Module 7 Lesson 8 The New Heaven and the New Earth

by Bro Koay Kheng Hin

Lesson 8  The New Heaven and the New Earth

Note: Text in Blue are transcribed from the Bible Study proper. Text in black are the physical notes given.

I want to talk about from the time of the Resurrection of Christ.

Titus 2:11-15

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

This is known as the church age and to Titus the present age. The first coming had the blessed hope, looking forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ. The early Christians were very eager to Jesus' second coming. Today, Jesus' coming has 3 response. They say don't worry, or they ask when is the tribulation, or they say they have things yet to do. Very few are really looking forward to it. The second coming is the hope of the church and a lot today have lost that.

The church encourages people as you wait for his coming, be holy. He is coming for a holy church. As we wait we grow in holiness.

At the end of this present age, Jesus comes. This is not considered the second coming. Here he comes for the Rapture event. Believers are caught up. And there is the judgement seat of Christ. It's the resurrection of believers.

Then comes the 7 year tribulation. Here is the appearance of the antichrist. It is the time of the wrath of God being poured out. Here, there is no more church which is already raptured. Here are the new believers. After this period is the second coming. The great tribulation is a very special period for man because this is the only time in our history where God is actively pouring out his wrath on earth.

The blessed hope is not the church looking forward to the tribulation but rather to the Lord coming for them.

The Second Coming of Jesus is in the clouds and the main event is the battle of Armageddon and then comes the Judgement in the valley of Jehoshaphat. From here will be the surviving believers. They enter into the Millennium. Here is the 1000 year reign of Christ and the restoration of the Davidic Kingdom.

After the end of the 1000 years is another major battle where Satan is imprisoned. Here Satan is released and the Battle of Gog and Magog. Here is the great white throne with the resurrection of unbelievers. Here they are judged and thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.

God will destroy the old heaven and earth and recreate the new heaven and earth.

All these is the pre-trip position. AOG's position is the historic pre-millennialism. This is considered a new position. It has taken on very well and many have taken this view. This means there is a Millennium of 1000 years.

Augustine came with the understanding for the Catholic Church position. He popularised a-millennialism. They believe in a first coming, a church age and at the end of that age Jesus comes. No 1000 year Millennium.

Another is post-millennialism. There is the church age and they believe the world will get better and better and the Holy Spirit evangelise the world where it becomes very Christian. The Millennium is to them a Christianised world, then Christ would come. The second world war changes many who took this position. Science and technology becomes the driving force for a better world. People realised now that we can advance in science but morally we still decay and the world is not getting better.

A new world will emerge from the destruction of the old world. A new creation formed of luminous bodies will be created from the old world of dust. In the place of the world of sin, a super-world of perfection will be created. This is the heavenly, final expectation of the Christian faith. The Bible gives a threefold description of the new heaven and the new earth in the last two chapters of the book of Revelation. It is described as the new Jerusalem that

descends from heaven (Rev 21:9-27), as the perfected Temple of God, the actual eternal

Holiest of all (Rev 21:22) and as the glorified paradise, the super-historical perfecting of the

earliest beginnings of history (Rev 22:1-5).

Revelation 21:1 - New heaven and new earth

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.

This introduces the new heaven and new earth.

Rev 21:2 - new Jerusalem

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Rev 21:22 - perfected temple

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Rev 2:7 - glorified paradise

........To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is the paradise of God.

The end of history and the beginning of history are closely related. The last page of the Bible indeed corresponds to its first page. In the story of man Holy Scripture begins with Paradise (Gen 2:8) and with Paradise it ends (Rev 22:1-5).

Humanity is a journey from paradise to paradise.

Old paradise: paradise lost

Gen 2:8 - garden of Eden (paradise)

Gen 2:9 - tree of life and tree of knowledge of good and evil

Gen 2:17 - danger (curse)

Gen 3:5 - like God

Gen 3:24 - defeat (death)

Gen 2:10 - river of water

New paradise: paradise gained

Rev 22:1-5 - Described the new paradise

Rev 22:2 - Tree of life - a whole line

Rev 22:4 - see his face (no longer the need for knowledge)

Rev 22:3 - no more curse or danger

Rev 22:4 - name of God on forehead

Rev 22:5 - reign forever and ever

Rev 22:1 - river of the water of life

But the conclusion is greater than the beginning. The Omega is more powerful than the Alpha. The future Paradise is not only the lost Paradise regained, but it is much more than that. It is above all the heavenly and the eternally glorified Paradise.

In the lost Paradise there was danger: ".. for when you eat of it you will surely die."(Gen 2:17); in the glorified Paradise full security reigns. "No longer will there be any curse. "(Rev 22:3).

In the lost Paradise the serpent said: "...you will be like God... (Gen 3:5); in the glorified Paradise the Scripture itself says: "..., and his name will be on their foreheads" (Rev 22:4).

In the lost Paradise there stood a tree of knowledge (Gen 2:9); in the glorified Paradise it is no longer required; for the perfected saints will behold directly the face of God (Rev 22:4).

The lost Paradise ended with the defeat of man (Gen 3: 24);in the glorified Paradise the overcomers abide forever (Rev 2:7). "...And they will reign for ever and ever." (Rev 22:5).

In the lost Paradise, there stood one tree of life (Gen 2: 9); in the glorified Paradise stands

There a river of water flows out of Eden (Gen 2:10); here a river of life flows from the throne of God (Rev 22:1).

There lordship over the earth alone (Gen 1:28-30); here lordship over the universe (1 Cor 6:2-3).

There a created sun; here the eternal, the Creator, God Himself the sun (Rev 22: 5).

Thus everything in every aspect is a "new creation':

on us - a new name (Rev 2:17)

in us - a new song (Rev 5:9)

around us - a new Jerusalem (Rev 21: 2)

under us - a new earth (Rev 21:1)

over us - a new heaven (Rev 21:1)

before us - always new revelations of the never-ending love of God (Rev 3:12)

"Truly," He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" (Rev 21: 5).

We behold with worship this age-long plan of God. The final end of salvation history is the glorified and eternally new beginning. The goal of the history of salvation is exactly the same as its commencement: GOD HIMSELF

"so that GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL" (1 Cor 15: 28)

But He Himself will then bring forth ages upon ages out of his infinite fullness. His redeemed creatures will praise Him forever and ever and in the worlds of the new creation shall resound the triumphant exultant song:

"TO HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND TO THE LAMB BE PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY AND POWER, FOR EVER AND EVER!" (Rev 5:13-14)

AMEN!

1 Corinthians 15:28

Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

The story of man is not focused on man but God. The chief end is to glorify him. The Bible begins with God and it ends with God.

Question

I once received the following WhatsApp message:

"Live for the moment. Live your life. Don't forget to be happy, that is the only thing that matters. Be at peace with yourself and be happy always".

Is this really what you are on earth for?

The answer it not. It is not just about the pursue of happiness because it is an impossible pursue. In the pursue of God is happiness. It is a by-product of God. So what are we living for? We are here to live for the glory of God.