Seven Letters: Making All Things New
August 20, 2023

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Don’t forget! Next week is our annual Church BBQ. We will be meeting at 10 am at the New Hackensack Fire Department for service outside, then proceed to BBQ! If you haven’t done so already, please register on the website. Bring a lawn chair- but not your dogs. The Fire Department says no dogs please!

Conclusion to our summer series. Today is Cliff Notes version of the rest of the book of Revelation and the Good News (far from scary) that God is making All Things New!

Where is the rest of this book going? Where is the rest of our lives and all of History going?

Revelation 20:7-15 The Book is not atually

Remember some points about Apocalyptic literature and this book:
Written to a specific church in a specific context
image rich- particularly of Old Testament prophecy- Ezekial and Isaiah
Images often take the form of fantasy rather than reality
Formally stylized- repeated use of sevens
Apacolyptic in general and Revelation in particular, seldom intend to give a detailed chronological account of the future.

Thus, this book is actually a word of comfort and encouragement to Christians, particularly those who suffer, remining them that God is in control and history is in his hands-the slain Lamb has triumphed over the dragon (Rev 12:7-12)!

God Wins! Satan and Death are Defeated (Rev 20:7-15)

V11-15 The Lambs book of life and final judgement.

Not just Satan, but Death and Hades are defeated.

Both the fact and the power of death as well as the abode of the dead, the place you can’t escape, are defeated.

Making right what was wrong (Our final resting place) (Rev 21:1-8 and 22-27)

Not only is Satan, death and hades defeated and the Kingdom restored to its rightful ruler, but God goes the whole way of redeeming all of creation.

New Heaven and New Earth

God dwells with His people

Bring it on! (Rev 22:17,20)

Far from being scary, we proclaim Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!