I knew the question was coming, I just didn't know when.
How much longer, Dad?
This is over a decade ago.
Jenny and I had packed our three oldest children into our van
and we were driving from Kenosha to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Three young kids, 16 plus hours in a car.
I can't think of a better illustration than the Christian life than that.
Well, I was anticipating the question.
And so I thought, well, I can do a countdown thing where I get the question
and I get to say, child, we have 16 hours left.
Oh, child, we have 15 hours and 58 minutes left.
Oh, child, let me answer.
We have 15 hours, 53 minutes left.
I was just anticipating maybe that's how I could answer.
But then I said, no, I'm not going to answer that way.
I, the visionary leader of our family, I will cast visions for my children.
So I was thinking, well, we get around Indianapolis,
my eldest daughter is going to ask the question, how much longer, Dad?
And then I would say, Abby, just imagine the ice cream smuggler,
that ice cream shop in Dennis, Massachusetts,
with the array of ice cream flavors.
Oh, sweetheart, I know you're now ready for the rest of the journey.
Then somewhere in western Pennsylvania, my oldest son would ask, Dad, how much longer?
And I would say, oh, Nathan, just imagine Mayflower Beach,
that giant beach with all the sand,
and we could play wiffle ball to our heart's content.
And he would be fine for the rest of the journey.
Then I imagine my youngest son, Mark, saying, Dad, how much longer?
We're in eastern Pennsylvania, and I would be like, oh, son,
Corporation Beach has the best tidal pools around.
There are hermit crabs right now waiting for you to discover them.
And he'd be good for the rest of the time.
But I had a nuclear button.
Just in case my wife was like, how much longer, honey?
I would be able to say the trump card.
Oh, dear bride, Aunt Linda is waiting for us.
The greatest cook on the eastern seaboard.
She has an aggressive affection.
You feel her affection.
And just imagine, sweetheart,
Aunt Linda's face coming at you with those puckered lips.
Doesn't it do your heart good?
Well, it turns out we weren't even 15 minutes away from our house.
Not even into Illinois.
We just got on to 94,
and one of my children says,
how much longer, Dad?
And then I realized right there,
this journey is going to be harder than I thought.
We're all on a hard journey, aren't we?
Maybe you didn't realize when you signed up to follow Jesus
just how hard following Jesus is.
And maybe you've come this morning,
and you're asking the question,
how much longer?
Maybe you're in a difficult marriage.
How much longer?
Maybe you're in a strained relationship.
How much more?
Maybe you are in a challenging season of parenting.
How much more?
How much longer?
Maybe your body is not doing what it's supposed to do.
You're in chronic pain.
You're just managing your symptoms.
You're just hoping for an accurate diagnosis
so you can get a prescription
that will bring you back to normal.
You're just like, how much longer?
And maybe if you're a Christian like me,
you're just following the Lord,
and you're seeing public opinion
turning against the things of God,
and you're starting to wonder,
what are the consequences going to be?
How much more?
We're all looking for hope.
We all want to be reassured,
hey, there's something good coming.
There's actually two kinds of hope.
There is the lowercase h hope,
which is a temporary hope.
It's a temporary fix to life's difficult challenges.
What do I need to get done this week
in order to get through?
I'm going to hope Friday.
Everybody is working for the weekend.
That's small h hope.
But then there's the capital H hope.
Ultimate hope.
A hope that transcends time.
It's a forward-looking faith
fixed on life's solution.
God's fulfillment of His ultimate promise.
When God Himself dwells with us in His place,
and we see Him face to face,
that is ultimate capital H hope.
When you have the eyes of your heart
set on the face of Jesus,
seeing Him one day.
So if you've come in asking,
how much longer?
When are we going to get there?
Revelation chapter 21 through 22.5.
It's going to paint a picture for you
of what's to come,
so you can set your heart
on a capital H hope
that will never disappoint you.
It will see you through to the end.
So there's two moves this morning
from this text.
We're going to say two things.
The preparation for the bride.
That's 21.1 through 8.
