Revelation 21: 1-8
Now that the World has had it's Golden Age, and the Earth has exploded and the universe has imploded back to the dot that will be re-created in another Big Bang; while God is re-formatting everything, He has judged every living being who ever lived, and now the new universe with an Earth-like planet is ready.
(1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new Earth; for the first heaven and the first Earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
This new creation is not the same as the first; there are similarities, but most of the description consists of what is not there. Like there is no sea. The whole basis for this creation is different from the old, something we've never seen before.
(2) And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
This beautiful capital city doesn't need to be built, it is already finished, and comes into this new world all complete.
(3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
A tabernacle is the house where a god lives. Our God will make His home here on this new planet He has just made, to have His people live with Him, and He will live with them, all together as a family.
(4) "and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
All these negative and sorrowful and painful things we experience in this world are the consequences of sin, and now that sin and death have been dealt with, they will never again be a problem.
(5) And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."
Nothing will be the same. He will make everything over, completely new and different and better than ever!
And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
God Himself told John to write these things down, so that we would know how wonderful and powerful and compassionate our God is to us and for us, to encourage us.
(6) Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
Four times in this book, the Lord Jesus tells John that He is the be-all and end-all of all created things. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last letter. He is everything from A to Z. He created, He provided, He taught, He came to be one of us, He was the Sacrifice to save and rescue us, He judged every act, and now He has renewed everything to be perfect!
I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
The new economy on this new planet will not need a monetary unit of exchange. We won't need money, as we'll already own it all, having inherited it.
(7) "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
All sentient beings who have chosen to submit to God as God will be rewarded, because God made us to lavish His love upon us. We can receive all He wants only when we recognize His order and His ways. Then we become His intimate family, and inherit from Him all He wants us to own.
(8) "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Everyone who refuses to recognize God as Lord over them, and chooses instead to turn to anything else, will also experience the consequences of their decisions, in forfeiting everything that is good and pleasant and beneficial, leaving only suffering and torment.
The first death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the corporal body. The second death is the permanent separation of the being from the Source of life, resulting in perpetual and persistent death. This is what they have chosen for themselves.
O my Father God, Your plans for us have always been to benefit us, to reward us and for us to inherit all the good that You are, all to Your glory.
My Father, thank You for telling us what to expect, both the bad and the good. Prepare us to face all the opposition and persecution that is coming, and strengthen us to withstand all the pressure to conform to the world. Help us to stand firm on Your standards and ways and to show the world how much You love each one of us.
Send us out now, Father, while there is still time to make a free choice. Let us reach everyone who is looking for You, even if they think they are just looking for Truth or Justice or Beauty; because that is who You are.
O Father, draw to yourself every person who is hurting, who is lonely, who is suffering in any way, to relieve their sorrows and sicknesses and losses. Father, this world is broken and in pain! Let Your children show them how gracious and compassionate You are, and how generous to shower upon them all that they need to heal and to prosper.
Break through all the lies and deceptions that have seduced them into destructive ways. Let Your children have the ability to convince them of who You are and how much You want to hold them in Your gentle arms.
Open their eyes to see that Your order brings peace and healing into our society and culture. And Your ways bring prosperity to every nation that recognizes You.
And You reward so lavishly upon Your people who become Your own royal family! You are going to judge everything that rails against Your good ways, and re-build all to be perfect and whole and permanent.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus is our Christ, our Redeemer and Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
