The Final Message

Revelation 22: 10-21

Now this extraordinary being tells John the "last word" concerning this book.

(10) And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 

He tells him not to hide it! Don't seal it away from being known. Put it out there, publish it, broadcast it everywhere, because it's going to happen soon, and we need to be prepared!

(11) Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." 

Whoever decides to be in the wrong and get that mark to seal him away from rescue, will continue to do what is wrong and detrimental.

Whoever has refused to allow himself to be washed in the blood of the Lamb will continue to be filthy.

And whoever seeks the righteous God to do His righteousness will never fall, but will continue in His righteousness faithfully.

And whoever has been born into God's holy family will have the strength and fortitude to remain holy in the middle of all the filth around him.

(12) "Behold I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 

(13) "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 

This is Jesus speaking again, and He repeats that when He comes it will be sudden and surprising to all who are not expecting Him. When He arrives to judge the living and the dead, He will have with Him everything He needs to reward the good and punish the evil. He will not lack any resources that He will need to accomplish all of His will and the great Plan of the Ages.

He is the One who started it all, and He will be the One to get it all finished!

The Father gave the Lordship to the Son, who accomplished all the work of creation, redemption, and renewal of everything, all creation; and when it is all finished and done, He will hand it back to the Father as a brilliant jewel!

(14) Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 

Only those who have been cleansed by the blood, and thereby have washed their filthy clothes, exchanging them for the clean linen robes, which are the righteous acts of the saints, will be fit and able to withstand the very intense presence of God Himself reigning in the city. Only they will not be burned up by His holiness. Only they will have the right to walk those golden glass streets and drink from that river of living water and eat from the tree of life.

(15) Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 

Outside that city and outside of that new Planet are those who have been judged for these wicked sins and for their carnal, animal-like attitudes, and are now confined in the Lake of Fire.

(16) "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." 

Our Lord Jesus says that the angel who told John all these things was sent by Him so that John could tell everyone in every age of the universal Church to be informed and prepared and ready to face and have victory over all these things. Jesus admits that He is both the founder and the descendant of King David, who was a man after God's own heart.

(17) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. 

Yes, God's Spirit says, "Come!" and all the members of the Church, the bride, say, "Come!" And everyone who hears about all these things in this book who accept the Truth of God's word, are all anxious for Jesus to, "Come!" and put an end to all of the tears and sorrows, all the pains and hurts, all the sicknesses and maladies, all the storms and floods and earthquakes and volcanoes and other environmental upheavals of this Earth. End it all, and re-create it to be perfect and beautiful and prosperous, as the original Earth could have been.

(18) I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 

(19) and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. 

All this written in this book is True. Anything that any created creature would add to it, is not God's Truth, and is a lie.

Anyone who would take out any detail of this program that is laid out in this book would be leaving a hole for evil to enter into it.

(20) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 

Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, has told us all these things, and confirms that He is coming back to accomplish it all very soon. He will come suddenly, appearing all at once through the clouds that have been rolled up like a scroll, with His whole army of saints and angels and other Heavenly beings to finish it all. To wipe this Earth clean of all the evil and wickedness and pollution and rebuild it all with Truth and righteousness, to rule and reign for 1000 years to give our world its Golden Age. But even that will not be enough.

When Satan is released to tell his lies again, the people who have never known any other government than this paradise will be vulnerable to this new idea, and will be deceived into thinking that there must be something better, and rebel against our Lord God the King.

That proves that our very DNA has been damaged, and we need to have our mortal swallowed up by the immortal, our perishable must put on the imperishable, to eradicate that sin-nature that we inherited from the first Adam, to be reborn of the second Adam (I Corinthians 15: 45, 53).

That is the only way to be the pure and righteous and humble servant of our God that can live to serve Him in His presence forever. This is our future.

(21) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.

This is the Last Word. The Final Message. We desperately need God's free Grace, His gift of favor and blessing. We can do nothing without it, without Him.

