Focusing on the Future - Lesson 12 - Heavenly Home

Revelation 21

‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’

verse 5 … … … ‘And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.’

verse 10 … … ‘And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.’


verse 15 … … ‘And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;’

verse 20 … … ‘The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.’

verse 25 … … ‘And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.’


Remember we are just pilgrims passing through.
There’s no room for us in the inn.
Then why do we worry so much about this place?
What people might think?
What people may say?
Where do your treasures lie?


A Safe-deposit for Treasures

Matthew 6:19-20, ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:’

Matthew 6:21-24, ‘For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’


Contains a Register of the Saints

We are citizens of heaven;
we are friends of God and approved by Him,
and we will be permitted to dwell with him.

This is of far more value than all earthly honor, power, or wealth,
and in this we should rejoice
more than in prominent gifts of influence, learning, talents, or possessions.

Luke 10:20, ‘Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.’


Room for all Believers

John 14:2, ‘In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.’


Built by the Hand of God

2 Corinthians 5:1, ‘For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.’

Not we think or hope only, but we know.

Our earthly house –
Which is only a tabernacle, or tent,
not designed for a lasting habitation.
Like Moses out in the wilderness
before they entered the promised land.

Our clay cottage will come down,
but our heavenly mansion is ready to receive us.


Hebrews 11:10, ‘For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.’

Here is someone who prayed before he settled down.
He said God where do you want me?
God, what do you want me to do?

Not … God this is what I am doing, are you going to bless it?
God, give me this, then I will put you first?
God, if you love me you will bless this…


The Redeemed of all Nations Assembled

Revelation 7:9, ‘After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;’

I think of all the times I have to spend away from my children,
I will be able to be with all the time in heaven.
A couple that lost a child will be able to be with them again for all eternity.
A mother who aborted her baby will be able to say she is sorry.


Obedience, the Condition of Entrance

Revelation 22:14, ‘Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.’

Pastor has been teaching us that ‘obedience is better than sacrifice.’
Have you been obedient?
Have you been listening but not hearing?
Have you been delaying something the Lord has told you to do?

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