The New Heaven and Earth
Have you ever wondered about heaven? In the final message from the book of Revelation, “The New Heaven and Earth”, Pastor Dave Gustavsen explains that heaven is a real, physical place, where believers will find deep satisfaction and fulfillment. And, not only that, we’ll be in the presence of God forever! Who doesn’t want to experience this “happily ever after?”
Good morning, Chapel family. Good to see everybody today. I can’t wait to celebrate the resurrection with you next Sunday! And just to remind you, there are three service times on Easter—8:45, 10:00, and 11:15. All three services will be identical—so don’t choose your service time based on music style—it’s all the same style. And just to be clear: we’re only adding that third service for Easter. We might need to add a third service permanently sometime in the future, but for now it’s just for Easter. And one more thing: we are expecting our biggest crowds at the middle service—the 10:00 service. So here’s my request: if you are a regular here at The Chapel, I want to ask you to consider attending either the early service—the 8:45—or the late service—11:15. In other words, leave as many seats as possible for guests at that 10:00 service. So…it’s going to be a great day. Please pray for God to move in powerful ways on Easter.
Okay—we have spent the last couple of months in the book of Revelation. I mentioned recently that we’ve gotten a lot of feedback on this series. So I just wanted to share one with you—this is from an email I received from a young woman last week: “Revelation has always been an intimidating book for me to read and I have gotten so much out of this series so thank you! I would say it has really spurred me on and leaves me wanting to know more about the Lord.” I love hearing that, and that’s the kind of thing we’ve been hearing all through this series. So thanks to all of you who’ve given feedback, and thanks to our small group leaders and our Student Ministry leaders who are taking what’s in the sermons, and helping people to understand it and live it out. It’s just been really encouraging to see how God has used this series in the life of our church.
So Revelation is a letter, written by John the Apostle to a group of churches around 95 AD. If I had to summarize the message of this letter, I’d say it like this: The world is getting darker. Opposition to Christ and his church is getting stronger. But—everybody together: God is in control, and in the end—everybody: God wins. So stand firm in your faith. (By the way, you’re going to be haunted by those five phrases—you’re not going to be able to get them out of your head). So that was the message to believers in the first century; it’s the same message we need to hear today.
So…today we come to the last two chapters of Revelation, so obviously we’re going to talk about heaven. When you think about heaven, what comes to mind? There’s a popular NBC comedy series called The Good Place. Anybody seen it? Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. It’s all about heaven. And early in the series, the residents of heaven realize there’s a problem. One of them says, “You get here, and you realize that anything is possible, and you do everything and then you’re done. But you still have infinity left. This place kills fun, and passion, and excitement and love.” So in the final season, they realize there’s actually an escape door—so when heaven becomes unbearably boring, you can walk out that door and end your existence. Now, maybe some of you feel offended that anyone would think such a thing. But it’s a concept that a lot of people have wrestled with. Because eternity is a long time! What will we do? How will we not get bored? What will it actually be like? That’s what I want to talk about today. Because if we want to stand firm in our faith, it is so crucial that we have a compelling vision of the future that awaits us.
So, Revelation 21, starting in verse 1. I invite you now to hear the Word of God…
1 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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘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.”
5 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.”
6 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 water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Now go to chapter 22, verse 1…
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Go to verse 16…
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. And then verse 20…
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord.
So, based on Revelation 21 and 22, what I would like to do this morning is build a description of heaven.
So here’s the first phrase: Heaven is…A real, physical place. I don’t know about you, but the earliest depiction of heaven I can remember from my childhood is from Tom & Jerry cartoons. Anyone remember that? Tom the cat dies and goes to heaven, and you see him sitting on a…cloud, playing a…harp. You might have never seen Tom & Jerry, but for a lot of people, that’s how they imagine heaven. You leave this world, and you go up to this place, and it’s very ethereal and soft and filled with clouds and angels and soft music. But the main thing is, you leave this world and you go to this other place.
