It is such a wonderful day today because you know what? Today we're one day closer to Heaven. It's always something to think about. You know, Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, for God's people, earthly worship, and Heavenly thoughts, they just naturally go together.
Because on this earth we are but strangers and pilgrims. We are looking for something that is so much better. We preach about the city that has foundations, and we offer prayers that reflect our longing for that better country. When we think about Heaven, we think about that great reward that awaits us. We think about our Savior who died to make it possible for us to go and spend eternity there with God and with our Savior.
Gratitude fills our hearts when we think about this. Through Christ's poverty, we may become rich. His blood makes it possible to wash our robes white. Therefore, we will have the right to enter into that Great City. We'll have the right to the Tree of Life and may enter by the gates into the City. To those gates, we are closer daily, but yet it seems that we are still so far away.
Do you think about Heaven?
Abraham Looked for a City
Abraham thought about Heaven.
- Hebrews 11:8-16
•Obeyed God but never inherited promised land.
Abraham believed God. He trusted in God. He went somewhere that God told him to go. He didn't know where that was. He went there anyway. You know, he believed God. His knowledge was not complete, he obeyed God though. He never inherited the land of promise. He was told that all of this, his descendants would inherit, but he never did inherit that land.
•Tents = nomadic life of God’s people of all ages.
You think about, how Abraham traveled throughout Canaan, he traveled into Egypt and back and around Canan. He had a nomadic life. He lived in tents. He dwelt as a stranger and a pilgrim in the land.
This nomadic life of God's people of all ages is represented here. We are not here to live permanently. This is not our permanent home. We are passing through this as we look forward to that, better land, that better country. Abraham saw from afar down through the stream of time. He saw this great promise. He saw this better country and the thought of it is what kept him going.
You know, neither a tent in Canaan nor an estate in Chaldea could provide a permanent resident to satisfy the longings of our soul. You know? So he look for a city with foundations whose builder and maker is God, the earthly could not suffice.
• Saw the better country from afar.
He knew it was temporary. He knew it was only for a while. He looked forward to something better, something eternal. He saw that from afar, and that's what kept him moving, kept him going. Accordingly, we must realize that we have no abiding city. We must look for that city that has foundations for the city which is to come.
We Too Are Looking for a City
- Hebrews 13:14
God reveals in scripture a heavenly city, incomparable in beauty, incredible, and its size in its structural integrity in that city. Its citizens will enjoy infinite happiness and inconceivable privileges.
God has prepared this city for those that love him.
Jesus is preparing a place.
- John 14:1-3
Jesus is preparing that place for us. He's made the way for us to get there. As in the case of the old patriarchs, God prepared a city for us also.
They're Preparing a City for us.
- Hebrews 11:16
As a bride prepared for her husband.
- Revelation 21:2
You see, everything is going to be perfect. Prepared perfection for those that love God.
And so think about what God has revealed about the eternal city. The eternal city of divine design and construction, and we think about that.
Would we not want to cast a wishful eye toward that? We see the beauty of Heaven and the picture that we have of the beauty of Heaven makes us want to go there. And so as we think about Heaven. We ought to think about it seriously.
We ought to think about it every single day.
John’s Vision of the Heavenly City
- Revelation 21:1-22:5
The Figures of the Bride and the City
We see a vision, or John received a vision, of that Heavenly city. We see a vision of the home of the soul, and here he employs the figures of the bride in the city.
Bride suggests a relationship between the church and the Lamb.
And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. You know, the symbol of the bride suggests the relationship between the church and the lamb.
The Bride is the object of His love.
•She is holy and without blemish.
The bride is the object of his love. She is holy and without blemish and has made herself ready to be joined to the lamb for eternity.
- Revelation 19:7-8
Of the saints now notice the relationship between the bride and the church, the relationship between Christ and the church, or the bride in the city and Christ and the church.
- Ephesians 5:23-27
Symbolic language is meant to give our finite minds a sense of the infinite.
Now the symbol of the city relates a number of ideas about the place that God has prepared for the people who are the bride of the lamb.
Earthly figures provide only the merest glimpse of the actual glories of Heaven.
- Revelation 21:1-22:5
We're gonna read the entire chapter and on it into chapter twenty-two. And as we read this together, let's keep one thing in mind, this is symbolic language meant to give our finite minds, a sense of the infinite, using words and ideas that we can understand. What Heaven will truly be like, will be, is really beyond our ability to conceptualize or grasp. These earthly figures though, provide only the nearest glimpse of the actual glories of God. You know, in John's vision, he's like a man who is describing to a blind person something that he is seeing. He uses symbols, he uses ideas, he uses concepts that we can understand, but we can't really get the real picture. We can't really get the real idea of what it is in its fullness and its glory.
