Today we're looking at the book
of Revelation as we continue in our study. And we're looking
at Revelation 21, verse 1 down through verse 6 or 7 or thereabouts. Revelation 21. 1 through verse 6 or 7 or thereabouts. I'm taking the title for the
message from what is said in verse 5. Behold, I make all things
new. You see that? Now, the one who
says this has the power and will to bring it to pass. I can say,
well, I'm going to make all things new and it's not going to come
to pass. The one who speaks this has the
will, ability, and power to bring it to pass. It says right down
here in the next verse, it is done. It's done. Already done. It's done because
He's decreed it from all eternity. Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, write, write
it down. For these words are true. Every
word of God is true. Every word of God is faithful.
He is the true and faithful God, the true and faithful witness.
Behold, I make all things new, everlastingly new, never going
to get old and never going to vanish away, this new heaven
and new earth. Now what a glory it's thought to carefully consider.
He said in verse 4, the former things are passed away. The last
part of verse 4, you see that? The former things are passed
away, I make all things new. We rejoice to know the Lord Jesus
Christ is coming back again very soon. And when He comes, He's
going to make everything brand new, as we used to say, brand
spanking new. Brand spankin' new. I got a bicycle
for my birthday, and it was brand spankin' new. But it grew old. I wore it out. This new creation
that he brings with him, it'll never get old. He said, I go
away to prepare a place for you, and if I go away, I'll come again
and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be
also. John 14. Verse 1-4. We started in Revelation 1, verse
7, and the Lord declares unto us, He said, Behold, I come. Behold, He cometh. That means
He's on His way. Revelation 1 begins with the
Lord coming. And then you know how the book
ends? Revelation 22, verse 20. Turn there. Revelation 22, verse
20. He which testifies these things
saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Verse 20, even so come. Even so come, Lord Jesus Christ. He comes quickly. In that day,
every trace of sin will be removed. All things in the new creation
will be made perfect, like unto that first creation that Adam
enjoyed. before sin entered into this
world. You remember when God created
all things? In Genesis chapter 1, He said
this, And God saw that everything that He had made, and behold,
it was good. He said it was very good. In this new heaven and new earth,
it's going to be very good. It will be perfect. Perfect. We read last week the foundation
of God standing sure, having his seal, the Lord knoweth them
that are his. Remember we read he's going to
make a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first
earth are going to pass away. The day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with
a great noise and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat.
The works also. shall be burned up, seeing then
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ye ought to be, in all holy conduct, conversation, godliness, looking
for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and elements shall
melt with the fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to
his word, according to his promise, look for new heavens and new
earth, Wherein dwelleth righteousness, righteousness, righteousness.
Believers will have in that new day a glorified body perfectly
conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we shall
enjoy Him and worship Him forever and ever and ever with no sin
in this new body that's perfectly conformed to the image of Christ.
Now, a lot of religious people, they hate this particular word
called predestination. They just can't take the Word
of God. But the Word of God uses that
word predestination four times. And every time He uses that word
predestined or predestination, it's talking about God making
His people just like the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, Romans
8. 29 and 30. For whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son. A person who says, I don't believe in predestination, he's
saying to you, I don't want to be like Christ. Because that's
what predestination is about. That he might be the firstborn
among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he called. And whom he called, them he justified.
And whom he justified, he also glorified. What shall we say
to these things? I know what a lot of people say.
That ain't right. That's not fair. What shall we
say to these things? If God be for us, who could be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? I like that, don't you? That's
the economics of grace. Free. Everything's free. We'll
never in this new city with this new body, weary or tired, or
be tired of singing, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
all honor, glory, blessing, power, now and forever unto Him who
loved us and washed us from our sin in His own blood. Who loved us? Who washed us?
We didn't wash ourselves. He loved us. He washed us and
made us new creatures in the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be
all the honor and glory, both now and forever and ever and
ever. Now we come to the glorious conclusion of God's revelation
unto John in the last two chapters. And remember how we started out
in Revelation 1.1. It's the revelation of Jesus
Christ. It's a revelation that God gave
him of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see now when we get to chapter
21, we see the devil and his allies and followers and friends
have all been righteously judged and cast out to the eternal torments
of eternal condemnation, eternal separation. Remember chapter
20 verse 10. The devil that deceived
them was cast into the lake of fire where the beast and the
false prophets are, and they shall be tormented day and night
forever and ever. The devil has been taken out.
