Renewed Earth: Our Eternal Home with God

Devotional

Day 1: Heaven Meets Earth in Renewal

In the Book of Revelation, the vision of a renewed earth where heaven descends to us challenges the traditional view of a distant heavenly abode. This renewed creation is not merely a future hope but a present reality that invites us to live with anticipation and purpose. Revelation 21 describes a new heaven and a new earth, where God dwells among His people, transforming the old, decayed world into a place free from pain, suffering, and death. This transformation is akin to the resurrection of our bodies—recognizable yet gloriously renewed. As believers, we are called to embrace this vision, allowing it to shape our lives and priorities today. [01:00]

Isaiah 65:17-18 (ESV): "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness."

Reflection: How does the vision of a renewed earth where heaven meets us change your perspective on your current life and priorities? What steps can you take today to live in anticipation of this transformed creation?

Day 2: The New Jerusalem: A Symbol of Divine Intimacy

The New Jerusalem, descending from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband, symbolizes the intimate relationship between God and His people. This eternal home is a place of unparalleled beauty and abundance, where precious jewels and gold are mere building materials. The city is a cube, representing the Holy of Holies, where we will have direct access to God, living in His presence perpetually. There will be no need for a temple, sun, or moon, for God's glory will illuminate everything. This imagery invites us to reflect on the depth of God's love and the promise of eternal communion with Him. [04:52]

Ezekiel 48:35 (ESV): "The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There."

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of intimacy with God in your daily life, knowing that His presence is your eternal light and temple?

Day 3: Conquering the World with Faith

Living as conquerors means overcoming the world's temptations and holding fast to our faith. The allure of Babylon, representing the world's false promises, is contrasted with the eternal glory of God's kingdom. We are encouraged to live lives worthy of our calling, knowing that our inheritance is secure in Christ. This call to perseverance is not just about resisting temptation but actively pursuing a life that reflects God's kingdom values. As we navigate the challenges of this world, we are reminded that our ultimate victory is found in Christ. [15:24]

1 John 5:4-5 (ESV): "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Reflection: Identify a specific temptation or false promise of the world that you struggle with. How can you actively rely on your faith in Christ to overcome it today?

Day 4: Unity and Purity in the New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem is a place where all nations and peoples gather, united in worship and free from anything unclean or detestable. This vision of unity and purity calls us to live in anticipation of our eternal inheritance. As God's people, we are invited to reflect this unity and purity in our relationships and communities today. The promise of a diverse yet harmonious gathering in the New Jerusalem challenges us to embrace and celebrate our differences while striving for holiness and righteousness. [28:23]

Zephaniah 3:9 (ESV): "For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord."

Reflection: How can you promote unity and purity in your community, reflecting the vision of the New Jerusalem in your interactions with others?

Day 5: Eternal Joy and Healing in God's Presence

Our eternal home is a place of healing, abundance, and unending joy, where we will see God's face and reign with Him forever. This hope sustains us through life's challenges, assuring us that all pain and mourning will cease. The promise of eternal joy and healing invites us to live with hope and resilience, trusting in God's ultimate plan for our lives. As we anticipate this glorious future, we are reminded of our identity as God's people, called to live lives worthy of our eternal calling. [31:37]

Revelation 22:3-4 (ESV): "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. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need God's healing and joy? How can you invite His presence into those areas today, trusting in His promise of eternal restoration?

Sermon Summary

In our journey through the Book of Revelation, we explore the profound truth that our eternal home is not a distant heaven but a renewed earth, where heaven comes down to us. This concept challenges the traditional view that heaven is our final destination. Instead, Revelation 21 reveals a new heaven and a new earth, a transformed creation where God dwells with us. This transformation is akin to the resurrection of our bodies—recognizable yet gloriously renewed. The old, decayed world will pass away, and all things will be made new, free from pain, suffering, and death.

The imagery of the New Jerusalem descending from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband signifies the intimate relationship between God and His people. This eternal home is a place of unparalleled beauty and abundance, where precious jewels and gold are mere building materials. The city is a cube, symbolizing the Holy of Holies, where we will have direct access to God, living in His presence perpetually. There will be no need for a temple, sun, or moon, for God's glory will illuminate everything.