You think about the beauty that's described. The beauty that we can barely conceive of. The beauty that describes the indescribable, the beauty of Heaven. When we look at this here, we see the incomparable beauty of this. You know, it reflects the glory of God as he saw it coming down.
The Heavenly City’s Beauty: Incomparable
Reflects the Glory of God
The vision of incomparable beauty is like this massive crystal descending from Heaven. It's so stunning. It's so beautiful.
- Revelation 21:11, 18
It's almost like this beautiful diamond coming down. So glimmering, so glorious, so beautiful.
You imagine that gold polished to such a shine, that it's clear as glass is a perfect mirror. The jasper wall surrounds the city and the foundations of all precious stones.
The vision's focus is on the unparalleled beauty of this city built by God for those who love Him. As 12 gates were made from solid pearls and the street was pure gold, like transparent glass. As we think about that, just the sheer beauty of this is striking. It doesn't compare with anything on earth.
The Heavenly City's Size & Structure: Incredible
And then as we look at the size and the structure of the city, it's just incredible.
You know, the city with its foundations is of incredible size and has great structural integrity. You know, we have another aspect of the city introduced to accentuate the point that there is no city, like God's city.
The city is four square. Surrounded by massive walls with 12 gates three on each side. It is 12,000 by 12,000.
- 1,500 x 1,500 x 1,500 mi.3
Furlongs are 1500 miles times 1500 miles square, and it's as high as it is, uh, in its squareness, and so it is 1500 miles cubed.
- 2.25 M. mi.2 (Australia)
The square area of it is about the size of Australia, just a little bit smaller than Australia at 2.25 million square miles. Again, that's the picture of this gigantic city.
- 12 foundation stones each 500 mi. long
Would you consider the foundations? And remember, that there are these 12 stones and it is almost like each stone is a section of the foundation, each way. If that's the case, then each would be 500 miles long. You imagine a stone, a jasper stone, or a precious jewel, 500 miles long.
You know, the city does have foundations, massive foundations.
- Symbolizes that God’s city is without comparison.
The incredible size and structural integrity of the city symbolize that God's city is without comparison, it does not compare to anything on earth. It is a prepared place for the eternal habitation of all the saved of all ages. It is a city built to last forever.
You think about those massive foundations. A building is only as strong as its foundation. And if the foundation is infinitely strong, then that building will stand.
And so, as we look at the beauty and the size, the majesty of this great structure that God has built for those that love Him, that will last forever. Don't you want to anticipate living in this city through a life of service to the Eternal Builder? Would you be willing to make any necessary sacrifice to be joined to that Lamb for eternity?
Life in the Heavenly City: All-Inclusive Happiness
We think about the life that is in that city, you know, all-inclusive happiness. In the city with foundations, the bride of the Lamb enjoys all-inclusive happiness.
Today, you know, the idea of a big city, you know, what does that bring to mind? It brings to mind things like violence, poverty, gangs, drugs, and things of that nature. Heavily populated areas are not usually a place where people feel safe or want to venture out at night. In earth's big cities life is taken at a whim and people lock their doors.
But God's city is a place of ideal security.
It is a place free from fear and danger.
- Revelation 21:18
There is no place in Heaven for any of that. The former things are passed away.
- Revelation 21:4
There will be no mourning, no separation, no crying, no pain, and the valley of the shadow of death is nothing but a distant memory. Because death shall be no more.
The water of life.
The infinite happiness deriving from God's presence is expressed in the beautiful picture.
- Revelation 22:1-5
The infinite happiness deriving from God's presence is expressed. Outta the throne of God flows the river of the water of life.
The Tree of Life
Both banks are shaded by the Tree of Life. It yields fruit every month. Its leaves are for the healing of nations. As the life-giving, all-satisfying, ever-bearing tree is described emphatically, we realize there shall be no more curse. The river flows directly from the throne of God. He is the source of eternal happiness.
The perpetual fruit illustrates the everlasting satisfaction of all of our needs. The healing properties, the leaves, are available for all the nations, those who have the right to the Tree of Life by being washed in the blood of the Lamb. And, in these symbols, we see images of the truth that God will take care of our every need. Every issue we have, every care in our minds, every worrisome thought that we might entertain, every memory that may arise, God will take care of us forever.
That means that this city is one absolute; all-inclusive happiness and healing God himself is the guarantee of that. And so, in this Heavenly city, there is nothing but happiness, nothing but joy in the presence of God, and in the service of God.
