The Heavenly City - Part 2

Christian New Haven have been cruel to go to the streets of gold liberal roommates Leon are there other incredible swords to be home around 10 point Jeremiah returns to the book of Revelation heavens amazing features and equally amazing meaning behind each one to solicit as David introduces the conclusion of his message the heavenly city.

So thank you so much for joining us today.

Hope you're having a good July and certainly studying heaven during these days is been a lot of fun and were learning a lot together and answering a lot of questions that people ask and we aren't finished. We have a lot more to go through the end of this month as we study revealing the mysteries of heaven.

Let's finish this discussion up that we started yesterday her some more things that you need to know about where you going to spend forever down at your Bible and notice how interesting is verse three of chapter 21 and I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, watch this, the tabernacle of God is with men, the holy of holy God's will be that new city. The city of Jerusalem. Well that's all the time.

I have to tell you about the dimensions of the city except that it is larger than anything you can imagine, it is more brilliant than anything you can dream up. And so, let's talk about the inside of the city for just a moment and I want to take seven things that John tells us in these two chapters and just touch on them briefly things that you have heard, and I want to clarify the reality of most of the time when a person does not believe the Bible or he's a skeptic as far as the Bible is concerned. When anything seems unreasonable to him. He rationalizes and says it symbolic. One of the reasons why the allegorical interpretation of the Bible grew so rapidly during the rationalistic age is because people refuse to believe that God was capable of doing anything that was not explainable human rational process. But if you go there after verse one of Genesis. In the beginning God if you can't get past.

Genesis 1 you got no place to go if God can create anything he pleases and what he says in this. This is what he is creating for the end of time. I choose to believe it because the only alternative is to spiritualize away all the truth of the Scripture which leaves you know where so the Bible begins to tell us what is going to be like inside the city. First of all first two chapter 21 says it's a holy city that I John Saul holy city chief characteristic of the city into which we will one day move is its holy in the Wycliff Bible commentary is described like this holy city will be one in which no lie will be uttered in 100 million years no evil word will ever be spoken. No shady business deals will ever be discussed. No one clean picture will ever be seen. No corruption of life will ever be manifested will be holy because everyone in it will be highly you can't get into the holy city unless you are born again and you've gone to heaven. Heaven is the place of the holy city.

Not only is it a holy city, but the Bible says it's a place where the gates are made out of pearl is make this up is not folklore.

This is right from the Bible. Notice verse 12 verse 17 and verses 18 and 21 in Revelation chapter 21 and she had a great and high wall with 12 gates 12 angels at the gates and the names written on them, which of the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel measured its wall 134 cubits, according to the measure of a man that is of an angel and the construction of the walls of Jasper and the city was pure gold, like clear glass and the 12 gates were 12 pearls now watch this. Each individual gate was up one pearl and I know some of your thinking now pastor that some kind of an oyster, now watch again is God limited to the building of a pearl by an oyster. I don't think so. And if you wanted to make an oyster that big he could do it but it doesn't say anything about how this happened, it just says it's there. As we look at the 12 gates of pearl we see the names of the 12 tribes of Israel inscribed in the 12 gates are really a part of the surrounds the city and John sees this like a glittering diamond bracelet. He says the construction of the Jasper in the city was pure gold, like clear glass so you see it far. It would just sparkle and shine. As it turned around all the use of the glory of the city would be so overwhelming. It would take your breath away. You have to wear sunglasses as you got close.

Dr. Criswell, who was one of my mentors had a very interesting statement about the pearl dates listen to what he said. He said there is a sermon in the fact that the gates are pearl because heaven is entered through suffering and travail through redemption in blood and through the agony of the cross. Pearl is a jewel made by little animal but is wounded without the pearl is never formed.

So that's the way it is for us when we get to heaven will walk through the gates of pearl and as we do will be reminded that the only reason were there is because of the suffering and the pain of the Lord Jesus paid the will for us that we might be redeemed, so it's a holy city with pearly gates in the next. The Bible tells us that the foundations of the city are of precious stones. Revelation 2119 and 20 and the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper and sapphire calcium Emerald and sardonic's and sardius in chrysolite, and Berlin Topaz and Chris appraising Jason and amethyst and all those are just great terms that have been translated into the English language describing all the colors and all you the rainbow that we know today and the Bible says that this great city, which is foursquare that ascends out of heaven will be built upon and you will see it on 12 layer foundation. Each of the layers of different beautiful stone Emerald and diamond and all beautiful stones that are found throughout all of universe. Each foundations would be a different one and so when you see the foundation of the city will be overwhelmed with the beauty of all of the gemstone foundations underneath this gigantic city of God. Can you imagine the building's greatest strength is its foundation in the new Jerusalem is not one foundation but 12.

Rather than being 12 individual foundation separated from each other. They are packed upon each other and you see them all together little ripples and precious stones and then the Bible says it's not only a holy city with pearly gates and foundation of precious stones, but it's a place where there are streets of gold, I know it so you think that's a court to hear all about the streets of gold to walk on streets of gold it's in all of the old gospel songs the streets of gold are there really streets of gold in heaven. Well, I'm just going to tell you what the word of God says look down at verse 18 and again in verse 21 of chapter 21 and the construction of its wall was jasper in the city was pure gold, like clear glass and notice verse 2112 gates were 12 pearls, each individual gate was one pearl and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Now if you look at pure gold. You know that pure gold is not transparent.

