1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,500 Good morning. How are you all doing today? Awesome. I'm doing great. Thank you so 2 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:13,140 much. We like to start our services every week by saying welcome to anybody that's 3 00:00:13,140 --> 00:00:16,560 joining us here in our sanctuary for the first time or if you're joining us 4 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,560 online for the first time, welcome. We're so glad you're here to worship with us 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:27,360 at Hosanna. I am Pastor Nathan and this morning we are continuing our look at 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:36,360 the New Jerusalem in Revelations chapter 21 and 22. New Jerusalem, the holy city 7 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:42,520 that is prepared for God's people wherein we will dwell with Him in His 8 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:47,480 glorious presence in heaven forever. It's a beautiful thing at the end of 9 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:52,240 Revelation as we look into eternity. You know this New Jerusalem we talked about 10 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,960 in our first part of this, look that it's a bride city. New Jerusalem is 11 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,520 described in the context of its occupants adorned as a bride for her 12 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,120 husband because it is the bride of Christ, the redeemed us, those that have 13 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,720 put our faith and trust into Jesus Christ for salvation that are dwelling 14 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:17,000 in that place. This New Jerusalem is a very very important part of heaven and 15 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:22,040 it shows us something that's a really key critical element of eternity. It's 16 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:27,760 that our eternity will be corporate, our eternity will be social, our eternity is 17 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:32,680 going to be a community. There's going to be no slipping off into the corner 18 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:37,400 alone, there's going to be no isolating ourselves from one another, but it's 19 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,520 going to be a perfect community, a perfect fellowship with God and His 20 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:47,080 people. And I know some of you may have heard that and been like, oh no, because 21 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:52,960 you tend to be the type of person who wants to be alone and off, but I promise 22 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:57,240 you in heaven you are going to be blessed with the community and the 23 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:01,600 fellowship and the connection. And it's really a big picture of how God created 24 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:08,360 us. God created us to need relationship. God created us to need relationship with 25 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:14,000 others and especially with Him and heaven is going to be the ultimate 26 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:19,680 fulfillment of all of that. Now Revelation is very clear and the Bible is 27 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:26,000 very clear that heaven, it's a real place with real activity populated 28 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:32,360 with real people. Heaven is a place where all of our greatest needs are met and 29 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:39,200 all of our deepest desires are satisfied, but not desires born of our flesh, not 30 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,360 desires born of our selfishness, but desires that are born out of our love 31 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:51,320 for God, our love for Him and our desire to honor and glorify Him. Heaven's going 32 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,400 to be a place of perfect symmetry and order and balance because heaven is a 33 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:02,480 place that reflects ultimately the mind of God who brought order to chaos. We 34 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:07,600 know that scripturally He brought order to chaos in creation, but the real miracle 35 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:12,200 is that He does it in the lives of those who trust Him. He brings order to 36 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,960 the chaos of our lives. Heaven's going to be a place where we will be face to face 37 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:24,160 with the glory of God in perfect fellowship forever. And I can't wait and 38 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:29,160 I hope you can't wait. I know we all got plans here on this earth. We all got 39 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:33,680 goals and things we want to accomplish and that's great, but there is nothing 40 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,360 that compares to the heaven that awaits those who trust in Jesus Christ as their 41 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:44,360 Lord and Savior and the New Jerusalem is a huge, huge part of it. Now last time we 42 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:49,520 looked at verses 9 through 21 of Revelation 21 and really looked at what 43 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:55,080 was a description of the outside of this New Jerusalem, this city to come. Today as 44 00:03:55,080 --> 00:04:00,440 we look at verses 22 all the way through verse 5 of chapter 22, John's going to 45 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:05,120 describe for us the inside of this glorious city and all the wonder and 46 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:11,200 marvel that our promised paradise, a place prepared for us by Jesus has for 47 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,480 those who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb. But before we get into that 48 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,600 we're going to spend time worshiping God Almighty because well that's what we're 49 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,960 going to be doing forever. We get a precursor of that wonderful time every 50 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,320 time we gather together whether it's here at church in our community groups. 51 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,280 Anytime where two or more are gathered God is there in the presence and we get 52 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:36,520 the glorious opportunity to praise His name, to declare to Him how awesome He is, 53 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,960 to declare to Him our thanks and our gratitude for the salvation He's given 54 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,720 us and it is a glorious, glorious opportunity every time we get to worship 55 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:52,120 Him. So join me in prayer. Father we love you so much. God we're so grateful for 56 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:58,160 the heaven to come. We look forward to it Lord. We say things like we can't 57 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,280 wait to get there Lord and yet there are many of us who for one reason or another 58 00:05:02,280 --> 00:05:08,720 maybe lose sight God of heaven to come. Maybe we start to get caught up in 59 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:14,280 the here and now, the things of this world Lord and God having goals and 60 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:18,260 purpose here now isn't wrong. There's nothing wrong with that God but the 61 00:05:18,260 --> 00:05:23,200 Lord nothing here compares to what is to come in heaven and Lord as your people 62 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,920 we know that your scripture teaches us that we are not citizens of this world. 63 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:31,920 We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and that God we should live that way and 64 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:37,160 our priorities should be lined up that way God and Lord we see in this new 65 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:42,360 Jerusalem this capital of paradise Lord wherein your presence is gonna shine out 66 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:48,780 into all eternity forever. Lord that we're gonna have the opportunity, the 67 00:05:48,780 --> 00:05:54,520 glory to dwell with you in perfection. God that is gonna be a place of just 68 00:05:54,520 --> 00:06:01,480 absolute bliss and joy where everything is good and right and God this city is 69 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:06,480 such a picture of the beauty that you have for those who trust in you. So Lord 70 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,840 we ask you speak to us today encourage us but God we want to worship you 71 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:15,920 first. We want to praise your holy name because you are worthy. You are our God. 72 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:22,120 You are king of everything. You are our creator. You're the lover of our souls 73 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:28,240 Lord and we thank you. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. We are in Revelation 74 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:33,760 chapter 21 starting in verse 22 and last time we were together as I mentioned we 75 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:40,240 looked at the outside description of the new Jerusalem the city that has prepared 76 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:46,120 for us that we will be dwelling in in eternity with God forever. Now overall 77 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:51,440 the picture of New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven as it told us coming down 78 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:57,120 out of the transcendent spiritual realm to actually be on a new created physical 79 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:02,080 earth in the new created universe it is really a picture of heaven on earth and 80 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,440 it's something that people over the centuries have often talked about 81 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,800 wanting to see a heaven on earth or they refer to things as heaven on earth and 82 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:15,240 you know nothing that has ever happened here on earth is comparable to what is 83 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,920 to come with this new Jerusalem and so but all of it together the whole 84 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,040 picture as Revelation 21 opened up introducing us to the new heavens and 85 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,240 the new earth and we talked about that when it says new heavens what it's 86 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,280 referring to is a new universe a new creation if you will and then the new 87 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:36,160 earth is an actually recreated earth a planet that we will be dwelling on and 88 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,240 then we have this new Jerusalem which comes down out of the transcendent 89 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:45,040 realm to this earth and then including the transcendent realm all of it together 90 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:51,000 is heaven all of it is paradise and as we've been seeing through this study 91 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:56,880 because God is ever-present without any hindrance in all of it in the eternal 92 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:03,240 state and so that's why we refer to it all as heaven so the idea of heaven for 93 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:11,160 the Christian is not so much aware but it's a what it's a how heaven is not 94 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:15,880 about the place per se it's about the experience that we will have as God's 95 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:22,320 people the perpetual existence in the direct presence of God Almighty in the 96 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:28,520 direct presence of his perfect glory unhindered unveiled unshielded in any 97 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:34,840 way and so what we're looking at today in Revelation 21 verses 22 through verse 98 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,080 5 in chapter 22 it gives us a description of the inside of this holy 99 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,760 city and it's not necessarily a comprehensive description it's not a 100 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,160 detailed description of every single element but it highlights the important 101 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,760 aspects of what's going to be in this city so read with me starting in verse 102 00:08:52,760 --> 00:09:00,620 22 of chapter 21 John says I did not see a temple in it because the Lord God the 103 00:09:00,620 --> 00:09:06,160 Almighty and the Lamb are its temple the city does not need the Sun or the moon 104 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,840 to shine on it because the glory of God illuminates it and its lamp is the lamb 105 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,480 the nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their 106 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:20,660 glory into it its gates will never close by day because it will never be night 107 00:09:20,660 --> 00:09:26,560 there they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it nothing 108 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:32,280 unclean will ever enter it nor anyone who does what is detestable or false but 109 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:38,380 only those written in the lambs book of life and so in this opening few verses 110 00:09:38,380 --> 00:09:44,000 here John is is describing really the the collective marvels of the city right 111 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:48,600 the the amazing elements that are just catching his eye and he's gonna go on to 112 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,640 continue to describe these marvels together but it's interesting as he goes 113 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:58,240 from the outside to the inside of the city the first thing he looks for is a 114 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:04,200 place to worship God in all his glory right that's the first thing he looks 115 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,560 for when he looks to the inside you know we have to understand that in the ancient 116 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:15,320 world it was unthinkable to have a great city without temples without places to 117 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:20,640 worship the various gods in the Roman Empire of the day as we studied through 118 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,680 the letters when we looked at the seven letters to the seven churches earlier in 119 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:28,080 Revelation just about every single town in the Roman Empire was filled with 120 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:33,200 temples to all the various deities we remember the story when Paul went to 121 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:38,040 Athens right and he went into this place where they had a statue to every god 122 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:43,520 they had some type of altar to every god including one to the unknown God right 123 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,760 that's how you know you're super religious when you're gonna have an 124 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:51,800 altar of just in case we missed one right and that was the unknown God and 125 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,080 then Paul took that opportunity to say I want to talk to you about that God the 126 00:10:55,080 --> 00:11:01,200 real God the only one and true God and so temples were everywhere in John's Day 127 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:06,560 and then the temple in Jerusalem by the time Revelation was written that temple 128 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:14,000 had already been destroyed and that temple was was the center of Jewish 129 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:19,440 religious life right the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 AD was was 130 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:24,920 terribly devastating for Jewish people and it was devastating because the 131 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:30,880 temple was the place where God's presence was the temple was the place 132 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:39,720 where God's glory was and so with the temple being gone by extension God's 133 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:47,840 presence was gone God's glory was gone and more importantly their ability to 134 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:54,760 draw close to God in the Jewish mind was gone because their temple that place 135 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,040 where they could come close to the presence of God where they could enter 136 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,480 into the glory as he at least as close as they could through the offerings and 137 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:09,680 the sacrifice it was gone now before Christ the temple that existed in 138 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:14,120 Jerusalem was was was a very prophetic thing it was prophetic of the 139 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:18,720 relationship to come that's what we saw in the tabernacle and then it became the 140 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:23,540 temple it was prophetic it always spoke to a relationship to come that God 141 00:12:23,540 --> 00:12:29,000 wanted to have with his people and we know that in the Christian era after 142 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,080 Christ was crucified and after he was resurrected and we call it the Christian 143 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:38,320 area or the or the the era of grace the Bible teaches us that God's people are 144 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:44,360 the temple of God right Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 316 he said don't you 145 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:49,920 yourselves know that you are God's temple and that the Spirit of God dwells 146 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:56,000 in you I'm very excited for the men's conference coming up and men if you 147 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,280 haven't signed up for this yet it's a one-day conference it's a one Saturday 148 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,520 out of your schedule to come together and learn and we're focusing on the Holy 149 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:09,800 Spirit his indwelling and what that means in the life of a Christian and how 150 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:14,120 it empowers and equips us to serve with gifts and all of that I'm very excited 151 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:19,480 about that opportunity to get into that because the truth is as Paul said we are 152 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:26,320 God's temple every Christian and the Spirit of God lives in us now during the 153 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:31,280 millennial kingdom as we looked at we do understand that in the tribulation time 154 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:38,120 there is a third temple built in Jerusalem that is used unfortunately for 155 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:43,120 what is false worship and then ultimately becomes a pagan altar in the 156 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,760 abomination of desecration but we know that third temple is is going to be 157 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,920 restored and during the millennial kingdom that there will be religious 158 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:55,520 rights taking place there but it'll be serving as a memorial because Jesus 159 