We often view the events in the Book of Revelation as the ending of all things. This is in fact only accurate from one angle. While the old Earth will pass away, God is eternal, and those who have a relationship with Him will abide in an eternal fellowship with Him. At the epic Battle of Armageddon, Christ will triumph and usher in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Last Sunday, in the final sermon of DUMC’s series on the Book of Revelation, Sr Ps Chris Kam shared a vision of the New Heaven and New Earth. This article is based on much of what was shared in that sermon, with some personal reflections. What can we expect from this renewal of all things at the end of our current history?
The Passing of the First Earth and the Ushering of the New Earth
Firstly, before the ushering in of the New Heaven and Earth, everything that is currently on Earth would have been totally destroyed in the cosmic battle between Christ and Satan. The first Earth will melt away entirely, and many passages in the Bible describe the burning of the elements. Jesus Himself tells us that this first heaven and earth will pass away (Luke 21:33)
Because this current place has been corrupted and broken by sin, it was never meant to last for eternity. In the same way that everything holds together in God, He can unmake them entirely. Everything that we know – even all the laws of order – will be gone. It is therefore our priority that we live lives worthy of Christ and set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2) rather than the temporal things on this frail and mortal plane. When everything is gone, there will be a place for us in the new Heaven and new Earth.
Secondly, with the passing of the old comes the new. This is not just God making some renovation or improvement of the first Earth. The original word used to describe this is “kainos”-fresh, unused, unworn, and unprecedented. When God created the Garden of Eden, everything was new and perfect. There was no war, no predators, and no food chain. God had provided everything that was needed for a perfect life and everything was in harmony. The New Heaven and New Earth will be just like it was in the Garden of Eden in all of these things.
What Will the New Heaven and New Earth Look Like?
In Revelation 21:1, we read that there will be no more sea in the New Heaven and Earth. This in itself is striking in its contrast with the current Earth. The seas separate nations from nations, and during the ancient days, it used to take months, if not years, to cross this huge gulf. With the sea no longer on the New Heaven and Earth, there will be no more separation.
The Book of Revelation also described the capital city of the new Earth. The capital city of the new earth is known as the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2, 3, 15-16, 22-23). Unlike all the other cities that were built by man, this new capital will be built by God. It will be unlike anything we have ever seen. The city is described as being in the shape of a cube, each side measuring 2,200 km long (and as wide and high). The cubic design of the New Jerusalem is very much similar to the inner sanctuary called the Holy of Holies which was also in the shape of a perfect cube but much smaller at 15 feet long, wide, and high.
In this city, God will make His dwelling place among His people. We will be near to God in our glorified bodies. The whole city will shine with the divine light and glory from God, and the glory will be such that the sun or moon will no longer be needed to shine on it.
Ps Chris shared that this new eternal home is evidently very unfamiliar to us. It sounds very much like science fiction. It is distinctively different from everything we have ever known, where there will be no more death, mourning, or pain (Revelation 21:4). There will also be no more ageing or sickness; no more suffering. It is hard for us currently to imagine such a perfect home. It is as the Scripture says, the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the new has come.
Sadly, not everyone we know in life will have a place in this new home (Revelation 21:7-8;27). The eternal city will be full of people whose names are in the Book of Life. It is for the faithful, the ones who held on and truly believed that Jesus is the Son of God, who died and was resurrected so that we may have eternal life. As true disciples of Christ, we are to keep to a life of faith and close walk with Christ. And we are also to share the good news with our close ones while there is still time so that their names too will be in the Book of Life.
God is preparing a place for us where everything will be new. These are the things that stand out about the new eternal home. It will be a completely new place where there will be nothing from the past. In this new place, God will be dwelling with us and we will have glorified bodies. We will be in constant peace, joy, and awe at God’s majesty and overflowing mercy, glory, and grace. Most importantly, we know that Jesus is coming soon with His rewards, to give to every man according to his ‘works’ (Revelation 22:12).
This is our story. We are to stay faithful and look forward to His coming. Christ is faithful and He will bring us to join Him in this eternal new place someday, and we will dwell close to God in this new and perfect home forever.
Note: While the broad outlines of this article are based on the content of a sermon shared by Ps Chris Kam at DUMC on April 30, 2022, it is in no way meant to indicate a direct correlation with Ps Chris’s original message. This is a personal and independent article from the writer, mainly intended to provide a simple summary of the message with some personal reflections.
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