Apr. 07, 2024

                                                        Revelation 21:9-14

                                                         “Heading Home”

April 7, 2024                                                                                                  Dr. Don Bazal

      It is more difficult to speak of heaven than to speak about any other subject.   For there are things in heaven that “eye hath not seen, nor ear head, neither have entered into the heart of man”:   I Corinthians 2:9.  The Bible, in order to describe heaven, accommodates man’s limitations – the limits of man’s ability to conceive and comprehend the eternal.   Even the literal, detailed description of heaven is at best a hint of the heavenly!

I Corinthians 2:9 –  but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

  I.  THE EXTERNALS OF THE ETERNAL CITY:  vv 9-11

           The Certainty of the City called Heaven

            Hebrews 11:8-10 – By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going 

           out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out,

           not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as an alien in the land 

           of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 

           fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for the city which 

           has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

          John 14:1-3 – “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also 

          in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I 

          would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go and prepare 

          a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I  

          am, there you may be also.

       The Contrast Between the Bride and Babylon

       1. Babylon as a harlot: 17:3-5 vs Holy Jerusalem:  21:10

      2. Babylon filled with sin:  17:4; 18:2 vs the Bride filled with the Shekinah Glory: 

          21:11,23.

1.  Babylon filled with Satan’s blasphemies:  17:3; 18:24 vs New Jerusalem

           with God’s blessing:  21:11,23-24; 22:5.

1. Babylon is a place of eternal perdition:  19:1-3; 21:8 vs the Bride who has an eternal position and a precious relationship:  Revelation 21:10; 22:1ff

II. THE INTERNALS OF THE CITY CALLED HEAVEN:  vv 12-14

      Citizens of the City Called Heaven:  vv 12-14

      ● Seen in the Externals

      (vv 12-13) Twelve Gates → Introduction to God:  John 4:22; Isaiah 43:11

                        -  Remnant of Israel

          John 4:22 – You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, 

         for salvation is from the Jews.

         Isaiah 43:11 – “I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me.

    (v.14) Twelve Foundation Stones → Names of the Twelve Apostles 

               - New Testament Believers

       John 14:1-6 – “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also 

      in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I 

      would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ If I go and prepare a 

      place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am,     

      there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas  

      said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the 

      way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one 

      comes to the Father but through Me.

      Revelation 5:1 - I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book 

      written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.