Chapter 2:10

2:10 Be thou faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life."

  We, as Christians, wait patiently for the day when the cry shall go out "Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him, Lord of all." For when Christ receives his royal crown, we as his heirs shall be in a position to receive
ours.
  When the time comes for the distribution of the crowns there are certain peculiarities you can expect about your crown.
   1. The brilliance of your crown shall never be tarnished or dulled. 1Peter 5:4 says "ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." Sterling silver and gold plated items sometimes lose the luster, but not our crowns!
   2. Your crown shall be made of Gold and studded with stars. Johns said he saw a golden crown, having 12 stars, representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

Chapter 5: 11, 12

5:11-12 "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."

In Christ's Revelation shown to John, Jesus himself is pictured as the Lamb of God, who is worthy of all praises because he alone paid the blood price for the redemption of mankind. Jesus, even before his birth, has been characterized in scripture as the "Lamb of God." Since Old Testament ritual required the sacrifice of a lamb or other animal to consummate their forgiveness, Jesus came as the only person "worthy" to die for the sins of the world, because he had not known sin himself. Isaiah 53:7 said: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." The fact that he came, died and rose, to insure the salvation of mankind, established Jesus as being "worthy" of all praises and glory. John saw millions of angels and heavenly hosts proclaiming "Worthy is the Lamb!" He alone is worthy of the kingdom of heaven. He alone is worthy of its great rewards.

Those who believe in him, however, have consolation in knowing that Jesus has said "where I am, ye may be also." When Jesus is crowned, we shall be crowned. When Jesus enters his kingdom, we shall enter the kingdom. Because Jesus is declared worthy, we are worthy, despite our sins, because we are his disciples. Return 

Chapter 6: 9, 10, 11 

6:9-11"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

The Revelation records glimpses of the future that were revealed to John on the Isle of Patmos by Christ himself. In its 22 chapters we are given a panoramic view of what will happen during the last seven years of this world order. Of particular interest to believers are chapters 21 and 22 because these two chapters contain the substance of our hope. They tell us about the New Jerusalem, the new heaven and the new earth, which will be the home of every believer.

In viewing the final scenes, John foretells the impatience of the saints who will come to Christ during the tribulation. As God, tired of the wickedness of this world order, prepares to finally avenge the wrongs done to believers, John heard the cry "How Long?" from those who had been martyred for the cross. These who would only have been waiting for a year or two when the events of Revelation Chapter 6 occur, express impatience. What of those who had been waiting for centuries before the tribulation, certainly they too were crying "How Long?" Their question "How Long?" was an anxious expression of anticipation of things to come. They lived and died waiting for the return of Christ, the establishment of his kingdom, and their entrance into their eternal home. In essence they expressed longing and an excitement that said "be so glad when I get home."

The nature of the Christian's home is suggested in Revelation.

The Christian's home is not to go "to" heaven but to live eternally "in" a heaven. Heaven The part of God's creation above the earth and the waters including "air" and "space" and serving as home for God and His heavenly creatures. It's a single planet of God's universal creation, beyond the reach of the telescopic eye of this solar system, which is used by God as his divine work place, from whence He 1) sends blessings to His people: "Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 26:15; 2)sends punishments to wicked: The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. V6) Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11:4,6.

Moreover, heaven is the temporary dwelling place of departed believers. 2 Cor 5:8: "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." Those who die in Christ are temporarily reside in heaven awaiting their final reward and station in the Kingdom of Heaven.

However, heaven is not the Christian's home because heaven won't be forever! The millions of solar systems, galaxies, and planets that now exist, including the planet heaven will be destroyed by God. Isa 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

However that which is destroyed will be recreated, fresh and new, and that will be the place where believers will spend eternity. Not up in God's heaven, but on a recreated, glorified, purified, earth..where even God himself shall be. Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Isa 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

Isaiah said "It's going to be" but John said "I saw it happen!" John said: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Revelation 21:1

The Christian's home is not in heaven, the present work place of God, but in the kingdom of heaven which will be created on earth, with the New Jerusalem serving as its capital city. While its true that wherever Jesus is will be heaven, it is not true that we will be living forever in the celestial realms that today we call heaven.

Isaiah notes that there will be a great rejoicing and celebration among the saints when we get home. The former things shall not be remembered! It will be a happy day! Return 

Chapter 19: 7 

19:7"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready."

This text focuses on Paul as he writes to the church at Corinth about his desire for them to remain fully committed to the cause of Christ. Paul expressed his desire that the Corinthian church would remain faithful to Christ such that it could be presented as a spotless "virgin" to the bridegroom, which is Christ, when he returns.