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,240 himself will be ruling and reigning physically here on the earth so we know 160 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,520 that there's a third temple and we know that third physical temple will be a 161 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,560 memorial during the millennial kingdom but when we get to eternity in the new 162 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:14,080 Jerusalem the holy city of God John says I saw no temple in it there's no temple 163 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:20,480 there now he's referring to the structures right and he says there's no 164 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:26,480 temple there but the temple is the Lord God Almighty and the lamb why is there 165 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:31,840 no physical temple in the new Jerusalem because it doesn't need one it doesn't 166 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:37,360 need one it doesn't need a church it doesn't need a cathedral it doesn't need 167 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:44,840 a living room right the new Jerusalem doesn't need any place for the gathering 168 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:51,360 of God's people because everywhere is the gathering of God's people God is 169 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,840 ever-present he is fully present in eternity we've looked at that already 170 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:00,000 this this whole city with with transparent streets and transparent 171 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:04,360 walls and and the and the glory of God just shining out into everything 172 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:11,520 everywhere is God's presence so there's no need for a place where that presence 173 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,680 is veiled or restricted in any way there's no need for temples there's no 174 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,880 need for any of that because everywhere is the gathering place in eternity 175 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:27,760 there's going to be nowhere that you can't draw close to him did that make 176 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:34,040 sense okay because it didn't make sense when I just said there is nowhere in all 177 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:40,120 of creation where you can't draw close to God that means in the new creation 178 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,360 the new heaven the new earth the new Jerusalem no matter where you're at 179 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:48,560 you're right there in God's presence no matter where you go God is right there 180 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:54,880 with you in his full glory unhindered unveiled in any way revelation chapter 181 00:15:54,880 --> 00:16:00,320 7 if you remember back there it speak spoke of the redeemed in heaven and it 182 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,880 said this in Revelation 7 it said the one seated on the throne will shelter 183 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:09,360 them and that word shelter is an interesting word in the Greek it means 184 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:15,920 to he spread his tabernacle over them and that should make you think of the 185 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,160 tabernacle that the children of Israel had in the wilderness the tabernacle 186 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:24,720 which was that meeting place with God in which the the holy place was and inside 187 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:29,280 that was the holy of holies right the very presence of God and it was a 188 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,760 special tent and you get into the Old Testament right when we get there we'll 189 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,120 study all those details and it's just a beautiful picture that points to Jesus 190 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,320 Christ it's really fun to study those things but we see that there was this 191 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:45,360 tabernacle and then a temple but in heaven this is God spreads his 192 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:53,200 tabernacle over his people what does that mean it's not that the temple is 193 00:16:53,200 --> 00:17:00,360 removed per se in heaven it's that it's expanded it's no longer a tent it's no 194 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:06,160 longer a structure it's expanded such that the entire universe all of 195 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:15,360 existence is now his temple everything everywhere is the holy place why because 196 00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:20,800 everything everywhere is the dwelling place of God his presence is in all 197 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:25,720 places his presence radiates out to everywhere without hindrance and that's 198 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,200 what verses 23 through 25 get into they speak of this radiating light to this 199 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:35,960 ever shining pervasive glory of God that's just gonna permeate everything 200 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:40,720 and it's spoken of this way it says there's no need of Sun or moon to shine 201 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:47,520 on the city because the glory of God illuminates it now I was talking to 202 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,520 somebody recently and they said does that mean in eternity there's no Sun 203 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:56,640 there's no stars and I'm like well not necessarily it just sees there it just 204 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:01,560 says there's no need of the Sun in the moon right I think if there's a new 205 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:06,000 universe created I think that the creativity of God that we see in the 206 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:11,360 heavens today is is still gonna be there right I don't know exactly how but but 207 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:16,240 there's no need of the Sun or the moon because the glory of God illuminates it 208 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:22,960 and then notice this really interesting phrase it says the lamb is the lamp or 209 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:28,920 the lamp is the lamb right that word lamp there in other translations if you 210 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:33,880 have a different translation it might say the light is the lamb and the reason 211 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:41,080 is is because what that word refers to is a source of light right and so in the 212 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:46,520 original Greek it referred to a lamp that was the source of light and that's 213 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:50,240 why other translations just kind of skip the source idea and says he is the light 214 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:56,440 but the idea is that the lamb is the source of the light that the glory just 215 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,820 radiates from him and and this was prophesied in Isaiah chapter 60 verses 216 00:19:00,820 --> 00:19:05,520 19 to 20 it says this the Sun will no longer be your light by day and the 217 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,760 brightness of the moon will not shine on you the Lord will be your everlasting 218 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:15,920 light and your God will be your splendor your son will no longer set and your 219 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:21,760 moon will not fade that's an interesting detail right is the rotation of the 220 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,560 earth different and that we don't know but it says for the Lord will be your 221 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:31,300 everlasting light and the days of your sorrow will be over all of this is 222 00:19:31,300 --> 00:19:39,620 telling us that in eternity Jesus Christ the Son of God the second person of the 223 00:19:39,620 --> 00:19:46,480 Trinity the second person of the Godhead will have all of the glory that he had 224 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:53,120 before he came to earth right John verse John chapter 17 verse 5 this is what 225 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:59,320 Jesus prayed now father glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with 226 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:07,520 you before the world existed you see John tells us in the beginning that that 227 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:13,480 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God 228 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:19,480 and then in verse 14 of chapter 1 it says that word came in dwelt among us 229 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:25,520 and as you study through the Gospels you see that that God the Sun in all his 230 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:32,240 glory clothed himself covered himself in that sense in in frail humanity it 231 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:37,520 calls that right a little nod to us unless we think we're strong right frail 232 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:44,800 humanity and we know that that Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man at 233 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:49,520 the same time but we know that he he set aside some of the rights and 234 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,480 inability and power he had he didn't cease to be God but he set aside a 235 00:20:54,480 --> 00:21:00,960 little bit of his glory and in John 17 5 he was praying that hey in the future 236 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:06,240 what's coming next glorify me with the glory I had before the world of existed 237 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:11,960 see while Jesus was here on earth he was he was deity he was fully deity but that 238 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:17,940 deity