"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).

             The vision has been totally awesome, sometimes bone chilling, as we pondered the depth of His inworking, and saw how thoroughly the cross would be applied to the old Adamic nature; sometimes evoking an ecstasy  that could scarcely be contained, as we viewed glimpses of the glory to be revealed when the inner processings are complete. The REDEEMER has been at work-- "He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). And now as John comes towards the end of telling all the things he saw, he brings us to the triumphant victory-- it is a genuine "And they lived happily ever after," for he tells of how God truly makes "all things new."
             So long ago Isaiah prophesied of this day, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." (Isaiah 65:17-18).
             The process is one of REDEMPTION, and it is to be wrought IN A PEOPLE. A "new heaven and a new earth" bespeaks of a transformed people, even those who have been "recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them-- living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live." (Ephesians 2:10, Amplified).
             The creativity of redemption exceeds our fondest dreams. We can "be glad and rejoice for ever in that which He creates," for, "behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people; joy." In this brief statement the prophet has connected the creative work of the Redeemer with a NEW CREATION SPECIES of people of which He is the Head, and the Firstborn. Here is a relationship that brings joy and gladness to the heart of the Creator. "For I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and JOY IN MY PEOPLE: and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying." (Isaiah 65:19).
             A new heavens-- mind; and a new earth-- body, wherein dwelleth righteousness. The old order will have ended, and a new order will unfold, "That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. " (Ephesians 2:7).
             Peter also wrote concerning the present "heaven and earth" realm, that "the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:12-13). How we have yearned for this WHOLENESS IN HIS HOLINESS. It is for this "Joy set before us" that we can endure all the processing necessary to bring the old order to all end, that the new might be established. There shall be a "holy melt down" of all the earthy images and ideas which emerge out of the carnal mind, dissolving all the concepts that "change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man... " until man has "changed the truth of God  into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever." (Romans 1:23, 25).
             The elements shall melt. The Greek word for "elements" is "stoicheion," and literally means: the rudiment, first step; from the word "stoicheo" meaning: to walk, proceed, step in order. The word is used seven times in the Scriptures, with clear teaching that we need to be "loosed" from the first order, that we might proceed into the new order before us.
             Thus Paul writes, "We, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:3-5).
             Our subjection to the elements of the world is used in our early training and growth. The basic moral principles that belong to this natural life, have been appointed by God to serve a purpose, but they are only as the FIRST STEP. The laws of nature were established-- we do not break them, we cannot disannul them, but if we rebel against them we break ourselves upon those very laws, and suffer the consequence. In the nitty-gritty of every day living GOD IS TUTORING His creation.
             All this, Paul writes, serves as an allegory, with the real work being done IN US. And so all the restrictions of the Law, the order of the first covenant, having served their purpose, would be replaced with A NEW COVENANT. God sent His Son to redeem us, and bring us into the new, higher order of His life, where we are placed as HIS SONS, and partakers of His fullness.
             When Jesus came He "brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel." (2 Timothy 1:10). A HIGHER ORDER was revealed. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2). But then, Paul writes on, "After that we have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage." (Galatians 4:9). Once having known the leading of the Spirit, why go back to the structured rule of the shadows, types, images which only point to reality? For sure, there are some "elements" that need to "melt with fervent heat," that we might be loosed from them, and go on to be led by His Spirit completely.
             "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (elements) of  the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8). Anytime men can persuade us to go back under the bondage of the FIRST STEPS, they have plundered us, spoiled us. "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments (elements) of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments of men?" (Colossians 2:20-22). What an inworking of the process of redemption is needed to free us from bondage to the elements, that we might live by His "law of the Spirit of life." Therefore, when John writes that "the first heaven and the first earth were passed away," it bespeaks of total freedom from the old order, that all creation might be brought into the fullness of His life in the NEW, "wherein dwelleth righteousness."
             Furthermore, he says, "And there was no more sea." While in general the "sea" refers to the masses of humanity, in its more individual application we have another view. The waters, as an unstable element, so quickly moved by storms, serve as a type of the restless desires of the heart of the unregenerate man-- "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." (Isaiah 57:20). These unquieted lusts seem to surge everywhere, driven by every wind of human imagination. In the process of becoming a new creation in Christ, these waters are not removed at once, but there are bounds placed upon them. "Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over." (Psalm 104:9). The Spirit (heavens) begins to bear rule over the lower nature. A bound is set upon the restless emotions and desires of man, and a division is made. "God divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament." (Genesis 1:7). Some of our desires and affections are raised and purified, and others are held in check until the Cross has worked deep within, to bring an end to the carnality and self-willed rebellion that surged within us. But the lower waters are never fully removed until we have the completeness of this NEW CREATION, i.e. "new heavens and a new earth," and then "there is no more sea." Every emotion and impulse, every desire of man will have been totally cleansed and merged into oneness with the will and purpose of God. Here is REDEMPTION so glorious, so complete, we scarce can take it in-- that He will purify every desire within us, and then fill that desire with Himself, until it can be said, "no more sea," no more the restlessness of desire surging within. Hallelujah! That is truly making "ALL things new."
             Isaiah declared, "Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing." And John writes, "I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. --Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife... shewed --me that great city, the holy Jerusalem." (Revelation 21:2, 9-10).