And then the presentation of the bride.
And that's in 21.9 through 22.5.
And the surprise of it all,
it turns out it's all about God.
So if you're asking how much longer,
my prayer is that God would put capital H hope
in your heart this morning
to see you through for the rest of your life.
So let's look at this preparation for the bride
in 21.8.
21.8.
We've reached the point in the book of Revelation
where all of God's enemies have been defeated.
Babylon, the beast's whore,
the anti-bride,
was devastated in Revelation 18.
Her smoke was rising up.
Revelation 19, Armageddon,
the beast and the false prophet,
they're seized, thrown into the lake of fire.
At the end of Revelation 20,
after the thousand-year reign of Jesus,
the devil is grabbed by his scruff of his neck
and thrown into the lake of fire too.
The second half of Revelation 20,
the great white throne judgment,
Matt preached a great sermon on this last week.
All unbelieving humanity is raised up, judged,
and they too are thrown into the lake of fire.
Only those written in the Lamb's book of life
are able to stand on that day.
They've got his name written on his forehead,
on their forehead.
And here we are in Revelation 21,
and John is given this other vision,
then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth
have passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I don't believe John is seeing
the absence of all oceans and bodies of water.
This is more talking about the source of evil,
because remember in Revelation 13,
the beast came out of the sea.
What we're seeing here is the total decursing
of all of creation.
What we're reading in Revelation 21,
this new heaven and new earth,
it's the fulfillment of Isaiah 65,
17 through 25.
Brian is going to close the service by reading that.
In that passage,
God promises to recreate the heavens and the earth,
and in 2 Peter 3, 8 through 13,
we are given this preview of God
consuming all of creation
with this huge fire
in which he purges all of creation
of its sin and sin effect.
And what's left in 2 Peter 3, 13,
after this divine demolition,
you have a new heaven and a new earth
where only righteousness dwells.
Completely decursed.
Now, if you're listening right now,
and you're like, okay,
God's going to consume the earth
in a great fire,
and it's going to be destroyed,
but I just got a new kitchen put in.
What does that mean for my kitchen?
I just got a new car.
What does that mean for my car?
It means it's going to get burned up.
And you're like, what?
You're kind of missing the point,
because God's holy demolition
of the old earth
will usher in God's holy delight
in the new creation.
We've got better stuff coming.
The question I want to ask right now is,
why is God doing all this
recreative work?
He's preparing
a place for his bride.
In 21.2 we read,
And I saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem,
coming down
out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.
The new heavens and the earth
are established,
then comes down
the new Jerusalem.
And did you notice
the new Jerusalem
is described as a bride
adorned for her husband.
She looks great.
Great.
The new Jerusalem
is the bride city
of the Lamb.
It's both
a populated place
as well
as God's
treasured bride.
And remember,
this new Jerusalem
is in contrast
to the old Babylon,
the whore city
of the beast.
Babylon
was the rebellious
humanity
organized
in opposition
to God
that worshipped
the beast.
The new Jerusalem,
the bride city
of the Lamb,
is redeemed humanity
organized
in submission
to God
and worshipping
the Lamb.
And what we see here
is
a new heaven,
new earth,
and this new bride city
coming down.
What we're witnessing
here
is the long-awaited
coming together
of bride
and groom.
This should put
hope,
capital H,
hope,
into your heart.
My family,
we live in an old house.
It was built
in 1929
and the story goes
that
Mr. Fiorini
was a butcher
in Kenosha
and he built
this house
for his bride.
He wanted
his bride
to come
and live
in a place
of beauty
and safety.
But Mr. Fiorini
didn't build
this house
so that his bride
could live there
by herself.
He built
that house
so that his bride
would dwell
with him
and he with her
in a place
of beauty
and safety
and that's
what we're seeing
in Revelation 21,
1 and 2.
And that's
what we see
in 21, 3.
There's this loud
voice from the throne
saying,
Behold,
the dwelling place
of God
is with man.
