Leading The Way

Guest (Male): The New Jerusalem revealed on this episode of Leading The Way.

Dr. Michael Youssef: From Revelation 21:9 all the way to 22:6, you get a magnificent tour of the New Jerusalem. I'm not a very good tour guide, but we're going to take a tour nonetheless. It's going to be fast, so fasten your seatbelts.

Guest (Male): Thank you for joining listeners across six continents for Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Keep in mind that in addition to listening to this station, you can also hear messages from Dr. Youssef with the Leading The Way app. When you subscribe to the Leading The Way podcast, available on iHeart, Apple, Google, Spotify, or whatever podcast platform you prefer. Learn more about all of these at ltw.org. Now, Dr. Michael Youssef is here to begin, as he said, fasten your seatbelts and enjoy God's word as you listen to Leading The Way.

Dr. Michael Youssef: I want to start the message with a quiz. What are the four chapters in the Bible in which Satan and his work is completely and totally absent? Four chapters. Give up? The first two chapters in the book of Genesis and the last two chapters in the book of Revelation. Satan hates the Bible, but Satan hates Genesis and Revelation specifically because in Genesis, his death sentence has been pronounced, and in Revelation, his death sentence is carried out.

Why on earth do you think that false preachers and false teachers, that seem to be on the increase of late, say that Genesis is a myth and Revelation is a mystery? Because Satan, the source of all falsehood, is behind all this false teaching and preaching. Sadly, as I said, the number is on the increase and maybe that's the apostasy that has to take place before the return of Christ.

Today, finally, we come to my favorite part of the scripture: the joy of believers in heaven, the joy of believers in the New Jerusalem. Everything in the last two chapters of the book of Revelation is brand new. Everything is new. Chapter 21 begins by saying, "Then I saw the new heaven and new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away and there was no longer any sea."

Now, that is a very meaningful phrase for the Apostle John. Imagine John writing, seeing and writing this vision that God is showing him, privileging him to see not only what happened, but what is happening, and what will happen. As God showed him this, he was an exile on an island, an island surrounded by sea. While you and I may go and enjoy the Aegean Sea and how beautiful it is, that was not John's case. He was an exile there and being an exile, he had been separated from his loved ones. He had been alienated from his loved ones. He had been isolated from his loved ones. That is why to him this vision is so dear, is so precious.

Not only that, but God graciously showed John the new city, the New Jerusalem coming down from orbit. There is no way on God's earth that I can describe this or explain it to you. I can't even imagine. It is beyond our ability to comprehend. But the most important thing you know about this New Jerusalem, that city that's coming down from heaven, is that there will be nothing that is going to separate us from Jesus.

There will be no sin and disobedience that keeps us away from Him. There will be nothing that's going to separate us from our brothers and sisters in Christ. There will be nothing that will separate us, which comes between us, even among family members, because of sin and because of prejudice and because of personality clashes. None of that is going to divide us because no sin will be there. We're going to be like Jesus. Can you imagine that?

Not only that, but Jesus said He will wipe away our tears. In the original language, it literally means that He is going to wipe away every last tear, every last tear. What does it mean? It means that in this New Jerusalem, there will be a lot of no's. Now, everybody says the word "no" is negative, think about something positive to say. Don't say "no," but "no" can be very positive.

Listen to this: there'll be no separation, no tears, no death, no mourning, no crying, no pain. All these things are the consequences of sin and sin will not exist in the New Jerusalem. Can you wait? Amen. There will be no cancer in that city, no diabetes, no diseases, no viruses, no broken homes, no broken hearts, no child abuse, no loneliness, no hospital, no funeral homes, and no grieving of any kind in that city.

Why? Verse five tells us why: Jesus is there. Don't miss this, don't miss this. Jesus is there. Jesus asks John specifically to write this down and write it very carefully. Why? Because these are trustworthy and true revelations of God. These are trustworthy and true words of God that so many people are doubting today.

Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, I am the first and the last." I was there at the very beginning of the universe and I will be there when it all comes to an end. "I am the living water to the thirsty soul, I am the only one who can truly satisfy you, I am the only one who can make sense out of your senseless life, I am the only one who can give you victory, I am the only one who can make you a child of the living God."

And John tells us who is not going to be in heaven: the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts and idolaters and liars. Those who change God's word, abuse God's word, twist God's word to serve their purpose and to serve their personal ambition. Those who twist the word of God to suit themselves and to suit their purposes; they will not be there. In fact, Paul repeats the list in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 and 10. And again, he repeats the same list in Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 to 21.

Watch this: from Revelation 21:9 all the way to 22:6, you get a magnificent tour of the New Jerusalem. But I'm not a very good tour guide, but we're going to take a tour nonetheless. It's going to be fast, so fasten your seatbelts. It's pure crystal, radiates like a rare jewel. It will be lit from within by the glory of God.

