Solus Christus: The New Heavens and New Earth

Yesterday we began to look at Jesus’ second advent for traditionally the Church has looked at both during the season of Advent. We saw from Re. 5 that Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb who deserves all glory, honor, and praise, and He will one day return to bring into the new heavens and the new earth so we can give Him proper praise for all eternity. For today’s mediation we’re going to look at John’s description of the new heavens and the new earth that Jesus will bring:

1 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. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 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. 4 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.” (Re. 21:1-4)

That is what the new heavens and the new earth will be like. Did you notice the covenantal refrain? As we talked about when we discussed God’s covenant work in general, this is the point to which He has been leading and continues to lead all His people. He has increased His fellowship with His people through His covenants and the Church enjoys the most intimate fellowship with Him ever experienced because of Jesus’ first advent and work of redemption. However, there is more to come. When Jesus appears in His second advent and ushers in the new heavens and the new earth “God himself will be with them as their God.” We will walk and talk with God in our new, glorified bodies forever. That’s the end towards which our loving and just God has been relentless pushing since before there was time. That’s what we were created for. That’s what Jesus guaranteed for us in His first advent and will bring to fruition in His second.

Did you also notice the promise of complete and utter joy? God “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.” In yesterday’s mediation we asked “Will the miseries of this age really end?” and answered “yes!” because Jesus has assured it with His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. In today’s passage we see what life will be like when “the former things have passed away.” When everything in this world is gone (cf. 2 Pt. 3:10-12) and Jesus brings in the new heavens and the new earth there will be no pain, no crying, no tears, and no mourning—nothing that can ever eclipse the pure and utter joy of the “dwelling place of God [being] with man.” Nothing. That’s what Jesus won for His Church in His first advent and what we know will one day come. As Peter tells us, “According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

On this day of Advent remember that Christmas only marks the beginning of the end. Jesus completed His work of redemption during His first advent and we enjoy the first fruits of that redemption now—“justification, adoption, and sanctification, and... assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.” (WSC #32, #36) But, there is more to come. When Jesus returns in His second advent all believers will receive their new, glorified bodies (cf. 1 Co. 15:50-55) that will be “perfectly and immutably free to do good alone,” (cf. WCF 9.5) and they will enter into the new heavens and new earth that John described for us in today’s passage. Remember that all this has been guaranteed in Christ’s first advent and work of redemption and that no one can take it away from those who truly repent and believe. Ask God to give you opportunities to share this good news—the gospel—with someone today and ask Him to give you the strength not to duck when He does. Praise Him for all the benefits He has given you in Christ, and ask Him to speed the day so you can enter into the glorious world-to-come where the “dwelling place of God is with man.” Live expectantly looking for Jesus’ second advent. Perhaps today could be the day.

By His Grace,

Taylor

Solus Christus: The Lion and the Lamb

We’re approaching the end of the Advent season, which means that soon we’ll celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Christmas day. In the last few Advent meditations, we’re going to look at Christ’s second advent, i.e. His second coming which could happen at any time. To that end, we’re going to look at a few passages from Revelation for our final devotions. Today’s comes from Re. 5, which shows us the unapproachable glory and worthiness of Christ and the praise that He deserves:

¹ Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
    and they shall reign on the earth.”
¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,
    “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
    and honor and glory and blessing!”
¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
    “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Re. 5:1-14)

Worthy is Jesus because He was slain, and by His blood He ransomed God’s people. He is the Lion and the Lamb at the same time. Christmas proclaims the event of Jesus’ birth but we know that He was born so that about thirty years later He might die for His people. We know that He was born to go into battle against sin and death as the Lion and be sacrificed on our behalf as the Lamb. He’s both the great warrior and the great sacrifice, and it was through that very sacrifice (what He was born in His first advent to do) that He won the battle against sin and death for His people. And, it’s in this very death that He showed He is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor—every bit we can muster and much, much more. Unfortunately, since we live in a fallen world, He still doesn’t get the praise He deserves from humanity; even from the Church. But, one day He will return and set things right, and on that day “every knee [shall] bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

On this day of Advent remember that there is another advent coming—Jesus second coming. The world doesn’t look very good right now, I know. We’re constantly bombarded with temptation and tragedy, and sometimes we wonder if it really is going to end. The Church has been waiting two thousand years. Will it end? It will. The Lion has won the war against sin and death because He became our Lamb in His first advent, and though the loser still fights, Jesus will soon return to put an end to this age, to bring His people into the new heavens and new earth where sin and death can’t touch them, and to throw the devil, his demons, and all God’s enemies finally and eternally into the Lake of Fire. Then we’ll stand before the throne of Jesus and with “myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands” and give Him the glory that He’s due. We’ll sing His praises forever and ever. What a glorious day it will be! What a glorious eternity it will be! Remember that His first advent was only the beginning; what we celebrate at Christmas was only the beginning. The best is yet to come. Ask God the Father to send God the Son back soon—to haste the day—so we can begin eternity in the bliss of the new heavens and new earth and give the Lion and the Lamb the praise He truly deserves.

By His Grace,
Taylor

Advent: Day 23

This is the final day of Advent this year. It is Christmas Eve, which means tomorrow we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today's reading comes from the last book of the Bible, looking forward to the second Advent (second coming) of Jesus:

¹ Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,
"Worthy are you to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
    and they shall reign on the earth."
¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!"
¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"
¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Re. 5:1-14)

Worthy is Jesus because He was slain and by His blood He ransomed God's people. He is the lion and the lamb at the same time. Christmas proclaims the event of Jesus' birth but we know that He was born so that about thirty years later He might die for His people. It is in this very death that He showed He is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor. Unfortunately, since we live in a fallen world, He still does not get the praise He deserves from humanity, even from the Church. But, one day He will return and set things right, and on that day "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Php. 2:10-11)

Oh Lord, haste that day!

By His Grace,
Taylor