             Jerusalem is not a literal city in another world somewhere, it symbolizes a PEOPLE who are prepared to be joined unto their Lord in a holy union of oneness which shall bring joy both to their Lord, and to them-- a relationship that brings REJOICING. She has "the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious... and had a wall great and high..." Again we note that Isaiah prophesied of all this, and of the day when "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise." (Isaiah 60:18).
             The description is beautiful, the gates, the foundations, the precious stones-- all of which, without doubt, hold special meaning, were the Lord to quicken the understanding accordingly. But there is one phrase that stands out for me-- Revelation 21:16, "The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal." There is COMPLETENESS IN EVERY PART. Quality is not sacrificed for quantity. There are no highs and lows. Equality is revealed in every dimension and inworking. When every one is brought "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," all will be equal-- God all in all. When He is THE ALL in you, and He is THE ALL in your brother-- that's true equality.
             "For God has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this: He purposes in His sovereign will that all human history shall be consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in heaven or earth shall find its perfection and fulfillment in Him." (Ephesians 1:9-10, Phillips). When He is the PERFECTION and the FULFILLMENT for every creature, His redemptive work will have wrought what no man has ever been able to accomplish-- divine equality! Total satisfaction! And perfect peace and rest!
             "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 22:3). Here is the ultimate goal of God's purpose being wrought out through the ages. Here is the victory of the Redeemer! A people, in whom, and with whom He can dwell. And yes, a God in whom the people can dwell. We are to ABIDE IN HIM, even as He abides in us! All of the processings which we have noted through the book are to this end, that God might tabernacle with men. God speaks very loudly in His action, in His works. What He does is a revelation of His inner thought, will, and purpose. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Genesis 1:26). WHY? The ultimate answer, TO DWELL IN! It begins with an outworking of His purpose in the natural, earthy, but it will not end until He has raised the whole up to the spiritual. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Corinthians 15:49).
             "My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Ezekiel 37:27). These are not idle promises! These are not lofty dreams that will fade away into nothingness. This is the Word of the Lord giving hope to all His creation. When our Redeemer came into this world to give His life for us, even then the angels announced it, saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14). He promises peace because the Prince of Peace came to initiate that redemptive process whereby it could be realized. "The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. " (Isaiah 32: 17). "GOOD WILL" shall come to men, because He will thoroughly cleanse the earth, and then make His tabernacle with us.
             Where there is peace there is no inner controversy. However deep the inner purgings may go, however extensive His dealings may be, there is but one glorious goal in view, "That you may be filled through all your being unto all the fullness of God-- that is, may have the richest measure of the DIVINE PRESENCE, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself." (Ephesians 3:19, Amplified).
             "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men," for men become the "habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:22). It is significant that the Greek word here for "habitation" is "katoiketerion" and is made up from two parts, literally being: DOWN-HOUSE. He will house Himself down into "men, to dwell in men as His fixed abode. And then "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... Behold, I make all things new!"
             So glorious has been the consummation of the vision, such victory, such restoration of all mankind, that we bow low to worship before Him. "The former things are passed away." "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth;  shall ye not know it? --This people have I formed for Myself," they shall shewforth My praise." (Isaiah 43:18-19,21).
             "The former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17). Perhaps this is one of the greatest inworkings of redemption-- to so thoroughly purge and purify, that the former state cannot be remembered, nor called to mind. That means there will be no regrets, no remorse, no lingering condemnation. No looking back with tears-- for He has wiped away all tears, and erased the memory of the cause of those tears.
             In the operation of the first covenant, with its laws and offerings, "In those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year." (Hebrews 10:3). Imagine the pain of remembering, when every year on the Day of Atonement, the time came to "afflict your souls," (Leviticus 16:29), as they remembered all the sins of the past year. It must have been a miserable day while they recalled all the times they missed the mark for right living. And while the priest would then offer the sacrifice of atonement, as a covering over of those sins, yet those sacrifices "could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." (Hebrews 9:9).  Ah, the memory was a troublesome thing! But when He has fully cleansed and transformed us into anew creation-- all such remembrance will be ended-- never to come into mind. That is redemption! To have our mind renewed into the mind of Christ, so no more can any of these negatives come to mind! What grace and love in His making us ALL NEW!
             "Remember not the former things... " even those things which have been sufficient for yesterday's growth shall be forgotten in the fullness of that which is now ALL NEW. As long as we retain vivid memories of former things, we try to fit every new working of God into the pattern of the old, and limit Him to what was. But now He says to us: "I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not: lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew  them." (Isaiah 48:6- 7). IT'S ALL NEW! Created now! Such is the open horizon before us. Not a repetition of former creations, of  past generations, but "all things new." No wonder Paul exclaimed, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of men, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." (1 Corinthians 2:9).
             "And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Solid and sure-- every Word He has spoken shall be fulfilled. And then the reminder is given again, as first established in the beginning of the Book, now reaffirmed at its ending-- that the security of the vision is found in Him-- "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End." Because He is both the Author and the Finisher, and ALL THE WAY IN BETWEEN, these words are "true and faithful."
             This revelation as told by John, and verified throughout all the prophets, is TRUE. "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Habakkuk 2:3). The revelation is PERSONIFIED in our Redeemer, and then in all of those whom He redeems. The "all things new" becomes a reality, in a state of being, and shall redound to the glory of our Lord.
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  (1)  Prinzing, Ray and Doris . REVELATION A POSITIVE BOOK.   Boise, Idaho, 83705  P.O. Box 5822