In the early 1900s Henry Ford said, “I will build a motorcar for the great multitude….so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one-and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.”
People found that very hard to believe.
In the 1870s Western Union issued this skeptical memo: “The telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.”
Little did they know what was about to happen.
Just like skeptics of the past, it can be hard for us to imagine many of the future changes the Bible speaks of. Even though this world seems permanent, God tells us that one day it will be changed completely. God gave the apostle John a preview of this new world. It is described in Revelation chapter 21.
John writes, “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” (Revelation 21:1).
God will make a completely different world to replace this old broken one. The most important feature of the New Creation will be the personal presence of God Himself.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).
God created us to know Him personally. He once walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But their sin broke the relationship that they had. Death entered the world because of sin.
Because of death, we have endured thousands of years of pain and sorrow. But in the New Creation, that will all change.
The Bible says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
It is easy to be skeptical and think, “Impossible. That sounds like a fairy tale. Things will never change like that.” But according to the Bible, it is impossible for these changes not to happen. God guarantees this New Creation. It will happen.
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:5).
Who will enjoy this new world? God freely invites all to enter. All that believe in Jesus Christ will come in. In this passage believers are called overcomers. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Revelation 21:7).
But not everyone will come in. They want their sin instead of Jesus. And as a result they will inherit the lake of fire instead of the New Creation.
“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” (Revelation 21:8).
Instead of being identified in Jesus Christ by faith, many today want to be defined by all different kinds of sin. But no matter what type of sin, without Christ, they will suffer in Hell for eternity.
God offers to forgive your sins through Jesus Christ. Acknowledge your sins before God. Turn from sin and turn to the Lord. Your eternal home will then be the New Creation when God changes the world.
