SCRIPTURE: Revelation 21:1-22:5 (Page 1472); Genesis 2:4-17 (Page 2); Ezekiel 47:1-12 (Page 1048)
SERMON: Paradise Perfected									    3 June 2001

  I. REVIEW: DISCIPLINE & DESTRUCTION & DELIVERANCE (Judges(c.2); prophets(e.g., Ezk.,Amos); Rev.1-3 & 4-20 & 21-22; yet also see 7:9-17; 11:15-19; 15:2-4; 19:1f)

 II. INTRODUCTION: ALL THINGS NEW (21:5; see 21:1-22:5; “no longer”; 21:1,4//22:3,5)

A. NEW  HEAVEN & NEW  EARTH (21:1 = Is.65:17; 66:22; see 2Pt.3:13)

B. NEW  JERUSALEM (21:2f; see 3:12; Is.52:1; see Heb.11:10f,16; 12:22f)
1. like an adorned bride (21:2f; see 19:7f; Is.54:4f; 61:10; Ps.45; Eph.5:25f; 2Cor.11:2)

2. reflecting her husband’s glory (21:9f,11f; 22:1; see 1Cor.11:7; see Is.54:11f)

III. REPRISE, CLIMAX & FINALE: NEW  CREATION (22:1-5; see 2Cor.5:17)

A. THE WATER OF LIFE (22:1,17; 21:6; 7:17; see Ezk.47:1f,8f; see Jn.4:14; 7:37-39)
1. river (22:1; Ezk.47:1,5; Gen.2:10f; see Jn.7:39; Acts 2:17,33; 10:45; Is.32:15; Ezk.39:29; see Ps.51:11; Is.63:10,11)

2. bright like crystal (22:1; see 21:11,18,21; see Ezk.1:22; Rev.4:6)

3. coming out from the throne (22:1; Ezk.47:1f; Joel 3:18; Zech.14:8; see Ps.105:41)

4. God and Lamb (22:1,3; 21:22,23; see 3:21; (5:6(4:8f//5:9f); 7:10,17; 11:15; 14:1)

B. THE TREE OF LIFE (22:2,14,19; 2:7; see Ezk.47:7,12; Gen.2:9,16; 3:22-24; Prov.3:18; 11:20; 13:12; 15:4; see Jn.6:35,63,68)
1. river//street (22:2; see 21:21; see 11:8)

2. midst street//sides river (22:2)

3. tree and throne (22:2; see Ezk.41:18-26; 1Kngs.6:18,29,32,35; see Ex.25:31,32)

4. fruit: twelve//leaves: nations (22:2; see 21:12,14,16,20,21// 22:2; see 21:24,26 / both, see Ezk.47:12,8(Heb.); Gen.2:9,16)

5. summary: food and drink of life (22:1,2; see Neh.9:15; Jn.6:54,40; 63)

C. NEW CREATION (22:1,2; Ezk.47:1-12; Gen.2:4-17)
1. no longer any curse (22:3a,5a; Zech.14:11(8); see Rev.22;5; 21:1,4; see Gen.2:4-17; 3:14f,17b; Rom.8:20f)

2. but all blessing (22:3b,1; 5b; see 21:2,3; 22,23; see Gen.3:8; Ezk.43:3-5)
a. our God -  His people (22:3c; see 21:3,7; see chps.4,5)
b. His face -  our sight (22:4a; see Ps.17:15; 42:2; Mt.5:8; 2Cor.4:6; 1Jn.3:2; (Ex.33:20); see Num.6:25)
c. His name - our foreheads (22:4b; see 2:17; 3:12; see 7:2,3; 14:1(13:16); see Is.62:2; 65:15; see Ex.28:36f(Rev.1:6); Zech.14:20,21(8,11))

3. eternal reign (22:5; contrast 20:4-6; see Gen.2:8f with 1:27f; 2:8f,15f; 3:15f,22-24 with Heb.9:5f,11f; 10:19f; 12:22f; see Ezk.36:26-35; Is.51:3-6)

4. kings and priests (22:5 & 22:3; see 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)

 IV. PARADISE PERFECTED (Rev.22:1-5; see Ezk.40-48; see Gen.1-3)

A. FROM PROBATION IN ADAM TO PERFECTION IN CHRIST (Gen.1-3 to Rev.22:1-5(Gen.3:24 to Heb.10:19); see 1Cor.15:45f; Rom.5:12f; see Gen.1-3; Phil.2:1-11; Heb.8-10)

B. THE PROMISE OF PENTECOST (Rev.22:1f; Ezk.47:1f; Zech.14:8; Joel 3:18=Acts2:18,33; Jn.7:37-39; Rom.8:13(Rev.22:14),19f,23(2Cor.5:17; Phil.1:6),25(Rev.22:20); see Ps.46:4; Eph.5:26,27; see Lk.11:13; 2Pt.3:11-14)