It's opaque you can't see through your goal, but John describes heaven city as transparent glass.

The goal of heaven is so pure that men seem to look into it and through its clear depths as they walk upon it is finally polished as a mirror, and therefore it is not so much transparent but it's translucent as you think about this and you wonder how that could be that the city could have streets of gold better.

Pure gold that you can see through. Don't forget also that in the glorified bodies that you will have your perceptions will be different and something might appear to you then as being both solid and transparent. We have glorified body. Surely your eyesight will be different and completely enhanced and will be able to see things as we never seen them before and so would streets of the city of this new Jerusalem will look to us and in reality they will be streets of gold that you can literally see through the gold like you would look through a window pane is the best I can do to describe. John tells us, and then we have the land that is the light in Revelation 21 verse 11 and 23, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal and the city had no need of the sun nor the moon to shine in it for the glory of God illuminated and the Lamb is its light in the new Jerusalem will be no light posts.

There will be no lanterns there will be no lamps there will be the presence of light throughout the city that emanates from the throne of God were sits. The Lamb who is the Lord Jesus. The Bible says that in that city. He will be the light, and there will be no need for any other light because the brilliance of the light of the Lord Jesus and his glorification will further the city with brilliance.

I can imagine once again. Can you imagine seeing the city as you approach at seeing the city from afar. The gold on the outside. The precious stones on the foundations and this beautiful sense of light that emanates from out of the city from the throne of God.

This is the new Jerusalem described in the Scripture is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. In chapter 16, verse 19, the sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you, but the Lord will be to you in everlasting life, and your God will be your glory.

When the Bible says that the city reflects light. It is not from any material combustion is not from any consumption of fuel. It is from the Lamb himself who is the light of the world and in that moment he will be the light of the city. No wonder Paul describe our future like this in first Corinthians 29. He said it was written.

I has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of men. The things which God has prepared for those that love him and we talk about heaven, sometimes flippantly. We have a lot of jokes about heaven.

I refrain from giving you all the epitaphs that I've got in the mail about heaven. I want to tell you something friends and all the fun we have with the don't lose this truth. Heaven is this place created by the greatest creator, the creator of all creation, the creator of creativity has saved his best work until the last and he is creating for us a place that is so phenomenal that I'm just so we don't talk about it more.

Yes I know people say, well you get so heavenly minded you're no earthly good. I don't find that to be true. I find that people really have an understanding of where they're headed and how wonderful it is, have a greater sense of purpose while on this earth that we come together as God's people. The rosacea God has given us the privilege of being his real estate agents going out into the hinterland and inviting people to come and participate in his crown production, the heavenly Jerusalem by putting their trust in their faith in Jesus Christ. So here again we come face-to-face with this question what will heaven be like well it's a holy city with pearly gates and foundations of precious stones and streets of gold, and a Lamb who is the light and then notice there is a tree of life in the city verse two in the street a bit on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore 12 fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.

The leaves of the tree were for the healing of all the nations, let me just touch on it quickly. The Bible says that in the city of Jerusalem. There is a river and were going to see this in a moment that flows down from the throne where the Lamb sits in on each side of this river are planted not just the tree but the trees of life tree. There is a word which is used for the plurality of the trees and see the 12 trees and these trees bear different kinds of food each month throughout the year.

So every month.

There's a whole new crop of different kinds of fruit grow on these trees and someone has pointed out that you and I and eternity are going to be able to eat from the very same tree that was planted in the garden of Eden. Only this time without probation and will get everybody in trouble or what a delight it is to just picture in your mind that beautiful city shining as it is with the water coming down from the throne of God and the trees of life planted on each side which brings us back to this whole deal. Do we get to eat in heaven and I want to remind you again of this wonderful truth.

Yes, we get to eat. We can eat all we want will never gain any weight, there are no calories in heaven's food will never have any diets we will need for enjoyment and for the pleasure of it without bearing any human penalties that we now bear but I want to remind you that program doesn't start to you get to heaven, so I want to understand that notice in your Bible it says that the leaves are for healing of the nation healing in the Greek language is from which we get the reputed says that you will be able to eat the leaves of the tree and believes will give you a greater sense of your life and your presence there. It will not enhance your holiness because you will be perfectly holy, but will give you a greater sense of enjoyment. It is therapeutic. It says in the Scripture. Are you getting a picture of this place is this phenomenal one, and finally the last thing is the river of life. In verses one and two and he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of the street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore 12 fruits of the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations you will have to do in this great city is follow the water is flowing and it will take you right back to the throne of God to remember Psalm 46 for there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. This is the river that is spoken about in the book of Revelation.

Now I feel like I have given you three months of study of heaven and just about 20 minutes. I want to just review for moment heaven is a city foursquare 1500 miles wide 1500 miles long and 1500 miles high.

