This morning I’m writing this while my wife and our youngest son are sleeping in a hospital bed a few feet away. Last night just before I took the pulpit, my wife had to take little Judson into Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta due to some breathing difficulties and a spiked fever. As it turned out, he was diagnosed with Croupe and according to one doctor, he may have some asthma issues going on as well.
Before heading to downtown Atlanta to meet my family, I preached from Revelation 21:9-27. In the previous sermon we looked at the people of heaven, but last night our focus was the city of heaven. We looked at five specific truths about the city of God. The new heaven will be a majestic city, a beautiful place that our minds can hardly conceive, but there are specific things that will not be found in heaven.
According to verse 22, there will be no temple there! What had been the center of worship for Israel will now be centered on God as He and the Lamb (Jesus) are the temple of heaven.
According to verse 23, there will be no sun or moon to shine into the city, because the glory of God will light the majestic city of God. Jesus will be its lamp.
Acccording to verse 25, there will be no night there. Sometimes darkness brings discouragement, but in the new heaven and new earth the presence of God will provide so much light that darkness is perpetually and eternally repelled.
According to verse 27, nothing unclean will enter the city of God. As I sit here watching the sunrise from a hospital room with the sound of my little boy wheezing as he sleeps, I’m reminded of an earlier verse where we’re told that heaven will be a place where God wipes away tears and removes all pain. Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Sam Storms does an excellent job of describing things that will not be found in heaven. He says there will be “nothing that is abrasive, irritating, agitating, or hurtful. Nothing harmful, hateful, upsetting or unkind. Nothing, sad, bad, or mad. Nothing harsh, impatient, ungrateful or unworthy. Nothing weak, or sick, or broken or foolish. Nothing deformed, degenerate, depraved or disgusting.
Nothing polluted, pathetic, poor or putrid. Nothing dark, dismal, dismaying or degrading. Nothing blameworthy, blemished, blasphemous or blighted. Nothing faulty, faithless, frail or fading. Nothing grotesque or grievous, hideous or insidious. Nothing illicit or illegal, lascivious or lustful. Nothing marred or mutilated, misaligned or misinformed. Nothing nasty or naughty, offensive or odious. Nothing rancid or rude, soiled or spoiled. Nothing tawdry or tainted, tasteless or tempting. Nothing vile or vicious, wasteful or wanton!” [1]
It’s nearly impossible to get rest in a hospital room. The thing they call a bed for the dad to sleep on hardly qualifies as a bed. Sam Storms forgot to mention hospital beds….there will be no hospital beds in heaven!
1. Joy’s Eternal Increase: Edwards on the Beauty of Heaven
