Revelation 21: 1-4

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

I have so many questions about what heaven will be like. It’s impossible for me to imagine—and I’m a pretty imaginative person.  However, I love verse 4—no death or mourning; no crying or pain. What a wonderful promise!

But wait there’s more…

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

I love the part that says… Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But verse 8 reminds us that God has standards. We don’t get to say we are believers and then do whatever we want. True believers want to honor God with their behavior.

The chapter ends with this warning:

²⁷ Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

I know that Revelation can be a scary book to some people, even Christians. But it doesn’t have to be as long as your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, you will inherit all that God promises.

That doesn’t mean life will be easy in the here and now. You may suffer greatly during this life, but James 4: 14 reminds us, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

And then you will inherit all of God’s promises—He will wipe away every tear; no more death or mourning or crying and pain.