His allies have been taken out. and they suffer the eternal condemnation
of God Almighty. Do you remember the Lord said
in Matthew 25 that there's a place called hell that's prepared for
the devil and his angels? Some false prophets said years
ago, hell is a monument to the failure of God. Can you imagine
such a statement? Hell is a failure to the A monument
of the failure of God. That's not true. It's rather
a monument to the holiness and righteousness of God. God knows
nothing of failure. It's a monument to the holiness
and righteousness of God. It's not a monument to God's
failure. It's a monument to God's justice. We read in Psalm 89,
14, justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. In Revelation 19, 2 it says,
True and righteous are His judgments. True and righteous are His judgments. His judgments are true and righteous. Turn one page to Revelation 19,
verse 11. And I saw heaven open, and behold,
a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful
and True. And in righteousness he doth
judge. and righteousness he does make
war. True and righteous are his judgments,
are true and righteous all together, all together. Look at chapter
22, verse 6. He said unto me, These sayings
are faithful and true. And the Lord God of His holy
prophets sent His angels to show unto His servant the things which
which must shortly come to pass." His sayings are faithful and
true. Everything he says is faithful,
everything he says is true. We've seen also the just and
final end of all the wicked. In chapter 20, verse 13, the
sea gave up the dead which are in it, death and hell delivered
up the dead which are in them, and they will judge every man
according to their works, according to their deeds, Death and hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the second death. Whosoever
was found written in the book of life was cast into the lake
of fire. Eternal judgment of God. We also see in these last two
chapters, the glorious state of the righteous in the Lord
Jesus Christ. What we have now is a foretaste
of what we shall fully and completely and eternally enjoy in that glorified
state. We have a foretaste of it now.
We have Christ now. All grace now, as the old timers
used to say from the book of Psalms, all grace now and Glory
forever, forever and ever. When the Lord comes again, this
earth, as we know, will be purged, cleansed with fire, and the Lord
will make a new heaven and a new earth. Every trace of sin that
marred the original creation will be removed, purged away
by fire. Every mark of death will be gone
forever. What a glorious revelation that
is totally beyond our comprehending. Now, he puts it in word that
we might somehow grasp it, but to fully enter into the glories
of the eternal bliss we shall have with the Lord Jesus Christ,
who can fully understand? When the Apostle Paul was taken
to that third heaven, you remember? In 2 Corinthians 13, he writes
about it. When he came back, he said, I can't even talk about
it. I don't have words. There are
not words that we can comprehend to see these things or to know
of these things. But he puts it in a way here
for us that we might get some kind of grasp in our fallen state. We see through a glass darkly.
Now, Revelation 21, verse 1, And I saw a new heaven and a
new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth passed away. No more, and there was no more. Now, he says that, I love that
statement, he uses it repeatedly, no more, no more, no more. John has received this revelation
from the angel about the glory of God's church and the glory
of God's heaven. I saw a new heaven and a new
earth. The old creation is gone. and remade into a new universe. Now many think, and I think along
this same line, but if I'm wrong, that's okay. Many of the writers
that I read, they say it will be the same earth, the same heaven,
only completely restored to its original pristine estate, no
sin. No possibility of it being ruined
again. John saw a new creation, but
now watch it, not another. He saw a new creation. The old
creation was gone. The old creation was regenerated,
rejuvenated, remade by the almighty power of God. Now, turn over
here to chapter 5, verse 10. Do you remember this statement
here? Revelation chapter 5, verse 10.
For it talks in verse 9, Revelation 5, they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof, for
Thou was slain, has redeemed us to God by Thy blood, Revelation
5, verse 9. Out of every kindred, tongue,
people, and nation, and has made us unto our God, kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth. Now let's start talking about
this old creation. He's talking about that new heaven
and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. Righteousness.
And we shall reign with him. So he says, I saw a new heaven
and a new earth. For the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away by the decree of God, by the
purging away of all sin that marred the first creation. And
then he said there was no more sea. No more sea. No more sea. Now, in the scripture,
the sea usually is a type and picture of trouble. It's a symbol
of trouble. In Isaiah 57, for example, the
wicked are like a troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt. The sea here is a symbol of trouble,
turmoil, commotion. You remember that recent hurricane
that hit Florida? Ian, people probably wished in
that disaster, they were probably wishing, I wish there was no
more sea, no more trouble, no more trouble. Remember in Revelation
13, the beast rose up out of the sea, remember? that beast
that represented the ungodly governments of this world that
have always been with us since the fall. In Revelation 17 verse
1, it talks about the great horror of false religion set upon the
many waters of the sea. But in this new creation, no
more sea, no more sin, no more turmoil, no more heartache, no
more trial, no more enemies, nothing but peace, no more separation,
always peace forevermore, as the old song used to go, peace
forevermore on that happy golden shore, what a day, glorious day
that will be. Turn over here to Revelation
22, look at verse 3, and there shall be no more curse, He's
redeemed us from the curse of the law. You see it, Revelation
22, 3, there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God
and the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve
Him, and they shall see His face, face to face, and His name shall
be in their forehead, and there shall be no night there, and
they need no candlelight, neither the light of the sun, for the
Lord God giveth them light. and they shall reign forever
and ever with the Lord in this new heaven and a new earth. Those
who have been made new creatures in Christ shall have a new creation
to enjoy, fully enjoy. This is all due to the redemptive
blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, all due to the accomplishment
of the Lord Jesus Christ, establishing righteousness for us and putting
away our sin. Now, how good do you have to
be to stand before God in this new heaven and new earth? As
perfect as God. Well, preacher, how can that
be? God made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed is that man to whom the
Lord imputeth righteousness without work, saying, their sin is gone,
saying, their iniquities have been removed. No more see, look
at verse two, and I, John, I, John, saw by the revelation of
Almighty God, I, John, saw the holy city, this holy city, this
new Jerusalem, this new heaven and the new earth, and this holy
city, this new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. John also is given
the glorious vision of the church. This is a picture of the church,
the redeemed of the Lord. The redeemed pictured here by
this holy city, this new Jerusalem. Notice in verse 10 of Revelation
21, He carried me away in the Spirit to the great high mountain,
and showed me that great city, holy Jerusalem, descending out
of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was
like unto the stone most precious, even jasper stone, clear as crystal."
Talking about the redeemed of the Lord. The redeemed of the
Lord. Now, this is not a literal walled
city. Remember, this is a symbolic
picture. The wall symbolizes safety. This is a picture redeemed of
the Lord, pictured by this holy city, New Jerusalem, coming from
God out of heaven. Turn to this reference. Find
Revelation chapter 3 verse 12. You remember we saw this all
the way back here in chapter 3. Revelation 3 verse 12. And him that overcometh will
I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out
no more, I will write upon him the name of my God, the name
of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from my God, and I'll write upon him a new name."
A new name. We have a new name. We've been
made new creatures in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, it's called
a holy city. because we've been purged with
the blood of Christ. His blood cleanses us from all
our sin. That's the only way we can be
made holy. We are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
It's called a new city, a new city, a holy city, a new Jerusalem. Everything about the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ is new, ever new. It never fades away. It never grows old. The Lord,
when He instituted the Lord's table, said, A new testament,
a new covenant in my blood were made new creatures in Christ. All things are passed away, and
behold, all things have become new. We have in the Lord Jesus
Christ a new and living way. We read in the book of Hebrews,
don't turn, let me just read it to you. In chapter 10, verse
19 and 20, having therefore, brethren, boldness, liberty,
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, the Lord
Jesus Christ, by a new and living way, which he made new for us
through the veil of his flesh. He bare our sin in His own body
on the tree. He said, come boldly to the throne
of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need. We sing in Revelation 5, we just
read it a moment ago, the new song of redemption. The new song
of redemption. In Psalm 98, we've looked at
this several times. Verse 1, O sing unto the Lord
a new song, for He hath done marvelous things, His right hand
and His holy arm has gotten Him the victory for us. That's the
song we sang. He's worthy of all honor, praise,
and glory. The Lord gives us, in the Lord
Jesus Christ, He gives us a new name. We saw that also back in
Revelation chapter 2. Turn over there. When he writes
to the letter to the church of Pergamos, and look at verse 17. Revelation
2 verse 17. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white
stone, and in that stone a new name written which no man knoweth,
knoweth saving he that receives it. We have a new heaven, a new
earth, we have a new name, we have a new body, a new creation
in Christ. Everything is made new. Now notice
this city back in our text, this holy city, this new Jerusalem,
it comes down from God. It's of God. It's not the bottom
up, it's the top down. And the same thing it's saying
that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation comes down from God. He planned it in all eternity.
We read in Revelation 13 verse 8 that he's a lamb slain from
the foundation of the world before Adam ever sinned who stood as
a surety. The Lord Jesus Christ, a lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. He planned it in eternity,
and in time, in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son,
made of woman, made under the law to redeem us. He built it
with His own hand, this new city, this new Jerusalem, this church
of the Lord Jesus Christ, purchased with His blood. He built it with
His own hand. We are born from above by the
Spirit of God. He said to Peter, upon this rock,
I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. Now the next thing he says there,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now on that special
wedding day, you ladies take special care to prepare, don't
you? To prepare. You wear a special
dress, you do things to your hair, and there's nothing wrong
with that, but you adorn yourself to present yourself to your husband
and to that congregation as a bride adorned. But here is talking
about what the Lord Jesus Christ has made us in Him. Prepared
as a bride, adorned for the bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember,
look at verse 9 in chapter 21. And there came unto me one of
the seven angels, which had his seven vows full of the last plagues,
and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I'll show thee the bride,
the Lamb's wife, You see, we're married to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's called our husband. You remember back in chapter
19, turn over there. The last part of verse 6 says,
Hallelujah to the Lord God, omnipotent reigneth. Revelation 19, you
remember verse 7? Let us be glad and rejoice and
give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His
wife hath made herself ready. To her it was granted that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine
linen is the righteousness of the saints. He's clothed us with
the garments of salvation. He's made us in the Lord Jesus
Christ prepared. He loved the church and gave
Himself for it. He loved the church and gave
Himself for it. Now don't turn, but let me read
this to you. Remember in Matthew 25, that word there, prepared? He prepared us. The king shall
say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed to my father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. We appear unto him as a bride
adorned and prepared to meet the Lord Jesus Christ. And he
looks at us and he sees us without spot, unblameable, unreprovable
in his sight. as a bride adorned for her husband,
prepared, prepared by God Almighty. His church is described as a
city. Safe, secure, permanent. Not a tent, nothing temporary. Abraham looked for a city which
hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. This is the
city we have. Christ is our dwelling place.
