Originally posted 2/4/25
Consummation is the 7th C of History. If you haven’t read the other articles in the series:
The seventh and final “C” of history is consummation. Christians will finally be able to see God’s final plan for eternity.
Revelation 21:1-7 reads, “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. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And 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 from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
This passage sends shivers through my body. The anticipation is palpable. Can you imagine the feelings coursing through John body as he saw this vision? In the first four verses we read that there will be no more sea, no more death, no more mourning, and no more pain. I cannot fathom a world that has no more death and pain. This is where we are going to dwell with the Lord. It cannot come soon enough. The earth has been a mess since the days of Adam and Eve. As soon as sin entered the world, things went downhill and man has never recovered. The only hope that we have is the hope we find in Christ.
Jen Wilkin describes the three P’s of sin. The first “P” is the penalty of sin. Because of our sinful nature, we will suffer the penalty of sin unless we are saved by faith in Christ. When we come to a saving faith, we are justified by faith. It is only then that we are free from the penalty of sin. The second “P” is the power of sin. As we grow in the Lord, our sanctification frees us from the power of sin. Our sanctification is a painstaking process that the Lord uses to help us grow stronger in our faith. The third “P” is the presence of sin. We will not be free from the presence of sin until we enter heaven or the Lord returns. We cannot begin to imagine what a life without the presence of sin will be like.
Scripture addresses this new heaven and earth in many different places:
- Mark 13:31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
- Revelation 21:5, “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
- Revelation 22:3, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”
- Isaiah 65:17, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
- Isaiah 66:22, “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.”
- 2 Peter 3:13, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
I would urge you to pause and reflect on these verses before continuing to read.
Revelation 22:3-5 tells us, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” The only world we know is one full of sin. It touches us in so many ways. Nothing will be cursed–nothing. It will be a perfect existence.
Revelation 21:12-27 describes our new home like this: “It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed– on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day–and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
All of this will take place at the very end. Www.gotquestions.org describes it like this: “The creation of the new heavens and new earth brings the promise that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). This event comes after the tribulation, after the Lord’s second coming, after the millennial kingdom, after the final rebellion, after the final judgment of Satan, and after the great white throne judgment. The brief description of the new heavens and new earth is the last glimpse into eternity that the Bible gives.”
The world as we know it will end. The world as the Lord intended will finally be a reality. Those who believe will have this as their final home. We get to live there. There will be no more to our story. Hallelujah and Amen!
#faith, #Bible, #Scriptures, #Christian Women, #Discipleship, #womenintheBible, 7Cs of Creation