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The millennium, the new heavens, and the new earth. So 2 Peter 3 verse 13, Never lest we, according to His promise, according to the promise of God, look for new heavens and a new earth. Do you look for a new heaven and a new earth? Is that something that's real to you today? Is that something today you would say, Kevin, I am looking for the new heaven and the new earth? Or if we're honest, I think many times we're focused on today, right? We're focused upon this earth. We're focused upon tomorrow. We're focused upon all the tasks we have on hand. Do we have an eternal mindset? Do we have an eternal vision for this new heaven and the new earth? Wherein dwelleth righteousness. This new heaven, this new earth, this promise of God, is a place where righteousness dwells. Meaning there is no sin. There is nothing that is ungodly. There is nothing that is unrighteous in this new heaven. An amazing promise that God has given us. No longer will we be beset by our sins, right? No longer will we struggle with the things of life that we struggle with today. This new heaven, this new earth, this is a promise. This is something that God wants us to be focused on, thinking upon, and today we'll be looking at that. So if you're in book of Revelation, turn to Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. The last couple of sermons I've been talking about the rapture, right? Going through the tribulation period, being resurrected with our Lord Jesus Christ, and then we spoke about the Lord pouring out his wrath with the trumpets and the vials to come, right? Pouring out his wrath upon this wicked world, burning it to a crisp, destroying it for what as it is, and then bringing in his millennial kingdom. But the first thing I want you to notice is that leading up to that millennium, now look, the millennium period is not the new heaven and the new earth just yet, okay? But it is a vital part to leading up to the new heaven, and so I want to cover the millennium a little bit. But Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. Now before I read this, there are a lot of people that understand when they read the book of Revelation, they understand that at the seventh vial, right? They understand that that's when Christ is going to set up his millennium, right? We're near the end of that period. We're near the end of the wrath. He pours out that seventh vial, and then Christ comes and sets up his millennium. Sebastian, get a moment. He's just upset about something. So we have the seventh vial being poured out, right? And most people recognize, yes, that's when Christ is going to come back and establish his millennial kingdom. Why? Because we get to Revelation chapter 19, and we see Christ coming and destroying the antichrist and destroying the armies of the antichrist and setting up his kingdom. We see that. Now a lot of people don't realize, though, that at the end of the seventh trumpet is also the time that Christ comes to set up his kingdom. Well how does that make sense, Kevin? Here's the reason why. It's because the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial both take place at the end of that week, that Daniel 70th week. Both of them take part. Now whether it's the trumpet first and the vial first or the vial first and then the trumpet, I'm not going to make a big deal about those things. But the truth is both of those things are the end of that period before Christ comes back to set up his kingdom. And I just wanted to prove this to you. Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. It says, What did he say on his trumpet? The seventh angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying. So these voices in heaven, these heavenly hosts, what are they saying? The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever. Pay attention to that. That's the seventh trumpet being sounded and the proclamation from heaven is that Christ has become, the kingdoms of the earth has become the kingdoms of Christ and he will reign upon the earth. You see that? Now there's this false teaching that says, well when the seventh trumpet sounds, then God brings out his seven vials and continues pouring out his wrath on the earth. That never made sense to me. It never made sense that Christ would receive the kingdoms of this earth and then is also going to destroy his own kingdom. Right? How can Christ be against Christ? That makes no sense. But it makes perfect sense if we understand that the trumpet ends with his kingdom and the seventh vial also ends with his kingdom. Meaning they take place right at the same time. And this is how you need to understand the book of Revelation. Because Revelation chapter 11 is the end of the first telling leading up to his kingdom. Revelation chapter 12 begins all over again. It begins with the birth of Christ actually and goes through the whole period once again. The book of Revelation can be divided straight down the middle chapters 1 to 11 telling the events of the tribulation and of God's wrath and then from chapter 12 it also begins telling the period of the tribulation and his wrath and then it gives us different details. It tells the story from a different perspective but both of them end up with the kingdom. Okay? Now we won't go into all that. I just wanted to show you that because the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of Christ. Now look at verse 16. Revelation 11 verse 16. And the four and twenty elders which sat before God in their seats fell upon their faces and worshiped God. We see a lot of worship of God in the book of Revelation. I love the book of Revelation just for the the fact that there is so much worship of our God. Okay? So much of this going on. Verse 17 saying We give thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come. What does that mean? He's from the past. He's now and he's in the future. He's eternal. They're worshiping the eternal God because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned. So you see Christ has now come and he's reigned upon this earth. Right? He has reigned. He has this great power. He has taken this great power. He's always had the power to reign. Right? God is always on the throne. But he's taken that power now over the kingdoms of the earth. And look at verse 18. How do the ungodly nations react? It says And the nations were angry and thy wrath is come. Right? And the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints and them that fear thy name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroyed the earth. So it's an amazing thing that Christ comes take these kingdoms. There's two ways to look at this. Either you're an ungodly person unsaved an ungodly nation and you're angry. You're angry that Christ has come back. You know you want the world to continue in its wicked path. Or you can be one of the saints that says that Christ will come and bring his reward unto his servants. Right? The prophets and to the saints and them that fear thy name. So let me just point out a couple of things here. Yes we see we see the the the um um the difference between being ungodly and being a saved person. Right? How you receive the coming of Christ. But this is the point when Christ comes to establish his kingdom this is the point that he brings his reward. Okay? Because there's a teaching out there and again I'm sorry to to go to preach you know but I've got to cover the pre-trib rapture because it's infested so many churches. There are so many false misconceptions false ideas out there that are being taught through that system that I feel like I have to like every time fix it up