Revelation 21:22-27 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

A Wonderful Life Is Coming For Those Who Believe

I am so looking forward to Heaven. Some 13 souls have gone into glory that we have known and loved since January. Their eyes have seen Him that we read of. Those who are His by faith are looking upon Jesus today.

Revelation 21:5 … He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.…

I look forward to that wonderful day to come – that endless day. The Bible tells us that all things will be made new. You can’t help but feel that this present earth is not right. It is not as God initially made it. It was God’s intention that humanity rule the earth on His behalf. We are God’s image bearer. We are made for eternity.

Genesis 1:27-28 God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion…

Man – which is comprised of the marital unit, male and female – was to do five things on this earth. Man was to be FRUITFUL, to honor God with their lives. Man was to MULTIPLY, to procreate, to make more fruitful humans. Man was to REPLENISH, or be a good steward over the earth that God gave him. Man was to SUBDUE and HAVE DOMINION over this earth. This FIVE PART COMMAND was what humanity was supposed to do on the earth. FIVE is the number of Grace in the Scripture. Man had life, and the earth itself as a part of God’s Grace.

And man blew it. Rather than do as God commanded, man allowed the created being called “The Serpent”, who is:

Revelation 12:9 …. the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world

Adam allowed Satan to take that which was rightfully his, and control it. The Bible says:

Revelation 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Adam’s action had repercussions that have carried forward, and will carry forward, until the end of time. But God was not satisfied with this. It was God’s intention for man to rule the earth on His behalf. When we come to Revelation 21 we see God completing what He started in the Garden of Eden. In order for God to complete His plan, He has to eradicate the old earth, with its damaged sin sick system. When we come to Revelation 21 we read:

Revelation 21:1-2 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. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

In this future “new heaven and a new earth”, there is no sin, nor corruption, nor death. This future earth and it’s very atmosphere will be erased of all that defiles. The sea itself will be gone. That which separates humans from one another, especially in John’s day, was the sea. There will be no separation between humans in that future world. God will even recreate Jerusalem in Heaven, and lower it down to the earth. God will rule the earth. The Bible tells us that:

2 Timothy 2:12 … if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Jesus Christ as the “Second Adam” will rule the earth, and those who are His children will rule and reign with Him from the New Jerusalem. This is a literal city, for we are given dimensions in Revelation 21:10-21. The New Jerusalem will differ from the Old Jerusalem in that:

Revelation 21:22-23 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

The Presence of God will not be limited to the Temple Holy of Holies as was done in the Old Jerusalem. God’s Presence will shine – His Shekinah glory will shine throughout that New Jerusalem. I wish we all could grasp the concept of what the Scripture is saying. The Bride of Christ, His Church united, will rule with Him from the New Jerusalem. There will be joy in this future kingdom, and unity, and love unto God and to one another. The Bible speaks of …

Revelation 7:9-10 a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Only the “SAVED” shall be in this future world. The Bible says:

Revelation 21:24-26 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.

I am so looking forward to that day when I see Jesus. Are you? Who shall be on this future earth? The Bible says:

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

You Do Not Want To Be Blotted Out
Of The Book Of Life!

The “Book of Life” is mentioned eight times as “Book of Life” in the Scriptures – seven of those times in the Book of Revelation. Only those who are written in the Book of Life shall gain access to Heaven, and that future New Earth.

The name of every human born into this world is written in the Book of Life. We are told in …

Revelation 17:8 … they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world

Our God is infinite in knowledge – there is nothing that He does not know. He has a Book and in that Book the names of all are written in that Book “from the foundation of the world”. My mind cannot grasp that, but it is true. Let us grasp this. IF you are living, IF you are under the sound of my voice, THEN God in His Grace has your name written in His Book.

God can BLOT your name out. He will BLOT your name out if you do not OVERCOME.

Jesus Christ told the Church at Sardis:

Revelation 3:5-6 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To reject faith in God the Son – then to die in your sins – is to be “blotted out”. Who is “He that overcometh”? It is the one who has given themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has believed on Him and Him alone for salvation. God promises not to blot our names out of this Book when we believe on Jesus. The Bible says:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The “Book of Life” is mentioned in the Old Testament as “God’s Book”. In Exodus 32 Moses is on Mount Sinai, receiving the Law and the Old Covenant from God. The children of Israel have had Aaron the High Priest construct a golden calf to worship. Israel has rejected faith in God, and chosen to put their faith in a golden calf of their own making. God sees what they are doing, {for God always sees what we are doing} and tells Moses:

Exodus 32:9-10 … I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff necked people: 10 now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Moses, loving both God and the people, intercedes in prayer for Israel. He asks God to remember the covenant promises He made to Abraham. Then Moses goes down to correct Israel. The next day after destroying the golden calf and its worshipers, Moses tells Israel:

Exodus 32:30-33 Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

When you reject salvation by faith in God, He can blot you out of His Book. I believe that all are in the Book of Life at birth – but can be blotted out of that Book because of the sin of unbelief.

