Return of the King

The City of God

Revelation 21:9-22:5

1. Highlights of the City of Heaven

• Bride
• Dimensions
• Glory
• Brilliance/Brightness
• River of Life
• Tree of Life

2. Inhabitants of the City of Heaven

• No Curse – No Sorrow, pain, or death
• See God’s Face
• View God’s Throne
• His Name on our foreheads
• No Night
• God will illumine the saints
• Saints will reign forever and ever

3. Activity in Heaven

1. Believers will enjoy fellowship with Him 1 John 1:3
2. Believers will see God as He is 1 John 3:2
3. Believers will worship God Revelation 4:10, 5:14, 7:11, 11:1,16; 19:4
4. Believers will serve God Revelation 22:3, 7:15

4. Why Would Heaven Sound “Miserable”?

1. No love for Holy and Holiness
2. No love for service
3. No love for people of God
4. No desire for worship
5. No longing/time in Word of God
6. No love for the light or truth

Best thing about Heaven – Person of God

Hebrews 11:8-10; 12:22-24

Gates of Pearl

John Phillips explains:

How appropriate! All other precious gems are metals or stones, but a pearl is a gem formed within the oyster—the only one formed by living flesh. The humble oyster receives an irritation or a wound, and around the offending article that has penetrated and hurt it, the oyster builds a pearl. The pearl, we might say, is the answer of the oyster to that which injured it. The glory land is God’s answer, in Christ, to wicked men who crucified heaven’s beloved and put Him to open shame. How like God it is to make the gates of the new Jerusalem of pearl. The saints as they come and go will be forever reminded, as they pass the gates of glory, that access to God’s home is only because of Calvary. Think of the size of those gates! Think of the supernatural pearls from which they are made! What gigantic suffering is symbolized by those gates of pearl! Throughout the endless ages we shall be reminded by those pearly gates of the immensity of the sufferings of Christ. Those pearls, hung eternally at the access routes to glory, will remind us forever of One who hung upon a tree and whose answer to those who injured Him was to invite them to share His home. (Exploring Revelation, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody, 1987; reprint, Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1991], 254)