right showing the scriptures where but we see here in the scriptures Christ comes with his reward the moment he comes to establish his kingdom because there's a teaching that says well no we're raptured before the tribulation and that's when God gives out his reward. And I've been told that you know the reason why the rapture before the tribulation is because God needs time to give out his rewards in heaven. Well no he doesn't give out his reward till he comes and bring past the tribulation past the wrath when he comes to establish his kingdom that's when he gives out his rewards to his saints. We see that there in Revelation 11 verse 18. And so let me just encourage you believers let me encourage you saints that God has Christ has rewards for you okay to be enjoyed in that millennium and to be enjoyed into the new heavens and the new earth which takes place later on. Your service and your sacrifice to the Lord on this earth will be rewarded okay. You will never waste your time serving the Lord okay. There will never be hey you know I could go to church and then but you know what good is that? Hey anything you do for the Lord anything you do for your name will be rewarded to you okay. It's an amazing promise. It should encourage us to do even the smallest tasks. Remember it says even if you give a cup of water in my name you should not lose your reward. There's reward even for the smallest things that we do to one another. That we do together as a church. That we do in service of God. God wants to reward you with eternal heavenly rewards. You know you don't need to turn they'll just read to you Matthew 19 verse 27. Matthew 19 verse 27. Then answered Peter and said unto him so Peter's speaking to Jesus Christ says behold we have forsaken all. We have you know they were fishermen right. They left their full-time jobs as fishermen to follow after Christ. We have forsaken all and followed thee. What shall we have therefore? You know I don't know if there was some doubt in Peter's mind at this stage. Is this worth it? Is it worth following Christ? Hey we haven't got much you know. You know we've left our full-time jobs. Maybe they don't have the income they used to have. Is it worth it? In verse 28 Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that you which have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. So these apostles were promised hey because you've left everything and you've come and followed me because you have this special you know position as an apostle they're going to have the authority to judge and sit upon the thrones of the 12 tribes of Israel. It's a special promise given to those apostles. We don't participate in that okay. We're not going to be that head because that's reserved for those apostles in Jesus's time. But Jesus continues to say in verse 29 pay attention to this and everyone so not just the apostles but everyone that has forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive an 100 fold and shall receive or sorry and shall inherit everlasting life and 100 fold. So for everything you serve the Lord with every sacrifice you make when Christ comes to reward you he's going to give you that pay what you've done a hundred fold times a hundred times a hundred okay great rewards God will give you you know you know sometimes I think I kind of miss Sydney you know we've been here for some three months I miss Sydney I miss home I miss my parents you know they were able to help us out with the kids sometimes and I miss our family you know our friends that we've got there I miss our connections you know I had job I had work opportunities up there and all that kind of stuff you know and sometimes I think wow you know it was a big move to come up here but what did Christ say if you leave your family you leave your houses you leave all your land you leave all that he's going to reward a hundred fold a hundred fold why would we not serve the Lord you know that's why our sights ought to be set on this new heaven and this new earth you know people have left family you know some family hate them for being a believer for being a Christian hey all that's going to be rewarded for to you in the military it's all going to be worth it all the sacrifice all the pain for Christ's sake will be worth what we paid for you you know you might leave a job let's say you've got a job that's that's earned you a hundred thousand dollars that's just just for easy mathematics and that job's taken up your time it's taken up your family time it's preventing you from from being a you know going to church and serving the Lord in full capacity and someone might leave that work because they realize that's that's getting in the I need to find a job that might pay me less right but I can serve to the Lord in my fullest capacity right I can still provide for my family and serve the Lord Christ says that's going to be rewarded to you a hundred fold what's a hundred fold what's what's a hundred thousand dollars times a hundred that works out to be ten million dollars imagine like you know Christ you know if you leave that for the name of Christ for his service Christ says I'm going to pay you back ten million dollars right so I mean wouldn't ten million dollars be nice every year to receive on this earth how much more nicer how much greater would it be in the new heavens and new earth in the millennium when everything is righteous everything is good everything is honorable to the Lord how much better would it be in the new heaven and the new earth so never get to the point where you get weary in your well-doing continue serving the Lord it's all worth it it's all worth it Christ is going to make sure it's worth it times a hundred okay something else what if you lose your life what if you lose your life for the Lord Revelation 2 10 says fear none of those things which thou shall suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days be faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life be faithful unto death people that lose their life for the name of Christ for his sake Christ says look be faithful and you'll receive the crown of life right it's interesting that God uses that that name for that crown the crown of life you lose your life but because you've lost your life for Christ's sake you get the crown of life that kind of life must be a hundredfold that kind of life must be worth a hundred lives right so you lose one life you lose the life you've got it must be worth at least 100 lives or more right so basically and to also take away from that it's possible to be unfaithful unto death okay and if you're unfaithful unto death you know you're not faithful to the Lord you die you pass away without serving the Lord without being faithful to him then you will not receive that crown of life right not you know in heaven in the new heavens and the earth in the millennium we're not all going to be equal okay those that serve the Lord those that's that sacrificed more for the Lord that did more for the Lord will receive more okay just like any workplace today right you go to work the more you do the more you serve in your workplace the more you know I guess profits that you bring in the more cost cutting that you do the more you know improvements you make in the workplace the more likely you are going to be promoted and earn the bigger paychecks and so on and so forth right but the ones that do the minimum that don't care about the job just clock in clock out do as little as possible they're not going to get that much right that's just the natural way of things same thing with God God's going to reward those more so those that serve him in a greater capacity