The 12 gates represent the Old Testament and the 12 foundations represent the apostles or the New Testament. For those who deny the infallibility of the word of God, both Old and New Testament scripture are not going to be there because that city is founded and built on those who believe the apostolic teaching, namely that the Old Testament prophesied that Jesus is coming and the New Testament said He's here and He's coming back.

Now, listen to the incredible size. This city is going to be 1,400 miles high, and it's going to be 1,400 miles wide. It's going to be 1,400 miles long. That's like from Atlanta to Denver or from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean. And the volume of this city is more than 2.7 billion with a "B" cubic miles. No wonder Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions."

There will be plenty. 1,400 mile high, 1,400 mile long, 1,400 mile wide is enough room for a few billion mansions. The New Jerusalem is described with very brilliant imagery here. I want you to look at it with me: jasper, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, pure gold is going to shine. I'm assuming it's well over, it must be more than 24-carat gold that's going to shine.

You know the little gold that we wear and we treasure and hide somewhere in your freezer or in your safe, but the Bible is saying this stuff that we value so much is going to be as common as a cement pavement that you walk on. That's really what the point is here. The best part is verse 22. He said, "I did not see a temple in that city because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."

Beloved, in the Old Testament, from the very beginning, God told Moses to build a tabernacle and later on Solomon built a magnificent temple. All of that just simply to say a symbol of God's present with His people. That's what the temple means. It is symbolizing that God is among His people, that He's present with them.

But when the real thing comes, you don't need a representation, right? When the real person shows up, you don't worry about the shadow of that person. The shadow gives you hope, but then when the person appears, you say, "That's it, I don't need it." There will be no need for sun or moon, for His light will illuminate that holy city. Look at verse 27. Nothing impure will enter this New Jerusalem.

In the Greek, it would be translated what we call "double negative": absolutely, positively, in no way any detestable thing is going to enter that city. Only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be in that city. They will walk in that city and they will celebrate in that city. In fact, in chapter 22, John describes the river of life. It's not just like one of those rivers.

No, the symbol is that it's going to be flowing with unbelievable, indescribable blessings. It's just going to keep on pouring. I'm going to come to that in a minute, but I was thinking about this as I'm preparing and I thought, back in the 19th century, there was a man by the name of Robert Lowry. He wrote so many magnificent hymns. For example, he wrote the song that we sing on Easter, "He Arose." He wrote "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus."

But he wrote some other hymn based on his vision of the book of Revelation chapter 22. And I'm not going to sing it for you because I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay through the end of the message. It's very important. But here's how it goes: "Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river, gather with the saints at the river that flows from the throne of God." That river of life flows from the throne, and the believers are going to be gathered around the throne, around that river of life, eternal life, to worship the Lord. And there will be no night there because He Himself is its light. With its beauty and variety, this river of life will be a fountain of unending blessing and eternal life with Christ.

You see, in the Garden of Eden, God said to Adam and Eve, "You know, you can eat from all these trees, but only this one you can't eat from: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." And what happened? Satan came and tricked them and they fell for it and became totally depraved in disobeying God and His command. The God that they were fellowshiping with, the God that they knew intimately, they disobeyed Him.

And as a result of that disobedience came not only spiritual death but physical death as well. And that is why today nobody could ever live forever. But in the new city, in the New Jerusalem, we will live forever and ever and ever. We will be gathered around the tree of life, the symbol of everlasting life, the symbol of living forever.

Verse four is a profound statement. Look at it with me, please. "They will see His face and His name will be written on their forehead." What a profound statement. Let me explain to you why it is an incredibly profound statement that we will see His face. Because nobody has ever seen the face of God. Even Moses could not see the face of God, but you and I are going to see the face of God. That's why it's a profound statement. 1 John 3:2 tells us we shall see Him as He is, as He is.

Are you ready for that day? Sadly, many Christians are not ready. They got too many things they want to do in this life. They don't understand the incredible, incredible blessings that await us. I pray to God that this series of messages stirred the heart of many because every time I think of our generation, I think of the words of Elton Trueblood. Elton Trueblood said, "It used to be that Christianity was a revolutionary faith that turned the world upside down. But today we sit in Sunday morning church services, looking at our watches, wondering what time dinner will be served or thinking about the kickoff. And we hope that church won't interfere with the things that we would rather be doing." That says it all.

Revelation 22:6 is the last verse of the prophetic message of the book of Revelation. Jesus said, "These words are trustworthy and true." Beloved, all the prophetic events that we have been seeing throughout this book of Revelation about the return of Jesus Christ will take place with the minutest detail. They will be fulfilled. They will happen just as is said here because we know that in the Old Testament, all the prophecies about the first coming of Jesus came about exactly as the Old Testament described it with the minutest detail. And so will the New Testament prophecy in the book of Revelation about the second coming of Jesus.

