Revelation 21:3-4 - Our Joy to Come

Revelation 21:3-4
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, 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.”

Message: Our Joy to Come

Time: The date of the book in its present form is probably near the end of the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81–96), a fierce persecutor of the Christians. There was a unanimous agreement as to the Apostle John as its writer by the early church. Throughout the book there is a conflict of earthly personalities and people directed and energized by demons and especially Satan in order to overthrow Christ’s rule on earth. But the book climaxes with God’s ultimate triumph through Jesus Christ to overthrow evil and establish the kingdom.

What the Lord is Saying: If we die in faith, we go to be with the Lord in heaven. This heaven is an intermediate place, meaning this is not my final state. Thus, at some point, the spiritual disembodied existence I will enjoy in heaven before Christ returns will come to an end and another state will take its place (as is spoken of in Revelation 21). Our physical bodies will be resurrected and heaven will come down to earth and there will be a perfected creation living in this heaven on earth.

The first heaven and first earth pass away, as does the sea (v.1). The holy city comes down out of heaven from God....and God Himself shall be among them. This new city is a holy city out of heaven, down to earth and God resides there with them in the city. He shall wipe every tear from their eyes and there is no more death, mourning, crying or pain. Those that are there are he who overcomes. But the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Verse 8 expresses that not all will be there and those that are not know by Jesus, but instead by their sin, as their sin is not covered, they will not be present but will be in the lake of fire. But, the bride, the wife of the Lamb or the church will reside in the new Jerusalem. The city wasn't flat, but seemed to be a prism or cube of some sort, with streets of gold. This final home will be beautiful and grand and we will be content to live in the incredible glory of God (v. 22-27).

Promise: Our suffering will be worth it because it will have led to the vision of God's full beauty and glory.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you have planned a place for your children, me, to live for all eternity. Thank you for your perfect design and your perfect ways and your perfect order. Help me to be a channel and to help others see this glory, this ideal state. Draw people to yourself and bring them into close unity with You as their God and Savior.