Revelation 21:5-8

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.  But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Life feels long and the history of the world feels longer.  In relation to one another, the world is longer than life.  In relation to eternity, both will seem like a blip.  Because of our mortality, time, seasons, and generations seem to go on and on.  The rhythms of life seem to go on uninterrupted.  But that is not reality.  The reality in which we now live, will come to an end and life as we know it will be radically transformed.  There are two distinct destinies that will be determined by our relationship with God through Christ.

THE CLOSING OF AN ERA: The celestial declaration is that God is making all things new.  God instructs John to write down that “it is done.”  The history of the world as we currently know it will be finished.  This era will be done, and the eternal era will begin with a completely renewed reality.  God is the beginning and the end.  He orders the events of this world according to His will.  With all the evil and injustice we observe in the world around us, it may seem like God is indifferent to these things.  Delay in judgment should never be confused with indifference.  God is giving opportunity for man to repent and allowing mankind to reveal just how corrupt we have become.  There will come a day when all these things will change, and God will judge the earth.

THE HERITAGE OF BELIEVERS: Those who have placed their faith in Christ are described as thirsty.  A life of pain and suffering on this earth leaves us longing for the return of the Lord.  When He comes, all thirsting will be over as we will be with Him and drink from the spring of the water of life.  The price for drinking from this endless source of refreshment was paid by the Lord Jesus Christ.  All who have placed their faith in Him will drink freely from this endless supply of refreshment.  However, the most precious heritage we will experience is that of being sons of God.  We will live as we were meant to live; in fellowship and relationship with God.

THE PORTION OF UNBELIEVERS: Those who have rejected Christ and continue in their sins will have a greatly different experience.  Their portion will be to spend eternity in torment in the lake of fire with Satan, the beast, and all those who have lived in rebellion against God.  The sins of man will not go unpunished.  Cowardice, faithlessness, violence, idolatry, and immorality may seem to go unpunished in today’s world, but this will not always be the case.  A day is coming when all who live in this way and have not placed their faith in Christ, will be cast forever into the lake of fire.

APPLICATION: Don’t be discouraged by the way things work in the world as we know it.  Know that the Lord will return and He will judge this world in righteousness.  Rejoice in the hope we have of an eternity drinking the water of life as sons and daughters living in relationship with our Father.  Warn unbelievers of the impending judgment that will come upon them if they don’t repent and turn to Christ.

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