Verse 10, the Lord said to John, "Don't seal up the words of this prophecy of this book, because the time is near." This command is in contrast with the command that the angel gave to Daniel in Daniel chapter 12. Let's say why the angel said to Daniel 12:4, "But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end." But He said to John, "Don't seal it, don't close it, keep it open." Why?

Why Daniel had to seal it but John didn't? The answer is found in the word of God. Because Daniel received his prophecy 400 years before Jesus' first coming and the establishing of His church. But John received his revelation 60 years after the founding of the church, after Jesus' earthly ministry, after Jesus' death and resurrection, after Jesus forming the church. After Paul writing to the Ephesians and telling them that this mystery, hidden for generations, hidden for years, for hundreds of years, is now revealed.

You see, in the Old Testament, the church, the whole concept of the church did not make sense. Even the prophets who prophesied were writing according to the Holy Spirit that was guiding them, did not comprehend fully what the church is all about. But now it is revealed, it's no longer a mystery. And therefore the Lord wanted His people to know what's going to happen. He wants the church to know. And that is why He tells John, "Don't close it, don't seal it, don't hide it. People need to know that I'm coming soon, that the time is near."

Then Jesus says something else that is really baffling. Verse 11, Jesus said, "Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong, let him who is vile continue to be vile, let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy." What does that mean? Our Lord wants us to know that when our earthly life is over, the die is cast. The decisions that we make in this life is going to impact where we're going to be spending eternity, whether in heaven with Jesus or the lake of fire with Satan.

Once you have passed this life to eternity, there is no second chance, there is no second opportunity. False preachers and false teachers tell you that in the end God is going to feel sorry for people and let them in, that is not what the word of God said. There is no opportunity to repent, there will be no opportunity to repent. Once those who die in the state of unbelief, they will remain in the state of unbelief all the way to the day of judgment. Doesn't give me joy to say that, but it gives me a sense of urgency to tell everyone who has not come to come now.

You know, when those two criminals hang on either side of the cross of Jesus, what separated them for eternity were basically nine words. Count them. Nine words: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Nine words separated them for eternity, determined their eternal future. Not only determine your eternal future, determine how you live this life. Because I can tell you, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the pain we experience, regardless of the temptation, in this life we have peace, in this life we have joy, in this life we have hope, in this life we know we can look forward to the day when we reign and rule with Christ.

You can even pray a much shorter prayer than the criminal on the cross. You can pray with Peter in three words: "Lord, save me." Three words: "Lord, save me." The Bible said today is the day of salvation. Now is the acceptable time. The reason I get choked up and I get so emotional is because I know what's at stake. I read the word of God. In verse 12, Jesus said, "Behold, I'm coming soon, my reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."

Now, please read my lips. There will be judgment for believers. It will not be the judgment of condemnation, but it will be a judgment of rewards. I know, I know, I know in our society today, our culture, my goodness, we moved into this mindless idea that everyone gets a trophy. Everyone gets a trophy. I mean, school system now, oh, give everyone an award, give everyone a trophy. Doesn't matter. But in heaven, not everyone is going to get a trophy.

Jesus said among the believers, he's talking to the believers, those who made it to heaven, those who are saved. He said there will be a merit system. To be sure, we're not saved according to merits, that would be falsehood, but when we are saved and make it to heaven, there's going to be a merit system. We're going to be rewarded according to our faithfulness to the Lord. We'll be rewarded according to how much we sacrifice for the kingdom of God.

Verse 17 is an invitation to the believers who are saved. Whoever is thirsty, come. Let him come. We the believers live in a spiritually parched world and culture, land. Everywhere you go, everything you see, every situation you confront, makes us thirsty for the living God. For He alone can satisfy our longing. Satan tried to tell us that this person can satisfy us, or this thing can satisfy us. It's a lie. Only Jesus can satisfy our longing.

Finally, the Lord said, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book." The warning is for everyone, beloved. Everyone who adds to it, everyone who subtract from it, anyone who undermine it or sensationalize it. I don't know about you, but I would prefer not to ignore this warning. I really do. Why? Because Jesus is coming soon and every one of us will face Him. Are you ready for His return?

Guest (Male): A comforting, thought-provoking promise from God: "Behold, I am coming soon, my reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Thank you so much for joining friends across six continents for Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Learn more about what it means to follow Christ and long for His return by speaking with a Leading The Way pastor or counselor. You can start your conversation at ltw.org/jesus.

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Western civilization is under attack. Discover the shocking alliance behind it all. Join Eric Erickson and Dr. Michael Youssef as they expose the truth behind this unholy alliance on Leading The Way. Please be sure to join Dr. Michael Youssef right here next time for a very special look into an unholy alliance on Leading The Way. This program is furnished by Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth around the world. Learn more at ltw.org.