ALL THINGS NEW:  NEW HEAVEN, NEW EARTH, NEW JERUSALEM

by Tammy Phillips
November 22, 2021

“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.’” (Revelation 21:5 NKJV)

I have been so anticipating the last chapters of Revelation!  Believe me, I know how hard the preceding chapters have been.  I have read them and  have tried to present them to you as best as I could led by the Holy Spirit.  The bad in the book was so bad and very painful to read, but the great end of the book is beyond imagination.  And, I have a VIVID  imagination.  Now that we are at the end of Revelation, it has been worth every difficulty and every tear.  As I read chapter 20, I am overwhelmed trying to fathom what God has been preparing for us, “all things new.” 

“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.”(Revelation 21:1 NKJV)

The key word in Revelation 21:1-5 is “new.”   It is the Greek word, kainos, which means recently made and superior to what it succeeds; fresh; unused, unworn. This is not a restoration nor renovation of the old heaven and earth.  This is new!  Also, the Bible uses the word heaven in three different ways.   

“The first heaven is the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘blue sky.’ The second heaven is outer space, the ‘night sky.’  The third heaven is the place where God lives in glory. When the Scriptures speak of a new heaven, they mean a new “blue sky” and a new “night sky,” not a new heaven where God dwells.”- David Gusik

I have always had difficulty with “there was no more sea.”  If you know me, you know the seaside is my favorite place in the world.  I always thought my heavenly mansion would be by the shore.  However, the word of God also says,

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem [as] a rejoicing, And her people a joy.”(Isaiah 65:17-18 NKJV)

We are not going to remember the sea. Ok,God! We will be glad and rejoice in the new You create!  We trust you with the new!

“Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:12-13 NKJV)

The word of God says in our focus verse, Revelation 21:5, “I make all things new…these words are true and faithful!”  We can believe it.  God said it.  We can put it in the bank.  It is true. It is done.  He is, and has, the First and Last word on everything.  He goes on to say:  “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.” (Revelation 21:6 NKJV) We do not need a vast sea because He gives us the fountain,  “the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts!”

Now let’s talk about where we will spend eternity…

“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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.’” (Revelation 21:2-3 NKJV)

One of the most beautiful things ever is a glowing bride in love, prepared, and ready to meet her groom!  I had a dream once about the return of Jesus.  The sky unfolded and atop  massive cloud was a bigger-than-life Jesus.  I didn’t see His face.  I just saw His outstretched arms holding back the saints in heaven. I heard His command to them, “Wait!”  It was almost time for His return, but the command was to wait.  Their backdrop was a large metropolitan city painted the most vibrant colors.  It was as if it was glowing in all the colors of the rainbow and more.  Tomorrow we will see how John’s description of New Jerusalem.  It will be beautiful, but the most important treasure in the above verses is that God will live with us.  We will walk and talk with Him.  We will be in His presence forever.

“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.” (Revelation 21:4 NKJV).

I don’t believe they had exclamation points when the Bible was written because there would have been one after every point in verse 4. These verses bring me to tears and I am at a loss for words. We can only imagine.

I enCOURAGE you with the word of God, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” (Revelation 21:7 NKJV).   As a child of God, we have this to look forward to! We must trust Him, and through Him overcome! Sadly, those who do not truly choose Jesus as their Lord AND Savior, “the cowardly (fearful, timid,  faithless)  unbelieving, abominable (stinky, to break wind, smell like a fart, disgusting, detestable), murderers, sexually immoral (prostitute, fornication), sorcerers (drug dealers, “druggist,” poisoners, drug makers), idolaters (worship false gods, worship images, or any god other than Yahweh), and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Tammy’s Interprative Version of Revelation 21:8 NKJV, see Rev. 21:8 )