What Shall Be Your Judgment?

Introduction

Pleasant good morning to all. What a privilege to be able to gather together on such a beautiful Lord’s Day to worship him, to study together his word. I think most of you know that I was away this last week. I was preaching in a gospel meeting in Tupelo, Mississippi. And at their at their request, I was preaching about the book of Revelation. Well, that makes a pretty full series, indeed, to speak about why it is written and the style it is of a figurative language, and yet to understand something about the background of the book, and therefore really the figures of speech come alive.

And so the services went well and were well received. And I believe that we thrill when we read the book of Revelation to know number one that God is in control. For you see, it was written at a time when the church of the Lord was under severe threat, persecution. There was a Caesar of Rome who wanted to be worshipped as Lord God. And to the Christians that was more than they could do. It’s a spiritual matter. Wouldn’t bow down to a man who called himself God. But to the Roman, it became more a political matter. Are these people treasonous? Are they guilty of forming insurrection? And so there were many Christians, some put to death, and and certainly all of them faced severe trial, constantly.

The question certainly was on their lips will the church be abolished. If there were ever a time that it would have been abolished, it seems as though it might have been during that period. The whole world is against them. Not only people, the majority of citizens, but you have a government in charge, backing, uh, backing a pagan religion, a man who wanted to be worshipped as God. And so as the book unfolds, it certainly reveals the very fact that that indeed the battle is not just Rome against the church. It was really a battle of Satan versus God. And therefore it comes to a great conclusion, really, after identifying who a beast, the Roman Empire, and the false prophet, that pagan religion, have at their back by the dragon who is the devil, but they’re going to lose the battle.

For in Revelation 17 and verse 14, it says, These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. For he is Lord of Lords and King of kings. And they that are with him are the call, the chosen and the faithful. It’s a thrilling message, a message of great hope. But as it begins to draw to a conclusion, you get to chapter 20, and there it describes how that even after the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, the last verses of chapter 19, chapter 20 talks about how indeed the saints reign with Christ. The devil is bound. He’s bound for a thousand years, a full, complete period of time. And the saints are seen as reigning with the Lord.

Those who’ve been beheaded did not lose all. There is life after death, and these are reigning with Christ. Victory in the Lord.

In fact, as you read through chapter 11, uh chapter 20 of this, it goes on to say how that in verses 11 through through the through about verse, well, I may back up and say verses 7 through verse 10. It speaks of how the devil would be loose for a little season. There will be great persecution once again, as he gathers gog and magog surrounds the church, and it looks like maybe one more time the devil may have an upper hand. But again, he is defeated, and he’s cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. I believe that short section is yet future. I believe we are in that period of the thousand-year reign as a figure to simply say, in a full complete period of time, where the devil is bound.

But as we come to those last few verses of chapter 20, it then speaks about a time that is yet future from the time Revelation was first applied. It’s a time that’s still going on. It’s a time that you and I live in. And in fact, I’ve decided since I was traveling most of yesterday, getting back home, that I’ve just preached this morning the lesson I preached Friday night in Tupelo. If you have a Bible, I’d like for you to open with me to the reading found in Revelation chapter 20, where there in the last few verses of chapter 20, we find a description of what is yet to come. What will happen at the end time. The disciples, no doubt, even though they wanted to know about the impending battle against uh against the Satan versus God, they also would know not want to know what about the future?

What’s going to happen? Verses, chapter 20, beginning in verse 11. John could say, I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Habes were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. It’s a rather sobering text when you stop and think that it is a passage in which you and I are described. So I ask you as we go through the lesson this morning to answer the question as best you can.

1. Everyone Will Be There, Judged by the Books

According to this text, understanding this is yet to occur. Look at what it describes. It describes a throne, great white throne. And everyone will be there. The scripture says, the small and the great. Who are they? No doubt he’s speaking about all classes of people, whether it be the rich or the poor, you cannot buy yourself out of heaven or away from into heaven or out of hell. You cannot buy yourself away from a judgment day. Even kings will be there, and slaves will be there. As the scripture in fact tells us in passages like John chapter 5 and verse 28, where Jesus said, Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the grave shall come forth. They that have done good unto life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation.

In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 14, quoting even from Isaiah chapter 45, there come a day when every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess. The fact is that we shall all be given or to give an account of ourselves unto God. You have to look at that. What will you say when that judgment day comes? Fact is, this passage also says we’ll be judged. Did you notice that it said by the books? Plural. By what means, and why is it that he’s written the books? Plural. Well, the fact is, if everybody’s going to be there who’s lived on the face of this earth, we’re not all under the same law of the Lord. The fact is, you say, well, back earlier, different periods of time, when it was wrong for Cain to kill this brother Abel, or later, even during the time of the flood, where man’s thought was only evil continually, or even following the flood.

