{"id":2598,"date":"2020-12-29T23:41:37","date_gmt":"2020-12-30T07:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liftinghervoice.com\/?p=2598"},"modified":"2022-01-09T22:08:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T06:08:48","slug":"podcast-the-new-creation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liftinghervoice.com\/podcast-the-new-creation\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Creation – Revelation 21"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Episode #259.  Today we\u2019ll read Revelation chapter 21 together: John witnesses the new creation and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/open.spotify.com\/episode\/6lJAH93rgKwqs9clvNArrD?si=LMphn6YnRtGlItbshsLMWQ\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Transcript<\/h4><\/path><\/svg><\/div>
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Joy: <\/strong>You\u2019re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #259.  Today we\u2019ll read Revelation chapter 21 together: John witnesses the new creation and the new Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the absolute joys of the Christmas season is we get to eat foods that we don\u2019t normally eat in our household.  We eat turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, cranberry sauce, baked stuffing and green bean casserole.  And, of course, homemade pecan pie with lots and lots and lots of whipped cream\u2026yum!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like most American households, we make enough food to feed an army, or at least a small platoon.  There are always plenty of leftovers, and we really don’t have to think about what we\u2019re going to cook for a few days\u2026it\u2019s leftovers, all the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suppose we could make a meal like this every month or two, but then it wouldn’t be as special.  Instead, we set aside these meals for special times of the year, and in doing so, we look forward to them all the more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personally, I know my waistline could never handle eating like this all the time.  As it is, the time is quickly approaching to gather up the last of the Christmas cookies and candy and ship them off for consumption by the kids in my Sunday school class\u2026God bless \u2018em…and their metabolism!  And then, it\u2019s back to eating salads and counting my calories\u2026until the next holiday season.  I can\u2019t wait!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you have a wonderful meal for Christmas this year?  Describe it for me in full detail at Lifting Her Voice<\/a>.com, Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> or Twitter<\/a>.  You can even attach a picture or two!<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Revelation Chapter 21<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The New Creation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God\u2019s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the one seated on the throne said, \u201cLook, I am making everything new.\u201d He also said, \u201cWrite, because these words are faithful and true.\u201d Then he said to me, \u201cIt is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars \u2014 their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Jerusalem<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: \u201cCome, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.\u201d He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God\u2019s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel\u2019s sons were inscribed on the gates. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia<\/strong>. Its length, width, and height are equal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every Kind of Jewel<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel: the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb\u2019s book of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing Thoughts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After Satan is bound and cast into hell for all eternity, a new heaven and a new earth will appear, as well as a new Jerusalem.  Heaven can refer to three separate things in the Bible: the atmosphere or blue sky of earth; outer space or the night sky; and the third heaven, where God lives in all His glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this case, it is referring to a new sky and a new earth.  But these will not be mere imitations of what we know today.  Instead, they will be better than what we know now, and probably will be made to last for all eternity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the city of Jerusalem will be made anew, a glorious place with streets of gold and foundations of precious stones, with massive pearls for gates.  There will be no need for the sun or the moon.  Instead, God\u2019s glory will illuminate the city forever.  There will be no tears, no sorrow, no death and no pain.  And there will be no sin to separate us from God.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is impossible for us to properly imagine what it will be like in the presence of God.  It is difficult to imagine what it will be like to have our sin nature removed for all time.  But we can have faith that God wants nothing but the best for us, because His word tells us so.  And that is good enough for me.  Let\u2019s pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lord, thank you that you have provided us a way to spend eternity with You through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Help us not to place our faith in this life and in this earth, which are cheap imitations of what you have waiting for us in heaven.  Help us to stay focused on Your kingdom and Your promises.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Show Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n