It will have the potential to house all the people who have ever trusted in Christ from the very beginning of time, including all of those who have died before the age of accountability. All of the children who died without having an opportunity to receive Christ, all of those who were not mentally capable of understanding the gospel. The city will be large enough to house everyone.

Don't ever let anyone save you again while you and I don't believe in heaven he could possibly be big enough for everyone. It is big enough for everyone who will be there and it will be not crowded by any means. Take my word for it.

And not only that, but it will be a magnificently beautiful city like nothing you have ever seen this article in the atmosphere will glow it will have a sense of drawing you into itself.

I wish I had a vocabulary greater than the one that I have to help you understand Don and I took a little break.

We saw this temple and we spent a day at the ruins in Ephesus and we saw the Acropolis in Athens but my favorite place on the whole journey was a place called Santorini it's built up Cliff literally. It's built on the top of a volcanic ruin, and there's nothing on the side of the cliff from room to the top of the holy to the ground but on the top on the top of this ruling is a city and all of the houses are right and it is the most gorgeous place you've ever seen in your life.

It's all of the quaintness of your all of the beauty that you imagine it could be all the winding streets and shops until you cannot imagine so many shops, but the thing that is so gorgeous about it is the approach to coming on a sail ship toward center reading, and all of a sudden looking up in their elevated way above the sea is the right city, almost as if it is suspended in space and all week long. I'm thinking about the holy city, God's heaven and I'm thinking place doesn't even hold a candle to what God has envisioned for those of us who put our trust in him center ring is child's play compared to the holy city when they were going to walk in that city and were going, just our mouths are going to drop open understand how God loves us, and how he's cared for us to prepare for such a place. And it's not even the whole of heaven which is the capital city of in the Bible says the gates are never closed and will go in and out and find pleasure in that city with God and his people. I hate to end on the negative note, but I need to end on a warning note I'm talking about the dimensions of the city in the description of the city want to just remind you about the denial to the city. Not everyone gets into the heavenly city notice verse eight of chapter 21 but the cowardly, and the unbelieving and the abominable and the murderers and the sexually immoral, sorcerers, and the idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Verse 27 but there shall by no means enter into the city. Anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. The Bible doesn't say that you cannot have committed any of these sins, and then not go to heaven doesn't say that you can't have been sexually immoral, but you can't have lied this and say that it says if that is your lifestyle and you've never repented of it and you continue to live that way of writing the opportunity that God has given you to be forgiven of that sin and turn from a tort holiness. If you continue to live in that lifestyle without any regard to the forgiveness of God, you will never go to the holy city, because you will not have repented and you will be saved and the Bible says that the only people living in the city are people whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life and there are no exceptions. No one will be able to argue their way into that city. When the time comes. If you have not accepted God's plan for your life and receive his forgiveness for your sin. When the moment, you will be denied entrance into heaven and into the city. We have described in all how I don't want that to happen to you. I believe that the reason God gives us health and life and energy as his people is so that we can be as divine ambassadors going all over the world in and out of cities and on the radio and on television in the writing telling everyone we can find.

There's a place God prepared for you and he wants you to come there. He loves you.

He wants to bring you to himself, but he will not bring into that city.

Those who refuse to acknowledge their own sin and accept the penalty. But Jesus paid for on the cross and be forgiven. So in all of these messages on heaven, there is this wonderful hope and good news but there's always in every passage. This little subtle reminder though. Take for granted you're going there if you haven't repented of your sin and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, but after the warning is the invitation. Did you know that the Bible tells us here in the 22nd chapter that all we have to do is come unto him, and he will receive us. The Bible tells us that he knocks at the door of our heart waiting for us to open the door, but he will not come in without your invitation.

That's the whole deal.

Someone ask you those we close this type of teaching. Have you receive Christ into your life. Have you made your reservation for the heavenly city. This is the time you must do it. There's no chance after death.

No second chance this is that this is the time to time for reservations open right now. This is the open reservation season, and God is asking you in your heart. Have you made that decision. If you haven't when you do it today. Well tomorrow morning to talk about worship in heaven and what happens when God's people get together and celebrate. We been through the code 19 pandemic and haven't been able to be in church and one of the things everybody tells me they miss most is the opportunity worship together and never realize what you have until it's taken away from you and that while we been having church on line you can't really worship much like that. We all long to get back to when we can worship together and that ought to remind you of the longing in your heart for ultimate worship when we get to heaven someday and willing to talk about that particular subject. Tomorrow on Friday and again on Monday. Worship in heaven. What will it be like you will be a part of it.

If you're Christian, what kind of worship will happen there and you know what, once we find out what the ultimate worship is it has something to say to us about how we worship today as well. So will you learn a lot tomorrow as we open our Bibles together to worship in heaven will see tomorrow right here their message today from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Jeremiah please write and tell us how God is using Turning Point in your life right through us.

It any point PO Box 38, San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website at David Jeremiah dog/radio revealing the mysteries that have been informed about your amazing gift of any amount you can also download the free Turning Point favorite smart device will search in your answer the keywords Turning Point ministries instant access to programs visit Jeremiah.org/radio Ontario join us tomorrow as we continue the series revealing the mysteries of heaven Turning Point with the taking time to listen to these in in