And he finishes this whole Bible with blessing us with God's grace. All of us. God is not willing for any to perish, but for all to realize their culpability and that God has already taken care of it for us.

He gave us our whole story, from before He made us to beyond the end of our whole human era! And what all has happened in our story, what kind of results came from all the good and faulty choices we have made, and how the Father sent His Son to be the solution to all of our problems and troubles, as the Lamb of God.

The Son is the Lord God who gave the Law to Moses and the prophecies to the prophets, then came to fulfill them all Himself.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, Son of the Living God, our 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!

Wrapping Up The Whole Story

Revelation 22: 7-9

John has faithfully recorded all the things Jesus revealed to him by His angel. All the messages to the seven churches, all the governmental and environmental things that would destroy this Earth and the people who live on it. And all the supernatural machinations of the spiritual beings who are the power behind it all. 

Our Lord God, Jesus Christ, has become a Man, died the human death of a criminal, rose from the grave victorious over death, and built the church, His bride. All through this time He has courted and wooed humans to draw them to Himself by grace, a free gift. 

Now He will dispense of the carrot and use the stick, to show mankind that He is the God who has all power, and when He withdraws His goodness, then evil and wickedness fills the void. 

We have seen how the Father will pour out His wrath full strength upon the polluted Earth and the wicked people who have perpetrated all the destruction, until no one would be left alive if He had not limited it. And those of His own who have been washed in the blood will not be affected by this wrath, because what we deserve has already been borne by Jesus on the cross in our place. 

There will be an uncountable number of people who will turn to God at this time, and be slaughtered by the wicked ones who refuse to turn to Him. 

We have been told all about all of this before it happens, but when we see it begin to take place, everything will be happening all at once, so we need to be prepared to not be shocked or surprised when all the chaos is happening around us. 

(7) "And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." 

These are the words of Jesus. He is coming quickly, the word used here is tachu, which means "suddenly, as by surprise." Jesus will bless those who pay attention to what this book says and are prepared to take their stand. And when He comes barreling through the clouds it will be a big surprise to the armies that are attacking Israel and Jerusalem. But we are not in the dark, that His coming would take us by surprise; we will be expecting Him. 

(8) I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 

Even John, who knew Jesus, walked with Him, and saw Him in His glory, felt compelled to bow down to this impressive personage who had so much power and beauty.

(9) But he said to me, "Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God."

But the angel didn't let him do that. He said that he was only another servant like John was, and was sent to be John's servant, and to serve the other people who listen to God and teach His words. Angels are our servants!

We are to bow down to and worship and pray to only God Himself! Not any of His created beings, no matter how impressive they are or what they do or say. God is God, the Father and the Son, to be worshiped in the Spirit. By all of His creation.

And all of His creation will acknowledge His supremacy and authority and goodness.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the 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!

The River Of Life

Revelation 22: 1-6

John has just described how this New Jerusalem comes down to the new Earth directly from Heaven, all finished; then what it looks like and how the citizens of the city and the planet will interact and share freely with one another.

Now this same angel, that had poured out one of the vials of wrath, continued his revealing of the future to John.

(1) Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

This is the "living water" that Jesus told the Samaritan woman would become a "well of water springing up" from inside her (John 4: 14). Here it is a whole river! And it comes from the seat of God's government.

(2) in the middle of its street.

If the street is the central feature of this city, then this mighty River is even more central! It is flowing in the most accessible place it can be.

On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;

And drawing the living water up their roots, all the Tree of Life trees are lining the River, ripening a different kind of fruit every month. I imagine that these 12 kinds of fruit will provide all the nourishment we will ever need there, if we need nourishment!

and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

I don't know what kind of beings will comprise these nations, but whenever they would have any kind of malady or wound or whatever, the medicine will be the leaves of the Tree of Life. Possibly, God will be healing His creations forever!

