Part 7 - HEAVEN
The New Paradise
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Today we will be discussing the New Paradise.
So where are we at in the time-line of things to come?
† THE RAPTURE HAS TAKEN PLACE (FIRST RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS BODIES TO BE TRANSFORMED)
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 “51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
† THOSE WHO WERE PART OF THE RAPTURE FACE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (THE FIRST JUDGMENT)
II Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
† TRIBULATION TAKES PLACE FOR SEVEN YEARS
During this time, God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth. Seven seals will be broken, the seven trumpets shall be sound, and the seven bowls of judgments shall be poured out upon the earth.
† THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
At the end of Tribulation, after seven years, we shall return to earth with the Lord, and evil will be locked in chains of darkness to be held until the second resurrection (the resurrection of those who oppose Christ) and the second judgment (the Great White Throne Judgment).
Revelation 20:1-3 “1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”
† THOUSAND YEAR REIGN WITH CHRIST
After evil is locked away until the second resurrection/judgment, we shall reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
We will reign with Christ on THIS earth for 1,000 years.
I believe this is because God is a righteous God, and He will not condemn or punish without being righteous.
So for 1,000 years, with us ruling with Him, we shall show the universe how the earth was originally meant to be. Perfect.
† THE SECOND RESURRECTION AND THE SECOND JUDGMENT
At the end of the thousand year reign Satan is loosed once more.
Revelation 20:7-10 “7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
† THE SECOND JUDGMENT, EARTH AND HEAVEN PASS AWAY, AND GOD REPLACES THEM.
Revelation 20:11-15 “11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
This is the second resurrection, the second judgment, and they will face the second death, Gehenna, the lake of fire that burns eternal.
Revelation 21:1 “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.”
New earth, New Heaven, and on the New earth, there is no more oceans.
I guess it’s because there is no need to separate man from man anymore, one nation, under God, indivisible...
There will be lakes, rivers and streams as we read about in scripture, but no large bodies dividing the earth into cotenants.
THE NEW CITY
The new city is introduced at the end of Revelation 21, and described in Revelation 22.
Inside the 1,500 mile cube, the golden city with jeweled foundation and pearl gates, we get a glimpse of what it will be like in Revelation 22.
The River of Life
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city.
The Tree of Life
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
It is true that in the new paradise, on the new earth, we will have glorified bodies.
Although we will not “need” to eat and drink, we will be capable of doing so, but we will not have spirit bodies, we will have flesh and bone.
Our resurrected bodies will be like that of Jesus’ resurrected body.
Luke 24:36-49
36While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
37They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
He had to “open their minds so they could understand scripture,” because they didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet, and it is ONLY through the Holy Spirit we can understand the Word of God.
So we will have bodies, flesh and bone, we will be able to eat and drink.
GOVERNMENT INT HE NEW PARADISE
We see the Throne of God at the center of the New Jerusalem, which will be the center of the New earth, which is probably the center of the New heaven, and for sure will be the center of the New Government.
There will be only one ruler, Jesus Christ.
The government will be perfect; there will be no curse, no sin, not a single flaw.
There will be no need for light because God will light the whole of the earth.