So, you have the Water of Life, you have the Tree of Life
Life in the Heavenly City: Inconceivable Privileges
Presence of God
And then in this city, you have the inconceivable privileges that come from it. The soul's home is where the bride of the Lamb enjoys these privileges. We will be with God Himself right there. Regardless of how beautiful the city may or may not be God is there. What a privilege! that we would have to be there to be in the presence of God Himself.
Inherit blessings
We will be His children and inherit exclusive blessings.
- Revelation 22:6-7
God and the Lamb are the Light
You know, we'll inherit those blessings if we are faithful to God. The glory of God will be our sun. The Lamb will be our lamp.
- Revelation 21:23, 24-27
His name upon us.
The glory and honor of Heaven itself will characterize us as God shines upon us.
We will Reign with Him Forever
You know, we will serve Him and we will see His face and have His name indelibly inscribed upon us. We'll have the right to the Tree of Life and enter into the city by the gates as legitimate citizens whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. And with Him, we shall reign, forever.
- Revelation 22:5
You know, the array of blessings was succinctly declared when John heard the following.
- Revelation 21:3
You know, that really says it all. God, Himself will be with us. All that we see and hear in these chapters illustrate this most wonderful, inconceivable privilege. That we will be with God.
"So, whatsoever burden must be born now, whatever sacrifice must be made, whatever condition must be met, yea, whatever price must be paid, let us gladly meet the challenge... ...for throughout those ceaseless ages encased in the walls of jasper, as we walk the street of gold, we will be heard to say, as did the Queen of Sheba, 'The half has never yet been told.' " — Wendell Winkler
You think about just the limited picture that we are given. Again, it is just like looking through a dark mirror and seeing something that is beyond our ability to comprehend. The words that John uses describe it for us in terms that we can understand. It gives us the sense, but it doesn't give us the fullness of what Heaven is like. The half has not yet been told.
You think about the men of faith, Noah never saw a flood. God told him a flood was coming and told him to build an ark. He built that ark. And because of it, he was delivered from an evil world. He believed in the unseen and he was saved from the evil world.
Abraham never saw Heaven on this earth, but he longed for a better country. He never saw a resurrection, but he believed and forebear to offer up Isaac.
- Hebrews 11:17-19
Again, he was moved by faith in God to do the impossible because he knew that God was with him. He knew that God had the power to do the impossible, to raise his son back to life had he offered him up. You know, Abraham never saw Heaven, but he longed for a better country.
You haven't seen streets of gold. You haven't seen those great pearls that are the gates. You haven't seen the River of Life, the Tree of Life, and you have not seen God's face. But when you die, do you expect to live in that beautiful city, in that Heavenly city where God's people enjoy infinite happiness and inconceivable privileges.
Heaven is a prepared place for those who have prepared for it. The only way that we're going to spend eternity in Heaven with God, the only way we're going to enjoy these incredible inconceivable blessings and privileges, and eternal happiness is by making ourselves prepared. God has done His part.
When Adam and Eve, sinned in the garden, they were separated from God. They died spiritually, and there was no way, unless God made it for them, to be restored to that relationship once again.
Ultimately, that restoration is made possible by the death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb that was slain, the Lamb that shed His blood, the Lamb whose blood that we can be washed in and made clean once more to be a bride, ready for the husband, ready for this beautiful city that we see ready for the marriage of the lamb and the bride.
The only way to be prepared is to believe, certainly, we've got to have faith. All over Hebrews chapter 11, time after time, by faith people acted upon what God told them to do. They acted in faith. Faith is the foundation upon which we build our spiritual house.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that He died to shed His blood to wash away our sins. And in believing we must act upon that belief because, without action, belief is not belief.
Act on that belief, and repent of our sins. We know through the Bible that He died because of our sins. We've got to give up those sins and turn away from them. Confess Him, and be baptized to have our sins washed away. That's where we are enjoined with the blood of Christ that makes us clean the waters of baptism.
Today, if you are not prepared right this moment for that Heavenly city, we don't know when he is coming again, and we don't know the moment of our death, so now is the only time, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. Today, if you have never put on Christ in baptism, you've never had your sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb, we urge you, to do so, to put on Christ in baptism.
If you're a Christian but have strayed away, we ask you to return. The Father pleads for you to return. We want to go to Heaven and we want you to go to Heaven, and we're willing to do anything we can to help you get there.
If we can help you in studying more about the Word of God, we invite you to contact us so we can help you come to know God's love, and in learning how to be obedient to His will.
