Apr. 14, 2024

                                                              Revelation 21:15-21

                                                                “Heading Home”

April 14, 2024                                                                                                            Dr. Don Bazal

      Here’s something out of sight.  The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is offering “deeds” for land on Mercury.    You can buy a fifty-thousand acre homesite with a crater for twenty-five dollars.  An estate on one-hundred-twenty-six-thousand acres can be yours for only seventy-five dollars.  However it’s hot enough to melt lead.  But you can have a deed to a heavenly home without cost.  The place is painless, deathless, sinless and warless.   Angels are guards and the Lord’s the Builder.

 Jesus in John 14 said, “I go to prepare a place for you”.  Quickly after the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus ascended to go prepare a place for all who will place their faith in Him.   The place called heaven is also called “The Father’s House”.  We get a glimpse of it in Revelation 21:10-21.  For us as Christians, it stirs our hearts as we are Heading Home.

 THE PLACE CALLED HEAVEN

 ● The Contrast of Heaven and Babylon:  Revelation 21:9-11 (See 4/7/2024 notes)

 ● The Citizens of Heaven:  Revelation 21:12-14

     All the Old Testament and New Testament Saints – Revelation 7:9;  John 17:12-13

     Revelation 7:9 – After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude 

    which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and 

    tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white 

    robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

     John 17:12-13 – While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You 

     have  given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished  but the son of 

     perdition, so that   the Scripture would be fulfilled.  ¹³ But now I  come to You; and 

    these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy  made full in 

    themselves.

  HEAVEN’S MAJESTY: Revelation 21:15-21

    ● Seen in Its Measurements:  21:15-17

        John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His 

        glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

        I Kings 6:20 – The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in 

       width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also 

       overlaid the altar with cedar.

    ● Seen in Its Might:  21:17

    ● Seen in Its Magnificence:  21:11,18-21

             - Glory, brilliance, crystal-clear jasper, pure gold, clear glass

        Ezekiel 1:26-28 – Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was 

       something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that 

       which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of 

        a man. ²⁷ Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward 

       something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and

       from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire;  

       and there was a radiance around Him. ²⁸ As the appearance of the rainbow in 

       the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. 

      Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I 

      saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

       Isaiah 60:18 – Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation 

       or destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls salvation, and 

       your gates praise.

      2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, 

      but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to 

      repentance.