Now, in one sense, that is sort of what happens to believers who die now. I’m not saying harps and clouds. But the Bible does teach that when believers die now, their soul—their spirit—goes immediately into the presence of God. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So it’s true that we leave this world and go to another place. But that’s just temporary. That’s just like a connecting flight until we get to our final destination. Because when Jesus comes back and wraps this whole thing up, heaven will not be this place up in the clouds.
Look at Revelation 21:1…Then I saw “a new heaven and new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Remember how the Bible starts? In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And when it says “the heavens” it’s talking about the sky—space above us. So way back in time, in the beginning, God created the sky and the earth, and it was good…before it got messed up. Before sin entered in and infected the system. So now, it says in Romans 8 that all of creation is groaning, under the bondage of decay. Don’t you see that decay when you look around? Don’t you see it in pollution and natural disasters and climate change, just to name a few? But there’s a day coming, says Romans 8, when all creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay. And that’s the moment Revelation is talking about. It says one day, there’s going to be a new heaven and a new earth. New sky and earth. In other words, God’s original creation will be redeemed and restored to the way it was always meant to be. Isn’t that a breathtaking thought? And that is where we get to spend eternity—not on a cloud playing a harp, thank God.
Look at the next verse—Revelation 21:2…I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming…where? down out of heaven from God… See, ultimately—in eternity—we don’t go “up to heaven”; heaven comes down to earth!
And in these final two chapters of Revelation, it talks about what life will be like on this redeemed, restored earth. And I want to invite you to dream a little bit. Allow your mind to just enter into this reality for a minute…
Revelation 21:4 says there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Can you imagine? No funerals…no tumors…no car accidents…no overdoses…no more teenage kids committing suicide…no more need for Saint Jude Children’s hospital, because there won’t be any more kids getting cancer. Can you even imagine that world? Whatever it is that causes you mourning or crying or pain—whether it’s broken relationships or depression or disappointment or loneliness or being hurt by other people, those things will be removed. All of it, swept away. A distant memory.
In verse 1, it says there was no longer any sea. What does that mean? Does that literally mean the redeemed earth won’t have any oceans? I don’t think so. Because God’s original creation had oceans—that’s part of God’s perfect design. I think this is pointing so something else. All through the Bible, the sea represents chaos and danger. Remember, back in Revelation, the beast came out of the sea. Jonah was thrown overboard into the raging sea. The disciples of Jesus almost drowned in the sea. A few summers ago, I almost drowned in the sea. So the sea is a symbol of chaos and danger. And in this redeemed creation, there will no longer be any chaos or danger. I almost can’t wrap my mind around that, can you? A world without any drama? There’s drama everywhere now! Not just in Ukraine; there’s drama in my own house! There’s drama in my own head—sometimes it’s like a raging sea. But not in the new heaven and earth. Peace will prevail. Like Isaiah predicted, They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Allow yourself to imagine that, and long for that.
It will be a place of deep satisfaction and fulfillment. In Revelation 22:1, John sees the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God. Have you ever felt restless and empty and thirsty for something more—like there’s something missing? Most of us know what that feels like. But in this new creation we will be deeply satisfied and refreshed and filled.
Overall, God is showing us that the new heaven and earth will be like the Garden of Eden, restored to its unspoiled condition. So every glimpse of beauty we get in this world is like a little hint of what’s to come.
One morning I was at the shore, and I woke up early to see the sunrise. So I came up over the dune, and I saw this ahead of me—the sun was starting to color the sky. So it was beautiful, but I’ve seen that before. But then I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and I turned around and I literally caught my breath. Because here’s what I saw on the western horizon. At the same time the sun was coming up! And this picture doesn’t do it justice—it was a complete rainbow—I could see both ends. And I kept turning back and forth to see the sun rising, and the rainbow stretching over the sky. And I thought, “God, you’re just showing off, aren’t you?” It was one of those moments when I was so struck by the staggering beauty and awesomeness of this world that God designed. Have you experienced those moments? And heaven will be better.