(3) There will no longer be any curse;

The curse was put upon this Earth, which had to include its environment, the universe, as a consequence of Adam's sin. Now that all sin has been atoned for and eradicated, and the Earth and its universe have been done away, there is no reason to put any other curse onto this new creation.

and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

Heaven will have come to this new planet, because we're told that the throne of the Father and the Son will be there.

and His bond-servants will serve Him;

(4) they will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads.

We, as His redeemed and resurrected saints will be bound to Him, and His Name will be written all over our faces! We are His own children.

(5) And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them;

In our immortal spirit bodies we won't need to sleep, and since God is Light, there won't be any night in the city. It doesn't say that there won't be a sun, just that this city won't need it, or any other light, with our God being there with us.

and they will reign forever and ever.

And as His royal kings and queens, we will assist Him in governing the rest of this new planet, as well as whatever other creations God will decide to make throughout all future eternity.

(6) And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

The angel assured John that what he was seeing and hearing was really real, and would really happen; there was no doubting or variability about the future God has planned for us. It will be so much more and better than we can ever imagine!

This word for soon is two words, en and tachos, both of which convey a sense of quickness, taking place in a very short span of time. Using them together intensifies this urgency of everything in this book of Revelation to be happening all together, overlapping, and being all finished in a short 7 years to be done!

O my Father, I am overcome with seeing all that You have planned for us! I understand how mere flesh and blood would never be able to survive on this new Earth, living in New Jerusalem with our Father God and our Lord God Jesus.

There is no knowing now what we will be doing then, there in that place. But I am sure it will be perfectly suited to how You have made me, Father, to accomplish what You designed me for. And each one of us. We all will have our work to do, to enjoy and have fun and rejoice in all You are and what You do, Father.

My dear Father, please send out Your children to let every living person know how much You love us all. Show us how to broadcast Your message to every nation, every tribe, every language, every individual person; so that everyone will have a clear understanding of what You have already done for each of us, to make an honest and informed decision to receive Your gracious and generous gift.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the 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!

How Life Will Be In New Jerusalem

Revelation 21: 22-27

John has just described the spectacular beauty of this capital city on the new planet God will create in the new universe to replace this one. Now he's giving us some insight into how life will be in that city.

(22) I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

A temple is the "house" of a god. Our God Himself lives in the city with His family, so He Himself is the "temple."

(23) And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Since God is light and He is right there, there's no need for any other source of light. It doesn't say there isn't any sun or moon, just that the city doesn't need their light.

(24) The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the Earth will bring their glory into it.

The nations of this New Earth will walk by its light, they will live their lives following the light of truth of God, and their leaders will share whatever it is they do in this new world with the residents of the capital city.

(25) In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;

The door will be constantly open for all to come and go. I wonder, why have gates if they'll never be closed, but who am I to question! There will be constant interaction among the citizens of this New Earth, between the nations and the Lord's family. How wonderful!

(26) and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;

And whatever the work entails in this new world, everyone will be pleased to share with one another all the good and beneficial and fun and prosperous things they do and have. It looks like a wonderful paradise, where everyone lives out the love that our God is!

(27) and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it,

All of these beings have been cast into the Lake of Fire that burns eternally.

but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The Lamb's book of life contains the names of all of those who have been redeemed by the Lamb or have chosen the right and pure decision from the start. All of these beings have been sealed by God, to never again be vulnerable to making wrong or detrimental choices, but to see the right choice every time, in the light of God's truth.

This is what God has planned for us, what He wants to give us. As humans, we have been drawn toward what is not right, but what seems to be good in the immediate circumstance. This is the human DNA that we inherit from Adam, who permanently damaged it by his wilful disobedience to the only rule he had to follow. He blew it, and we all suffer the result.

God knew this would happen. He made Mankind with the ability to live forever if he obeyed, and ate of the Tree of Life. But when he disobeyed, God caused his humanity to be able to die, so that He could send a Redeemer to rescue him.

God would not allow Adam to turn around and eat of that Tree of Life after he sinned, or he would have to live forever in sin. That's why God drove them out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3: 23) and placed a flaming sword to guard the way back to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3: 24), so that the human race could be rescued, cleansed, and redeemed to a new, spiritual body:

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trumpet; for the Trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. (I Corinthians 15: 50-53).

We are looking at how we will be living after our perishable body has put on the imperishable, spiritual body; after our mortal has been swallowed up by immortality. We will still be who we are, but much more.

We will have new names, and new identities as children of the Almighty God. We will have positions of great authority as the Royal Family of God. And all the troubles and sorrows and disappointments we are wading through in this present vale of tears is preparing us for this momentous assignment to be elevated in humility, not pride; and to love and share freely as our Father does.

This new creation will have no curse on it, so it will not run down, or wear out, or diminish in any way. (We won't have to keep cleaning our houses constantly, because they won't get dirty!)

O my Father, You are more generous and gracious than I can comprehend. How You think about me is amazing! Father, I know how frail and fragile I am in this mortal body. I know how easy it is for me to slide into not doing everything You want me to accomplish for You while I am still here.

My Father, You left me here to accomplish things that You want done! You brought me through everything I've lived through so far, to be prepared to do Your will. You have peculiarly equipped me to get done what only I can do, and You will give me the power and ability to do it and get it done. I only need to obey and follow you, and not turn to any other pleasure or worldly pursuit, but to continually study Your love-letter to me, instructing me and follow You in the way You want me to go.

My dear Father, You are the One who is working in and through me, and yet You will reward me for what You do! This is amazing! You are amazing, Daddy! It's like You are placing my little feet on Your feet, taking my hand in Yours and Your arm around my back, and waltzing through this life! You are doing the dancing, but You are complimenting me on my grace and skill in performing!

O Father, please send out all Your children now into all the world, while every living person has the ability to freely choose to turn to You and accept Your gracious and generous gift of rescue! Please teach all of Your family to grow in the maturity we need, and to reach out to grow the numbers of Your uncountable holy ones from this plane. Draw to Yourself all of Your embryonic children to birth into Your great family, to grow into the full stature of the Son of God. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the 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 on, Lord Jesus, quickly!

What New Jerusalem Looks Like

Revelation 21: 15-21

Now John will describe the appearance of this city, as told and demonstrated by this angel who came out of the temple in Heaven to pour out a bowl of wrath.

(15) The one who spoke with me

The angel.

had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall.

He is finished with the bowl, he now has a measuring stick, to determine the size of this city.

(16) The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and its width and its height are equal.

It is square, as long as it is wide; and it could be shaped as a cube or as a pyramid, as high as it is wide and long. A perfect cube or pyramid.

(17) And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements.

The wall around the city is 144 cubits, which is 72 yards tall, using man's measurement, which is the same as the angel's.

(18) The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Jasper is a beautiful mineral with captivating color patterns and formations. It is typically spotted, striped or ringed. Each jasper stone possesses a unique pattern or color scheme, making it one of the most unique gemstones. This is a most beautiful wall.

And the city itself is of a valuable gold material that is so pure that it is as clear as glass. But not fragile like glass, but strong and permanent.

(19) The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

(20) the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacith; the twelfth, amethyst.

All of these stones he mentions are of varied and beautiful colors and qualities, making this city the most spectacular place imaginable. And John had to describe all this using the Earthly materials he was familiar with, so these must have been extraordinarily gorgeous!

(21) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Can you imagine a pearl as big as a city gate? This is incredible! These must be new materials on this New Earth, in this city that came directly out of Heaven itself!

John was again seeing things that he would never be able to imagine, so he had to use things and materials that he knew to compare these new things with, to be able to give a description at all.

This is a New Earth in a New Heaven, so it must be completely different from the present planet we are living on now. I commend John for his imagination, to think up things he knew to illustrate somewhat what he was seeing, things never seen before.

These things are extremely extraordinary and supernatural, and God is preparing them all for us! He made this world so we could prosper here, following His ways. When He makes His New Creation, we will be in our resurrected, spiritual bodies that will be suited to live in a fantastic place such as what is described here.

When Jesus was about to die and be resurrected and ascend back to Heaven, He told the disciples at the Last Supper, that, "I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14: 2). Right now, while He is still in Heaven, before His return here, He is constructing this city, using Heavenly materials, so that it will be ready when the New Heaven (universe) and New Earth (Earth-like planet) are ready.

O my Father, You are so supremely generous and gracious to make us to be Your own children, and to wash us clean in the blood of Your Son, so that Your Spirit could come into our human spirits, making them alive. Now, when He returns to this broken Earth to wipe it clean and make it new, healing it for its Golden Age, He will also redeem us, who He has saved, to assist Him in ruling it. But this isn't all You have planned for us!

When You are finished with this creation, then You will do away with it, remaking it into a completely new creation for your pleasure and enjoyment, and I wonder if You will also make a new kind of people to form the nations there.

Father, Your imagination has no bounds! You are God, and I expect for You to continually exercise Your creativity to make more and varied worlds and universes all throughout future eternity! And, as Your royal family, we will participate with You in assisting, probably similar to how Your holy angels are assisting You now with Mankind.

Dear Father, let us go out now to the world, to broadcast Your word, Your good news of how much You have loved us, and are the Source for everything we need, both material and spiritual; temporary and eternal.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the 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 soon, Lord Jesus!

New Jerusalem Comes Down

Revelation 21: 9-27

We saw that the New Heaven and the New Earth have been created and made ready for habitation, and the capital city, New Jerusalem, was not built or constructed, but came down to the planet from Heaven already finished.

Now we will begin to look at it.

(9) Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 

The angels who poured out the seven last plagues are good angels, and one of them is talking to John, showing him this new creation.

(10) And he carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, 

This city has been created, not built. It comes down already finished.

(11) having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 

John says that this city sparkles like a diamond.

(12) It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 

Great cities always had protective walls around them, and these walls surrounding New Jerusalem had gates of entry, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on them, showing that the way into the city is through Israel.

(13) There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 

Entry to the city can be had from every direction; wherever you're coming from, there is a way in.

(14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The foundation under this city has the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, which shows that it is stabilized by the redeemed ones of the sacrificial Lamb, the Church.

Jesus is the Lion of Judah, from the root of Jesse; He came as the Son of Man to be one of us, as the sacrificial Lamb of God, to die in place of each of us, to cleanse us and bring us into God's own family as His children. And the twelve apostles built this Church through the whole Church Age.

So the foundation under the city is the Redemption, and the way in is through His Chosen People Israel.

O my Father, Your Plan of the Ages for this world begins before You made it, and marches right through all the millennia of the race of Man all the way into the re-creation of our planet, based on what has been accomplished here.

My dear Father, You have loved us so much, more than my human brain can comprehend. You used all of our human choices and decisions and you used all of the resources of this Earth, to both bless us with bounty when we obey You, and to pour out Your wrath to punish and destroy those who rebel against You.

Your wisdom is so deep and true and complete. All You have desired to do with what You have designed for your pleasure will have been done and finished. And You will receive all the glory and honor and credit for having done it all.

Please let us reach out to every living person, to tell them how much You have loved us, and have already met all of our needs. Please let them all gain enough understanding to be able to make a clear choice to follow You, seek Your face, and receive Your gracious, generous gift! Please, before it all hits the fan, and there is so much confusion.

O Father, draw all of Your children to Yourself, bring every embryonic child to the birth into Your family, to grow Your Kingdom to uncountable numbers.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the 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 swiftly, Lord Jesus!

Brand New Universe And Planet

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!