The new heaven
and earth,
this place
of beauty
and safety
where righteousness
dwells,
this is where
God will dwell
with his bride
city,
his people,
his church.
The Bible
is all about
God dwelling
with his people.
Starts back
in Genesis
in a garden,
God dwelling
with Adam
and Eve
and then
it moves
to God dwelling
with his people
in a fancy tent
called a tabernacle
and then
from the tabernacle
the tent
becomes a temple.
It's built
out of
incredibly expensive
materials
and God dwells
in the most
holy of holies
in the temple
among his people
and that most
holy of holies
was this
cube shaped room
and it goes
from the temple
then to Jesus
tabernacling
among us,
God dwelling
in our midst,
John 1.14.
And then if that's
not enough,
when Jesus leaves,
the Holy Spirit
comes down
and indwells
his people,
the church
and we become
the temple
of God.
We're a living
temple of God
and we live
that out
by faith.
But here,
what we're being
told in Revelation
21
is there's
coming a time
where faith
becomes sight
and we will
dwell with
God himself.
We will see
him.
We will be
with him.
God with us.
It's the story
of the Bible.
Emmanuel.
We read in
21.3 that
this bride,
this church
will be
his people
and God
himself
will be
with them
as their God.
it's covenant
language.
God with us,
present,
faith
turns to sight
and he is
there to
comfort us.
And one of my
favorite pictures
in the Bible,
we read in
21.4,
he will wipe
away every tear
from their eyes.
In the new
heaven and earth
where righteousness
dwells,
God will be
present to wipe
away every tear
from our eye.
Has anybody
seen the movie
A League of
Their Own
with Tom
Hanks?
He's the
manager.
There's this
one scene
where one
of his
female baseball
players is
crying and
Tom Hanks,
the manager,
looks at her
and says,
there's no
crying in
baseball.
Our God
will be
with us
to wipe
away our
tears in
the new
heaven and
the earth
and he's
going to be
saying essentially
that there's
no crying
in the new
Jerusalem.
There's no
crying in the
new creation.
There's no
God will
rid all
of creation
of sin
and its
effects.
He's going
to completely
decurse
creation.
And so he
says he's
going to wipe
away every tear
and then in
verse 4 we
read the
no mores.
I heard some
of you
amening this
when it was
being read
by the
Schneebergers.
He will
wipe away
every tear
from their
eyes and
death shall
be no more.
Amen.
Neither
shall there
be mourning.
Amen.
Nor crying.
Nor pain
anymore for
the former
things, the
old heaven,
the old
earth and
all that is
in them have
passed away
completely purged
and decursed.
Wednesday night
I couldn't
sleep.
I'm lying in
bed.
I couldn't
sleep.
Usually I'm
lying in bed
thinking about
a variety of
other things but
this time I'm
not falling
asleep because
I'm excited
about something.
I'm trying
to imagine
all the
no mores
of the new
creation.
here's some
of what I
came up
with.
No more
cemeteries.
No more
funeral homes.
No more
hearses.
No more
hospitals.
No more
pharmacies.
Your resurrection
body will not
need medication.
No more
prisons.
No more
minefields.
No more
war zones.
No more
Ebola outbreaks.
No more
background checks.
No more
securing buildings
to protect
children.
No more
terrorist threats.
No more
tsunamis.
No more
earthquakes.
No more
wildflowers.
Wild.
No there'll
be wild
flowers.
Not wild
fires.
No more
droughts.
No more
animal attacks.
No more
cats.
It's going to
be glorious.
don't send
me emails.
The new
heaven and
the new
earth.
God will
completely rid
all of
creation of
all sin and
effects.
And God's
going to be
saying there's
no crying in
the new
creation.
doesn't that
kind of make
you want to
go there
now?
Doesn't that
kind of make
you want to
be there?
That is
hope.
Capital H
hope.
The longing,
the looking
forward to
what God
has promised
to ultimately
do.
so if
you're asking
how much
longer,
there's no
crying in the
new creation.
He's promised
it.
In 21.5,
we hear
one seated
from the
throne.
From God
himself.
