The New Jerusalem

[Read Revelation 21-22]

I’m not a big reality television person. I don’t like all of the dramatics. However, lately I’ve been enjoying a show called Alone. It’s a show where they drop people off in the middle of the wilderness to see how long they can survive all alone. They get to choose ten items to bring with them to help them survive. Whoever lasts the longest wins $500,000. 

One of the reasons I’ve been drawn into this show is watching people persevere through difficult situations. The foundation of outlasting everyone else revolves around endurance and overcoming challenges. So, you get to watch person after person after person encounter some extreme situations—some unbelievable circumstances—and they either figure out a creative way to solve the problem OR they are forced to bear down and “gut it out.” 

As I’ve been watching this show, I’ve noticed some similarities between those who are able to endure the most difficult situations and persevere the longest. All of them have a “Do the next thing. Take the next step attitude”—which seems to help. But there’s one overwhelming thing that seems to PULL them through the difficult circumstances to the end. They spend time dreaming about what the end will feel like. They dream about the food they’re going to eat when they’re done. They dream about being reunited with their family. And, they dream about how they’ll use the $500,000 prize. And, these things pull them through to the end. 

Some may hear that and say these are shallow reasons for endurance—only seeking money. And they might be right. However, there’s a principle that goes much deeper. Listen to this passage from the book of Hebrews. It’s talking about Moses and how he endured the difficult seasons of his life. “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24–26, ESV). Here’s the question. How was Moses able to leave the palace and all its treasures and pomp and prestige? How was Moses able to resist the temptations he faced in Egypt? How was Moses able to endure being mistreated with God’s people? He looked forward to his reward—which was way more valuable than any of these other trivial things. He was able to look beyond the trials and difficulties of his present moment and SEE his reward in the distance. And when he saw that reward, he knew it was worth WAY MORE than any of the things being offered him in the palace of Egypt. THAT reward is what pulled him through the temptations and difficulties of life. 

All of this reminded me of another passage: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19, ESV). The reward Moses looked forward to was a reward beyond this life. And Paul is right. If Christ ONLY gives us hope in this life, people should pity us. If Christ ONLY gives us our best life now, then we have no lasting hope. That hope is not enough to pull us through the difficulties of this life. That hope fails at giving us strength when everything seems to be falling apart. We need a hope that is eternal—hope that will last forever, beyond this life. 

That’s the power of the resurrection. THAT is what we’re celebrating this morning on Easter Sunday. Yes, Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins BUT he didn’t stay in the grave. He rose again from the dead so that we would have hope beyond this life—so that we could have a hope that is eternal—a hope that is strong enough, and powerful enough to pull us through whatever difficulties and challenges that come our way. 

As we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead this morning—and ALL DAY—we are celebrating hope now and hope in the future. We have hope NOW because his death and resurrection brought about the forgiveness of sins and new life RIGHT NOW. Those things are offered to everyone RIGHT NOW when they look to Jesus in faith and trust. 

Yet, Jesus’ resurrection also brings us hope for the future. Sure, if we trust Jesus now we have forgiveness and new life, but things are still hard. We still struggle with our sin. We still live in a world that is a mess. We are still left longing something more. In some ways, we’re like those people left alone in the wilderness, trying to survive with what they have, longing for something to come at the end. And—thanks be to God!—Jesus’ resurrection points us to the “something better” at the end. It’s a reminder that Jesus overcame sin and death and Satan and one day we will too. Jesus’ resurrection points us forward to these powerful images at the end of Revelation. 

We read powerful statements like, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” (Revelation 21:1, ESV). This doesn’t necessarily mean that this heaven and earth will disappear in order for a new heaven and earth to be created. It means that this heaven and earth will be completely renewed and refined and restored to the perfection that God intended. Think about it, when the Bible tells us that our “old person” is being killed every day and that we’re being turned into “new people,” it’s not talking about our physical bodies being destroyed, but being restored. The same will happen with heaven and earth. They’ve been messed up and corrupted by sin for a long time, but one day they will be made new once again—restored and perfected. 

We get to read beautiful promises like, “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. 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.” (Revelation 21:3–4, ESV). The main problem with the world is sin and sin causes a separation between us and God. That’s why people feel like God is so far away sometimes. That’s why people can feel so alone at times. Yet, the reward waiting at the end is that separation being removed because sin is finally removed. Now, God may seem distant and far away at times. However, in the new heavens and the new earth, God will dwell in our midst and we will be his people and He will be our God. There will no longer be any separation between us and him. The relationship between God and his people will be restored and perfect. And, since sin has been removed and conquered, God will wipe away every tear. Death will be gone forever. There will be no more sadness or crying. There will be NO MORE PAIN. I know that many of you deal with pain every day. When sin is completely overcome/conquered, there will be no more pain. 

Beautiful promise after beautiful promise penetrate our hearts. We read, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring 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.” (Revelation 21:6–7, ESV). On Good Friday, we were reminded of Jesus hanging on the cross, and right before he dies he cries out “It is finished!” Now, we get to hear from him again, but this time he’s no longer hanging on a cross. He’s risen from the dead victorious. He’s in heaven as the Alpha and Omega—the first and last, the beginning and the end—and he cries out, “It is done!” It’s over. When he cried out “It is finished” from the cross, he was marking the end of the beginning. Now, he’s marking the end of his work. This is the fulfillment of everything he worked for. He lived and died and rose again so that everything would be made new. 

Also, don’t miss the line about being thirsty. He says, “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” (Revelation 21:6). This is talking about desires. All of our desires will be transformed and fulfilled in heaven. We will no longer long for anything we cannot have. If we’re thirsty, we will drink from the water of life for eternity. And it is free. We don’t have to work for it or earn it. It’s right there. The Lord will be our shepherd and we will not want. Our desires will be perfect and will be perfectly fulfilled. What a wonderful promise. 

Then we’re given another picture of a beautiful city. But, first notice how the city is introduced. We read, ““Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:9–10, ESV). This angel tells John that he will show him the Bride of the Lamb—the Bride of Jesus Christ. That’s us. That’s God’s people. Then, he sees the city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven which is a representation of God’s people. This is a contrast with the prostitute riding the beast from a few chapters back. She represented Babylon and all of human culture in opposition to God. Now we see a beautiful bride and a beautiful city coming down from heaven to earth. The city has twelve gates and twelve foundations—reminding us that it is representing all of God’s people from the Old Testament and the New. It’s covered in beautiful jewels, which represent the faithful works of God’s people throughout the ages. This reminds us of a phrase from the second week of this series, when Jesus tells the church in Smyrna that he sees their tribulation and poverty BUT they are actually rich. This is another reminder of that.

Then we read this beautiful description of the city: “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And 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—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.” (Revelation 21:22–26, ESV). 

Yet, in the midst of all these beautiful promises and images, there are a couple warnings. As we read about this beautiful city that represents God’s people, and all of its glory and perfection, we’re told, “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.” (Revelation 21:27, ESV). Not everyone gets to enjoy this reward. As we’ve been shown throughout the book of Revelation, there are many who will choose not to live in this city. They will choose to reject this reward. Rather, they will hold their sin closely, cursing and rejecting God, choosing to receive judgment and remain outside the city forever. It’s tragic. 

We’re told that nothing unclean will enter the city nor anyone who does what is detestable or false. This is because sin has been defeated and destroyed and has no place in this city. The only way you can enter the city—and receive this reward—is to have your sin taken care of by Jesus Christ. You can’t take care of your sin on your own. You can’t work hard enough or be good enough to enter the city. You need Jesus to cleanse you and make you new. And the only way you get that is by turning from your sin and trusting in Jesus. 

And when you take that step, and give your life to Jesus Christ, you have hope in this life AND the next. You have a hope that is strong enough to pull you through whatever trial and difficulty you face in this life AND you have a reward—more valuable than anything the world has to offer you—waiting for you in heaven. 

And this is a big deal. I don’t have to remind you of what we’ve experienced this last year. Many hopes and dreams were shattered because they were hopes and dreams for this life only. They weren’t strong enough to pull people through a difficult situation. Who knows what difficulty lies ahead? Who knows what trials may come? Who knows how crazy things will get in the world? Do you have a hope that is strong enough to pull you through to the end? You can find that in Jesus Christ—the salvation he brings and the eternal hope for us in heaven. 

Finally, I want to remind everyone to take time to meditate on heaven. Take time to read through Revelation 21-22 on a regular basis. Get these images and these pictures deep down in your bones. You will need them one day—you may need them right now. It’s easy for us to lose sight of the big picture and get caught up in the turmoil that is all around us. Sometimes we need to come up for air. We need to raise our eyes ABOVE our current difficulties to the reward waiting for us. That’s what faith looks like. That’s how Moses finished the race and received his reward: “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24–26, ESV).