was veiled wasn't gone it was just veiled he still did miracles we see he 239 00:21:17,940 --> 00:21:23,360 still read people's minds right but his full deity his full glory was veiled to 240 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:30,520 the degree that the few times that veil was lifted the disciples were amazed you 241 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:36,120 guys remember the story at the Mount of Transfiguration right Peter was blown 242 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:40,480 away because the full glory of Jesus was displayed there on that mountain they 243 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:45,280 were just like ah and then Peter in his infinite superior intellect was like 244 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,560 can we build you a house 245 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:55,400 love Peter right sometimes he's just overwhelmed and says things you're like 246 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:01,320 what you know but how many of us identify with that right but in 247 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:06,960 eternity this this glory of God will just shine without without hindrance 248 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:13,080 the veil is completely gone and he the lamb is the light of eternity and so 249 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,960 verse 24 it tells us that the nations will walk by its light and it's talking 250 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:23,000 about the light in the city the light radiating out of the city the kings of 251 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,280 the earth will bring their glory into it its gates will never close by day 252 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:32,040 because it will never be night there it will bring the glory and honor of the 253 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:43,120 nations into it that phrase the nations it means in the Greek all people all 254 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,880 people see as I mentioned in the intro that our eternity is going to be a 255 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:54,120 corporate existence it's gonna be an existence of community an existence of 256 00:22:54,120 --> 00:23:00,080 relationship an existence of fellowship and I know here on this earth there's 257 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:04,080 some of us that are extroverts and some of us that are introverts right and some 258 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,000 of us that just love being around other people and some of us are like whoa step 259 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,640 back a little bit you know and and and and we have our different ways that we 260 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:18,400 relate in relationship but even the most introverted introverts still needs 261 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:25,240 connection with people and in eternity that connection is going to be perfect 262 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:30,000 with all people and with God there's going to be no separation right remember 263 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,400 we talked about death was more than just a physical death death in the biblical 264 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:39,440 context talks about a separation right when our spirit is dead our spirit is 265 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:45,080 separated from God and all of that death in every context in every aspect is 266 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,440 going to be gone forever in eternity meaning that there's going to be this 267 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:52,840 full connection this full unity this full fellowship and perfection it's 268 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,360 going to be this wonderful beautiful thing and it says there the nations it 269 00:23:56,360 --> 00:24:02,160 means all people right now in its other uses throughout scripture when it's 270 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:07,640 referring to all people what it's referring to as Gentiles and Jews it's 271 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:13,920 every tribe it's every tongue it's every people but in heaven in eternity we know 272 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,520 that what that's referring to is all the redeemed because it's only the saved 273 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:25,400 that are there in heaven right it's only the the redeemed that are there the 274 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:30,560 point here is that there's no limitation to God's presence there's there's 275 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:36,920 nothing prohibiting access to the glory of God based on any of the the 276 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:42,120 separators that exist in our world today heaven is not limited to one group of 277 00:24:42,120 --> 00:24:47,840 people one ethnicity of people one nation of people there's no prejudice in 278 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:53,360 heaven there's no classism there's no racism there's no rich there's no poor 279 00:24:53,360 --> 00:25:03,520 it's just the people of God without division without separation all as one 280 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:13,600 who are there because of Jesus that is what makes them God's people in heaven 281 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,040 they are Jesus yet today we have divisions of people we got nationalities 282 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,760 and we even see all the way up through the millennial kingdom that there's 283 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,720 this this group of people called the Jews that are God's chosen people and 284 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:28,600 there's a special plan and purpose of them through the prophetic revelation of 285 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:35,440 history but in eternity it's like we're just all God's people now of every tribe 286 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,220 of every nation of every tongue and we're there because of Jesus not because 287 00:25:39,220 --> 00:25:43,880 of who we are not because of our ethnicity not because of our background 288 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:48,040 we're there because of Jesus all engulfed together by the light of God's 289 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:53,120 glory and then it says that they're gonna bring their glory into it right 290 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:58,160 this light this glory radiating out of the city and then it says that the the 291 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,680 Kings and the nations they will bring their glory into it what is that talking 292 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:07,920 about that idea of glory there is is the idea that everything about them that is 293 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:17,120 worthy of acknowledgement in any way is subsumed into God's glory we saw a 294 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:22,840 picture of this earlier in Revelation when the elders who had crowns cast them 295 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:27,480 at the feet of Jesus right you remember that they had crowns they they had been 296 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,920 recognized by the by the God of glory by the King of creation they had been 297 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,840 recognized for their for their service and and you know and we talked a little 298 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,440 bit about that back then there's all these crowns that are mentioned that 299 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:43,080 that you'll receive right for your service to God but but even in in that 300 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,560 moment in the presence of God the elders are like we're just gonna throw it at 301 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:54,960 your feet you are worthy God you are worthy there's nothing in and of us that 302 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:58,680 that supersedes your glory you are the one that's worthy and this is the idea 303 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:03,960 of them bringing their glory into it and it's really a preview of the worship 304 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:09,480 we're gonna see in chapter 22 but moving on here verse 27 it says nothing 305 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:13,200 unclean will ever enter into it nor anyone who does what is detestable or 306 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:19,280 false but only those written in the Lamb's Book of Life now this verse isn't 307 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:23,840 indicating that there's anything unclean in heaven alright it's not indicating 308 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,760 that there's anything unclean or detestable in eternity because we know 309 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:32,280 just through the study of Revelation that all sinners and death itself has 310 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:36,920 already been cast into the lake of fire at this point right where we're past all 311 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:41,360 of that we're in the eternal state but what this is is an exhortation it's a 312 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:47,560 it's a warning to present-time readers right remember John was on the island of 313 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,560 Patmos when he got this revelation he wrote it down and then this letter went 314 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:55,200 back out to the seven churches and then has been with the church for all time to 315 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,520 the point where we're studying it now it's an exhortation it's a warning to 316 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:05,160 present-time readers that the only way to participate in this future city is to 317 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:11,360 turn one's life and loyalties over to the Lamb now it's the only way the only