And I
believe what
God is doing
here, what
God is saying
in verse
5 and
verse 6,
is he is
explaining to
John, he
said to me,
what John
has just
seen.
The new
heavens and
the new
earth and
the bride
coming down.
He says,
behold, I'm
making all
things new.
What we just
read in
verse 4,
3, and
4, it's
all future
verb
tenses.
I will
wipe the
tears from
their eyes.
But what
we're reading
in verse
5, behold,
present tense,
I am making
all things
new.
This thing
that you're
seeing, I've
already begun.
How, you
say?
2 Corinthians
5, 17.
I'm a new
creation because
of what Jesus
has done.
You're a new
creation because
of what Jesus
has done.
He's already
started the
work.
He's already
started the work.
then he says,
write this
down for
these words
are trustworthy
and true.
Do you know
what he's
saying?
This is God
speaking.
He's like,
hey, write it
down.
Bank on it.
It's going to
happen.
I'm at work
already.
It's waiting.
It's coming.
There's no
crying in the
new creation.
And then in
verse 6, he
says, this is
striking.
And he said
to me, it's
done.
It's as good
as done.
The vanquishing
of all my
enemies, it's
as good as
done.
The great
white throne
judgment, good
as done.
New heavens,
new earth, good
as done.
Bride coming
down, good as
done.
It's good as
done.
How can
someone say
that?
How can
someone make
that kind of
promise?
Look what he
says about
himself right
after.
It is done.
I am the
Alpha and
the Omega, the
beginning and
the end.
I'm the A to
Z.
I'm the start
and the finish.
It's the way
God is
describing himself,
his sovereign
rule over all
time.
That's why he
can say it's
done and it
hasn't been
done yet.
See, I'm
reigning over
all.
Nothing will
thwart my
purposes.
You can
bank on
this.
My words
are trustworthy
and true.
You can
stand on
it.
You can
drive through
life no
matter what
you're going
to face and
you can
count on
it.
There's no
crying in the
new creation
and it's
coming.
God.
He then
goes on to
offer this to
all those who
are thirsty.
To the
thirsty I'll
give from the
spring of the
water of life
without payment.
It's a
reference to
salvation.
We're going to
actually get a
look at this
spring in just
a few minutes.
But what I want
you to notice,
it's without
payment.
This is free to
those who want
it because it's
been paid for
by the lamb.
It's a way of
describing our
salvation.
You want
salvation?
You want what
only God can
give?
He can give it
because it's been
paid for.
You don't have to
pay for it.
You receive it by
faith.
And then in
verses 7 and 8,
we have two ways
to respond.
Those who are
conquerors, that's a
familiar term
because it was
all over chapter
2 and 3 with
the seven letters
to the seven
churches, to the
one who conquers,
to the one who
conquers, to the
one who conquers.
And even there,
there's the promise
of the new earth,
the new Jerusalem.
So to the one who
conquers, the one
who is faithful to
Jesus, this is
their heritage.
But verse 8, to
those who compromise
the lamb, they
don't have that
promise.
They have a
warning.
And the
warning to you
this morning is,
if you're not a
follower of Jesus,
your destiny is
not the new
heavens, it's the
lake of fire.
So you need to
turn to Jesus.
Turn away from
your sin.
Turn away from
your compromise.
In chapter 21,
1 through 8, we
see God preparing a
place for his bride
to dwell with him
in beauty,
and safety.
Completely decursed.
No sin, no
effective sin.
There's no crying in
the new creation.
He's making all
things new, including
you.
At that time, you
will have no impulse
to sin.
God preparing for
God.
God is preparing for
us.
This should be putting
some capital H
hope into your
heart.
This, what God is
preparing for us,
bank on it.
He himself has
promised you this,
if you're in
Christ.
Let's move from
the preparation for
the bride to the
presentation of the
bride.
In 21, 9 through
22, 5.
I mean, this is the
moment we've all been
waiting for in the
book of Revelation.
Up until this point,
the church has been
under assault by the
enemies of the Lamb,
but they've been
cleared out.