There’s a period of time that we say, well, they were really under what might be called the moral law. A time where they didn’t have even the law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. So far as we know, there’s nothing written about the law of God to those people of the early period of time. But passages like in Romans chapter 2, verses 14 and 15. Describes how even the Gentiles, though they didn’t have the law of Moses, yet they had a law. Their conscience bearing witness, either accusing or excusing them. They have a sense of right from wrong, and what was revealed unto them, we may not have a written record, but they will be judged. But also the Jews or the Israelites, particularly, we know they were given the law of Moses.

In passages like in Deuteronomy 28, the first 14 verses where Moses described how that they must keep that law, and if they did, how they would be blessed. But starting in Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15, to the end of that chapter, he speaks about many curses. There’d be things that will go against them, God’s punishment, if they did not keep the law. God has always asked of man to show respect unto him, and he’s given man a standard of right and wrong. Well, you and I have more than just the moral law. And while it’s true that we’re not under the law of Moses, we do have law by which we should follow. We’re given the gospel of Jesus Christ. And Jesus Himself said in John chapter 12 and verse 48, He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my sayings hath one that judgeth him in the last day.

The words that I have spoken shall judge him. So therefore I ask you in the audience today, if you’re going to face that judgment and you will, what can you say about keeping the gospel of Jesus Christ? Has it meant anything to you? Have you looked it up? Have you considered the words of Jesus when he said, He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who believes not shall be condemned. Indeed, Jesus taught that and other things that are in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’ll stand before the Lord and we’ll give an account. In fact, the scripture says there’s one more book, and that is the book of life. Some six times in the Bible, both Old and New Testament, the book of life is mentioned.

And it described as people who have kept the word of God. No matter what period of time they were in, no doubt there’s a faithful Noah. No doubt there are men who are faithful even under the law of Moses. Moses himself, prophets like Elijah and Elisha, Jeremiah. They’re men who kept the word of God. None of them were perfect without sin. But when they did the will of God to the best of their ability, indeed, the blood of Christ is described in Hebrews 9 as reaching both backward as well as forward. And therefore their names are in the book of life. But your name can be there as well. In Revelation chapter 3 and in verse 5 in writing to the church at Sardis, the Lord said to them that he that overcometh will be clothed in white garments.

I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Your name there? Indeed, your name may be there if you obeyed the gospel of Christ and following him. But the fact is, where you spend eternity, the sentence is going to be determined according to the scripture, according to your works. In 2 Corinthians 5 and in verse 10, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done in the body according to that which hath been done. You and I will be judged by, indeed, how we have taken the word of God in our hearts. It is true that if any man is saved, it is be by the grace of the Lord.

But it is not grace only. The Bible says that we’re saved by grace through faith. Faith that saves is a faith that obeys. It is the kind of attitude that says, Lord, your will be done, and in my own life I live according to your will. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses 13 and 14. I believe probably help us answer a real basic question. I think most of us want to say, well, what’s the real purpose for life? Have you ever found yourself just wondering, why am I here? What’s going to happen? What should I really be doing? And the wise men in Ecclesiastes 12 really wrote it this way. Fear God. Keep his commandments. For this is the whole of man. This is what man’s all is.

For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. It’s very sobering, isn’t it? I think every one of us could say, you know, when I look in the mirror of God’s word and I begin to see myself, I am not perfect. I’m far from perfect. I have many failures. But by the grace of God, through the gift of Jesus Christ who gave his life for us, we have forgiveness. And by the forgiveness that is described in the Bible, we we have hope. There’s something far better than just this life. There’s more to life than just those things that are daily maybe problems in our lives. But we look beyond them because there is more to those who serve the Lord.

2. The Lake of Fire Is the Second Death

But while this sets forth in these few verses from Revelation 20, it sets forth something that is also very sobering. That is, that there will be some who will spend eternity in what is described as the lake of fire. Verses 14 and 15, death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Lake of fire? Second death. What is that referring to? Fact is, the Bible defines what death is. Passages like James 2 and verse 26 tell us that the body without the spirit is dead. What happens when one dies? The scripture says in Ecclesiastes 12 and 7 says the Spirit returns unto God who gave it.

