(Revelation 21:1-8; ESV)
With Death and Hades banished to the lake of fire, John’s vision enters its final stage:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I 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 the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Rev 21:1-4).
New heaven; new earth, no sea, new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, where God himself will live among his people, healing all wounds – physical and emotional.
Nothing but joy – the old things are gone.
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’” (Rev 21:5-7).
We can honestly say that those who choose and remain faithfully on the good fork in the road to perfect unity – that is, those who conquer evil – will have a heritage of the water of life and inheritance of God as our personal father, for all eternity!
But the news is not so good for those who take the bad fork in the road of life:
“’But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death’” (Rev 21:8).
In one way or another, every human being deserves the lake of fire based on past sins. But the choice we are given by a loving God and his Son, is to repent at the fork in the road, choose the good fork, and enter into the loving arms of God, thanks to the sacrifice made by his Son Jesus. This choice will nestle us into the arms of God’s never-ending love, God’s complete forgiveness, and perfect unity with God and Jesus forever and ever!
Ah, “the water of life without payment!”
Hurry back for a full view of the New Jerusalem!
With Death and Hades banished to the lake of fire, John’s vision enters its final stage:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I 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 the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Rev 21:1-4).
New heaven; new earth, no sea, new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, where God himself will live among his people, healing all wounds – physical and emotional.
Nothing but joy – the old things are gone.
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’” (Rev 21:5-7).
We can honestly say that those who choose and remain faithfully on the good fork in the road to perfect unity – that is, those who conquer evil – will have a heritage of the water of life and inheritance of God as our personal father, for all eternity!
But the news is not so good for those who take the bad fork in the road of life:
“’But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death’” (Rev 21:8).
In one way or another, every human being deserves the lake of fire based on past sins. But the choice we are given by a loving God and his Son, is to repent at the fork in the road, choose the good fork, and enter into the loving arms of God, thanks to the sacrifice made by his Son Jesus. This choice will nestle us into the arms of God’s never-ending love, God’s complete forgiveness, and perfect unity with God and Jesus forever and ever!
Ah, “the water of life without payment!”
Hurry back for a full view of the New Jerusalem!
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