Because We Trust in Him...We can Sleep While Waiting for Him!
Revelation 21:1-8 New International Version (NIV)
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Saturday, October 3
The book of Revelation is a fascinating vision that God gave to the Apostle John and the main purpose of the book is to strengthen faith. There will be death because the old must be destroyed. Resurrection can only happen when something or someone has died. This is why we do not need to be afraid of “falling asleep.” With the “oil” of faith we know that death will not be the end. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). Sin, death and the devil will not have the final word. All things work together for good to them that love God because death has no power where Jesus, the King who overcame death reigns. If Jesus reigns in our hearts then death is like taking a nap. We can fall asleep waiting for him and trust that when he comes we will enter into the feast.