The imagery of the bride and bridegroom is often used in scripture to represent the sum total of believers and their relationship to Christ. Generally the bride is always symbolic of the people of God. In the Old Testament the prophets often used the imagery of the bride to suggest the repeated adulteries of the people against God who acted as a loving husband. Hosea's marriage to a harlot was one striking example of how an adulterous relationship exist between a backsliding people and a loving God.

In the New Testament the image of the bride often refers to the church and its relationship to Christ. The bride, in Revelation also represented the sum total of all believers: those before Christ, the church, and the 144,000 Jews and large mass of people that John saw coming out of the tribulation having washed their robes in the blood of the lamb. All believers, whether Old Testament or New Testament are represented by the image of the bride.

In the Old Testament, God was represented by the loving father. In the New Testament Christ is represented by the image of the bridegroom. Both the bride and bridegroom are spoken of as preparing to meet each other. The bridegroom has gone to prepare a place for the bride and the bride is waiting patiently for his return. Return 

Chapter 21: 1,2, 3, 4, 6, 7 

21:1-4; "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:1-4

This text shows the ultimate future of the church in its grandiose, beauty and splendor. The New Jerusalem, pictured as the bride of Christ, would be inhabited by a composite of all believers: Old Testament faithful, the church, and those who accepted Christ during the tribulation period. The greatest hint that believers have about the future state of believers is found in Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

John said the Holy Spirit will "show you things to come" and those things will be beyond our fondest imagination!
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What is heaven? Is there really such a place?

The bible makes reference to three kinds of heavens: (1) The clouds are called heaven (2)The starry space is called heaven (3) and then there is the place far beyond this solar system that is referred to in 2 Cor. 12:2 as the "third heaven" which some have called a virtual paradise.

Heaven is the place where God lives. It is a physical place and not a dream world. In heaven: --1). There are mansions: John 14:2 reminds us that "In my father's house there are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you." --2). There is food: Rev. 22:2 describes the New Jerusalem as it appears in heaven and points to the tree of life which will bear 12 manners of fruit and will yield its fruit every month. --3). There will be no crying, dying, thirst, hunger, darkness or drought: Rev. 7:16-17 reminds us of the beauty of the heavenly experience in that "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. 21:4 puts it this way: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. --4). There will be many people.

There will be many people in heaven. Rev. 7:4 speaks of 144,000 Jews who will be there. Rev. 7:9 gives an even broader picture when it notes that "after this, I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindred and people and tongues.." Every departed saint who has left this world in death is presently with the Lord in his home. 2 Cor 5:8 reminds us that those saints who are absent in the body are "present" with the Lord, waiting the final judgment and their final reward. Living in the third heaven for all of eternity however is not their destiny. That was not the promise of the savior.

Saints are promised we will be given eternal life and a heavenly existence on THIS EARTH. Jesus said "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." In Rev. 5:10 as the hosts of heaven waited for lamb the to take hold of the book of life they declared "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." When judgment is complete here and the wicked and Satan have been completely destroyed God will create a new heaven and a new earth. When this renovation of his creation is complete God will move the capitol city of heaven from the third heaven to the newly created earth.

21:6:And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

This river of life will be supplied to each believer eternally. It will provide the energy of youth, joy for the soul and rejuvenated aspiration. That is the meaning of Revelation 21:6 which says in part, "...I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."

John, in Rev. 21:2 said he saw the New Jerusalem "coming down from God out of heaven." The central figure of the new earth will be Jesus. Wherever Jesus is will literally be heaven on earth. It will truly be a new heaven. The capitol city,(Rev. 21:12-17) the New Jerusalem, will be 1500 miles in every direction. It will sit on 12 foundations. Its streets will be paved with gold and its mighty walls will rise into the stratosphere being 1500 miles high. It will have 12 gates, each made of a giant pearl and beauty will be everywhere.

This and the remainder of the new earth will be the home of the Saints

21:7 "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

In Revelation, after the tribulation and the judgment, John saw the reward of the believers. Jesus revealed to him the events of the last seven years of this world, called the tribulation. He also showed him the events of the Millennium, the thousand reign of Christ. Beyond that however, John saw the eventual reward of all believers.

John saw believers inheriting all things. What does "all things" include? Paul writing to the Philippians described "things" suitable for Christians as: "...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.." Philippians 4:8 John saw believers in triumph sharing in every good thing in the kingdom of heaven. Since his vision was a vision of future events, the outcome has already been planned and prepared. It is simply waiting for believers to claim.