I have to show you one more. There’s a hiking trail near my house where you climb to the top, and there’s a nice view of the Manhattan skyline. And many times, I thought about how amazing it would be to be standing there as the sun is rising—but that means you’d have to hike up in the dark. So the week before Christmas this last year, I finally did it. woke up about 5am. I put on my headlamp; I hiked up the mountain in the dark, and I reached the summit just as the sun was rising, and here’s what I saw. Midtown Manhattan with the Empire State Building in the middle; downtown with Freedom Tower on the right, and all of it against the most spectacular sky I’ve ever seen. And heaven will blow that away.
Saint Augustine, the great theologian, was once looking at the sun setting over the Mediterranean Sea, and he said, “If these are the beauties afforded to sinful men, what does God have in store for those who love him?” Well said. See, ultimately, we don’t go up to heaven; heaven comes down to us. And it will be awesome beyond our wildest imagination. As I get older, as I accept my own mortality, I’m just telling you, I’m starting to long for that place.
Okay—let’s keep building our description: Heaven is: A real, physical place, where we’ll do real, meaningful things…
Michael Shermer is a famous atheist, and he wrote this: “If there is no disease, sickness, aging, or death in heaven, if there are no obstacles to overcome and nothing to work for, what is there to do? Forever is a long time to be blissfully bored.” And that’s the same question raised by The Good Place—that TV series, right. Like, isn’t it going to get old, quick? Isaac Asimov, the science fiction writer, said it more bluntly. He said, “Whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse.” So is that true? Will we be bored out of our minds?
And the answer is “No,” of course. But why not?
Well, because we’re going to have a job to do. You and I will actually have a role to play on the redeemed earth. Look what it says back in Revelation 5, verse 10. This is the elders around the throne in heaven, singing about how Jesus will put us to work in the future:
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.
So in the future heavenly kingdom, believers will act as priests—which means we will stand between God and creation, representing God to the rest of creation. And we will reign over the earth—so we will exercise some kind of authority or dominion over the earth. 1 Corinthians 6:3 says believers will one day “judge the angels,” so this could involve actually ruling over angels, which I know is a crazy thought. But doesn’t this remind you of God’s original creation? When God first created Adam and Eve, what did he tell them to do? “Rule over every living thing that lives on the earth.” In other words, “You’re in charge. Take good care of the place. Be a good steward of it. Nurture it and care for the
earth.” Adam and Eve didn’t do a great job of that—after they named the animals, things went downhill pretty quick. But in the new creation, we’ll get another shot at it…and this time it’s going to go really well.
So even though the Bible doesn’t get into details, you can be certain you’ll have a job to do, and it’s going to be the best job you’ve ever had. Revelation 22:3 says “no longer will there be any curse.” So the curse that infected Adam and Eve’s work will be gone, which means all the parts of work that are dreary and monotonous and soul-shriveling and dehumanizing will be taken away. So it’s a massive job—reigning and ruling over the earth! It’s a challenging job! But it will be incredibly fulfilling. If you think of the most interesting, rewarding, enjoyable job you’ve ever had, it will be like that…but infinitely better.
And the Bible doesn’t give us much more detail. We can only dream about how we’ll spend our time. Anthony Hoekema, the theologian, wrote this…
Will there be better Beethovens on the new earth? Shall we see better Rembrandts, better Raphaels? Shall we read better poetry, better drama, and better prose? Will scientists continue to advance in technological achievements? Will geologists continue to dig out the treasures of the earth, and will architects continue to build imposing and attractive structures? Will there be enticing new adventures in space travel?
The Bible doesn’t answer any of those questions! But he’s asking the right questions. Because the future God has for us will be life the way life was intended to be. And I can promise you, it will be anything but boring. And the more I think about that, the more my soul starts to ache for heaven.