And there's a new
heaven and a new
earth.
Now, finally, the
church, in her glory,
will be presented to
the Lamb.
Last Sunday, we, the
Salvati's, sojourned to
Iowa because we have a
dear family friends, a
family friends there, and
their oldest daughter was
getting married, and her
name is Anna.
And we were there, and we
were watching the
procession, and you've
been to these weddings
before.
It starts with the
grandparents being walked
out, and you're like,
oh, that's great, aren't
they cute?
And then the moms are
walked down, and then
the groom takes his
place, and yeah, he's
pretty cute.
I mean, that's what my
wife said.
And then the wedding
party comes down, and
it's kind of like, oh,
look it, they're
matching.
And then finally, you
hear the all rise, and
everybody stands up, and
they look back, and
there's Anna.
She's beautiful.
It was an outdoor
wedding.
And then, Iowa's son
beaming on her gown.
So she was brilliant and
beautiful.
Now, if at that moment,
you stopped the service,
and you went up to Anna,
and you asked her, hey,
Anna, why are you looking
so great?
Are you looking good for
the wedding planner?
She would say, no.
Are you looking good for
the minister who happens
to be your dad?
Not a chance.
Are you looking good for
the 150 people here to
witness your vows?
Nope.
Are you looking good for
the photographer?
Kind of.
Are you looking good for
Blake, your groom?
Absolutely.
Anna would say, I want
Blake to remember this
moment for the rest of
his life.
Here in 21.9 through 22.5,
the bride of Christ
is being presented
to Christ
in her glory.
It's a future description
of us
made new.
And ultimately,
it's for the one
whose face
we will see.
So I'm going to walk
you through
a bunch of these
descriptions.
There are these details,
glorious details,
that you've got to see.
It's a description of
the bride,
the church.
And what you're going
to see is you move
from general to specific,
from panorama
to close up.
So the first thing
I want you to see
is in 21.9,
one of the angels
who had the seven bowls,
the final outpourings
of God's wrath,
says,
Come, John,
I will show you
the bride,
the wife of the Lamb.
Let me show you
this babe.
And what does he see?
He sees a city
coming down.
Again,
what we're
designed to understand
here,
intended to understand
is we're to hold
simultaneously
the idea
that the church
is a people
in a place.
It's a populated city
and at the same time,
this people
is God's treasured bride.
The New Jerusalem
is the redeemed humanity
through the blood
of Jesus
that's organized
to submit to God
and worship the Lamb.
The second thing
I want you to see
is where the New Jerusalem
is coming from.
The New Jerusalem
isn't walking down an aisle.
The New Jerusalem
is descending
from heaven.
Behold,
look,
come,
I will show you
the bride.
And he carried me away
in the spirit
to a great high mountain
and he showed me
the holy city
coming down
out of heaven
from God.
Why from God?
Why from heaven?
God is presenting
the bride
to himself.
Sounds kind of weird,
right?
Until you flip back
to Ephesians chapter 5
where God commands,
he tells husbands
to love your wives
as Christ loved the church.
Verse 25,
and then chapter 5
of Ephesians verse 26,
that he might sanctify her,
speaking of Jesus
and his church,
having cleansed her
by the washing
of the water
with the word
so that he might
present the church
to himself
in splendor
without spot
or wrinkle
or any such thing
that she might be holy
and blameless
and without blemish.
She's coming down
from heaven
because God
has made her beautiful
by his grace.
He's going to present
this bride city
to the Lamb.
It's a presentation.
The next thing
I want you to see
is that this bride city
has the glory of God.
You see that
in verse 11.
Having the glory of God,
its radiance
like a most rare jewel,
like a jasper,
clear as crystal.
When we see
the descriptions
of this holy city
in just a second,
you're going to pick up
on a translucence
of the city.
This glory
is not her own.
It's not our own.
The brilliance
of the new Jerusalem,
of the bride city,
is God's brilliance
shining through us.