way 318 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:14,120 to get there the only way to be there the only way to have the opportunity to 319 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:19,160 experience all of this wonderful glory in the presence of God and in perfect 320 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:23,880 community and perfect fellowship and joy and bliss and all of that the only way 321 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:30,600 is if your name is written in the Lamb's book of life and the only way to get 322 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:37,080 your name written in the Lamb's book of life is to submit your life to the Lamb 323 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:45,760 is to come to Jesus Christ in repentance and asking him to forgive you of your 324 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:51,800 sin and to come into your life and to be Lord of your life and you give your 325 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:56,240 your life over to him that whole salvation concept that we talk about so 326 00:28:56,240 --> 00:29:02,440 much that is the only way no one will ever find their name in the Lamb's book 327 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:08,360 of life because of anything of their own glory that's why we see that picture 328 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,160 them going there's nothing in us that supersedes the glory of God they're just 329 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:18,040 gonna give all the glory to him anyways so it's not gonna be like wow you you 330 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:23,720 served a whole lot at the church that's great that's wonderful you were very 331 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:28,120 generous with your with your your finances that's great that's wonderful 332 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:33,440 you were you were so giving of things and helping people that's great that's 333 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:39,400 wonderful all those things are important and necessary for us to do church right 334 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:45,560 but none of those things get you into the Lamb's book of life it's knowing 335 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:51,640 Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior that's the only way and you'll notice 336 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:56,320 that anybody who doesn't know Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior they're kind 337 00:29:56,320 --> 00:30:02,960 of described here is unclean because it's the blood of Christ that washes us 338 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:09,960 of all sin that's what the Bible teaches that when you trust in God you say God I 339 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,520 believe you came to this earth I believe you died on the cross I believe that you 340 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:18,680 did what you did what your book tells me you did for me I put my faith in that I 341 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:25,720 trust in that for my salvation the Bible says you're washed clean by the blood 342 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:31,800 that your sins are gone that God no longer sees those sins when he looks at 343 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:43,400 you but he sees a spotless perfect child of his he sees you as you will be in 344 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:53,080 heaven when you were there with him how glorious right and in without him we're 345 00:30:53,080 --> 00:31:02,720 unclean without him we're blemished without him our actions are detestable 346 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:11,280 we're sinners by nature but it's through him that we have the hope of heaven it's 347 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:15,040 through him we have the hope of redemption and salvation it's the hope 348 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:20,200 of it's through him we have the hope of paradise and that's what this verse is 349 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,880 is a warning as he's describing this vision he is seeing of this this perfect 350 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:29,640 city in this perfect creation this perfect paradise don't think you're gonna 351 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,840 get in there because you're a quote-unquote good person because 352 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:39,520 there's no such thing compared to God's glory we're all sinners we've all fallen 353 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:46,520 short but for those that know the lamb those who have been washed clean by his 354 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:56,360 blood glory glory hallelujah so we get to chapter 22 then he showed me the river 355 00:31:56,360 --> 00:32:01,520 of the water of life clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and of 356 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:07,200 the lamb down the middle of the city's main street I think every city in 357 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:12,800 America or most of them in probably the world they have a main street right here 358 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,160 in bellflower California our main street is is named guess what bellflower 359 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:25,120 Boulevard right it's pretty clever I guess you know a lot of cities the main 360 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:32,480 street is called what Main Street right now we've already been introduced to 361 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,640 this main street in Revelation chapter 21 verse 21 it said the main street of 362 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:41,880 the city was pure gold transparent as glass right and we talked a little bit 363 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:46,400 about that like gold as we know it today isn't transparent but but in this 364 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:50,680 perfect city there's gonna be a gold that is transparent as glass as God has 365 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:55,840 created this perfection but here we get more detail about this main street down 366 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,840 the middle of this transparent street it tells us is the river of the water of 367 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:05,680 life clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb now 368 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:10,960 throughout the Old Testament prophets often use images of rivers to express 369 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:20,880 richness to express provision to express peace for example in Isaiah chapter 48 370 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:27,240 verse 18 it says if you if only you had paid attention to my commands then your 371 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,880 peace would have been like a river in your righteousness like the waves of 372 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:37,000 the sea in Psalm 46 for more prophetically and specifically talking 373 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:41,360 about this river it says there is a river its streams delight the city of 374 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:46,840 God the holy dwelling place of the most high and so this picture of this river 375 00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:50,880 that John is seeing I believe like most of this it's a literal image he is seeing 376 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:55,000 but again things can be both literal and symbolic at the same time so what is 377 00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:02,680 this river represent flowing from the throne of God well first it tells us it's 378 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:08,160 clear as crystal right clear as crystal it's pure it's absolutely unpolluted is 379 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:12,560 what the word means it's reflecting the the characteristics of this whole city 380 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:16,680 you remember when it was talking about the walls of the city or gold clear as 381 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,320 glass and we talked about that word means means without blemish right the 382 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,760 material had didn't have any foreign objects in it it was it was a pure 383 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:30,360 material this whole city is made of this this clear perfectly unblemished clean 384 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,480 material all the way through it's pure the whole place the whole existence is 385 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:39,920 perfect at this point and so there's river being clear as crystal flowing 386 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:43,800 from the throne it's a literal representation of the richness that God 387 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:49,680 has for his people in eternity it's a permanent provision it's a permanent 388 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:56,480 supply of the peace of God that will flow unimpeded forever and it says the 389 00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:01,640 river of the water of life that's that word zoe that we've talked a lot about 390 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:05,880 that means more than just being biologically alive it means having the 391 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:10,880 vigor the zest of life the zeal the passion of everything is good everything 392 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,880 is right everything is well I'm just I'm alive and it's gonna be a permanent 393 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:21,440 provision of that forever and the idea the picture is that in heaven we will be 394 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:29,560 fully satisfied fully satisfied with no want no lack and that satisfaction will 395 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:33,800 be without any impurity there will be no selfishness to the satisfaction