What will heaven be like? Is it about cloud fights, harp lessons and choir practice? Do you have to talk your way around St. Peter to get in? I recently prepared a talk on Revelation 21, the chapter that answers these questions. Here are the notes I took on the passage as I read it in the Thai Basil Café, Wollongong, eating deep fried icecream with caramel sauce.
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. | We don't “die and go to heaven” we live on a new earth. First heaven and earth pass away—but the new heaven and the new earth are permanent. C.S. Lewis depicted the permanence of the new creation by everything being rock hard and unchangeable—the person who wasn't from heaven couldn't even walk on the grass—it would pierce his feet. (The Great Divorce) Hebrews 12:26–27 says it in terms of what can and can't be “shaken”: “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken...” This affects all of our thinking about this world, e.g. how we view our possessions, environmentalism “No more sea” Not necessarily literal but what is the symbolic meaning? Could be:
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21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. | Why is God marrying Jerusalem? Jerusalem is a lot more important than we think (Zion is the mountain Jerusalem is built on): Psalm 128:5 “The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!” Psalm 137:5–6 “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” Psalm 135:21 “Blessed be the Lord from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 125:1 “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” Ezekiel 16: the story of God's love for Jerusalem. It is shocking that he is still marrying her given her chasing after other lovers and prostituting herself. “Out of heaven from God” Perhaps Jerusalem is God's gift for the earth? It's set in place like a jewel in a crown—the greatest part of the new creation, the capital city of the world. “Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” Ephesians 5:25–27 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” |
21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. | The Bible is the history of God wanting to live with his people:
Now it is accomplished permanently in the new creation—the problem of sin is dealt with. |
21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” | Knowing that such a future is coming helps us to endure the pain and suffering of these “former things”. “Death shall be no more” So we live forever. Nothing will separate us from God. |
21:5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” | “Making all things new” The new creation started with us (2 Corinthians 5) and is now completed. |
21:6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. | “It is done!” Similar to Jesus on the cross: “It is finished”. Taken together these statements indicate that God's purposes are accomplished. “Alpha and the Omega” It all begins in God, ends in God. God began everything for his purposes and brings it to completion. “To the thirsty...” Are you thirsty? Aware of your spiritual poverty? John 4:10: “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” “Without payment” It's all grace—we can't contribute to our salvation, we just need to admit we're thirsty. |
21:7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. | “The one who conquers” See the letters to the churches in chapters 2 and 3—it's the Christian who makes it to the end who gets this inheritance. Starting as a Christian and getting distracted won't do any good. “He will be my son.” Not only talking about men but symbolically about all Christians. Girls (in Bible times) get married to other people's heirs and leave the family—these sons (men and women) are all God's heirs, receiving his inheritance. |
21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” | Why cowardly? Is it those who've denied Christ? Evil is destroyed for ever by destroying people. “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” is mistaken. It's the sinner that must be destroyed. Lying is characteristic of evil, which doesn't love the truth. |