Rev. David Holwick K
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 14, 2004
Revelation 21:1-7
THE HOLY CITY
I. It is something we can dream about.
A. Tiffany's "Holy City" stained glass window.
Palm trees, stream and lilies, then a golden city in the
clouds.
(I want to make one some day.)
It has a dream-like quality.
After the gore of the Passion movie, it is nice to
contemplate the joys of heaven on earth.
Could it be real? Ever?
B. Great theme in the Old Testament.
1) Idea derives from David's capital city of Jerusalem.
a) It becomes the Messiah's city.
b) It comes down from heaven just like he does.
2) Isaiah 65:17-25 - new heavens, new earth, new Jerusalem.
a) Joy is supreme.
b) No more tears. 65:19
c) Longevity. (but death still possible) 65:20
d) Security. (no invasions) 65:21
e) Prayers automatically answered. 65:24
f) Peace in nature as well. 65:25
3) Ezekiel 40-48 - God's temple in the new city.
a) River flows from it to water the Holy Land.
4) Zechariah 8:3 - emphasizes the peace and safety of the city.
a) The elderly and little kids will have nothing to fear.
C. Theme continues in the New Testament.
1) Jesus taught about God's new day.
a) Fulfillment of Lord's prayer:
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven."
b) He saw himself as the Messiah of the new city.
2) Hebrews 12.
a) v.22 - heavenly Jerusalem.
b) v.26 - heavens will be shaken. Physical is transformed.
3) 2 Peter 3.
a) v. 7 - Judgment Day burns up the heavens and earth.
b) v.10 - Heavens disappear, earth burned up.
c) v.12 - Even elements seem to be burned up.
d) v.13 - New heaven and earth, home of righteousness.
II. What is so new about it?
A. Disagreement whether universe is obliterated or reconditioned.
1) Some of the language suggests thermonuclear catastrophe.
2) At any rate, what ends up is new in quality.
a) There will be little comparison with the old.
3) Return to Eden.
a) Adam was kicked out, we will get to return.
b) I like Isaiah's hint of a new natural order among
animals.
B. A different plane of existence.
1) 1 Corinthians 13 - we'll know as we are known.
2) 1 John 3:2 - much unknown, but we'll be like Jesus and see
him face-to-face.
III. A truly different city.
A. Note the theme of community rather than individualism.
1) We focus on "me" more than "us."
2) Popular new book: "The Five People You Meet In Heaven."
It's about an 83-year-old man who feels lonely, adrift and
unimportant.
He dies while trying to save a little girl from a broken
carnival ride.
He goes to heaven and meets five people who tell him that
he is not alone and that his life was not unimportant.
It sounds sweet, doesn't it?
New York Times writer David Brooks says it represents the
soft-core spirituality that is little more than psycho-
babble.
In this book, God, to the extent that he exists in heaven,
is sort of a nice Dr. Phil.
When you go to his heaven, friends and helpers come and
tell you how innately wonderful you are.
They help you reach closure.
In this heaven, God and his glory are not the center of
attention.
It's all about you.
Sins are not washed away. Instead, hurt is washed away.
My needs are all that matter.
Brooks says this kind of narcissistic faith is worse than
the Taliban.
#27020
3) God is at the center of the real heaven.
a) Fulfillment of Immanuel, God with us. (Isaiah)
b) No need for a temple, because whole city is one.
1> (Cube shape alludes to Holy of Holies in temple)
B. Intimacy of a wedding.
1) The city is a bride, the bride is the Church. 21:9
a) Jesus often referred to a wedding banquet in Kingdom.
b) The church is the bride of Christ. (Rev 19)
2) Fits theme of joy and happiness.
a) Weddings are more fun than funerals. (4 this month)
b) But weddings are much more work!
C. Beautiful architecture.
1) Dimensions, gold, precious stones and pearly gates beg
the question - is this all real or symbolic?
2) Probably symbolic.
a) Actual details would be impossible for us to understand.
b) But like resurrection, future existence will be a
continuation of the present world, only better.
