Surprising Facts About Your Eternal Home

I've heard people say that when you die you turn into an angel or a relative who dies before you will become your guardian angel or that heaven is really boring because you sit on a cloud all day and play a harp at church or that heaven is like one long boring church service.

No thank you. Or the common belief some people have that you first have to go to a place to pay for your sins and have them burned away before you are admitted into heaven. One of the things I know you believe in is that the only authoritative source that we have for life after death comes from the Bible. After the Apostle Paul received a glimpse into heaven he wrote, God who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Right, for these words are true and faithful. Today we continue our countdown of Skip's top 40 messages on the Connect with Skip Heitzig YouTube channel. In the number 26 spot is the message Surprising Facts About Your Eternal Home. In this encouraging message Skip shares some unexpected truths about your future home in heaven. But before we begin, we want to invite you to study the words of Jesus in the very places where he spoke them. Take a trip to experience Israel, not just the historic landscapes and delicious food, but the spiritual significance. In 2022, you have the opportunity to join Skip and his wife Lenya to worship and study God's word in the very places Jesus taught, preached and healed. Find out more at inspirationcruises.com slash c-a-b-q. Okay, we'll be in Revelation chapter 21 for today's study.

So let's join Skip Heitzig. I've discovered as you have that people have misconceptions about life based on misinformation about life. Commonly thought truths that have been debunked. For example, that carrots help you see in the dark. That vitamin C is an effective treatment for a cold. You could check with the Mayo Clinic, they will tell you that is not true. That it takes seven years to digest chewing gum.

I don't know if any of you had your moms tell you that don't eat that it won't come out for seven years. Frightening, isn't it? That's just not true. That when you flush the toilet in the southern hemisphere, the water rotates in the other direction. Not true. That the Great Wall of China is visible from space.

Or here's one that I didn't know until I researched it. That Napoleon was not short. I thought he was short. Well he was five foot seven and the average height in his day for a male was five foot five.

So he exceeded and he was actually taller than the rest. Now that's misinformation about this world. What kind of misinformation do you think people have about the next world?

A lot. In a survey of American belief, 40 percent believe that heaven is a place. 47 percent say it's just a state of being or a state of mind. 25 percent say those who are good get into heaven. You have to be good to get into heaven. While 10 percent believe everyone gets into heaven. And I've even discovered that those people who say they believe in heaven have misconceptions about it. I've heard people say that when you die you turn into an angel or a relative who dies before you will become your guardian angel or that heaven is really boring because you sit on a cloud all day and play harp. That heaven is like one long boring church service.

No thank you. Or the common belief some people have that you first have to go to a place to pay for your sins and have them burned away before you are admitted into heaven. One of the things I know you believe in is that the only authoritative source that we have for life after death comes from the Bible. And the Bible speaks about heaven about 500 times.

I want to show you some things that may surprise you about your eternal home today. Now by the time we get to chapter 21 we are dealing with the final phase of eternity. What theologians refer to as the eternal state. The eternal state for believers.

Let's read the first eight verses and we'll start there. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Also there was no more sea. Then I John 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 heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people.

God himself will be with them and be their God and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Then he who sat on the throne said behold I make all things new and he said to me write for these words are true and faithful and he said to me it is done. I am the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death.

Let me throw out a few surprising facts about your eternal home. Fact number one it will require destruction. Most people would never think about that when they think of heaven.

But it will require destruction. Look at verse 1. I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

We saw that in the previous chapter. Heaven and earth fled away from God. Let me tell you where we are chronologically.

By the time we open to chapter 21, a lot has already happened and life as it once existed on this earth is over. Jesus has come back to receive his church. The tribulation is over. He has also then returned in glory setting his foot on the Mount of Olives.

He has established and run the course of the millennial kingdom on the earth. The great white throne judgment is over. Satan and the false prophet and the antichrist and all unbelievers are in the lake of fire.

This is a different phase. Heaven and earth it says passed away. Now isn't that exactly what Jesus said would happen? Didn't he say these words? Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall never pass away. In other words, Jesus from his own lips predicted the world will come to an end.

And how will it end? Well, Peter gives us further revelation. In 2 Peter chapter 3, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements, that is the physical universe, will melt with fervent heat. Did you know that up until this past century the prevailing cosmology, that is the study of the development of the universe, the origin of the universe, etc., the prevailing cosmology was called the steady state theory. And the steady state theory was the belief that everything just continued as it once was with no beginning and no end, just the continual perpetual state.

Now that belief system has gone away, replaced by the big bang theory, that's the general cosmology. And one of the reasons that the steady state theory is no longer believed is because we have observed for one, one clue is the sun. The sun's radiation is produced by the loss of part of its mass.