so turn to Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 verse 1 Revelation chapter 20 verse 1 so after Christ comes he's a step he's about to establish his kingdom now leading up to that in Revelation chapter 20 verse 1 it says this and I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hands so this angel comes out of this bottomless pit you know I believe that's a reference to hell because the bible does call hell the pits in other places in the bible so if you're just comparing scriptures that would line up with that being hell I know some people believe the bottomless pit is something else besides hell regardless this this bottomless pit is being opened and this great chain in the angel's hand verse 2 and he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent which is the devil and satan and bound him a thousand years now take note every time we read about the thousand years okay so that's that's one time right satan's been bound for a thousand years verse 3 and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should not that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years that's the second part right till the thousand years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season and I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshiped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years that's the third time okay but before I read on notice we just spoke about losing your life and getting the crown of life and getting great rewards notice that these men that were beheaded for the witness of Christ they were witnessing Christ they were sowing they were preaching the gospel they were beheaded what's their reward? they're going to live and reign with Christ a thousand years now we're all going to live and reign with Christ for a thousand years during this period but I believe these people especially they've been mentioned here because they're going to have great reward they're going to have great authority and power for losing their lives as a witness for Christ now look at verse number five but the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years we're finished there's a fourth mention of the thousand years till the thousand years were finished this is the first resurrection blessed and holy is he that have pardoned the first resurrection on such the second death have no power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years do you think God wants us to know that this period is a thousand years long? do you think I mean every verse from verse number two has mentioned a thousand years and verse number seven and when the thousand years are expired that's the sixth mention and that's the last mention but that's the sixth mentions and when a thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea and they went up on the breadth of the earth and come past the camp of the saints about and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone with a beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever so we see that we don't get a lot of information about them this is as far as the book of Revelation is concerned this is the most information you're going to get about the millennium period okay just that we're going to live and reign with Christ for a thousand years we get the idea that Satan will be bound that he can't deceive the nations for that period that means that Satan right now is deceiving the nations that means Satan right now is deceiving Australia okay and we look at the laws we look at the way the government is we look at the way the world is of course they've been deceived by Satan you know they can't even understand the word of God they cannot understand the commandments they cannot understand God's judgment upon certain sins and certain crimes why? because they're deceived by Satan and this is going to be a period of a thousand years where Satan is is bound now I'm not saying that people aren't going to be deceived because we read in the bible that people can deceive themselves right we know that people are still foolish people can still be sinful and make mistakes people can still misunderstand the scriptures and so on and so forth there will still be people in their natural bodies even though we've received our resurrected bodies there will still be people living in this time period with their normal bodies right and some of them are going to believe on Christ most of them will believe on Christ but then many as well will still be deceived because when Satan is loosed out of that prison at the end of a thousand years he's still able to gather nations deceive the nations still be able to gather this army this army of Gog and Magog gather together to battle and battle against the Lord so even though Christ has been reigning for a thousand years we still see that man is foolish we still see that man is sinful and they still would rather team up with Satan against the Lord Jesus Christ so we just see the power of Satan as well we just see how powerful he is and how deceptive he is that even when you have Christ on this earth ruling and reigning they'd still rather turn their backs on Christ and follow after Satan but then you know their army their fight is short-lived because what happens a fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them just a fire bang done God destroys him last time and Satan is cast into the lake of fire and that's where he's going to be forever and ever never more to torment the nations ever again but I just wanted to point out to you we read six times a thousand years because there are and I'm going to cover this in a little bit more detail on Thursday but there are those that teach you that we are in the thousand years we are in the millennium or the millennium is a spiritual thing yes you know even though it's been 2,000 years since Christ it's still the millennium it's just this vague you know but what do we see God mentioned that six times over and over again I don't know how you cannot take this literally right and as a church we are pre-millennial okay I'll explain that to you what does it mean to be pre-millennial okay first of all it means that we believe we're in a period that's before the millennium but not only that we believe that Christ is coming before the millennium okay because there are those out there that teach now's the millennium now's the time that we're going to bring this utopia on this earth and then once you know once this you know whole earth is christianized you know this is what they consider the millennium that's when Christ comes back and people that believe that are called post-millennial I don't know if you've ever heard these terms before but they're called post-millennial because they think the millennium is now and once this whole earth has been gospel you know has received the gospel everyone's been saved everyone's a christian nation that's when Christ comes back because it's post-millennial Christ comes back after the millennium but anyway just just to give you some information about that in case you hear those terms we are a pre-millennial church because we still believe the millennium's in the future and as we've read this is this is chapter 20 we read in chapter 19 that's when Christ comes back and then the millennium takes place right so we just take the bible literally now look at verse number 11 revelation chapter 20 verse 11 we saw about the satan being cast into the lake of fire as well as the beast as well as the first prophet we won't go into those guys right now verse 11 because now now we get to the great white throne judgment and you know the the reason for the lake of fire right the great