We know when we go to a funeral and particularly to the cemetery, that what is being laid in the ground is simply the body. The light, the spirit of that individual, is no longer in that body. Death has occurred. There’s a separation. The spirit has returned unto God who gave it. Therefore, if that’s the first death, physical death as we know it, what could the second death be? And I suggest unto you, just as death is defined as a separation of the spirit from the fleshly body, so the second death has to do with the separation of the spirit from God. No longer to be with God. And therefore described indeed as a horrible way in a term that says it is called the second death in a lake of fire and brimstone.

It is reported that Martin Luther, the great reformer of the 1500s, Protestant reformer, indeed wrote in the margin of his Bible, it was said someone found it after his death. He wrote the words, born once, die twice. Born twice, die once. I think that’s a pretty good summary. Indeed, it refers back to what the words of Jesus in John chapter 3 and verse 5. You may recall when Nicodemus came to him. And Jesus indeed told Nicodemus, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now Nicodemus thinking in terms of a fleshly birth, how can a man be born again? He said. How can he enter his mother’s womb and be born? That’s impossible, isn’t it? And that’s when Jesus said, Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Understanding that even as we are immersed into the death of Christ in baptism, in obedience to the word of God revealed by the Spirit, in that process we’re born again. Sins are forgiven. We’re united, we’re made one with God. We become the children of God. And so a second birth, you might say, born twice, die once. That is only the physical death. But those who have only been born physically, what’s going to happen? They incur a second death. And the scripture also speaks in chapter 21 and in verse 8 again of that second death. When it says the cowardly, the unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

And therefore, what it describes, both here in chapter 20 and in 21, it is described here as a lake of fire and bramstone. I’ve been asked sometimes, well, do you really believe it’s just regular fire like we know it? And my answer, of course, is I do not. I do not know exactly what it’ll be. I do think that it’s probably in a figure. In the sense that just as we read later in chapter 21, the street of the street of heaven is going to be gold. Now I doubt that it’s going to be literal gold, like we think of gold. But even as the city is described as precious jewels and pearls, the finest things that we know in this life is how you can picture heaven.

And the worst thing that we might think of in this life is how you can picture what hell is like. Whether it’s a literal fire or not, I do know that it’s described as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is described as a horrible place. There are those today who say, well, I’m not sure it’s hell, as we think of, as described here. Our Jehovah’s Witness friends, if you’ve ever just studied one, you know, they teach that hell is really just the grave. And that actually when one dies, he ceases to exist. Well, that’s kind of appealing to some people. Some years ago, when we lived in Alabama, I was a much younger man, but I was shocked one day when one of our members who hadn’t been all that faithful came to me and he was acknowledging, he said, Well, he said, I’ve been studying with the Jehovah’s Witness, and I’ve decided that I’m just going to miss out on heaven.

And that’ll be bad. But I’m going to go ahead and live life now to the fullest. In other words, eat, drink, and be merry, do your own thing, because really when you die, that’s the end of it. That is appealing. But I’m thankful to tell you that about ten years later I went back and was in a gospel meeting of that congregation, and he had come to himself and had repented and was faithful again. But it is a it is an appealing thing. If there’s no hell, so just go ahead and live now to the fullest. I’m afraid there are many who are doing that. Thinking that when we die, that is the end. How many today are you hearing almost every day a record of someone who has committed murder and then suicide?

Why don’t they do it? No doubt they feel like, well, this is it. This is the end. That’s all there is. So when I die, that’s it. And I’ve decided I don’t want to live any longer, and so I’ll just take my life. I’ve said over and over the problem in our nation right now is that there is no fear of God. They’ve come to a sense of thinking, well, that’s it, that’s the end. And so they do not acknowledge God is, and the Bible, that’s the important word of God by which we shall be judged one day. The lake of fire and brimstone. You know what the Bible says? All that are there are those whose names are not in the book of life. They’re not there.

They are the cowardly. They won’t obey the gospel. They won’t stand up for the Lord and what is right. They are the unbelieving. In fact, they are those who who are in the same place prepared for the devil. Matthew 25, when Jesus pictured the great uh throne where he separated the sheep from the goats and on the left to those who were on the left, the goats who had not served the Lord faithfully. He said they would enter into the lake prepared for the devil and his angels. I guess as younger I’ve heard some mothers tell their children, if you don’t be good, the devil’s gonna get you. Wrong. It’s not the devil that’s gonna get you. In fact, if you if you don’t serve the Lord, you’ll go to the same place prepared for the devil and his angels.

