Tag: new earth
The future is guaranteed!
Scripture reading for November 28th: 2nd Peter 3, Psalm 87, Proverbs 20
2nd Peter 3:`10-13 “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming Day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Peter’s closing letter to the Church of Jesus Christ was a bold statement of what the future ‘Day of the Lord’ would be like. No one of the world would know its coming–like a ‘thief’ was the description. But believers can be assured of what will happen because God has decreed it in His Word. The heavens and earth will be dissolved and renovated by fire at that appointed Day. Because of the certainty of this day coming and it’s destruction, believers should be motivated to live holy and godly lives while they wait for the promised ‘new heavens and new earth’, the home of eternal Righteousness in Jesus’ reign as King of Kings on Mt. Zion, the eternal City of God in the New Jerusalem. Only through God’s Word can man know with certainty the future!
Psalm 87:1-3 “On the holy mount stands the city He founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.” (Selah)
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the settled certainty that comes through trusting Your Word concerning future events. Your amazing plans are eternal and settled in heaven by Your Word and glorious power. Thank You for directing our steps into the Way of Christ and faith. We as believers are looking forward to Your rule as King of Kings in the City of God and enjoying the new heavens and new earth for ever!
Proverbs 20:24 “A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?”
Thankful to escape the Lake of Fire
Scripture reading for August 17th: Isaiah 66, Jeremiah 1-4
Key Scriptures: Isaiah 66:22-24 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the Lord. And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
Isaiah ends his book with God’s promise of the new heavens and the new earth that would endure for ever and ever. It would be the abode of all of God’s redeemed people. Every month and every week, all mankind would come and bow before their Creator and Redeemer in worship and adoration. The redeemed would also look upon those who had died in sin and rebellion against God. Their bodies would be under eternal attack from worms and unquenchable fire! The Lake of Fire is real!
Thankful for escape: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:12-14)
The Over-comers Inheritance!
Scripture reading for December 28th: Revelation 21
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Revelation 21:1, 5-8 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,. . .He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who over-comes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
The over-comer’s inheritance is the new heaven and new earth renovated by our Lord Jesus through the fires of His wrath! It is a gift of grace to those who faithfully followed and believed on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Liars, cowards, sexually immoral, idolaters, and unbelievers have only a fiery lake as their place of eternal torment!
Observations for over-comers: If you are born twice by faith in Jesus you totally escape the second death! “And the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. . . . .”And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me, their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathe-some to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:22-24)
New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem!
Scripture reading for December 30th: Revelation 21
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
God had promised through Isaiah to bring a new heaven and new earth. (Isaiah 65:17-19, 25) 66:22) This would come after the time of judgment after the millennial reign of Christ. God’s kingdom would fully come. God would dwell with His people as a husband with His Bride and fulfill the prophesy of “Emmanuel”, “God with us”! He would comfort His people, wiping away their tears and removing their need to mourn! The former things would not even be remembered, because God would make everything new! The earth would not be subject to decay and the animal kingdom would live in harmony with mankind in peace known before only in the Garden of Eden before the fall!
The new Jerusalem would be home of the Bride of Christ–Jerusalem would be made new and become a city of peace and joy with God in it’s center and it’s very light! It would have streets of pure gold and would be adorned with jewels and 12 giant pearls as it’s gates! “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Revelation 21:27) The kingdom would indeed be beyond what we, the saints, could hope for, think about or imagine!
The Holy City from Heaven!
Scripture reading for December 30th: Revelation 21:1-27
After the punishment of the wicked in the lake of fire, John watched the passing away of the first heaven and earth and a new heaven and earth appeared! What an experience that must have been! The view from heaven of this drama unfolding must have amazed and frightened John.
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” God’s desire has always been to dwell in the midst of His people. Sin brought separation of man from God, but God’s Son overcame and holds the key of death and Hades! (Revelation 1:18)
Now John saw a new heaven and earth and a Holy City, the New Jerusalem. This would be the dwelling place of man with God Himself. Death, sin, crying, and pain will be gone forever! God would wipe away all tears and fill each one with eternal joy in His presence! “You have made know to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)
“He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be His God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolater, and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”” (Revelation 21:6-8) There are two possible outcomes for any man. Those who overcome Satan and his lies will inherit the New Jerusalem and new heaven and earth. Those who don’t believe will get the Lake of Fire!