Just as the moon
reflects
the brilliance
of the sun,
so we will radiate
God who is with us,
in us,
this bride city
is radiant
with the glory
of God.
She's a radiant bride.
The next thing
I want you to see
is in verses 12
through 14.
First thing
that John sees
is it had a great
high wall
with 12 gates
and at the 12 gates
angels,
verse 12.
12 is all over
the place.
What's up with 12?
Well, it's like
the number 7
that we've learned of.
It carries a sense
of completeness
and fullness
and perfection.
Well, what's going on here?
Without getting
into too many details,
what I want you
to see is that
the 12 gates
had 12 names
of the 12 tribes
of Israel
and then there
are these 12 foundations
and on those 12 foundations
are the 12 names
of the 12 apostles
of the church.
this city
coming down
represents
all of God's people
represented by
the 12 tribes
of Israel
and the 12 apostles
of Jesus.
It means
all of God's people
that he had purchased
from all time
by the blood
of Jesus,
it's all of them
coming down together.
Radiant.
all Old Testament
and New Testament
saints
and it's a picture
of security.
Establishment.
The next thing
I want you to see
in verses 15
through 17
is that there's
some measuring
that goes on.
In verse 15,
the angel
busts out
a golden measuring rod
of Israel.
It's gold
because of its task.
It's like
a gold shovel
dignitaries use
to break ground
on a new building.
The size
of this city
is extraordinary.
This angel
measures it
in verse 16.
We learn that
it's four square
and then
in verse 16
we later
learn that
he measured
the city
with his rod
12,000 stadia.
A stadia
is the equivalent
of about
1,400 miles.
And my understanding
of this text
is that it's not
a measure
of the total
circumference
of the New Jerusalem
just one side.
And so what
that means is
just one side
is about
1,400 miles.
So in order
to help you
understand this,
let's think
about that
in terms of
the continental
United States.
I'm not saying
the New Jerusalem
is going to
fall down
into the middle
of the United States
because we are
God's country.
I'm not saying that.
What I am saying
is I want you
to help you
understand the scale
of it
based upon
our country
which you know.
so imagine
Green Bay,
Wisconsin
and you go
from Green Bay
to Helena,
Montana
and then from
Helena,
Montana
you go down
to El Paso,
Texas
and from El Paso,
Texas
you go to
Baton Rouge,
Louisiana
and then from
Baton Rouge
back up
to Green Bay.
That perimeter
is the perimeter
roughly
of the New Jerusalem.
it is huge.
It's massive.
Plenty of space
for God's redeemed.
But in verse 16
we learn of something else.
There's another dimension
to it.
It's shape.
We read
12,000 stadia
its length
and width
and height
are equal.
This starts
blowing
our categories
because
if
the New Jerusalem
is about
1400 miles high
that means
satellites
are bumping
into the top
of it.
The purpose
of it
is to get
a shape
in your mind.
A massive
shape.
A massive
cube
in your mind.
And
why that's
important
is because
it makes you
think of
the most holy
of holies
in the temple
and the tabernacle
which was
a cube
in which
God dwelt
among his people.
So this
new Jerusalem
is the new
most holy
of holies.
God dwelling
with us.
It's
breathtakingly
huge.
It's
awesome.
in verses
18-21
we get a
glimpse
of the
brilliant
building
material
used
in this
bright city.
Jasper
which is a
translucent
jewel,
pure gold
which is
again being
described as
somehow being
transparent.
We don't get it
but we'll go
with it.
In verses
19-20
John
spends some
time
describing
the
12
different
foundations
with
12
different
jewels
inlaid
in each
one of
them.
The idea
there is
to make
you think
of the
breastplate
of the
high priest
back in
Old Testament
times.
He had
12 stones
on his
breastplate
that represented
the people
of God
and his
priestly
duty.
This
bride
city
is a
city
of
priests
and when
we talk
about all
this
material
it should
remind
you
of the
temple
that was
built
in the
Old
Testament
the
first
temple.
Nothing
but the
best
material
was used
for it
because
God
would
dwell
there.