But this last part of our description is by far the best part. Heaven is…A real, physical place where we’ll do real, meaningful work in the actual presence of God. This is the biggest reason heaven could never be boring: God is there! Revelation 21:3 says it clearly: God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Just let that concept sink in for a minute: what will that be like?
There’s a section of chapter 21 that we didn’t read. Remember the New Jerusalem, that came down out of heaven? In 21:15, it says this angel that was showing John around took a measuring rod, and he measured the city. And it was laid out in a perfect square. That’s really strange, because the actual Jerusalem isn’t laid out in a square. But you know what was? The Holy of Holies—that spot in the very center of the temple where God’s presence would show up. And once a year, on Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—the High Priest alone would get to experience the actual presence of God. What an incredible privilege, to play that role! So here’s what this is saying: in eternity, on the redeemed earth, listen: all of creation will be the Holy of Holies. Everywhere you go, you will be walking on holy ground.
For me, there are certain moments in life when I feel the presence of God in a really tangible way. Like when I stand on the top of a mountain or when I’m singing certain worship songs in this congregation, or when I saw my children being born. It feels like God is breaking through and he’s just right there! You know that feeling? Heaven is going to feel like that all the time. All the time! And you say, “I don’t think my brain could handle that! I don’t think my heart could handle that!” But you’re thinking too small. Because in that redeemed earth, you will have a glorified, permanent body (which, by the way, I’m really hoping it will be my 18-year-old body), but the point is, you’ll have a resurrected body, with a resurrected brain and heart, so you’ll actually be able to take it all in! You’ll have the capacity to experience and enjoy the presence of God in a million different ways as you serve him and worship him and explore the wonders of his creation in community with his people for all of eternity. Whew.
The fact that we’ll be in the actual presence of God has so many more implications. It says in Revelation 21:4 that God himself will wipe every tear from our eyes. Which means we’ll have absolutely no regrets. Imagine never again beating yourself up for all the things you’ve done wrong--all the things you wish you could do over. Can you imagine the weight lifted off your shoulders? In Revelation 22:5 it says They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. The very presence of God will light up everything, so there won’t be any more danger or despair or depression, or any of those other things that go along with darkness. And we could go on and on, because the presence of God changes absolutely everything. Like it says in Psalm 16, “In your presence is fullness of joy.” None of us has ever experienced “fullness of joy.” We’ve had glimpses of joy. But in heaven our joy will overflow in ways we’ve never even dared to dream.
Heaven is a real, physical place, where we’ll do real, meaningful things, in the actual presence of God. Anybody looking forward to that day?
When my kids were young, I read them The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. In case you’re not familiar, it’s a series of children’s books that teach about Jesus. And at the very end of the last book, the main characters die, and they realize they’re in heaven. And I want to read you the last paragraph:
…the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
If you’ve been feeling the pain of life, which most of us have, you need to know this life is not the end of the story. In fact, it’s just the first couple of pages. And when we see God face to face, that’s when the real story begins. Amen? So stand firm in your faith. This ends really, really well.
So…what do we do now? How do we respond to what we’ve all just experienced together?
Peter Kreeft, who teaches philosophy at Boston College and King’s College, wrote this:
Suppose God took you on a crystal ball trip into your future and you saw with indubitable certainty that despite everything—your sin, your smallness, your stupidity—you could have free for the asking your whole crazy heart's deepest desire: heaven, eternal joy. Would you not return fearless and singing? What can earth do to you, if you are guaranteed heaven? To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny—less, a scratch on a penny.
I like that. If we truly believe the vision we’ve just seen—and I have to say, I believe it more than I ever have before—then the only thing that makes sense is to return to our life fearless and singing. What could this world possibly do to us, if we’re guaranteed heaven? Amen? So let’s close out this series fearless and singing.
Would you rise and pray with me?