In fact, it’s a place where there’s no rest day or night. Chapter 14 and verse 11, the smoke of their torment the sin is up forever and ever. Who wants to go to a place like that? Surely none. I wish, you know, I could just tell you, don’t worry about hell. I don’t like to preach about hell. I know there are some preachers today in the denominational world who aren’t preaching about hell. And there are some people, it seems, who’ve been consoled in some way to think, well, you know, God is full of grace and God is full of love. And it’s almost like everyone’s going to be saved. I’ve asked more than once, have you ever been to a funeral where you knew the person had not lived righteously?

And yet the preacher somehow, some way was trying to say, Oh, it’s going to be alright. Because God loves and of his grace. And what that does is teach a nation or people who are there, and it is pervasive that others come to think too, well, God is full of grace, and so somehow, some way it’ll all be alright. But that just isn’t so. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 and verse 14, enter in at the straight gate. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads unto destruction, and many there be that go in thereat. Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth into life, and few there be that find it. I’d rather say, hey, don’t worry, it’d be all right, and don’t worry about hell at all.

3. Revelation Is a Book of Hope

But you know, we just can’t do that. And so I’d say to you this morning, if you’re in this audience and and you wouldn’t want the Lord to come today, you wouldn’t want to stand today before him in judgment, living the way you are currently living spiritually. Then don’t wait till some time later. You need to respond to the Lord. You can do that today. But on the other hand, I know I’m speaking to many people here who’ve given your life to the Lord. You have been born again. Born twice. And what a beautiful thing heaven is. And so in the closing passages of Revelation, it is a book of hope. It is a book that gives these disciples who were reading it what to live for, even what to die for.

In fact, it is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants things that must shortly come to pass. That’s verse one of the book of Revelation. And the shortly to come to pass were things that had to do with their lives, particularly. At a time where a world empire was indeed persecuting the church, or disciples who refused to bow to a man who called himself Lord God. Indeed, they needed hope. But hope was not only in chapter 21, but it was also even from the opening. When you read about the letters to the seven churches. In fact, in the letter to the seven churches of Asia, you go back to chapter two and in verse 7, to the church at Ephesus.

The Lord said, Those who overcome, and I might add this, that every one of these letters to the seven churches of Asia would always, after describing the condition in each church, it would always end with to him who overcome it, to one who repents and really serves him faithfully. Here’s the reward. There is a reward set before. To Ephesus, you’ll eat of the tree of life. You remember the tree of life? In the Garden of Eden, back in Genesis. Then those who overcome will eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God, which is in the midst of God’s paradise. Chapter 2, verses 10 and 11 of the church at Smyrna. He said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.

To the church that is at Pergamus in chapter 2, 17, will be given the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name signifying that covenant relationship with God. To the church at Thyatira. In chapter 2, 26 to 28, we’ll be given power over nations and the morning star, the brightness of a new day. To the church at Sardis, chapter 3 and verse 5, we’ll be clothed in white raiment, the name of the book of life. Your name in God’s book? That’s what it’s promised. In the church at Philadelphia in chapter 3 and verse 12, will be made a pillar in the temple of God upon which is written the name of God. There’ll be something important to your name on it. And to the church at Laodicea, even a church that really in that letter found nothing good to commend that church, and yet, with a warning, if you repent, if you overcome, will be granted to sit with Christ on the throne.

Over and over. So I say to you, at the very earliest of the letter of Revelation, they’re given some promises of blessings that have to do with eternity. In fact, as you go through the book, those who are slain for the word of God, you may remember where the fifth seal is opened. And there were many who were there before the throne, robed in white clothing, crying out, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood? Now at that point in time, they were told to wait a little while. There will be yet others who might also suffer death as they had. But at least our first glimpse of those who’ve been put to death under persecution, they didn’t lose all.

They did not die in vain. They were given white robes, a place of glory, signifying that indeed they were going to be blessed by the Lord. Or in chapter 7, I think one of the earliest descriptions of heaven. Chapter 7, he describes 144,000 on the earth, first of all, saying that, you know, God knows everyone who is his. And even though there will be destruction on the earth, those who have the seal of God on their foreheads will be protected. God’s destruction is going to come against the beast and the false prophet. But those who have the seal of God will be protected by him. But then after describing those on earth, beginning in about verse 10, he describes a multitude that no man can number.

They are people who’ve already died. They’re people perhaps even from time of Adam and time of Noah and others. But now this new altitude no man can number are described as being before the throne. And listen to the words. I’m reading from chapter 7. And I’m again in verse 15. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore, nor thirst anymore. The sun shall not strike them nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. What a promise.