Compassion and Fire!
Scripture reading for August 4th: Isaiah 63-66
“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make Your name known to Your enemies and cause the nations to quake before You!” (Isaiah 64:1-2) Isaiah longs for God to appear on the earth and reveal His glory and power. He envisions the mountains quaking at God’s revealed presence. He can see the glory of the Lord appearing as a consuming fire that causes the wicked to quake in fear.
Earlier in his prophesy, Isaiah has envisioned the coming of the Redeemer as the “servant of the Lord” who would suffer and bear the sins and iniquities of His people. (Isaiah 52-53) God would come in compassion and mercy and deal with man’s deepest predicament: separation from God! Now, Isaiah prays for God to come in judgment of the wicked and in mercy to His people.
God answered Isaiah in the form of several prophetic words. God assured His people that He would act on their behalf to save them. He would also deal harshly with those who would forsake Him to run after gods of good luck and fortune. (Isaiah 65:11-12) God assured his servants that they would be cared for in the midst of judgment. (Isaiah 65:13-14) He promised to restore Jerusalem as a joy and delight to His people and remove the sound of weeping and crying from it forever. (Isaiah 65:18-19) In fact, a new heavens and new earth would be made that would endure forever! (Isaiah 66:22)
This same God who is a Father to His people will come in a different way to His foes. “See, the Lord is coming with fire, and His chariots are like the whirlwind; He will bring down His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with His sword the Lord will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:15-16) Not only will God’s many enemies be slain, but they will be tormented by worms and fire forever! (Isaiah 66:24) God is indeed compassionate and merciful to those who are humble and contrite and tremble at His word. (Isaiah 66:2) He is also an impartial judge to those who resist and rebel! Whose side will you be on, the many or the few?
“I Am Coming Soon!”
Scripture reading for December 31st: Revelation 20-22
The end of the Bible tells of a new beginning! All who were faithful to Christ get to live in a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells. All who enjoy this new beginning have been faithful and trusted Christ. He has faithfully done what He promised.
John sees a Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. This city is prepared like a bride for her husband. (Revelation 21:2) A voice from heaven announces that the dwelling place of God is among men and He will live with them. He will comfort them and change the order of their existence. There will be no more tears, crying or pain. God is making everything new and His word is sure!
There will be some who won’t enjoy these new eternal accommodations. These are the cowardly and unbelieving, those who put off deciding to follow the Lord. Those who are murderers and are sexually immoral will not be invited in. Those practicing the occult and living lies will also be excluded and sent to the lake of burning sulfur. This lake is the second death spoken of at the Great White Throne judgment. (Revelation 20:14-15)
However, the new Jerusalem contains the most precious and beautiful treasures for the redeemed. There is the river of life that flows from the throne of God. It’s waters are crystal clear and flowing abundantly. The banks of the river are lined with the tree of life, bearing fruit each month of the year. It’s leaves bring healing to the nations. The best treasure of all is that those who dwell in this city will have God and the Lamb dwelling in their midst and they will see His face! What blessed peace and joy will be ours when we see Him and behold Him in all His glory!
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:12-14)
Three times in this final chapter the Lord speaks of His soon return, and the final “blessed” concerns those who have their wedding clothes ready for His coming! The Spirit and Bride conclude with an invitation to all to come and join the Bridal party of those waiting for the soon return! Just reading the invitation to this party makes me want to be ready! May you be ready too!
As we come to the last day of this year, I am so blessed to have been able to write through the entire Bible. It is something that I haven’t done before but hope to do again next year! I know that I have experienced Jesus Christ in every book. I also know the Lord’s heart better and feel that I have grown spiritually in ways that I would not have without writing. Thank you for sharing this journey with me and please join me again next year! In His Love, Pastor John Morse