This
bride
city
is made
of priceless
materials
because
God's
going to
dwell
there
reflecting
his
glory.
In
22
through
27
this
new
Jerusalem
which is
kind of
like the
old
Jerusalem
but it
turns out
it's
missing
something.
I saw
no temple
in the
city
for its
temple
is the
Lord God
the
Almighty
and the
Lamb.
We
just
learned
that the
whole
city
is the
shape
of the
most
holy
of
holies.
This
whole
thing
is
God's
temple
dwelling
place.
He's
there.
Have you
heard of
sanctuary
cities?
This
gives
new
meaning
to a
sanctuary
city.
It's
the
most
holy
of
holies
God
dwelling
in our
midst.
He
is
our
dwelling
place.
no
temple.
The
entire
city
is a
kind
it's
God's
dwelling
place.
And then
in verse
23
apparently
there's a
whole new
lighting
system
in the
new
Jerusalem.
It
runs
by
lamb
light.
The
city
has no
need of
sun or
moon to
shine in
it for
the glory
of God
gives it
light and
its
lamp
is
the
lamb.
God's
glory
radiating
from the
land
lights up
the
entirety
of the
translucent
bride
city.
Just
imagine
the
light
shining
through
the
jewels
of
its
foundation.
Absolutely
brilliant
and
glorious.
All
sorts
of
different
colors.
Radiating
from the
glory
of
God.
God
dwelling
in
the
midst.
His
lamb
light
shining
through
us.
Radiating.
It's
about
him.
No
more
darkness.
This
is the
ultimate
fulfillment
of Isaiah
9.
People
living in
darkness.
Behold
light is
coming.
Emmanuel.
well.
We
learn in
verse 24
by the
light
its
light
lamb
light
nations
the
nations
will
walk
and the
kings
of the
earth
will
bring
their
glory
into
it.
The
last
time
we
saw
the
nations
gathering
in the
kingdom
promise in
Genesis
that God
will bless
the
nations
through the
offspring
of Abraham
Jesus.
All the
nations
gathering
together
under the
light of
the lamb.
Did you
notice the
angels?
Way back
talking about
the gates
verse 12
at the gates
12 angels
and in
verse 25
and its
gates
will never
be shut
by day.
Do you
remember what
happened in
Genesis chapter
3 verses
22 through
24?
Adam and
Eve sinned
God kicks
them out
and he
posts an
angel at
the gate
of Eden
and says
nobody's
coming back
in.
Now we
have 12
angels
at 12
gates
with the
gates
fully open
welcoming
in the
redeemed
from the
nations.
I can't
wait.
Hey
archangel
Gabriel
how you
doing
baby?
walking
in
through
that
gate
it's
a
picture
of
life
gathering
to the
lamb
in his
city
his
people
from
all
nations.
this
brings
us
to
22
1
through
5
gates
are
opened
up
it's
the
reverse
of
the
curse
it's
the
reverse
of
Eden
being
put
out
this
bride
city
is
the
new
Eden
city
let me
help
you
see
some
things
in
Genesis
chapter
2
10
we
learn
that
there's
a
river
flowing
through
Eden
and
here
in
Revelation
22
1
then
the
angel
showed
me
the
river
of
the
water
of
life
bright
as
crystal
flowing
from
the
throne
of
God
and
of
the
lamb
there's
a
river
running
through
it
brightest
crystal
from
the
throne
if
you're
thirsty
for
this
spring
of
water
it
is
available
to
you
the
source
of
the
water
is
the
throne
of
God
his
rule
and
reign
is
the
source
of
life
it's
a
complete
reversal
of
the
curse
this
new
Jerusalem
this
bride
city
turns
out
it's
got
the
ultimate
river
walk
down
the
middle
of
the
main
street
of
gold
this
river
flows
and
in
verse
two
not
only
do
we
see
a
river
of
life
we
see
a
tree
of
life
and
it's
back
to
Genesis
3
22
through
24
because
they
were
forbidden
Adam
and
Eve
to
come
back
into
Eden
to
eat
of