This eternal promise is not just a future hope but a present call to live as conquerors, overcoming the temptations of this world. The allure of Babylon, representing the world's false promises, is contrasted with the eternal glory of God's kingdom. We are encouraged to hold fast to our faith, knowing that our inheritance is secure in Christ. The New Jerusalem is a place where all nations and peoples will gather, united in worship and free from anything unclean or detestable.

As we anticipate this glorious future, we are reminded of our identity as God's people, called to live lives worthy of our eternal calling. This hope sustains us through life's challenges, assuring us that all pain and mourning will cease. Our eternal home is a place of healing, abundance, and unending joy, where we will see God's face and reign with Him forever.

Key Takeaways

1. Our eternal home is not a distant heaven but a renewed earth where heaven comes down to us. This challenges traditional views and invites us to anticipate a transformed creation where God dwells with us, free from pain and suffering. [01:00]
2. The New Jerusalem symbolizes the intimate relationship between God and His people, adorned as a bride for her husband. This eternal home is a place of unparalleled beauty and abundance, where God's presence is our light and temple. [04:52]
3. Living as conquerors means overcoming the world's temptations and holding fast to our faith. The allure of Babylon's false promises is contrasted with the eternal glory of God's kingdom, urging us to live lives worthy of our calling. [15:24]
4. The New Jerusalem is a place where all nations and peoples gather, united in worship and free from anything unclean. This vision of unity and purity calls us to live in anticipation of our eternal inheritance. [28:23]
5. Our eternal home is a place of healing, abundance, and unending joy, where we will see God's face and reign with Him forever. This hope sustains us through life's challenges, assuring us that all pain and mourning will cease. [31:37]
** [31:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Introduction to Eternal Home
[01:00] - Heaven Comes to Earth
[02:26] - Redemption of Creation
[03:39] - New Heavens and New Earth
[04:52] - The New Jerusalem
[06:30] - Transformation and Recognition
[07:56] - Metaphor of the Sea
[09:35] - God Dwelling with Us
[11:23] - No More Death or Mourning
[13:01] - It Is Done
[15:09] - Conquering the World
[18:04] - The Bride and the City
[21:03] - Eternal Satisfaction
[24:36] - Measurements and Symbolism
[26:04] - The Holy of Holies
[31:07] - River of Life and Tree of Life
[34:10] - Seeing God's Face

Sermon Clips

Our eternal home is the new heavens and the new Earth, the reformed Earth. Heaven comes down to earth. It's a change, it's a different thing. And in fact, it is so ingrained in us the other way that you will hear me mistakenly say it. [00:01:00]

Paul has said that the creation is under the bondage to Decay and awaits the time when it'll be liberated from the bondage. I use two examples you've heard them many times if you've been here before: mosquitoes and 40 below are part of the fall in sin. [00:01:57]

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. And he who was Seated on the throne said, behold, I am making all things new. [00:05:04]

The one who conquers will have this Heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But as for the Cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral Sorcerers, idolators, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. [00:05:33]

The New Jerusalem represents the church, and it comes down. Everything that is good comes from God, and God comes to Earth. God brings it all to Earth that he has made new, not the Earth that we are in right now, the Earth in its perfected State. [00:08:00]

The New Jerusalem is adorned with every kind of Jewel. The first was Jasper, the second Sapphire, the third Agot, the fourth Emerald, the fifth Onx, the sixth Careleon, the seventh Chrysite, the eighth Barrel, the ninth Topaz, the tenth Chryso Pra, the eleventh Jockin, the twelfth Amethyst. [00:19:16]

The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the Nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their Glory into it, and its Gates will never be shut by day. [00:19:51]

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. So first of all, he comes up with verse 9, and we're going to summarize a lot of this because it's intended to be that way. [00:20:16]

The angel showed me the river of the Water of Life, bright as Crystal, flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. Also, on either side of the river, the Tree of Life with its 12 kinds of fruit yielding its fruit each month. [00:31:07]

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. They will see his face, and his name will be on their forehead, and night will be no more. [00:31:36]

Eden is back because it says right here what was what happened. They ate of the knowledge of the tree of Good and Evil, and they said that they ate of that, and then they said we can't let them eat of the tree of life because then they will have immortality. [00:32:01]

We will see his face, and we will be marked out for by him on our foreheads. We've talked about this. There's the mark of the beast that everybody seems to talk about so much. What about you don't take the mark, the mark on our forehead marked by God. [00:34:48]

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