is not just a good thing, it is a critical thing. Why? Our Father, Yahweh, God the Father, is there. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Kings, is there. Our Comforter, God the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, is there. Our fellow saints, our siblings in the Lord, our brothers and sisters of Christ, departed in the Lord, are there. Our inheritance is there. Is your inheritance in your 401k or in your real estate properties or is it in Heaven? It's in Heaven. Our reward and eternal treasure are there. Everything. Everything that should matter to us is there." (54 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. How many of you have cried? Every single one of us have cried. No more of that. Okay. No more. There's no crying in baseball. There's no crying in the new heaven and death shall be no more. Who's tired of death? Okay. The older I get, the more death I see. And some of you who are older than I am, you're like, you have no clue. It just keeps rolling. It just keeps happening. It just keeps coming. And so death will be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. How many would you like for that to be a possibility? No more pain. Pretty amazing, right? For the former things have passed away." (48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "To the thirsty I will give from the springs of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son. Citizens of the new heavens and the new earth will be thirsty. Thirsty for what? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied." (19 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus will provide endless satisfaction and fulfillment from the springs of the water of life for free. Nothing in this world is free. Nothing. Even water costs money. Well, Josh, what if I went down to the natural spring and I drank from the water down there? You're still paying taxes. You're still paying taxes on the land so that you're not trespassing on it. Did you walk there? Then you need a pair of shoes. Did you bike there? You bought a bike. Did you drive there? You need gas to put in your car. You're paying insurance on your car. And then you're paying taxes on the car when you bought the car. And then you're paying taxes every year just to own the car. So it can sit on your own property of which you also pay taxes for. Nothing is free. Nothing is free. And the new heavens and the new earth, everything is free. Free 99. Everything. Christ will sustain. Christ will fulfill." (74 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Church, we should absolutely be consumed. We should be filled with thoughts and ideas and hope of the idea of this new Heavens and the new Earth. The Word of God makes it clear how important it says, Philippians 3.20, but our citizenship is in this world. Our citizenship's not in this world, it's in Heaven. And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3.1 and 2, if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. Where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on Earth. One of our greatest battles in this life is forgetting the importance of that and falling in love with the world that is in front of us." (51 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Believers will have perfect, unhindered fellowship with God. Believers will have perfect, unhindered fellowship with God. We will see God in the fullness of who he is, what he is, and this fulfills the promises of scripture. 1 John 3, 2, Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. It also means that all of us will worship God perfectly. Worship will be a way of life. It will be what we do. Now, don't think about this as, as a 21st century, modern, evangelical, American Christian, and think that means that we're going to be singing all the time, because every time you hear worship, you think praise band, worship band, and we're just going to be in church all day. That's not what it's talking about. It's, it's this idea that as we go about, as we abide, as we do the activities, whatever those may be in the new heavens and the new earth, we'll get a little bit of an example of what some of those are in a second. As we do that, it's all worship, because there's no sin. There's no hindrance. It's all in perfect fellowship with God." (66 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "This should make us homesick. It's kind of like, as we keep, keep going and read about this, we can either have cognitive dissonance and sort of like be so familiar with the world that this stuff just, I just disconnect because this stuff seems so foreign to me and I understand that. Or we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us to fall in love with it. Almost to the point it's like, man, can I leave this, can I leave this place a little early? Can I go home? Can I go home? I want to go there. I want to go there. I want to go to that place. Obviously not prematurely or that's not what I mean by that. But we shouldn't have a fear of death. When the Lord says it's time to go home, we go home. Look what we got to look forward to. Pretty dang amazing, right? Our departed brothers and sisters in Christ that were in Christ, they're waiting for us there. It's pretty amazing. It's a lot to praise God for. Wake up every morning and think about this place. It really is going to wipe away a lot of your temporal problems and sufferings. It's not that they're going to go away. It's that when you have a heavenly mindset, you're not so. You're fixated on the temporary nature of this world." (79 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "No more tears as possible because our existence will lack the things that bring tears of sadness to us now. No pain. No betrayal. No sin. No death. No shame. Shall I go on? The list is endless. Our flesh loves our sins so much. But look at what it does to us. Look at what it has done to us. It destroys us. It brings so much pain. It brings so much heartache. It brings so much tragedy. And there's coming a day when that will be no more. It's going to be gone. Completely and utterly gone. He said, behold, I am going to make all things new. I am making all things new. That's not just a geographical location of where we abide. That's everything from how we interact to how we operate. It's all going to be new." (54 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The eternal capital city of heaven will be a place of indescribable beauty. God's glory will shine without restriction in every corner of its design. We will have unlimited, uninhibited access to the Creator. Something that every true worshiper desires." (24 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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