Every second four million two hundred thousand tons of the sun's mass is lost, producing the radiation called sunlight and warmth. What that means is it's running down. If it's running down, it's going to have an end. If it had an end, it had a beginning. God designed this universe to be temporary. The Bible tells us that he created the world. In fact, to be more specific, Jesus, called by John the word, created all things. And then Paul tells us in the book of Colossians that he is before all things and by him all things, listen to this word, consist, literally, are held tightly together. So Jesus created it. He took chaos, unformed mass, and created cosmos, the ordered system that we enjoy today. And he holds all things. He holds all matter. We know that matter is made up of moving particles of opposite charges. And it's always been a mystery.

How does it all hold together? I've always enjoyed what Dr. Lee Chestnut, who wrote The Atom Speaks, said about this, and I'm quoting, consider the dilemma of the nuclear physicist when he finally looks in utter amazement at the pattern he has now drawn of the oxygen molecule. Here are eight positively charged protons closely associated together within the confines of this tiny nucleus.

With them are eight neutrons, a total of 16 particles, eight positively charged and eight with no charge. Earlier physicists had discovered that like charges of electricity and like magnetic poles repel each other. And unlike charges or magnetic poles attract each other. And the entire history of the electrical phenomenon and electrical equipment has been built up on these principles known as Column's law of electrostatic force and the law of magnetism.

So what was wrong? What holds the nucleus together? Why doesn't it just fly apart? And therefore, why do not all atoms fly apart? Now, I'll go out on a limb and be as naive as to say, I know the answer to that. Jesus holds it together.

He is before all things and by him all things are held tightly together. Can you imagine what would happen if he did this? Just let it go. Just released it. The Bible released it.

The Bible seems to indicate that one day he will release it. He will collapse. Now, I quoted to you just a moment ago 2 Peter chapter 2 about the heavens and the earth melting away. Peter has a question I want you to apply. He says, therefore, since all of these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all godliness and holy living? In other words, here's the question. How should we live here if everything here is going to be burned up? Well, certainly our focus shouldn't be here.

Our focus ought to be, as Paul said, set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. So, that's the first surprising fact. It will require destruction. Here's the second. What's coming is going to be a brand new fresh design. Look at verse 1 again. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth. And then look in verse 2. I saw the holy city knew Jerusalem. So we got a new heaven, new earth, new Jerusalem.

Verse 5 is the summary statement. He who sat on the throne said, behold or look, I make all things new. Now that word new is an important word in the Greek language.

It's the word kynos. And it means new of a different kind that is qualitatively different than the first. It's not just chronologically new. It's qualitatively new. It's a new design. It's different from this. We're not talking about land improvement. We're not talking about renovation. That was the millennial kingdom.

That's over with. And everything on this earth, the heavens and the earth is destroyed. This is different.

Different materials, different atmosphere. Now I like to think that if God did this great of a job in six days, isn't it amazing? God just said, let there be light.

Bam, there it was. And then He said, let there be this and let there be that. And He just created things, spoke them. It took, the Bible says, six days. And the days the Bible indicates are six 24 hour periods to put it all into existence. Can you imagine if God applied all of that creative genius for thousands of years?

Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. You may have heard about the scientists who one day looked up into the sky and He said, God, I know that you made life and all that stuff, but you must feel terribly outdated now that we scientists can do everything you can do. God said, okay, I challenge you to a contest. Scientists said, good, we're on. So God reaches down, takes a handful of dirt, blows on it.

Out comes this beautiful flock of exotic birds. Now it's the scientist's turn. So He takes in a deep breath. He thinks I've mastered all of the principles of genetic cloning and soil manipulation.

Here it goes. And He reaches down, take a handful of dirt and God says, wait just a minute, get your own dirt. So God made the worlds. God will uncreate the worlds. He'll destroy the earth.

All that will be left then is energy. And God will make something brand new, something brand new. You know, we love new things, don't we?

Children love new toys. So do adults, whether it's a new outfit or a new house or a new car or a new guitar or a new whatever thing you would like to have new. The problem with new things is they don't stay new.

In a few years, you'll have to get a new water heater for the house or patch the roof of the new house. There was a period of time in my life where I was getting new things that I had saved up for. I was single and I remember getting a new camera and then a new guitar, then a new surfboard. And every time I got something new, it got dinged up or scratched or I dropped it accidentally. And it worked, but it just wasn't new any longer. And it was as if the Lord was just reminding me, it's all going to burn.

Don't get too attached to it. The prophet Isaiah says, thus says the Lord, I will make a new heavens and a new earth, which will last for ever. This one will not.

