August 24, 2008
Morning Service

Scripture text. Revelation 21:1-8

Supporting scripture. 1Corinthains 6:9-11

 

Man in presence of the future: our greatness

It is well to glance at —

I. OUR GREATNESS IN REGARD TO THE FUTURE.

1. There need be no bound at all to our hope and aspiration in respect of

the future. We are warranted in looking forward to an endless life beyond,

to an actual and absolute eternity of blessedness and glory. Whosoever

believeth in Jesus Christ has everlasting life.

W. CLARKSON

 

THE CERTAINTY OF A FUTURE STATE. Reason may speculate,

imagination may form pictures, the instincts of the heart may prompt the

hope that there is a future state of being; but it is only through Holy

Scripture that we attain to full conviction. What was dimly revealed to Old

Testament saints has been now “made manifest by the appearing of our

Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 1:10).( Pulpit commentary)

10      But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

 

 

1Peter 3:9-15

 

9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up

11  [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,  12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?   13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness 14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  15  And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

 

 

 

 

The features of the new state and the new place.  We have set before us — a new

sphere of life, a new abode of life, and new conditions of life.

 

And there was no more sea; and the sea no longer exists. The threefold division of heaven, earth, and sea represents the whole of this world (Revelation 10:6). Some interpret the sea symbolically of the restless, unstable, wicked nations of the earth, which

now exist no longer; others understand the absence of sea to typify the

absence of instability and wickedness in the New Jerusalem.(Pulpit Commentary)

 

No More Sea

Today we view the sea as necessary "to cleanse the earth and make life possible. . . . The antiseptic salinity of the sea absorbs, scrubs, and breaks down . . . pollutants and wastes. The sun heats the sea, causing only pure, clean water vapor to float up into the sky, forming clouds which bring refreshing rain back to the land — a continuous cycle of cleansing and renewal."(Charles Swindoll)

 

THE JOYS OF THE FUTURE LIFE, *sources of

*(1) The Ills of Time will be Known No More*

No More Sea

# Re 21:1

---Sorrow

# Re 21:4

---Crying

# Re 21:4

---Pain

# Re 21:4

---Curse

# Re 22:3

---Night

# Re 22:5

---Death

# Re 21:4

Revelation 21:1  And <2532> I saw <1492> (5627) a new <2537> heaven <3772> and <2532> a new <2537> earth <1093>: for <1063> the first <4413> heaven <3772> and <2532> the first <4413> earth <1093> were passed away <3928> (5627); and <2532> there was <2076> (5748) no <3756> more <2089> sea <2281>.

 

BDB/Thayers # 2537

2537 kainos {kahee-nos'}

of uncertain affinity; TDNT - 3:447,388; adj

AV - new 44; 44

1) new

1a) as respects form

1a1) recently made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn

1b) as respects substance

1b1) of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of

 

The truth and certainty of this blessed state are ratified by the word and promise of God, and ordered to be committed to writing, as matter of perpetual record, Rev_21:5, Rev_21:6.

 The subject-matter of this vision is so great, and of such great importance to the church and people of God, that they have need of the fullest assurances of it; and God therefore from heaven repeats and ratifies the truth thereof. Besides, many ages must pass between the time when this vision was given forth and the accomplishment of it, and many great trials must intervene; and therefore God would have it committed to writing, for perpetual memory, and continual use to his people. Observe,

1.       The certainty of the promise averred: These words are faithful and true; and it follows, It is done, is as sure as if it were done already. We may and ought to take God's promise as present payment; if he has said that he makes all things new, it is done.

2.      2. He gives us his titles of honour as a pledge or surety of the full performance, even those titles of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. As it was his glory that he gave the rise and beginning to the world and to his church, it will be his glory to finish the work begin, and not to leave it imperfect. As his power and will were the first cause of all things, his pleasure and glory are the last end, and he will not lose his design; for then he would no longer be the Alpha and Omega. Men may begin designs which they can never bring to perfection; but the counsel of God shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure.

 

The greatness of this future felicity is declared and illustrated,

1. By the freeness of it - it is the free gift of God: He gives of the water of life freely; this will not make it less but more grateful to his people.
2.  The fulness of it. The people of God then lie at the fountain-head of all blessedness: they inherit all things (Rev_21:7); enjoying God, they enjoy all things. He is all in all.
3.  By the tenure and title by which they enjoy this blessedness - by right of inheritance, as the sons of God, a title of all others the most honourable, as resulting from so near and endeared a relation to God himself, and the most sure and indefeasible, that can no more cease than the relation from which it results.

(Matthew Henry commentary on the whole Bible)

 

Rev 21:8 

But the fearful - Those who, for fear of losing life or their property, either refused to receive the gospel though convinced of its truth and importance; or, having received it, in times of persecution fell away, not being willing to risk their lives.

And unbelieving - Those who resist against full evidence,

The abominable - Those who are polluted with unnatural lust.

And murderers - Those who take away the life of man for any cause but the murder of another, and those who hate a brother in their heart.

And whoremongers - Adulterers, fornicators, whores, prostitutes, and rakes of every description.

Sorcerers - Persons who, by drugs, philtres, fumigations, etc., pretend to produce supernatural effects, chiefly by spiritual agency.

Idolaters - Those who offer any kind of worship or religious reverence to any thing but God. All image worshippers are idolaters in every sense of the word.

And all liars - Every one who speaks contrary to the truth when he knows the truth, and even he who speaks the truth with the intention to deceive; i.e., to persuade a person that a thing is different from what it really is, by telling only a part of the truth, or suppressing some circumstance which would have led the hearer to a different end to the true conclusion. All these shall have their portion, their share, what belongs to them, their right, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. This is the second death, from which there is no recovery (Adam Clark’s commentary on the Bible).