the
tree
of
life
and
live
forever
but
now
God
is
saying
no
all
my
gates
are
wide
open
the
river
of
life
is
giving
life
to
the
tree
of
life
and
it's
bearing
the
fruit
of
life
so
that
you
can
live
forever
eat
it
bears
the
twelve
fruit
every
month
there's
that
number
twelve
again
fullness
perfection
everything
you
need
and
this
tree
of
life
is
actually
straddling
the
river
of
life
Adam
and
Eve
were
forbidden
access
now
we
are
given
full
access
forever
it's
see
it
and
this
tree
has
leaves
that
bring
healing
to
the
nations
it's
not
a
tree
of
life
it's
a
peace
tree
verse
three
the
throne
of
life
the
throne
of
God
and
the
Lamb
is
in
the
middle
of
it
all
his
reign
people
coming
to
him
not
being
sent
away
coming
to
he's
dwelling
with
his
people
in
his
place
and
his
people
are
worshipping
him
22
4
the
bride
city
has
been
presented
to
her
groom
and
now
we
go
to
the
most
close
up
scene
they
will
see
his
face
the
new
Jerusalem
has
come
down
we
are
seeing
his
face
to
be
with
him
this
is
the
groom
of
the
bride
the
king
of
kings
and
lord
of
lords
up
close
and
personal
up
to
this
point
if
you
saw
the
face
of
God
you
die
not
here
no
threat
you'll
see
his
face
and
live
can
you
imagine
a new
heaven
and new
earth
a new
Jerusalem
without
him
he
lights
up
the
place
he
makes
it
shine
it
seems
like
that
little
phrase
and
his
name
will
be
on
their
forehead
seems
kind
of
out
of
place
it's
like
what
is
that
doing
there
it's
a
reminder
it's
all
by
his
grace
the
only
reason
why
you
will
be
standing
on
that
day
looking
at
his
face
the
only
reason
will
be
because
of
him
the
lamb
his
name
his
gracious
and
holy
character
he
shed
his
blood
so
that
you
can
be
there
the
bride
has
been
presented
her
glory
is a
radiating
glory
of
God
it's
all
his
grace
we've
done
nothing
to
earn
that
and
in
verse
five
it's
the
greatest
of
all
endings
the
guy
gets
the
girl
and
live
happily
ever
after
in
the
light
of
his
presence
do
I
have
an
amen
he
has
made
us
splendid
in
his
sight
maybe
you've
come
in
here
this
morning
and
you're
asking
the
question
how
much
longer
my
marriage
stinks
parenting
is
hard
my
body
is
falling
apart
how
much
longer
well
you need
hope
capital
H
hope
and
revelation
21
through
22
5
delivers
it
ultimate
hope
in the
face
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
you're
going
to
see
him
face
to
face
it's
not
just
a
creation
that's
been
decursed
it's
not
just
streets
of
gold
it's
not
precious
jewels
or
big
pearls
it
is
the
ultimate
fulfillment
of
God's
ultimate
promise
that
he
will
be
with
us
forever
and
you
will
see
his
face
without
any
fear
it's
nothing
without
him
God
you're
going
to
need
some
small
hopes
getting
through
no
question
about
that
but
don't
settle
for
small
hopes
there
is
this
ultimate
hope
so
we've
seen
the
preparation
for
the
bride
we've
seen
the
presentation
for
the
bride
turns
out
it's
all
about
God
so
let
me
ask
you
this
what
do
you
do
when
one
of
your
brothers
or
sisters
is
saying
how
much
longer
here's
what
you
say
brother
sister
I
don't
have
all
the
answers
but
I
can
tell
you
this
today
you're
one
day
closer
to
seeing
him
face
to
face
let's
pray
God
thank
you
so
much
for
this
passage
God
would
you
use
it
now
to
encourage
your
people
to
put
hope
in
our
hearts
especially
when
things
go
sideways
nothing
goes
sideways
in the
new
heavens
and
new
earth
we
long
for
that
day
in
Jesus
name
amen