In The Word
Read: Revelation 21:1-8
The New Heaven and Earth
21 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. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 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.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life, without cost. 7 The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 But for the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually 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.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
God will destroy the earth due to its decay and corruption from mankind’s sin. In its place, He will create a new earth for His people to live and a new Jerusalem to house Yeshua’s throne for Him to rule and to be worshipped. A person’s time on earth has sadness and suffering from issues such as sin, bodily pain, disappointment, and death of loved ones. God allows suffering in a Christian’s life to test his faith and produce godliness and steadfastness. Even Yeshua was allowed to suffer to learn obedience to God. But God encourages us with today’s scripture passage by describing the new Heaven and new earth as a place with no tears or mourning over death and pain.
God reveals the glorious future for those who boldly believe in Yeshua and faithfully obey His teachings. He does this so that they will not become discouraged by suffering and offended at Him but will overcome. Those who overcome the world, sin, suffering, and fear through faith in Yeshua will dwell with God on the new earth. But those who are overcome by the world, sin, and unbelief will dwell apart from God in the lake of fire. This terrible fate is also for people who are cowardly and fearfully refuse to boldly stand for Christ.
Have you become discouraged by the decline of this earth and mankind’s further departure away from God? If so, find encouragement that God has a future filled with joy and peace in His presence.