The Psalmist David wrote against evil doers, saying,

Psalm 69:27-28 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

When God through the Prophet Daniel wrote of the Great Tribulation, he said:

Daniel 12:1 … there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

The Book of Life is, in effect, a CITIZENSHIP list for God’s Heaven and New Earth. It is so very important that your name be in the Book of Life. We read again:

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: BUT they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Only those written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will enter Heaven and that future New Earth. No one else will be allowed. Period.

The Work Of Surrendered Faith At The Right Time
Keeps You In The Book

Some think that, if they work very very hard to please God, that their names will be kept in the Book of Life. Some people place faith in their works for Heaven. They say, “I am not as bad as this one, or that one, so I know I am going to Heaven”. My friend,

Self Righteousness is just another Golden Calf.

God tells us what He thinks of a relation-less faith in Revelation 20 at “The Great White Throne Judgment”.

Revelation 20:11-12 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;

The Great White Throne is a place where “the dead, small and great, stand before God”. These are not believers in God, but unbelievers. They are “the dead”. Jesus said:

John 11:25-26 I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior “shall never die”. These who stand before that Great White Throne are “the dead”. They are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). They are NATURAL and not SUPERNATURAL. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 2:14 … the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Are you NATURAL or SUPERNATURAL?
Are you BORN ONCE or BORN AGAIN?
Are you ADAM’S CHILD or GOD’S CHILD?

These people left this earth without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They did works. They did many works. God the Son is on that Great White Throne, but they do not know Him.

Revelation 20:12 … and the books were opened:

BOOKS are opened. These are the Books of Works. The Bible says:

Revelation 20:12 … and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

What were their works? Without Christ, it does not matter. The Bible says:

Proverbs 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

The plowing of the wicked is sinful. Anything a person does outside of faith in Jesus Christ is sinful. The dead are judged based on their works. Perhaps they did what looked like apparent good works. Perhaps they went to Church. Perhaps they tithed. Perhaps they even became deacons, elders, or preachers. Beloved, we need a relationship by faith with Jesus! Jesus warned those who followed after Him:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Books of Works contain all the things that a person did in their lives. But did they know Jesus? Jesus will say at this Great White Throne, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”. Their works will not be sufficient. What is THE WORK OF GOD? Jesus said:

John 6:29 … This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.

The work of God is that you believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Have you believed on Him?

Revelation 20:13-15 … they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It Is God Who Makes All Things New

Those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are those who are “overcomers”. We are told in:

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Those who are “born again” are those who overcome the world. So how am I “born again”? Only by calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are “born again” are the people of God, whose name remains on “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). Jesus said,

John 3:3 … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:7 …. Ye MUST be born again …

New Birth is not a thing we can do to ourselves. As God said in

Revelation 21:5 … Behold, I make all things new …

Only God can take a broken life and make it whole. Only God can take a lost sinner, and bring that person home. Only God can take the sinner and turn them into a saint. Only God can do this. Do you wish to stay in the Book of Life? Then you must overcome. You can only overcome by letting go. I’m going to say that again:

You can only overcome by letting go!

John 1:12-13 But as many as received {Jesus Christ}, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

When you let go and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then God the Holy Spirit will come to you. When God the Holy Spirit comes He will cause you to be “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God (Jesus is the Living Word of God – John 1:1-3), which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23). Oh, the joy of being born again. You are not perfect, but you are changed when you come to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 … if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: Old things are passed away; BEHOLD, all things are become NEW.

It is God Who makes new. It is God Who saves the soul, and inhabits the body. It is God Who promises eternity to those who believe in Jesus. It is God Who says:

Revelation 21:6-8 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. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

So you have a choice. You can receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and begin to follow Him as He bids – or you can continue to follow the golden calves of life unto the second death. There is no place in Heaven for those who do not love Jesus. There is only a “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”. Oh, how I pray that you will give yourselves to Jesus! God has declared,

Romans 14:11 … As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

We all need Jesus. Do not delay. If you leave this life without Jesus, your name will be blotted out of the Book of Life.

And where will you be then?

May God drive this message deeply into your souls by His Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen.