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AFTER THIS, THEN WHAT?
When Heaven Comes Down

Revelation 21:1-8
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.” (NIV)
1) Dear sisters, this is our true home, what our hearts and souls have been longing for—the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven (Hebrews 11:10!) This is why we should not cling too tightly to the things of this world (2 Corinthians 4:18)—Jesus promises “Behold! I make all things new!” (KJV) Glory! Many people believe that a World War will bring about this destruction. Does 2 Peter 3:10-13 support this? Why or why not?
2) God has always dwelt with His people. He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8.) In the wilderness, He was the Pillar of a Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night (Exodus 13:21) and He was the Rock in the Desert of Sin from which water came forth (Exodus 17:6!) His presence filled the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8), His presence filled the Most Holy Place in the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 16:1-2.) He dwelt in the temple (1 Kings 6:11-13; 1 Kings 8:6-11.) During these periods of biblical history, God’s “glory” or “presence” rose and fell, came and left. Even our Lord, Jesus Christ, who came to earth in human flesh only dwelt on this earth for a season (John 1:14.) Now, God dwells “in” us through His Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:25-27!) Moreover, He has promised never to leave us and never to forsake us—we are forever sealed (Matthew 28:20 and Ephesians 4:30!) Ah, but in this passage we see that God Himself actually physically sets up His abode with us. We will be able to see with our own eyes, hear with our own ears, feel with our own hands and yes, taste with our own lips (Psalms 34:8 and 1 Corinthians 13:9-12!) Our faith will have become sight! Oh, this is the heart cry of every child of God! How does this passage ultimately fulfill Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:18-25?
3) The loud voice coming from the throne tells us there will be quite a few “no mores!”
a) No more sea? Think about it. Two-thirds of the earth is covered with water. Jews believe that the sea symbolizes separation, restlessness (tossing to and fro, waves rising and falling) and yes, even hostility toward God. Why do you think God chooses to remove the sea (Isaiah 57:20 and Revelation 13:1?)
b) No more sorrow, mourning, pain or tears (Isaiah 61:3?) Can I hear a big AMEN? Imagine, at a time we should be falling on our faces before Him, God takes us into His mighty arms and He wipes away all our tears! Since the beginning of time, God continues to do what He has always done for His highest creation--He reaches down to comfort us (Hebrews 12:2-3!) What a God we serve!
c) Finally, (thank God Almighty) what happens to death (Isaiah 25:8 and Revelation 20:14?) Yeah, God!
4) The KJV of John 19:5 shows Pilate declaring to the crowds, “Behold the man!” Jesus spoke not a word in His own defense! In the above passage we find this same Jesus declaring to all who will listen, “I AM the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End!” No longer is Jesus in pictured the humble and serving role as the Son of Man. Here is our risen Lord, Jesus Christ in all His glory! LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS! Oh, come let us adore Him!
5) Jesus is still offering living water—without cost (to us!) Are you thirsty? Is your soul dry, parched? Are you weary from your life’s journey? Do you feel dark, dirty? Then, come to the well and be filled (John 4:10-42!) What is this living water?
6) Overcoming. Do you feel like an overcomer? Well, believe me, it has nothing to do with feelings and aren’t you glad it doesn’t? (1 John 5:4)
a) What does Jesus promise as our reward for overcoming?
i) We get to freely eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7!)
ii) We will not be hurt by the second death (Revelation 2:11!)
iii) We are given some of the hidden manna and a white stone with our new name that no one else knows (Revelation 2:17!)
iv) We receive authority over the nations (Revelation 2:26!)
v) We will be dressed in white. Our names will never be blotted out from the book of life. Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father and his angels (Revelation 3:5!)
vi) We will be given our own pillar in the temple of God. Never again shall we leave it. Jesus will write on each of us the name of God and the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from God. Sisters, Jesus will write on us His new name—talk about sealed (Revelation 3:12!)
vii) As if all this were not enough, we actually get to sit with Jesus on His throne (Revelation 3:21!) Can you imagine!
viii) We inherit all that Jesus describes in Revelation 21:1-8—He will be our God and we will be His children! What glories, what riches! Praise be to our Rock! Jesus, whom do I have in heaven except thee?
7) Ouch! Cowardly, unbelieving, etc. We can easily fall into some of all of these categories, or maybe not. What separates us from those who will experience the “second death?” Hint: See what makes us overcomers above in question #7! See also Colossians 2:13-14 and Ephesians 2:8-9!
Revelation 21:9-21
“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.” (NIV)
1) At first glance, you think the angel is going to show John the church (all those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ—his bride), but, no, he’s calling the city of Jerusalem the bride of the Lamb! A city and a bride?
a) Why is Jerusalem so important to God?
i) The temple built for His Name is there and He is Leader of her people (2 Chronicles 6:5-6!)
ii) God has said His name will remain there forever (2 Chronicles 33:4!)
iii) He is in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:3!)
iv) It is His pleasure that Jerusalem prosper and be built up ( Psalms 51:18!)
v) It is the place or city where God will be praise (Psalms 122!)
vi) God desires peace for Jerusalem (Psalm 128:5-6!)
vii) Jerusalem is God’s (and should be, our) highest joy (Psalms 137:5-6!)
viii) God will gloriously reign in Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:21-23!)
ix) God will comfort and redeem Jerusalem (Isaiah 52:9!)
x) God will establish Jerusalem and make her the praise of all the earth (Isaiah 62:6-7!)
xi) Jerusalem was created to be God’s delight and her people a joy (Isaiah 65:18-19!)
xii) Jerusalem will one day be called the Throne of the LORD (Jeremiah 3:16-17!)
xiii) Jerusalem is the city of the Great King (Matthew 5:35!)
xiv) Jerusalem is the city of the Living God (Hebrews 12:18-24!)
xv) Jerusalem is the joy of the whole earth (Psalms 48:1-3!)
2) A city shining with the glory of God!
a) Let’s take a few minutes to discover exactly how throughout biblical history God’s glory has been displayed:
i) In a cloud (Exodus 16:10; 24:16!)
ii) As a consuming fire (Exodus 24:17!)
iii) God’s glory passed by Moses (Exodus 33:18-23; Exodus 34:5-8!)
iv) The face of Moses reflected God’s glory (34:29!)
v) As fire coming from His presence (Leviticus 9:23-34!)
vi) God’s glory fills the whole earth (Numbers 14:21!)
vii) His glory is displayed in His people, Israel (1 Samuel 15:29!)
viii) The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalms 19:1!)
ix) God’s glory will be revealed (Isaiah 40:5!)
x) God’s glory has our back (Isaiah 58:8!)
xi) The Glory of the Lord can actually stand (Ezekiel 3:23!)
xii) The Glory of the Lord actually has form (Ezekiel 8:1-4!)
xiii) Angels reflect the glory of God (Luke 2:9!)
xiv) Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh is the glory of God (John 1:14!)
xv) God’s miracles reflect God’s glory (John 11:39-45!)
xvi) Our obedience reflects the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31!)
xvii)Our thanksgiving reflects God’s glory (2 Corinthians 4:15!)
xviii) Our belief and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ reflects God’s glory (Philippians 2:11!)
xix) We reflect God’s glory (2 Corinthians 3:18!)
3) Okay, here it goes! There was a man who desperately wanted to take all his wealth with him when he died. Oh, he was positive this could be accomplished, so he pleaded with his wife that when his time came she would put all his wealth in a money bag and place it with him in his grave. Well, the time came for this man to die and the wife did as her husband requested. The man appears before the pearly gates, with bag in tow, and requests to come into the presence of Almighty God. The angel guarding the gates told him, “Fine, but, sir, you will have to let go of all your earthy possessions before you can enter.” This outraged the man because his entire life’s earnings were in that bag! Again and again the man pleads for the angel to let him enter, and the angel keeps telling him over and over that he must leave his earthy possessions behind. The man walks away very sad. The angel, very perplexed by this time (we are talking about heaven you know!), stops the man and says, “Sir, I have just got to see what you have in that bag that you value more than what is waiting for you in heaven.” The man obliges and opens the bag for the angel to see. The angel exclaims, “You mean to tell me that you refuse to enter heaven because of a bag of pavement?” Ha! Ha!
4) You would think that being in the presence of God’s glory would be awesome all by itself. However, John goes on to describe Jerusalem’s glory in terms we mere humans would understand—size, jewels, crystal, gates! Reading this passage, does John describe anything that makes you long to be there, now?
5) Would you say that heaven is a place or a Person?
Revelation 21:22-26
“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.” (NIV)
1) In these passages we are given a few more “no mores!”
a) No more temple. Why? Also, read John 4:19-24. We don’t need a city, a building or a temple to worship the Living God. No, we worship from the temple of our heart—in spirit and in truth!
b) No sun! No moon! No, the glory of God and the Lamb are the light of that city!
i) What is light and what is its purpose in our lives?
(1) Jesus, the Word of God made flesh is the light of men (John 1:1-5!)
(2) Light is our armor (Romans 13:12!)
(3) Light exposes things hidden in the dark (1 Corinthians 4:5!)
(4) Light gives us the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6!)
(5) We are now light (Ephesians 5:8!)
(6) We are sons of light and sons of day (1 Thessalonians 5:5!)
(7) We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, so we may declare the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9!)
(8) Walking in the truth of God’s light brings fellowship with God and man (1 John 1:5-7!)
(9) If we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we walk in God’s light (1 John 2:8-11!)
(10) ; Jude 1:6; Jude 1:11-13
2) Why do you suppose the gates to the New Jerusalem are never closed?
a) Reasons the gates were closed:
i) For the Sabbath rest (Exodus 16:22-30; Nehemiah 13:19-21!)
ii) For protection (Nehemiah 7:1-3!)
b) Reasons the gates will remain open:
i) Joy, worship, thanksgiving and praise (Psalms 100:1-5!)
ii) To fulfill God’s solemn promise to his people, Israel (Ezekiel 37:21-28!)
iii) Jerusalem is God’s throne and the place for the soles of his feet. He will live there forever (Ezekiel 43:1-7!)
iv) God has promised His protection for Israel (Joel 3:17; Amos 9:14-15; ; Zechariah 9:81 and Zechariah 14:7-11!)
v) God will save Israel (Zephaniah 3:15!)
vi) We will have entered in to God’s Sabbath rest (Matthew 12:1-8; Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 4:3-11!)
vii) We can now come boldly before God’s holy throne—no restrictions (Hebrews 4:16!)
3) No night? Night is a time of darkness. What deeds are usually committed during the night?
a) John 3:19
b) Romans 13:13
c) 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7
d) Revelation 22:5
4) Nothing impure? So, who can enter in? Those whose names are in the Book of Life!
a) Matthew 5:3—the poor in spirit inherit heaven. What’s makes them poor in spirit (Luke 18:11-14?) To enter into heaven we must acknowledge our sin before a Holy God. Thank God Almighty, He is also Just and Merciful and He has provided the way for us to enter in. He makes us holy (Romans 3:19-26 and Colossians 1:21-22)
i) How is Jesus able to do this?
(1) Romans 3:20-26; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:4-8; Colossians 1:13-20 and Revelation 1:4-6!) Glory to our God and King!
5) The Lamb’s Book of Life? Did you know that God keeps records? Well, He does!
a) Those who have eternal life are recorded (Isaiah 4:2-3!)
b) Our sorrow and tears are recorded (Psalms 56:8!)
c) God keeps our prayers (Revelation 5:8!)
d) The hairs of our head are numbered (Matthew 10:30!)
e) All the days of our life are in His book (Psalms 139:14-17!)
f) He has a record of our very words (Matthew 12:36!)
g) The motives of our hearts will be revealed (1 Corinthians 4:5!)
h) The thoughts of our hearts will be revealed (Luke 2:35!)
i) Our works will be judged (1 Peter 1:17!)
j) Nothing is hidden from God (Hebrews 4:13!)
k) We must all give an account to God (Romans 14:12; Hebrews 4:13!)
6) Knowing of Christ’s imminent return, what kind of lives should we be living (Romans 13:11-14 and 2 Peter 3:10-18?)
Revelation 22:1-5
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” (NIV)
1) I don’t know about you, but I’m glad there will be some body of water in heaven, and to think that it flows directly to the throne of God and the Lamb!
2) Why do you think the risen, resurrected Son of God is still referred to as the Lamb (Revelation 5:1-8?)
3) Why could Jesus not have completed God’s will for Him if He had come to earth the first time as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” or the “Root of Jesse?” Why did it have to be as the “Lamb of God?”
4) Finally, we shall see His face! What do you think you will do, or how do you think you will react?
5) What will Jesus look like (Revelation 1:12-18!) Every knee shall bow indeed!
6) Do you know that Jesus will be the only one in heaven with scars (John 20:19-29?) Why do you think that is? (See question #2!)
7) The Name of the Lord on our foreheads? What right has God to do this (Isaiah 43:1-26?)
8) Oh, there will be one who tries to imitate God with his own seal (Revelation 14:7-12!)
9) Did you notice that we shall reign (2 Timothy 2:11-13 and Revelation 5:10!) Glory!