A GLIMPSE OF THINGS TO COME by Jeff Wingo

The Heavenly Jerusalem and The Bound Devil by Matthias Gerung, 1530-1532 {1}

Writing my lasts few posts, and given the topics discussed, I decided that we needed to take a look at some good news. It can be very easy to get narrowly focused on conspiracies and other evil going on in this world, and we all need to stay on the narrow path, lest a few fall by the wayside.

I was thinking about the day when the march of time will cease, and time as we know it will turn into eternity. The Apostle John was privileged with a glimpse into that endless era of beauty, healing, and peace, when he saw the  New Heavens open up, and the New Jerusalem descend from Heaven to Earth.

 New Jerusalem; Fresco; Kastorkirche in Koblenz, Germany {2}

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (Rev. 21:1-5).

The vision of the New Jerusalem is a fitting climax to the conflict of the Great Tribulation. I can imagine that John was physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted after writing about the tribulation of the saints at the merciless hands of the Beast, and the prideful self-glory of Babylon the Great.

As far as this current world goes, God will not allow it to remain, it is just too scarred with sin; and so He will purify the universe and recreate the Earth.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (2 Peter 3:10).

Not only will God redeem humanity through Christ, but He will also redeem the universe, and recreate the Earth as a permanent habitation for mankind. We have all heard that the redeemed will live with God in heaven, but that is not really what the Bible teaches. According to the biblical text we will live, not in heaven for eternity, but on the New Earth, and God will actually make the New Earth His habitation in eternity as well: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”  (Rev. 21:4).

We can take comfort that the New Earth will be completely free of sin, evil, and death. These things have dogged mankind sin the fall in the Garden of Eden. But on the New Earth, these things will not exist.

John describes the city as having great high walls, twelve gates of pearl, and it’s appearance and color are like “the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Rev.21:7).

The city had no need of a Temple, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof”  (Rev.21:22-23). The city will be safe and secure, “and the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there” (Rev.21:25).

John describes the interior of the city as overwhelming beauty, peace, and healing.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever (Rev. 22:1-5).

I hope to be there, and I hope that you will too. I want our world to be at peace, but I also know that we must walk in this world as strangers and pilgrims before we enter the wonders of Eternity (Hebrews 11:13). Before we get to the New Jerusalem we have to travel through the cities of this world first–we have to walk through the temptations and trials of Babylon before we arrive at the city of God, Foursquare, a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).

Are you going to New Jerusalem? If you’re not sure, come to Christ, He died for you, taking your place on the cross; the wrath of God that we deserve was poured out on Him. After He died, Jesus was buried in a tomb, but three days later He conquered the grave and arose from the dead. That’s the gospel, the GOOD NEWS, and you must believe these things to gain eternal life–that’s all God requires, your faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Hebrews 10:9-10).

The last invitation for salvation is in the book of Revelation. God did not want His Word to end without one last plea for your soul; and the invitation is given to all who will believe in Jesus and His power to save.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Rev.22:17).

You are invited, accept the invitation because now is the day of salvation; now is the time to decide; now is the time to believe the gospel and gain eternity and life forever in the city of God, the New Jerusalem.

Thanks for visiting.

Jeff  Wingo

If you are interested in learning more about the great deception of the last days, then I recommend to you my book, Alien Antichrist, The Terrifying Truth about UFOs and Aliens, Antichrist, and the End of Days.

In the book you will learn about the Great Tribulation, the strong delusion of the last days, and how this is tied in with the UFO and alien deception and the ascendancy of the final Antichrist, the final ruler of the New World Order, Babylon the Great.

You may get the book from Amazon in a print copy, or Kindle. Here is the link to Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Antichrist-Terrifying-Truth-Aliens/dp/1496119460/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UT F8&qid=1423962396&sr=1-1&keywords=alien+antichrist

Endnotes:

1. The Heavenly Jerusalem / The Bound Devil by Matthias Gerung

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AOttheinrich_Folio303v_Rev20-21.jpg

2.  New Jerusalem; Fresco; Kastorkirche in Koblenz, Germany; by Warburg, Creative Commons, Wikipedia; http://upload.wikimedia.org/ wikipedia/commons/c/ce/KO_Kastor_fresko.JPG