there 396 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:38,680 will be no no inappropriateness to that it's just being fully at peace and 397 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:43,560 satisfied in the presence of God forever now it says it flows from the throne of 398 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:48,440 God and of the Lamb so John's noting the the source of this provision as he is 399 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:52,480 noting the source of the light and the glory you guys remember when Jesus was 400 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:58,680 here on earth he said come to me all who are thirsty Jesus is and has always been 401 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:03,640 and will always be the source of true joy and true peace and true satisfaction 402 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:10,560 in him we find satisfaction that is like a cold drink of water when we're parched 403 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:16,480 right but even that is it's just such a woefully inadequate way to describe the 404 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:22,160 reality that is going to take place there and he's talking about that that 405 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:27,720 come to me if you're thirsty we all have spiritual lack we all have that sense of 406 00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:33,320 separation without Jesus we all have that sense of something's not right 407 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:39,160 something's wrong there's a sense of injustice to even those that don't know 408 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:44,720 the Lord but they have a a moral morally relativistic list of priorities in which 409 00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:48,160 they judge things and that's what people do without Christ I'm not as bad as that 410 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:53,400 person the very fact that you're making that judgment proves that you have some 411 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:59,400 moral compass of some kind it's just calibrated wrong and when Jesus comes in 412 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,720 and brings us that peace and we know that we're at peace with our Creator it's 413 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:09,760 amazing and so it says the tree of life was on each side of the river bearing 414 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:13,840 twelve kinds of fruit producing its fruit every month the leaves of the tree 415 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:17,480 are for the healing of the nations and there will be there will no longer be 416 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:21,880 any curse the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city and his servants 417 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:28,040 will worship him now of course reading this phrase tree of life if you're a 418 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:32,600 Bible student that should take you back to Genesis chapter 3 right where we see 419 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:37,440 the tree of life mentioned for the first time there it was the tree of life that 420 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:41,880 that existed in the Garden of Eden there and it was the tree that that had fruit 421 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:45,040 that that some go well they ate that fruit and it gave them eternal life 422 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:53,160 right but we see here now with with creation remade were reintroduced to the 423 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:57,960 tree of life that's interesting there's all of history kind of hangs on three 424 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:02,560 trees if you will yeah the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that we read 425 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:07,280 about in the garden you have the tree of life and then you have the tree if you 426 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:12,400 will that Jesus was crucified on that first tree the tree of knowledge of good 427 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:16,160 and evil that's where that's where man was separated from God that's where we 428 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:21,160 lost salvation if you will that's where our perfect communion our perfect 429 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,800 relationship with God was severed and and the whole title deed of the earth 430 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:28,560 was given over to Satan it was there at that first tree that was where man sinned 431 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:34,480 and then that tree in a sense took away man's spiritual life that is when death 432 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:38,720 entered that's when the separation of the soul entered that's when all of the 433 00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:44,360 the problem of everything entered and there in the garden was also the tree of 434 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:49,520 life but we read that that God had to kick them out of the garden because they 435 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:53,400 had sinned and he had to guard that tree with the cherubim and the flaming swords 436 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:59,320 and he had to guard entrance to all that lest man eat of the tree of life and live 437 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:03,560 forever in his separation from God and live forever in his sin and live 438 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:11,280 forever in death but then you had that third tree that cross that Jesus hung on 439 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:19,520 the cross that brings back life to us that cross that work that was done there 440 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:27,240 when we trust in the perfect God who hung on that tree or granted eternal life 441 00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:32,520 and now here in eternity we see that that tree of life that was kept away 442 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:38,240 from us since the garden stands replanted stands restored no longer kept 443 00:39:38,240 --> 00:39:41,680 no longer barred from us because in heaven there's no possibility of sin and 444 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:47,000 death it is done it is forever gone now the heavenly landscaping here might be 445 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,640 hard to picture because it says the tree of life that's singular but then it says 446 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:58,900 it's on each side of the river right some people argue about this right you 447 00:39:58,900 --> 00:40:03,920 know what does it mean you know it's possibly a very large tree whose trunk 448 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:09,400 splits on the either side of the river is one way to picture it some see it as 449 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:14,120 as the tree of life is referring to a collection of trees kind of like a you 450 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:18,440 know an orchard where they're lining both sides I don't think it matters 451 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:24,400 honestly right but you'd be surprised how much you could find on the internet 452 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:30,080 people arguing this point here I think the point is that the tree of life is 453 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:35,000 accessible it's accessible right and then it goes on to tell us about these 454 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:39,440 twelve kinds of fruit producing its fruit every month this is an interesting 455 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:43,960 phrase considering that we're in eternity here right we're in eternity and 456 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:50,040 yet we read here indicators of time twelve kinds of fruit that are born 457 00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:54,880 every month and that should obviously bring to mind the calendar right there's 458 00:40:54,880 --> 00:41:00,680 twelve months in a year right we track time that way in our current relationship 459 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:05,760 to time and you know we wrap around to January every year and you know we it's 460 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:11,680 it's the cycle of time that we track through these idea of twelve months so 461 00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:16,440 the indication here seems to be that there is still a passage of time in 462 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:21,720 eternity now we've talked about this before in how it references things 463 00:41:21,720 --> 00:41:27,000 earlier in chapter 21 so there there seems to be some passage of time or 464 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:31,720 some relationship to time in some way but we don't know exactly what it's 465 00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:36,480 gonna be we don't know that in if in our glorified bodies we're gonna be subject 466 00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:41,160 to time the same thing same way we are now right we're subject to time now in 467 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:45,640 the sense that entropy happens and from the day we're born we're dying where we 468 00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:48,600 start to decay but that's not gonna happen in our glorified bodies will be 469 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:53,760 immortal right but but there's just this indication that there's some reference 470 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:58,640 there's some reference to time passing or or some type of cycle that is 471 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,160 referenced here and so this this fruit being pictured you know bearing its 472 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,920 fruit every month it's unclear whether it's one fruit for 12 months or it's 473 00:42:05,920 --> 00:42:10,840 12 fruits every month again I think it's a detail