Revelation Part 5 - A New Heaven and a New Earth

Heather Crespin (0:06)

Good evening. You're listening to Bedtime Bible Stories for Adults. Tonight, we finish up the Book of Revelation. In these last three chapters, John sees the final defeat of evil, the judgment of all things, and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. The darkness is gone. Death is no more. And God dwells with us. As I was reading, one of my favorite verses snuck up on me, and I got very emotional. Usually, when that happens, I rerecord. But this time, I just went with it. So you will hear my voice break. You will definitely hear the emotion. What an amazing thought that one day there will be no more pain, no more crying, no more grieving. I cannot wait.

And let go of any thoughts or worries. Take a deep breath in. And as you exhale, allow your body to release any tension it may be holding on to.

Remember, that relaxation is not just a luxury but a necessity for your well-being. Let's take a deep breath in and slowly exhale. Continue to focus on your breath and feel yourself letting go of the day. Letting go of any stresses or worries and give everything to God. Feel his peace surrounding you and know that you are safe.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, and to gather them for battle. In number, they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them, and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. Where the beast and the prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it. And death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them. And each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. 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.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For the old order of things has passed away.

He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new.

To the thirsty, I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this. And I will be their god, and they will be my children. 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.