D. Bad stuff is gone.
1) No more pain, suffering or sickness.
2) No more night or darkness.
3) No more curse or sin.
IV. The Holy City is only for the redeemed.
A. Intrinsically moral place.
1) Overcomers inherit it.
a) Overcomers are those who believe in Jesus through
thick and thin.
2) Nothing evil can come into the city. 21:8
a) "Outside" is figurative - new world is also redeemed.
B. Redemption comes by the blood of the Messiah.
V. Only God can make a holy city.
A. We try, but fail.
Back in the 1800's, many Utopian communities were established.
They had names like Shakers and Amana.
All of them died out.
In the 1960's there were hippy communes.
The Woodstock music festival in 1969 exemplified the quest
for love and peace and lots of people having a good time.
(Maybe some of you were there...)
What came of it?
In 1999, Woodstock was resurrected.
Visions of peace and love among flower children degenerated
into mayhem and violence.
By the end of the festival, teenagers faced off against the
police, destroying property, looting, and setting fires.
Many of them chanted, "I won't do what you tell me," a line
from a song played by one of the bands.
Woodstock illustrates the complete failure of utopian
visions of society.
They have a tendency to devolve into chaos and violence.
Utopianism has been among the most pervasive myths of our
age.
It lies at the heart of the great "isms" of the twentieth
century, from Nazism to Marxism.
Utopianism denies the biblical doctrine of sin, defining the
human dilemma not as moral rebellion against God,
but as ignorance, poverty, or oppression.
The proposed solution, then, is simply better education or
income redistribution or political reform.
The promise is that if we reform unjust social structures,
natural human goodness will flourish.
A utopian society can be created.
But how realistic is this utopian vision?
Put bluntly, the entire twentieth century is a record of its
failures.
Everywhere utopian schemes have been put into practice - from
Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union to Cambodia - they have
produced tyranny & famine, secret police & labor camps.
Why?
Utopian systems deny the reality of evil, and thus they build
no safeguards against sin -- which gives free rein to evil
and tyranny.
#4831
B. Only God can eliminate evil.
1) He has not done it yet, but one day he will.
2) Today he gives us the plan of salvation, and the hope
of a better world to come.
3) Will you be in his holy city?
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 4831 "The Utopian Impulse: Calling Evil By Its Name," Charles Colson,
BreakPoint Commentary, September 15, 1999.
#27020 "Hooked On Life," David Brooks, America Online / New York Times,
March 9, 2004.
See also "Heaven: Not Just An Eternal Day Off," by Anthony Hoekema,
Christianity Today magazine, September 20, 1985, page 18;
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/122/54.0.html
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/illust.html
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Summary of Revelation 21-22:
I. New heaven and earth. 21:1
A. No sea
B. Holy City.
1) New Jerusalem
2) Bride
II. Announcement.
A. Dwelling of God is with people.
1) He lives with them.
a) They are his people.
2) God lives with them.
a) He is their God.
B. Tears wiped away.
1) No more death, mourning, crying, pain.
2) Old order passed away.
a) Everything is made new.
C. Overcomers inherit it.
1) Sinners are outside.
a) Lake of fire.
III. Description of city. 21:9
A. Glorious.
1) On a great mountain.
2) Comes down from heaven.
3) Shines with God's glory.
a) Bright like crystal.
B. Dimensions.
1) High wall with twelve gates.
2) Twelve foundations.
3) Square (cube).
C. Decoration.
1) Precious stones and pearls.
IV. God at center.
A. No temple, just Godhead.
1) No need of sun or moon.
2) God's glory is light.
B. Nations walk in his light.
1) Bring offerings.
2) Gates never shut.
3) Impure kept outside.
V. River of water of life.
A. Flows from throne.
1) Trees of life on each side.
2) Continual bearing of fruit.
a) Healing of the nations.
B. No more curse.
1) God's throne is in city.
2) Christians serve him.
a) See God's face.
b) His name on their foreheads.
C. No more night.
1) God gives the light.
D. Reign forever and ever.