that's irrelevant but there's 474 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:16,720 an ongoing cycle of provision for us in heaven that God will provide our needs 475 00:42:16,720 --> 00:42:23,880 forever without ceasing over and over and over and over and over but this does 476 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,840 lead to another interesting question as some people go are we gonna eat in 477 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:31,640 heaven right how many of you like food 478 00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:39,000 how many of you would love to eat your favorite foods without gaining weight 479 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:48,240 heaven right yeah I like food too you know foods a foods a pleasure it's it's 480 00:42:48,240 --> 00:42:52,640 it's a I believe it's a gift that God gives us right to enjoy food but the 481 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:56,680 presence of fruit coming from this tree here it seems to indicate because I do 482 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:01,760 believe the literal interpretation comes first that there will be there will be 483 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:05,440 eating in heaven to some degree the difference is is you go back and you 484 00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:08,920 study the glorified body in the glorified state and stuff we won't have 485 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:13,680 to eat if that makes sense right right now we have to eat to replenish the 486 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:18,320 fuel replenish da da da da da and so on so forth our glorified bodies will be 487 00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:22,400 immortal we won't have to eat it won't be necessary for health and life but in 488 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:28,400 Luke chapter 24 and John 21 we see the resurrected Jesus enjoying food it was a 489 00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:34,680 pleasure right in Genesis 18 the angels supernatural beings ate with Abraham 490 00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:39,960 in Revelation 19 the great heavenly reunion between Jesus and his people is 491 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:46,000 called the marriage feast of the lamb so I I think there's gonna be eating in 492 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:50,440 heaven right but it's gonna be a part of the joy and the pleasure not something 493 00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:55,640 you have to do you know you know there's the golden table of showbread that was 494 00:43:55,640 --> 00:43:59,360 in the tabernacle and temple and the idea was that it was always there it was 495 00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:03,120 ever-present ready for the priests to partake of and so we see this tree 496 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:08,160 standing in the Golden Street of New Jerusalem bearing fruit monthly for what 497 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:12,080 is gonna be the immortal King priests of Jesus that's us all the redeemed there 498 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:17,200 to enjoy perpetually it's gonna be a part of the joy and the and the blessing 499 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:21,440 of being there in heaven and then it says this interesting phrase the leaves 500 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:25,680 of the tree are for the healing of the nations you might go well I thought 501 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:32,000 we're in eternity right why is healing necessary in heaven I thought there's no 502 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:36,680 death and no disease and no sickness and no curse or anything that's a result of 503 00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:41,080 the curse and you're right none of that is there that word healing in the Greek 504 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:48,560 is the word therapy in we get our word therapy from that word healing right or 505 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:52,960 the word therapeutic something being therapeutic that's that's this word 506 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:58,160 that is rendered healing in in the Greek and so the word refers to that which 507 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:04,400 adds vigor to life or a supplement that enhances living so the idea here is that 508 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:09,320 that the root of this word or this word is carrying the idea that the leaves 509 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:14,000 aren't for healing because we're sick the leaves are just therapeutic they add 510 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:18,560 to they're just an enhancement to the life that we have there in heaven and 511 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:22,520 what's really interesting is the root of this word therapy in even though we get 512 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:26,680 our word therapy and therapeutic for it the root of the word carries the idea of 513 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:30,400 serving or ministering so it's almost like it's saying that the leaves of this 514 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:34,880 tree are gonna serve and minister to the nations how by adding to and just 515 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:40,600 enhancing life just bringing joy and vigor into life in eternity so then it 516 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:45,480 says there will no longer be any curse and that's really speaking of the curse 517 00:45:45,480 --> 00:45:50,360 that exists on us today because of sin right in heaven the curse is gone the 518 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:54,480 curse that man has lived with since the fall and all its effects right pain and 519 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:58,400 sorrow and death and disappointment and everything that was a result of the 520 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:03,560 curse is gone now this is in contrast to the millennial kingdom if you remember 521 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:07,400 during the millennial kingdom there are still aspects of death still present 522 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:12,400 right those that were raptured out come back with Jesus and glorified bodies but 523 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:15,880 there are humans who live through the tribulation and then live into the 524 00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:20,160 millennial kingdom who still have earthly bodies who are living and bearing 525 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:25,120 children right we read that in Isaiah 65 20 talking about the millennial kingdom 526 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:28,320 is as indeed the one who dies at a hundred years old will be mourned as a 527 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:33,240 young man so there's still death during the millennial kingdom physical death 528 00:46:33,240 --> 00:46:37,840 but in the new heaven and the new earth all aspects of death are gone it's it's 529 00:46:37,840 --> 00:46:41,040 gone permanently there's no more physical death there's no more spiritual 530 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:44,800 separation of any kind and instead of the curse it says the throne of God and 531 00:46:44,800 --> 00:46:49,680 of the Lamb will be in the city and his servants will worship him his servants 532 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:55,080 will worship him that word worship doesn't just mean singing songs it 533 00:46:55,080 --> 00:47:00,120 includes that it doesn't just mean you know vocal instrument or utterance or 534 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:05,040 instrument instrumentation or any of that right the idea of worship means to 535 00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:09,800 serve God by carrying out religious duties so the idea in heaven is that 536 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:13,800 we're not going to just be sitting there on a cloud strumming a harp we're not 537 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:19,600 just all in a big sanctuary just forever singing that we're gonna be doing 538 00:47:19,600 --> 00:47:24,600 things we're gonna be there's work in heaven there's there's activity in heaven 539 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:30,120 we will do stuff what stuff I don't know exactly but it does tell us that we will 540 00:47:30,120 --> 00:47:36,960 bring our glory and honor into the city we will be bringing everything that is 541 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:41,960 worth anything to him just to honor him with it perpetually it'll all be to and 542 00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:48,600 for the king of glory forever but instead of the picture of arduous curse 543 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:54,440 stained work right remember to go back to the garden they send and what was the 544 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:57,440 curse that landed on the man you're gonna have to work the land and it's 545 00:47:57,440 --> 00:48:02,560 gonna be hard right you're gonna have to strive to earn and to feed and to eat 546 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:08,640 and right that work isn't gonna be a bummer anymore it's gonna be this 547 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:12,840 blissful service to our king of glory forever it's gonna be awesome and so 548 00:48:12,840 --> 00:48:17,400 it's a picture of this blissful blessed joyful worship of God in our service to 549 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:22,720 him throughout all eternity then it says they will see his face verse 4 and his 550 00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:27,320 name will be on their foreheads night will be no more people will not need the 551 00:48:27,320 --> 00:48:30,920 light of the lamp or the light of the Sun because the Lord God will give them 552 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:36,240 light and they will reign forever and ever so this idea of seeing his face and 553 00:48:36,240 --> 00:48:42,100 his name on on their foreheads it's this picture of this heaven is is gonna