"The Mists of Tomorrow"

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7

Mystics always seem to intrigue the people of this world. Even though scripture tells us to avoid these “false prophets”, there is still a great popularity with anything that involves the prediction of future events. Ouija boards, Nostradamus, the Baptist pastor who predicted Christ’s return several times (none successful!), the supposed prediction of the end by the Mayan calendar, Jean Dixon (remember her?), and many others. Some seem to come close to revealing an actual event, and others aren’t even in the ball park! But none of them have ever been able to accurately predict the arrival of Antichrist and the beginning of the End Times. Not One!
Why? Because, I believe, the Lord God Almighty won’t let them! He has told us what we need to know, and that’s enough. As much as we would like to get a glimpse into tomorrow, he tells us that if we just trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no need to know what the future will bring.

And what does he tell us?

Read Revelation 21:1-4

We are told that tomorrow will bring a life that is totally new, in a place that is totally new, with a purpose and vision that is totally new. This glorious new place, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will come down to earth directly from heaven, and God will live there with his people. No more tears, no more crying, no more pain or death or suffering or fear. Every aspect and every thing of life will be new.

This “City of Tomorrow and Forever” will measure nearly 1,500 miles on a side, it will have 12 entrances, each named for one of the 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 foundations, each named after one of the 12 apostles. The city will be made of pure gold, the walls of pure jasper, the gates will each be a single pearl, and the foundations will be of precious stones, some of which no one has ever heard of before. And the one thing that will be absent in the city is the temple. No temple, no church, no house of worship, because the entire city will be the House of God.

There will be no sun or moon or stars, because the glory of God will shine continuously, just as it did at the beginning of creation. And even though there are gates at each of the entrances, they will never be closed. And who will live within this incredible city? Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life – anything or anyone who is impure or shameful or deceitful will be prohibited from entering. (Revelation 21:9-27)

Whew! Did you get all that? But we have to wonder why we never hear any of this from the mystics? Why are there only dire predictions of an end, and nothing else? Simple! It’s because no one would believe them! We all are accustomed to events coming to a close, so an ending to all that we know isn’t all that difficult to imagine. But eternity? It can’t be adequately described, and therefore, for most people, it is impossible and inconceivable.

And while some people can never imagine eternity, those who do believe are told not to boast that they understand eternity! James 4:13-17 warns us that this life is like a mist that appears and then disappears, and that we should simply say “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do [it].”. So why worry about these grand things of God?
Just rejoice in them!
Read Revelation 21:5-7

“I am making all things new.” The implication here is that the second death, as well as the second life, will be unlike anything we have ever experienced before. And I believe that this is why the tomorrows in this life and beyond are left unknown. If we knew, we wouldn’t be able to handle the knowledge, and we might not even believe it. So why know.

James advice is probably the best that we will get – “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live it and do it”. And this is, I believe, the focus of our living out our faithw, and this, and this alone, will see us through the unknown days ahead.

Happy New Year!