That simply describes those who have died in the Lord. In fact, we understand in the passage it’s often read at funerals of faithful Christians. Revelation 14 and verse 13. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them. Bolvin said that’s one passage that tells you something you’re going to take with you when you die. About the only thing. Your works will follow. You’ll be judged by your deeds. How are you living before God? And so not only these earlier passages in Revelation describing something to hope for, and to the Christians who were reading this, and they were under severe threat. Yet look what will be in the coming time. So unless we go to chapter 21 back again at the end of this time, a period in which you and I shall now live.

4. A New Heaven: Perfect Fellowship

What do we look forward to? John begins to say in chapter 21, in verses 1 and 2, about a new heaven. He said, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband. What a picture. As a new Jerusalem, as a holy city. Perfect fellowship. In fact, as you read further, he says it’s prepared as a bride. This bride is like a chaste virgin. That is, she’s pure. What are we to be as God’s people? Are we not to be holy as God is holy? Are we not to be chaste, that is clean and pure?

It’s not a place for hypocrites. It’s a place for people who really have devoted their lives to serving the Lord and to serving him faithfully and fully. But what will be their reward? Well, look at verses three through seven. I’m reading 21, verses 3 through 7, where John said, I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. They shall no more death. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain. For the former things have passed away. Then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I’ll make all things new.

And he said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega of the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirst. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Now you have to maybe stop and just if you can in your own mind, try to imagine. What is the what is he saying here? As I think about heaven, what will it be? God will dwell with his people. No man’s ever seen God at any time on earth, has he? Can you imagine what it’s going to be like?

In the very presence of God and Jesus his son. Indeed, a time where the scripture says there will be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. I pause when I read that because I know I speak to every adult in this audience.

And every one of us at times have been stressed or in grief or sorrow. Maybe it’s a loved one close to us that’s just died. And we’re in grief and we’re mourning on that. It may be that there’s some kind of disease, cancer, heart disease, other diseases that you you’ve just been diagnosed from the doctor. And you know that maybe you won’t have that much longer to live. Or maybe there are other things through an accident that you your body has been injured and harmed. Maybe you have a loved one who’s come back from war, and you know we hear often about the wounded warriors whose bodies are changed, and who are in stress. I’ve heard people sometimes say, you know, life is just not there.

And what they’re saying by that is, well, not only maybe it’s physically, but but even in their economic state, they’re just problems of life. And they just look around and they just feel like it’s just nothing but tragedy, nothing but trouble, over and over again. Well, while we may feel that way at times, I doubt any one of us would want to trade places with those saints that were living at the time the revelation was written. At a time when you were under constant threat, and maybe you’ve already seen your father burned at the stake. You talk about unfair. And with the question, Lord, is it really is the Lord really in charge? Or is the devil in charge? How long will it be before, oh Lord, we cannot avenge our blood?

You begin to understand those when the the fifth seal is open. You wouldn’t want to trade places with any of those. And while we may think, oh, life is unfair sometimes, but we need to realize that God didn’t make heaven on earth. In fact, the devil indeed has his way many times on the earth. But he won’t continually control. For God is in charge. A time where there’ll be no more death. There will be indeed nor sorrow nor crying. Some years ago I had an opportunity to be preaching in Minneapolis, Minnesota. And my first time there the first night, it was an auditorium almost twice as long as this one, at least longer than this, and way in the back in the foyer, I happened to notice a couple of men in wheelchairs.

Well, after that first service, and let’s just say it at the time I began to inquire about them, and I learned they were both quadriplegic. They had both been injured by some kind of a swimming accident. You’ve heard the story where they dive in and their head hits a rock or hits dirt early and broke the neck, made them completely paralyzed, arms and legs. Well, we went to visit them. One of them named Gus really impressed me. He was saying the fact is, he said, really, it’s it looks tragic, it is. My wife has divorced me, she’s left me. And I have to be in this institution that is only prepared for people like himself. He had to be waited on. You can imagine, no hands and no feet that he could control.

But his words were this way. He said, Well, he said, the fact is, I’m looking forward to death. I’m looking forward to that promise that God has made. Passages like in Philippians chapter 3 and in verses 20 and 21, where the scripture says, our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself. What he was saying, and I think this passage confirms is that our citizenship is in heaven. How many of us think in terms, well, my citizenship’s on earth, and I’m and I’m striving to get to heaven.