white throne judgment and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from his face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them so the old heaven the old earth flee as it were before the face of God not even his creation is able to contain God on his throne which is an amazing thing there's no place found for them okay I know some people believe the heaven and the earth are destroyed at this point in time I personally do not believe that I just believe they fled away and they're not found there's no place to be found up for them before this great white throne and verse 12 and I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were open and another book was open which is the book of life we've covered the book of life before and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works so these are non-believers even the non-believers go through a resurrection but it's not a resurrection of life it's a resurrection of damnation okay they get brought out of the sea out of the out of the graves their dead bodies they corrupted their bodies but also hell gives up the dead so their soul and spirit are reunited with their dead body and they're judged according to their works now even though their bodies are dead they're still conscious remember that the rich man in hell was able to lift up his eyes and realize he's in hell in his torment they're still conscious even though they're dead as far as god is concerned they are dead but they're still conscious and this is the scary thing about hell right and they're judged according to their works and verse 14 and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire so let me just cover a couple of things here in this current earth of ours the bible is very clear that hell is in the center of the earth okay i know that's kind of bogs the mind but there are many passages that prove this okay we won't go into that you can do that study in your own time but hell is in the center of this earth so what happens is the older fleet flees but yet hell is taken from that earth right and is cast into the lake of fire so hell continues to exist but in this greater lake of fire if you will okay now hell itself is a lake of fire but it is put into this lake of fire because the lake of fire is the end of everything that's unrighteous it's the end of everything that's unclean it's the end of everything that's sinful it's the end of everything that's wicked this is how god takes care of the curse of this earth and the sin of this earth is through the lake of fire okay so not only is hell cast into the lake of fire but we see whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire so all the unsaved all the unbelievers are also cast into the lake fire okay Some of them are brought out of hell, judged by their works, and cast into lake fire. Others that went through this millennium, that went against in this rebellion with Satan, are destroyed by fire at that point. They too will be judged and cast into the lake of fire. And then we see the devil being cast into the lake of fire. We see the beast or the antichrist cast into the lake of fire. We see the false prophet which deceives the nations to follow off the beast cast into the lake of fire. You can see how it's the end of God's destruction for the wicked. Okay, now he's ready. Okay, Christ has reigned on the earth. All the kingdoms are subject to him. All the weakness has been taken care of. We're ready to bring forth usher in the new heaven and the new earth at this point. The new heaven and the new earth. Look at Revelation chapter 21 verse 1. Revelation chapter 21 verse 1. So John's writing this. He says 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. Now a couple of the men were having, I think we brought this up on Wednesday, or one of the Wednesdays that we normally meet up on. And the conversation was, is the new heaven and the new earth brand new? Like unrelated to the old heaven and the old earth, right? Is the old heaven and the old earth totally destroyed? And this new heaven and new earth is a brand new creation. Is that how it is? Or is the new earth and new heaven just the old heaven and the old earth refurbished? Right, that's another idea that's out there. We're having this discussion. Personally, I don't think it matters so much. The key thing is that it is new. The key thing is that there's no sin. The key thing is there's no curse. The key thing is the wickedness of the earth has been taken care of. But my own personal belief, when I look at how God does things, right? When I look at salvation, for example, you know when we say we're born again, we're born of the spirit, right? It's a new life that takes place. It's a new spirit. But the Bible also says he's quickened our dead spirit. And so even though we have a new spirit, it's still like the elements of that old spirit are taken and renewed, okay? And when we look at the resurrection, we look at the rapture, I would say they are new bodies, right? Because the old flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So we need these new bodies that are immortal. Remember that. They're not corruptible. They're not mortal. They're incorruptible. They're immortal. They are new bodies. But how do we receive that new body? We see that the graves, those that have passed away, those graves open up. Why is that important? It's because those old bodies, whatever's left, you know, whatever's deteriorated, rotted away, those old bones, that old whatever it is that's left, somehow God takes that and renews, makes a new body, brand new body, but still takes the elements of the old and makes it new. Okay, we wouldn't argue that's a new body. But at the same time, we wouldn't argue that God uses the old body somehow, even when Christ was resurrected. His old body was not in the grave. Remember, it was gone. But he was in his brand new resurrected body. And even in his new resurrected body, he had the nail prints in his hands. He had, you know, the hole on his side of the spear. Now, I don't believe we're going to have those kind of deformations. It's important that Christ still has it, because that was a sacrifice for all eternity. And it's for us to look at Christ and remember the sacrifice that he did for us into eternity. But you can see that even he had a new body, but it still had elements and traces of the old self that he had, right? Same thing for us. The Bible says, for we shall be changed. You know, in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Our bodies, yes, they're new, but they're changed bodies, okay? So we can see how God does things. When God brings things new, he does take elements of the old and makes that new, okay? So I personally believe that, yes, the new heaven and the new earth, in a sense, is like a refurbishment. And not just a refurbishment. You're not just fixing one little thing. Everything's being made new, right? So whether, you know, the old earth is destroyed, in a sense, but whatever's destroyed, those elements are used to make that new earth, right? So I don't think it's a big deal. You know, if you think it's a brand new earth, or if you think it's the old earth being done all new again. The key thing is, if it is a new heaven and a new earth, right? Now look at verse number 2, Revelation 21 verse 2. And I John, I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. Notice this, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now, this new city coming out of heaven, this holy city coming down, descending, I believe it descends upon the earth. I know the scriptures don't clearly state that it comes upon the earth. I do believe that, and I can give you reasons for that as well. But we see it come down, but it's prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now, there's this crazy teaching amongst Baptists. In fact, amongst all kind of Protestants and all kind of Christendom, that the bride of Christ is the New Testament church. And what they mean by that is, all of us that are saved in the New Testament make up the bride of Christ. I'm sure you've all heard that. It's a pretty popular teaching, right? And then you've got some Baptists that go extreme. It's like, well, it's just the Baptists. They're called Baptist bride's. There are some like that. We are the bride of Christ, they say, right? Now, there's truth to that. They do make up the bride of Christ. But what we see here is this city come down, and it's prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Now, I know it says as a bride. I know that's descriptive, and it doesn't actually call it the bride at this point in time. But as we'll see later on, actually, let's have a look at it now. Look at verse number nine. Look at verse number nine. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the last, sorry, full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me saying, come hither, come here, I will show thee the bride, the lamb's wife. So this angel says to John, come, I will show you the lamb's wife, the bride, the lamb's wife, right? Look at verse number 10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the New Testament church. The New Testament church believers, no. And he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, okay? So what is the bride of Christ? What is the bride of the lamb? What is the wife that's been prepared here? It is holy Jerusalem. I'm not talking about Jerusalem on this earth. I'm talking about this heavenly city, new Jerusalem, okay? That is part of this new heaven and this new earth, descending out of heaven from God. Why is that so hard to understand? Why is it so hard to understand that the bride of Christ is this city, and then those that make up this city? I mean, if we just read the Bible, we don't have any preconceived ideas, that's what we're going with. And look, I understand why people say it's a New Testament church, because Ephesians chapter 5 says that Christ is the head of the church, even as the husband is the head of the wife. I get that. But that is an analogy. Christ is using an analogy that the husband's the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. It's not saying that the New Testament church, only the New Testament church, is the bride of Christ. It's just using the analogy of authority levels within a marriage, so we can understand how Christ relates to the church, the same way a husband ought to relate to his wife. Now, is it just the city? Is the bride of Christ just? No, obviously when we talk about a city, we talk about those that populate that city, right? We talk about those that live in that city, that make up that city. What's the point of having a city if there's no one in it, right? What's the point? I've seen videos of places like in Asia, I think even places like Dubai, or where they construct these massive buildings, try to create these cities that are from nothing, and even some places in I think China even, and then there's no one there. There's no businesses. There's no population. It's just empty. They've done these great cities. They spent all this money, all this debt they've gotten into, right? Thinking that they're going to create this great new international city, and then that's not how cities start. Things start small, and then it gradually builds, but they try to manufacture this, right? And it's empty. It's pointless. But no, it's not pointless for God. When he brings down this city, we see that there are those that make up this bride. Now look at verse number 12. Revelation 21 verse 12. Who makes up the Lamb's bride? Verse number 12. So the city had a wall great and high, and had 12 gates, and at the gates 12 angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. The 12 tribes of the children of Israel. These gates have the names of the tribes of Israel. Old Testament now, right? Is the bride of the Lamb just the New Testament church? That would make no sense, unless we had these tribes being mentioned, these Old Testament saints. Why? Because the Old Testament saints, the Old Testament tribes of Israel, are going to be part of this city, right? Not just Old Testament, but New Testament. Look at verse 13 and 14. On the east three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and the west three gates. So there's multiple entrances into the city. North, south, east, west. Three gates on every side. Obviously that makes up 12, the 12 tribes of Israel. But look at verse 14. And the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and in them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. So the foundations of the walls of this city have the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. Who are the 12 apostles? Those that made up, started up the New Testament church. So it's not only Old Testament saints, but New Testament saints that make up symbolically here of this new city, okay? It's an interesting thing because I don't understand why this sensationalism wants to separate Old Testament saints, New Testament saints, New Testament church, Old Testament Israel for all eternity. I've heard teaching that say, well the new heaven, that's for the New Testament saints, New Testament church age saints, and the new earth, that's for the Old Testament Israel saints. We just never meet. I've heard that taught in this sensational circle. It's just crazy. We see God focuses on this city and pays attention to make sure it has 12 names of the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles that started the New Testament churches, okay? Now, some interesting thing. Look at verse 16. Just the size of the city. Let's come look at that quickly. And the city lie four square, and the length is as a length as the breadth. And the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with a rate of 12,000 furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. So it's length, breadth, and height. It actually goes up. This city goes up somehow, right? But all of it's equal. So either it's a cube or either it's a pyramid, but all angles are the same length, okay? But it's not just length and breadth. It's also height. Now, I looked up what is 12,000 furlongs, and that worked out to be 2,414 kilometres each way. 2,414 kilometres each way. From here to Sydney is about 1,000 kilometres. So it's like from driving to Sydney, then driving back here, then driving halfway back, roughly. That's how long the city is. And then that's not just the width as well. Now, I had a look at Australia. I looked at Australia. Australia is, in kilometres squared, it's 7.7 million kilometres squared, just the landmass of Australia. 7.7 million kilometres square. Now, when you work out the kilometres squared in of this new Jerusalem, that works out to be 5.8 million kilometres squared. So it almost takes up the whole landmass of Australia. One city. This is one city on the new earth, okay? So it's huge. It's got more than enough space. And look, Australia is largely deserted anyway, right? It's all, most of that's empty. This is a city that's going to be full of people, more than enough room for all the Old Testament saints and the New Testament saints to be part of. Now, just to prove to you, if you can turn to Hebrews chapter 11, turn to Hebrews chapter 11, because you might say, yeah, well, this city here has the names of the tribes. It has the names of the apostles. But still, it's just for the New Testament church. Well, I just want to prove this to you a little bit further. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11 verse 13. Now, you guys know Hebrews 11. That's the chapter of great faithful men of God, right? You know, it covers people like Enoch and Noah and Abel and Abraham, Sarah, Noah. Now, it mentions all these people of great faith, but look at verse 13. These all died in faith. So all these great people of God, great men, great ladies, right? There's Sarah in that list as well. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. Now, what are we meant to do as believers looking for the new heavens and the new earth, right? We are also looking for the promise, okay? They also, having seen them afar off, they were also looking for these promises. What promise? And were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, on this earth, they were strangers and pilgrims. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. They were looking for a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. So if their mind was on this country, on this earth, on where they've come from, they would have returned. But no, they had their minds on another country, right? Verse 16. But now they desire a better country, that is, and heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath prepared for them a city. This country is this city, right? This heavenly city, a better country. It's something they were looking forward to. They did not receive it in their life, but they were focused on it. They were paying attention to it. They wanted it. What is this city? The new Jerusalem that comes out of heaven, prepared for God, the bride of the Lamb. These are Old Testament saints looking for this city, right? Now look at, you're still in Hebrews? Look at Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 22. Now referring to New Testament believers. Now the book of Hebrews, why is it called Hebrews? Why is the book of Hebrews called Hebrews? Well, because it was written to Hebrews. It was written to the Jews, right? Now it's still relevant to us, of course, because everything in the Bible is relevant to us. But it was something specific for the Jews of the time that had become believers, right? Because they had all these Old Testament practices. They were still trying to work out, you know, what do we hold on to? What no longer do we need to worry about? It's still relevant for us to learn, but it was specifically written to the Hebrews. Now look at verse 22. These are saved Hebrews. But ye, ye believers, are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. So we have Old Testament saints looking for the heavenly city. We have New Testament Hebrews, right, looking for this new city. But look at verse 23. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn. So it's not just the Jews, Old Testament, New Testament. It's also the general assembly and church of the firstborn. Which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. So this city of the living God, this heavenly Jerusalem, Old Testament, New Testament, Jew, Gentile, whatever, a believer, someone saved by the blood of Christ, is going to be part of this heavenly city. So is the New Testament church the bride of the lamb? Yes, but you're missing out on everyone else that makes up that bride of the lamb and that city. That entire city, and the people that are going to occupy that city, is the bride of the lamb. Now what I find interesting about the new heavens and the new earth, you know, we speak of spiritual things. Because we don't see God's kingdom physically, right? We speak of spiritual things. We speak of spiritual concepts. Often when we read the bible, when we preach the word. And you know, I'll just read to you John chapter 4 verse 10. Jesus answered and said unto her, talking about to the Samaritan woman, that's what he says. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saveth thee give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Now when Jesus says the living water there, is he referring to actual water, like real water? Or is he talking spiritual? He's referring to spiritual things, right? He's referring to spiritual. Even in John chapter 7 verse 37, in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, if any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. Now did Jesus have all this water ready to give thirsty people? No, he's saying spiritual things. He says this in verse 38, he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And that rivers of living water later on talks about the Holy Spirit. So these are spiritual concepts, okay? If we believe on Christ, we have partaken of that water, right? Spiritual concepts. Now look at verse number 6, Revelation 21 verse 6. Revelation 21 verse 6. Revelation 21 verse 6. So here we are in the new heaven and the new earth. Oh, well, I think you're... Are you in Revelation 22? I'm getting confused now. Oh yeah, we're talking about the city. Yeah, sorry. To the city, Revelation 21 verse 6. And he said unto me, it is done. I am alpha and omega. This is Jesus speaking again, but in the new heavens and the new earth. It is done. I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, and I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Okay, now look at Revelation 22. Revelation 22 verse 1. Yeah, Revelation 22 verse 1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Now what I find interesting about the new heavens and the new earth, we speak of these spiritual concepts, and yet in the new heaven and the new earth, it's like these spiritual things become reality, physical things. Like, you know when we talk about, in Ephesians, talks about how that we're built upon the apostles as this lively stone. And we know that's all like spiritual concepts, but then we see the new Jerusalem, the new city, its foundations are the names of the apostles. So we see these spiritual things kind of clash reality, and it's physical, it's tangible things. There's literally this river of water of life, this everlasting life of water coming out of this city from the throne of God, something that we can partake of. Christ says, hey, you know, him that is the thirst of the fount of water of life freely. Now we're already in our resurrected bodies. We're already in our eternal immortal bodies. We don't need to somehow maintain our eternity. No, that's been established already done in Christ. But yet these things are available for us to partake of, physically in the new heavens and the new earth. I always find that fascinating, that things that are spiritual somehow become physical. Once again, it's not just the rivers of life, it's also the tree of life. We know in the book of Revelation, there was a tree of knowledge of good and evil, which Adam and Eve were not to eat of. And then there was a tree of life as well, right? And then when they took of that tree of good and evil and died spiritually, God prevented them from even having to eat of the tree of life. Now, did they have to eat of the tree of life to remain alive? No, they just didn't have to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to maintain, to be able to live forever. But yet that was available to them physically. In the Garden of Eden, that was prevented of them. Now, the tree of life in the Bible is still spoken of. The tree of life is still available today for us today. But spiritually, spiritual concepts, right? Now, let me just read to you a couple of things. These things are found in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter three, verse 18 says, she, talking about wisdom, it refers to she. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is everyone that retaineth her. So it's about wisdom, spiritual concepts, things that are intangible, wisdom. If we get the wisdom of God, that's like the tree of life. That's partaking of the tree of life. Proverbs 11, verse 30, you guys are familiar with this one. It says, the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he that win of souls is wise. So within us, we have a tree of life. We can actually bring life. We can bear fruit spiritually and get other people saved and be part of that eternal life, right? That's another tree of life. Again, spiritual concepts. And then Proverbs 15, verse four says, a wholesome tongue is a tree of life. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. So kind, encouraging, motivating words, encouraging, building one another, that is a tree of life. That gives life spiritual concepts. Now look at Revelation 22, verse two. Revelation 22, verse two. So after the river of the living water, a water of life, it says in verse two, in the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river was there the tree of life. So again, the spiritual concepts are made reality. That's made tangible. Literal tree of life on either side of the river which bear 12 manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Okay, now it's interesting because you've got this tree of life. They can produce or bear 12 types of fruits. 12 manner, you know, most, every tree produces like one fruit but this tree of life is able to produce 12 fruits and yielded her fruit every month. So it's always in season. You know how some trees produce some periods of time, certain seasons, no. Every month this tree is producing fruit and the leaves, not just the fruit, but the leaves can be used as healing of the nations. I don't understand that. I don't understand. But it's interesting that even in the new heavens and the new earth, there are nations. Okay, it's not just one nation, there are multiple nations, okay. But this tree of life, either it has one fruit every month, like let's say they, even in the new earth, there's still 12 months in a year, I don't know. Let's say that's true. Then we could say that yes, there's one fruit being produced every month or we can just say all 12 fruits are produced all times of the year. I guess it just depends on how you read that. But yeah, for the healing of the nations, I just wanted to show you, look, even in the new heavens and the new earth, there are going to be nations. There are going to be greater nations. And what you mentioned, there are kings over these nations. Okay, now if we're going to rule and reign with Christ in the millennium, you need to understand that authority structure will continue. We're going to continue serving the Lord. We're going to continue working for Him. Okay, when does He bring His reward? When He comes to establish His kingdom on the earth. Okay, at that point in time, everything you've done in this life, everything you've done in this old earth for the Lord will be accountable to you a hundredfold into the millennium. Some of you will have more than others. Some of you will have greater mansions than others. Some of you will have greater responsibility, greater authority. Some of you will be kings. Some of you will serve, you know, in different capacities in this new heaven and this new earth. We need to keep our focus on this, not just as a destination, right? But as what can we gain from there? What can we do? You know, how much can we... Because once you're there, you're set. Once you're there, you can no longer have that hundredfold contribution. The hundredfold starts now in this life. What you do for the Lord is going to determine and be rewarded for you into eternity, into the new heaven and the new earth. Now let me just say this. Go back to 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 13. Just to put this all together for you. 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 13. Our memory verse again. Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwell of righteousness. So yes, it is right and correct for us to look for, okay? But do we just look? Is that all that we do? We just look and hope? No, look at verse 14. Wherefore, okay, beloved... So because you're doing this. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace without spot and blameless. Be diligent. So because you know this is happening, now, right now where you are, brethren, beloved, be diligent that you may be found in peace without spot and blameless. Be diligent now. Yes, be hopeful for the future. But because of the future, be diligent in the work of the Lord now. What does it mean to be diligent? It means to be attentive. Be persistent with what you do. Work toward these great wards in the eternal state. You have your opportunity right now. We have the last year, you know, 2017. You know, think about, you know, when I think about the new heavens and the earth, it's a good time to preach this sermon because tomorrow we have a new year, okay? It's the end of 2017. Today, it's done. 2017 is done. Whatever you've done for the Lord in 2017 is done. It's wrapped up. You cannot go back to 2017 and do more for the Lord. That's taken care of. But we do have a new year coming up. 2018. What are we going to be doing for the Lord? You know, I love 2017. It brought me up here. We started a new church. Got to know you guys better. Be able to fellowship, serve the Lord together. Great! You know, we've done this for three months. Now, let's think about a whole year. What can we do for the Lord in 2018? Looking for the new heavens and the earth. What can we do now? Do we need to wait for that new heaven? No! We can start preparing now, okay? Because everything you do will be rewarded a hundredfold in the new heavens and the new earth and in the millennium before that as well. You know, Bible reading. Have you ever read your Bible from cover to cover? If you haven't, why don't you decide 2018 is going to be the year that I read my Bible from cover to cover? You know, if you've already read your Bible from cover to cover, why don't you decide 2018 is the year that I'm going to read not just Old Testament and New Testament, but I'll read the New Testament twice. Get a bit more reading into it. New Testament doesn't take too long to get through, right? Have you already done that? Great! Read the Bible twice in the new year. Challenge yourself to do more for the Lord. Everything that you do for the Lord will be rewarded, right? Start a Bible reading plan. If you're not consistent, you know, you find that yourself, you slack off. You know, you start well in the year reading your Bible, but then you slack off. Have a Bible reading plan that you can mark off. Hey, have someone accountable to you. Go to someone in your family and say, can you keep me accountable to read through my chapters? So then they can come up to you at the end of the day. Hey, have you read your... I haven't read it yet. All right, I better get on to it, right? Because if you've got that partner, it's like sawing. It's harder to go sawing on your own, but if you've got a partner with you, you're more, okay, cool, let's do it together. You get motivated. You get encouraged. You encourage one another. Same thing with Bible reading. Have someone maybe, if you find yourself slack off, find someone that can keep you accountable. Prayer, your prayer life. You know, start your day. Say, in 2018, I'm going to start every day praying to the Lord. I'm going to spend time with the Lord, and I'm going to end my day with the Lord. Why not? You know, say, hey, this is a good time. New Year's, everyone does it, right? New Year's resolution. For some reason, it's motivating to know, hey, I've got a new year. I've got a fresh start. Okay, I don't have the new heavens and the new earth just yet, but I have the new year. I can start here, right? Bible reading. You know, write down your prayer request. If you find yourself, I don't know, I don't have, you know, when I pray, I just pray, Dear Lord, please help me today. Help me do good in work. Look after my family. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. If you've got nothing to pray about, look, there's many things to pray about. Maybe keep a journal of things, right? You hear about people being sick in church. You hear about different difficulties and needs or what have you. You know, you have your own issues. Write them down. So then when you go to the Lord, and you might not remember those things, you can go back to your journal and have a look and say, oh yeah, I've got all these things to talk to the Lord about. The other good thing about having a journal or jotting these things down is you can go back and have, hey, the Lord's answered these ones already, right? And you can take them off and encourage. You can remember to thank the Lord because so many times the Lord does things for us and we forget to thank him. You know, we just take it for granted that that prayer's been answered. You know, confess your sins. You know, remember, hey, the Lord, to keep a good fellowship with the Lord is to confess your sins. Great time. Be prayerful. Confess your sins before the Lord. Ask him to help you to overcome. Things that you struggle with in your life. You know, if you say, I don't know what to pray for, ask the brethren in the church. I know, I get encouraged when someone comes up to me and says, Kevin, do you have anything you want me to pray for? You know, sometimes I don't have anything to pray, you know, top of my mind, but it's encouraging to know that there's a brother in church that loves me enough to actually bring me before the Lord and ask for my needs. You know, my needs for my family. You know, ask people in the church if there's anything you can pray for. You know, church attendance. Say 2018, you know, it's going to be a time that I do not purposely miss any service. You know, if possible. You know, obviously I know people are sick and there's times you just can't make it, legitimate reasons. But hey, sometimes we do get lazy. Sometimes, you know, we might be a little sick. We can still make it to church. We go, you know, I'm not that all that well. Hey, make a mission in 2018 to be in church as much as possible. For Kevin? No, for the Lord. For the fellowship. To serve the Lord and be encouraged amongst believers. You know, say in 2018, if I go on holidays, you know, because church attendance is important to me. I'm going to make sure that I go to a place where I know there's a sound church, right? If it's, you know, over a Sunday or over the weekend or what have you, go to a place for holidays that you know has a church that at least is right in the gospel. But at least I know the people in that church are my brothers in Christ. You know, keep those things in mind. What about your family? You know, spend time. Say 2018 is going to be the year that I spend time with my family. That I, you know, don't ignore them with all the distractions of the world. You know, I know there are things that keep us, our minds busy. You know, the devil's the deceiver of these nations. He brings things into our life that aren't even sinful but can distract us from our own family time. Hey, spend time praying together as a family. Memorize verses together, right? I find that it's easier to, for me, the reason I give you one verse per week to memorize is because I know that's going to be easier for you as a family to get together and try to memorize that together. I find it easier to memorize verses when I'm doing it with the kids, right? Because I'm trying to teach the kids but at the same time I'm teaching myself, right? So, you know, sing hymns together. You've got your hymn books now, right? You've all families have hymn books. Say, hey, 2019 is a year that I'm going to sing praises to the Lord not just in the house of God but in my own personal house. I'm going to open up the hymns. I'm going to learn these songs and sing praises to Him. And also, hey, 2018 is going to be a year where I'm going to be more hospitable to my church brethren than I ever have. I'm going to have them over. We're going to fellowship together, spend time together, get to know one another, love one another, serve one another because I know when I serve them I'm serving Christ. Soul winning. Soul winning, right? I'm going to be soul winning more than I ever have. I have some soul winning numbers for you after this sermon. I'm going to go through that. But say, hey, we as a church want to win more souls in 2018 than we did in 2017. That won't be hard, right? That won't be hard because we have four times as many months to get through and beat that number that we've got. But hey, let's try to win as many souls as, you know, more souls in 2018 than we did in 2017. And if you're someone that's never done any soul winning, hey, say, 2018 is the year that I'm going to memorize these verses. I'm going to memorize a plan. So, you know, if when I have the opportunity to preach the gospel, I'm ready. You know, 2018 is the year that I'm going to keep church tracts on me, you know, in my pockets. I go out and do my business because every now and again, you never know there's an opportunity. Someone comes and starts to talk to you and you're ready. You can give them a tract. And, you know, even if you're not comfortable giving the gospel, you can read the tract out to them, or at least they can take it and have some thoughts in their mind. They can read some verses and hopefully the power of God through the Word of God is able to make them uncomfortable and think about eternity, you know. And also just your personal walk with the Lord. 2018 is going to be the year that I walk closer with the Lord than I ever have before. I don't need to wait for the new heavens and the new earth to walk with the Lord. I can do it now in my spiritual life. I'm going to spend more time walking in the flesh. I'm going to spend less time so into the flesh. Did I say flesh? Walking in the spirit. I'm going to spend more time walking in spirit. Less time so into the flesh. Less time wasting my life on non-essential things that don't matter to the new heavens and the new earth. Think about the things that you do in your life. What are the things that I do that's just a waste of time that God's not going to give me any rewards in eternity, but what are the things that I know I can do for the Lord that has not just ramifications on me now, but into the future a hundred fold, you know. Think about that. Everything I do for the Lord a hundred fold rewarded. It's an amazing promise from the Lord. Stop laying, wasting your time on non-essential things. I understand that you need to relax and blow some steam every now and again, but if that's all you're doing and you're not doing things for the Lord, you haven't even balanced in your life. So that's what I wanted to talk to you guys about today. The new heavens and the new earth. Something that we ought to look forward to. Hey, tomorrow, start of the new year. Let's make it practical. Let's apply this sermon tomorrow, right? Let's apply it today, right? Let's do great things for the Lord with our vision set upon the new heavens and the new earth. Let's pray.