How Beautiful Heaven Must Be!

Revelation 21:1-8

Beauty of Heaven

• New dwelling place (vs.1)– “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

• Heaven: God’s present dwelling place; Man’s Future Dwelling place

– 1 Peter 1:4,5; 2 Peter 3:13

Beauty of Heaven

• Jerusalem: city of God, place of worship (vs.2)– “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New

Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

• Heaven filled with praises to God (Rev.5:9-13)• Heaven’s beauty and splendor “as a bride”

Beauty of Heaven

• Dwell in fellowship with God (vs.3)– “And I heard a loud voice from heaven

saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

• Enter God’s tent• Share blessings of His family

Beauty of Heaven

• No More Suffering! (vs.4)– “And God will wipe away every tear from

their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

• Sin brought suffering and death—Gen.2:16,17• Spiritual and Physical death—Gen.3:19,24• All forms of sin, suffering, and death “passed

away”

Beauty of Heaven

• New order prepared by God, His promise is true! (vs.5)– “Then He who sat on the throne said,

Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

• God is not false, fickle or forgetful—Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; 2 Peter 3:9

• Hope anchored in promise of God and victory of Christ—Hebrews 6:17-20

Beauty of Heaven

• Eternal Life (vs.6)– “And He said to me, It is done! I am the

Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”

• God’s purpose is complete, certain, final• Alpha--God has always been; points to the origin

of all things• Omega--God will always be; points to completion

of things• He offers eternal life to all who will receive it

Beauty of Heaven

• For God’s prepared people (vs.7)– “He who overcomes shall inherit all things,

and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

• Preparation: Stand for truth and right at any cost, against all odds.

• Only prepared people enter God’s heavenly home and family

Beauty of Heaven

• Hell’s horror vs. heaven’s blessing (vs.8)– “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,

murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Horrors of Hell!

• Satan’s dwelling place– Cries of anguish– Fellowship with Satan and every sinner– No rest from suffering– Inconceivable punishment– Eternal torment– For those who have weak and wicked

character

Christ Shows the Way to Heaven

A. John 14:1-6 Christ: The only way, truth, and life

B. Hebrews 9:8; 10:19-20 His death opened the way to heaven

C. 1 Corinthians 15:23-26 He’ll deliver the kingdom to His Father in heaven

Must Find and Enter His Kingdom

A. Christ proclaimed the kingdom near Matthew 4:17; 5:3 “At hand”—prepared

men to receive it Matthew 16:18-19 To be established

through apostles’ preaching Mark 9:1 people of his time would see it Matthew 28:18-20 apostles to proclaim

Him as King

Must Find and Enter His Kingdom

B. Kingdom established In Jerusalem on Pentecost A.D. 33

Acts 1:3-8 Apostles waited in Jerusalem Acts 2:29-36 Preached Christ on His

throne Acts 2:37-38 To submit to King Christ,

enter His Kingdom Acts 2:41, 47 Many entered His kingdom

Contrast His Kingdom and Others

Christ’s KingdomChrist’s Kingdom Christ: Founder,

Head Introduced by

apostles’ preaching

Founded in Jerusalem

A.D. 33 Enter by faith:

Repent, confess Christ, and be baptized

Other ReligionsOther ReligionsWrong founder, headIntroduced by wrong doctrines and CommandsFounded in wrong placeAt wrong timeWrong entrance:

• Baptism only• Faith only

NOT EQUAL

If You Die Today,What Is Your Destiny?

Beauty of HeavenWith

God Forever

Horror of HellWith

Satan Forever