That's what it says in the next verse. Look at verse 3. And I
heard a great voice. I heard a great voice out of
heaven. This is the voice of our God. He's great. Behold,
he says, the tabernacle of God is with men. He will dwell. He will dwell
with them. And they shall be his people
and God himself shall be with them and be their God. I will and they shall. The tabernacle
in the wilderness was set up as a place of worship and communion
with the Lord. He says in Leviticus 26, I will
set up my tabernacle among you and my soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and will
be your God and you shall be my people. We know that the Lord
Jesus Christ came in time and tabernacled among us. The word
was made flesh and dwelt among us, tabernacled among us. We
have his presence here today. In the church, he said, where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there I'm in the
midst. He's with us today. He's promised
to meet with us. He's with us today. You say,
well, I don't see him. I don't feel him. He didn't ask
you to see or feel. He said, believe my word. Where
two or three meet in my name, that's where I am in the midst
of you. The Lord has said in this life, I'll never leave thee,
I'll never forsake you. But this is a special presence
of the Lord with his people in glory, which shall never end,
never be interrupted, never a distraction in this life, or be clouded by
the vile nature of our sinful flesh. In that blessed day, our
worship and fellowship and communion with him were absolutely perfect. He will delight in us, and we
will delight in him forever. I like the language, and it's
the language of grace. I will dwell with them, and they
shall be my people. And God himself shall be with
them. I will, and they shall. That's what we read over there
in Hebrews chapter 8. But listen to this covenant promise.
It's given many places in scripture. In Jeremiah 31, it said, I will
put my law in their inward part and write it in their hearts.
I will be their God and they shall be my people. I will, whose
will now? God's will. I will and they shall
be my people. Now look at verse 4, and we're
going to have to quit with verse 4. God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. The Lord Jesus Christ, our God
and Savior, there shall be no more death, no more sorrow, no reason to
cry, neither shall there be any more pain, All those former things
are passed away. Passed away. What comfort and
peace we shall enjoy in the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember, we
had the glimpse of this back in chapter 7. Turn over there,
Revelation chapter 7. And one of the elders, verse
13, Revelation 7, answers, saying unto me, What are these, or who
are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence came
they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. He said to me,
These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve
him day and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them, and they shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any
heat. For the lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them and lead them unto the living
fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes. What would it be to be with the
Lord forever with no sin? To have a perfect body, no more
sin, consequently no more death. The cause of sorrow and grief
shall be removed. No reason to cry. Former things
are passed away. You know, when you close, when
you read the last two chapters of the book of Isaiah, in Isaiah
65 and 66, We have this promise. God said,
Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former
shall not be remembered nor come into mind again. Former things
are passed away. Let's take a look at verse 5. He that sat upon the throne,
Revelation 21 verse 5, said, I make all things new. And he
said to me, Write. Write it down. These words are
true. These words are faithful. He
is called the true and faithful witness. The Lord upon his throne
says, I make all things new. His words are faithful and true. As we've said in scripture, it
says it's impossible for God to change. Right? He said, I'm the Lord. I changed.
It's impossible for God to lie. All the promises of God in him
are yes, and in him, and amen. His words are faithful, not one
word he has promised shall ever fail. Failure is not a possibility. He said, I've spoken it, I bring
it to pass, I've purposed it, I will do it. His words are true. Every word that the Lord has
spoken is absolutely true. You can trust him fully. Everything
He has written, for He is the true and faithful witness. The
true and faithful witness. Write these words. These words
are true and faithful. And He said unto me, verse 6,
and we'll pick up here next week, It's done. It's done. Now, aren't you glad salvation
is a done deal? What did the Lord say upon Calvary
3? It is finished. It's a done deal. signed, sealed, and delivered.