The next one will last forever. Second Peter chapter three, he agrees with that. We, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth in which dwell righteousness. So this is the new earth, new heavens, a new earth, new universe, new physical planet with dimension and substance. So two surprising things. It's going to require destruction.

It'll be a fresh design. Here's the third surprising fact. And I shun to say this, but I will say it because I'm a Bible teacher and I can't make up what I want heaven to be like. I can't say it's one big long golf course in the sky.

I have to say what the Bible says. And here's the third surprising fact. It won't have an ocean. I hate to say that, but it won't have an ocean.

And let me add to that. It won't have an ocean and you won't care. Verse one says, and there was no more sea. I got to tell you, I struggled with this verse.

It is not underlined in my Bible. I read this when I've read it for the first time. I said, Ooh, this is harsh. This is very disappointing. A brand new world without an ocean. I mean, if I were creating this, it would read, and there were no more cities or, and there were no more deserts, but there's plenty of ocean and plenty of Palm trees and plenty of surf and sand. And I'm not going to say it's a good thing.

There's plenty of surf and sand. It says, and there is no more sea. And so I remember reading this, and in my study, I even rationalized that perhaps it doesn't really mean what it says it means. It could mean metaphorically, nations that the Bible sometimes describe as a restless sea. For example, Isaiah 17, the uproar of many peoples.

It is a roar like the roaring of the seas. That verse I underlined. Or Isaiah 57, the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest. Or Revelation 13 that says the Antichrist comes out of what?

The sea. And Revelation 17, the waters, which you saw where the harlot sits are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. So you can see, I've spent time studying this through, hoping that I can come up with some alternate interpretation.

But I have finally settled on the interpretation that I give to the rest of the scripture. That there will be no more sea. That's just a way of John in this vision telling us that life will be very different on the new earth and in that new universe. It's no longer going to be water-based.

It's going to have a different climate altogether. The world we live in now is a watery planet. In fact, it's the only place in the universe that we know of that has the ability to sustain human life, animal life, and plant life. Three quarters of the earth is water. And that's because you're made up of water. 65% of your flesh is water. 90% of your blood is water. If you don't take in water, you know what will happen? You'll die. You will dehydrate. You need the intake of water for your life to be sustained. But he says, I saw no more sea.

Why? Because you will be in a glorified body in a world that doesn't operate on the same principles with the same hydrological system that is needed for life here. And before you get too bummed out and say, you mean there won't be any water at all?

No, I didn't say that. Revelation 22 verse 1 describes John sees a pure river of the water of life. Now let me tell you why when John says, I saw no sea, that wasn't a bummer, that was a blessing. Because in John's day and age, a sea and ocean meant separation. People didn't fly over oceans in John's day. They had to go across them and many times they didn't make it. Because it was treacherous. It was mysterious.

It was filled with storms and dark. So that separation will be gone. It will be a different kind of world. Here's the fourth surprising fact about your eternal home.

It's going to have a capital city. Verse 2, then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her bridegroom. And I heard a loud voice from 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 will be with them and be their God. That's Skip Heitzig's number 24 message on our Top 40 Messages countdown.

It's from the series, What's Next? Find the full message and more of Skip's teachings, as well as full length sermon series anywhere, anytime, on any device at youtube.com slash Calvary ABQ. Now we want to let you know about a resource that traces Jesus' path to the cross and sets you on a trajectory to an even more fulfilling life in Christ. When Neil Armstrong took man's first step on the moon, the whole world watched and his first words are well known. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. What is not common knowledge is that the first meal on the moon was the Last Supper. Here's Levi Lesko to discuss his new book, The Last Supper on the Moon. This book, Last Supper on the Moon, it begins with Buzz Aldrin, 1969, July, summer on the lunar surface before Neil Armstrong gets out of the Eagle to take that famous first step on the moon, the giant leap. But just before that, Buzz Aldrin opened a pouch and took out wine and bread representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ. And he, he had a personal communion service. And that moment when I found out about it, about a year previously, hit me like a thunderbolt, you know, just to realize that the first thing ever eaten on the moon was the Last Supper.

The Last Supper on the Moon is an epic new hardcover book by Levi Lesko, and it's our resource offer this month. Receive your copy when you give a gift of $35 or more to support this program. Just go to connectwithskip.com or call 1-800-922-1888.

That's connectwithskip.com or call 1-800-922-1888. And come back next week as Skip Heitzig shares another Top 40 message and looks into the actions and motivations of the enemy of God's people and what you can do to stand against his attacks. Would it shock you to know that Satan is not in hell? Would it further shock you to know that Satan has never been to hell? And that he won't go to hell until the end of the tribulation period, and when he gets there, and he will get there, he will not be the chief tormentor, he'll be the chief target. He'll be the one who's the greatest victim. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.