be 554 00:48:42,100 --> 00:48:48,000 this place of just intimate face-to-face fellowship with God it's gonna be an 555 00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:52,400 eternal existence of being identified with him in the deepest and most 556 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:56,200 intimate and perfect of ways right there's there's never gonna be any doubt 557 00:48:56,200 --> 00:49:00,220 that you belong to God you know I know many Christians today right we go 558 00:49:00,220 --> 00:49:05,260 through stuff and sometimes we're like am I even saved you know and and we 559 00:49:05,260 --> 00:49:09,320 wrestle with such questions right because our sin nature still with it 560 00:49:09,320 --> 00:49:12,960 lives with us right Paul dealt with that Paul was like why do I do the things I 561 00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:16,940 don't want to do and why don't I do the things I want to do and I always love 562 00:49:16,940 --> 00:49:23,360 Paul's answer to that right oh thank God for Jesus that's it that's his answer 563 00:49:23,360 --> 00:49:31,680 thank God for Jesus because if it was up to me to be saved I'm lost of it's up to 564 00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:36,320 Jesus we're eternally saved and so this idea is that we're gonna be in this 565 00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:40,520 this perpetual just perfect fellowship without doubt of any kind and you know 566 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:45,280 because of Jesus we couldn't know something of the face of God today in 567 00:49:45,280 --> 00:49:50,540 second Corinthians 4 6 Paul Wright says he goes for God who said let light shine 568 00:49:50,540 --> 00:49:55,280 out of darkness has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of 569 00:49:55,280 --> 00:50:01,880 God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ knowing Jesus is to know something of 570 00:50:01,880 --> 00:50:09,440 the face of God it's in Jesus we get a glimpse of the glory of God it's veiled 571 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:13,960 it's not in its full radiance yet because we couldn't handle it but we see 572 00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:19,400 something of the glory of God in Jesus but Paul went on to anticipate an even 573 00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:24,320 greater fulfillment of seeing the face of God in first Corinthians 13 12 he 574 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:30,200 said for now we see only a reflection as in a mirror but then face to face now I 575 00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:36,440 know in part but then I will know fully as I am fully known and that is really 576 00:50:36,440 --> 00:50:41,000 the glory of heaven when we're in heaven nothing will interfere with our vision 577 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:47,360 of Jesus nothing will block our vision of Jesus nothing will impede our vision 578 00:50:47,360 --> 00:50:51,680 of Jesus we will see him clearly in his full glory because sin and death is done 579 00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:56,840 away with we will see him clearly because all worry and concern and anxiety 580 00:50:56,840 --> 00:51:02,320 is gone we're at peace we will see him clearly clearly because every idol every 581 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:08,240 false God every possible thing that that that we and our sinful nature would want 582 00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:13,680 to worship that's all gone it's a pure worship and the greatest glory of heaven 583 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:17,520 will be to know Jesus more intimately and more wonderfully than we ever could 584 00:51:17,520 --> 00:51:23,240 here on earth the darkness of this age will be gone forever and we will enjoy 585 00:51:23,240 --> 00:51:29,960 as it says an eternal rain an eternal rain you know it's just stands in a 586 00:51:29,960 --> 00:51:33,600 little bit of contrast to the millennial rain right that was a temporary thousand 587 00:51:33,600 --> 00:51:38,040 years and I know we go from one to the other but now it's raining forever and 588 00:51:38,040 --> 00:51:47,520 ever this rain with God our King of glory will be into all eternity without 589 00:51:47,520 --> 00:51:51,560 the presence of sin without the presence of death without the presence of 590 00:51:51,560 --> 00:51:57,680 separation from him it'll be perfection and I can't wait now what a city what a 591 00:51:57,680 --> 00:52:03,440 heaven what a paradise to look forward to the Word of God you know opens with 592 00:52:03,440 --> 00:52:07,600 the story of paradise lost that's what we see in the opening chapters of 593 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:10,440 Genesis and here at the end of scripture it closes with the story of 594 00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:16,560 paradise regained we see paradise being regained in the images of the river and 595 00:52:16,560 --> 00:52:21,480 the tree of life in the absence of the curse we see the picture of close 596 00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:27,200 intimate fellowship restored ruling and reigning with God resumed it's a perfect 597 00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:35,560 fulfillment of everything no more curse is a perfect restoration the throne in 598 00:52:35,560 --> 00:52:39,880 their midst it's a perfect government at that point the servants will serve it's 599 00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:44,680 perfect worship we're face to face with God a perfect transformation right we're 600 00:52:44,680 --> 00:52:49,240 able to be face to face with him his name on our foreheads is a perfect 601 00:52:49,240 --> 00:52:54,600 identification God be in the light we have perfect illumination forever and 602 00:52:54,600 --> 00:53:01,280 reigning in with him forever and ever is the perfect exaltation why choose 603 00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:07,160 anything else why choose anything else this this is the city that he has an 604 00:53:07,160 --> 00:53:13,160 instance has in store for those who are his those who call him Lord and Savior 605 00:53:13,160 --> 00:53:16,880 and master and friend it's it's a place where we will be always and forever 606 00:53:16,880 --> 00:53:20,880 satisfied at a perfect peace it's a place where it says the river of life 607 00:53:20,880 --> 00:53:25,160 flows the tree of life will perpetually bear fruit our needs will be 608 00:53:25,160 --> 00:53:29,440 perpetually fulfilled in every way it's where our deepest needs on every level 609 00:53:29,440 --> 00:53:37,840 will be forever fulfilled perfectly and it stands in such contrast to this life 610 00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:44,160 this life where we're tempted with sin and we know sin never satisfies sin 611 00:53:44,160 --> 00:53:48,000 always promises satisfaction but it always leaves us wanting more and more 612 00:53:48,000 --> 00:53:57,660 and it just ropes us in step by step but it never satisfies this world and all it 613 00:53:57,660 --> 00:54:04,800 has to offer never fully satisfies but a life following Jesus Christ it gives us 614 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:12,560 a taste of ultimate satisfaction now it's in Christ we could find a peace 615 00:54:12,560 --> 00:54:17,800 filled contentedness that only comes from knowing that your life is safe in 616 00:54:17,800 --> 00:54:22,440 the hands of the one who created you that your future is safe in the hands 617 00:54:22,440 --> 00:54:26,520 of the one who created you and the satisfaction that we can experience in 618 00:54:26,520 --> 00:54:34,880 him today it's just a glimpse of what is to come but if you know him it's a 619 00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:44,640 promise and a guarantee of that future let's pray father we love you so much we 620 00:54:44,640 --> 00:54:52,000 look forward to you we look forward to heaven God there's so much that happens 621 00:54:52,000 --> 00:54:56,440 in this life that would cause us to say I long for a place of perfect peace 622 00:54:56,440 --> 00:55:04,480 a place of perfect illumination perfect worship under a perfect government to be 623 00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:08,680 perfectly transformed to exist in your presence to be perfectly identified with 624 00:55:08,680 --> 00:55:18,400 you forever but God we're still here and Lord we look forward to this heaven but 625 00:55:18,400 --> 00:55:25,800 God help us to not forget that we have a call here and now to choose you to choose 626 00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:32,720 obedience to choose to reflect your glory in our lives to choose to do and 627 00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:42,080 be who you've called us to be to lay down the the sins the weights those 628 00:55:42,080 --> 00:55:53,800 things that ensnare us God to run the race after you to be like you to 629 00:55:53,800 --> 00:56:02,200 represent you to proclaim you in every way God and Lord we're so grateful Lord 630 00:56:02,200 --> 00:56:07,600 that that your word tells us that that that Lord yeah you you see the lives we 631 00:56:07,600 --> 00:56:11,440 live and you're blessed by that and yes there'll be reward for that God but Lord 632 00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:15,560 the ultimate reward is just to be in your presence in your glory forever 633 00:56:15,560 --> 00:56:21,440 without hindrance Lord we're gonna cast all our crowns at your feet we're gonna 634 00:56:21,440 --> 00:56:29,640 bring all glory and honor to you and it's gonna be awesome it's gonna be 635 00:56:29,640 --> 00:56:36,200 amazing Lord so God help us Lord to keep heaven inside as we live in this life 636 00:56:36,200 --> 00:56:39,960 help us to keep the new Jerusalem inside as we live in this life help us to to 637 00:56:39,960 --> 00:56:46,360 look forward to this perfect dwelling with you and that it would motivate us 638 00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:52,400 and inspire us to be who you're calling us to be while we're still here in this 639 00:56:52,400 --> 00:57:01,040 life and Lord we thank you for this word we thank you for these promises and we 640 00:57:01,040 --> 00:57:05,920 thank you for this revelation because the beauty of all that is you is really 641 00:57:05,920 --> 00:57:12,340 a revelation of the beauty of the glory of Jesus Christ and we thank you we love 642 00:57:12,340 --> 00:57:21,080 you so much teach us mold us and shape us use us be glorified in our lives it's 643 00:57:21,080 --> 00:57:45,680 in Jesus name we pray amen let's worship