I think that’ll be changed. It’ll be our citizenship is in heaven, and we’re just sojourners on earth, journeying toward heaven. That’s where my citizenship is. And as you read Revelation, it says, though to encourage these disciples, no, it’s going to be better for you. Don’t worry about the now. It may look like life is unfair, and in some ways the devil indeed is indeed having his way for a period of time, but it won’t last. It’ll be a place where the water of life is given freely to all who thirst. Water of life? I don’t know if you’ve been up to St. Augustine. There’s a place there where they have a little booth set up for the water of life. And now where they got that, of course, was uh they said in history in about 1513, Ponta de Leon, when he landed there, and he saw the natives and how strong and barrel they were, he said, Oh, this must be the water of life.

5. Perfect Protection by God

Well, I paid a little price and got a glass of that water of life, but it didn’t work. I’ll tell you what. And you know, yet there will be in the world yet to come, there’ll be a water of life. Perfect fellowship with God. But also, there’ll be perfect protection by God. You think through in chapter 21, over and over. It speaks about the glory of God as the city’s light. Chapter 21, 11. And again in verse 23. Ever gone into a room? Maybe there’s a storm coming through, and you have the lights on, but all of a sudden electricity goes out. You can’t see in front of you. Where do you go? Darkness. What a privilege and a blessing to have light. God is the light.

Indeed, a wall. It’ll be protected there. In chapter 21 and verse 12, a great and high wall. The scripture says, with twelve gates and and on with twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. And then there’ll be twelve foundations with the names of the twelve apostles, God’s people, will be in this city, this great city. The measurement of the city is a perfect cue. In fact, its length, its breadth and height are all equal. Furthermore, it is described as being filled with precious jewels. Indeed, verses 18 through 21, the cut construction of its wall was of jasper. The city was pure gold, like clear glass. In verse 21, the twelve gates were twelve pearls.

Each individual gate was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I think that takes some thinking, imagination. What’s the city like? I tell you, if you were the richest man, and before you died, you had everything you owned put into gold bars. And you could take it with you, which you can’t. But you know what it would be when you got to heaven? Pavement. Can you imagine? The thing we think is so valuable here, gold. It’d be like what the street is paid with. How we get things so reversed. Our our goal ought to be to heaven. A wall of jasper, foundations of precious stones, gates of pearls, and street of pure gold. And God Almighty. And the Lamb are its temple.

And then in the last verse of chapter 21, he says, There shall by no means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Only those. So if you’re not living right, don’t expect to be in heaven. And if there are times in this world you get sort of frustrated with the community, maybe, or the neighbors, or whatever it is, people you work with, and maybe people aren’t trying to serve the Lord, and it’s rather frustrating sometimes. You won’t have to put up with that in heaven. Because all who are there are going to be faithful children of God as well. People whose names are in the book of life will be there.

6. Perfect Provisions From God

If it’s not, you won’t be there. Perfect fellowship, perfect protection. But finally, a perfect provisions from God. In the chapter 22, verses 1 through 5. He says, He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and a Balam. In the middle of its street and on either side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. 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 the Balam shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. They shall see his face. And his name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there.

They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. What a beautiful picture. Indeed, what it takes to live? A perfect garden with a pure river or water of life. We don’t live without water. But there will be the water, the water of life. And we need food to continue to live. The tree of life will provide the food. And on both sides of the river, plenty is there. And it bears fruit twelve months out of the year, and its leaves have healing power. The throne of God and the lamb is there. No night shall be there. The Lord God gives light. You know what all this really says? If you miss heaven, you’ve missed it all.

Conclusion

So what is your goal in life? What are you really living for? If someone were to ask you what is foremost in your life, the most important thing you can do. What’s the purpose for life? As I quoted from Ecclesiastes 12 earlier, fear God and keep his commandments. This is man’s all. Why? Because I have a destiny. It’s better than anything you know on earth. If you gained the whole world and lost your soul, what will it profit you? But if on the other hand you lost your life because you won’t bow to a man who called himself God, you haven’t lost it all. You gained. That’s what Revelation says. So we all have the choice. What’s my goal in life? Who am I living for?

Are you a Christian? Have you rejected the word of God or have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? If you need to turn to him in obedience, we’ll assist you today. Jesus said, He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. He who believes not shall be condemned. That’s pretty clear. Have you done that? If not, why not today? Give Christ your life. Be immersed into his death. Rise to walk in a newness of life with a hope of heaven in your heart. If you’re subject to an invitation, won’t you come now as together we stand while we sing?