Passage: Revelation 21:1-4

Revelation 21:3
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

The tabernacle of God is the house of God. We will live in the house of God with God. That was God’s plan from the beginning. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, He walked with them in the Garden but their sin separated them from God.

In Solomon’s Temple, there was a special place called the Holy Place, which was separated from the rest of the tabernacle. The priest was only allowed to go into the Most Holy Place once a year. God’s final plan is to break down the separation between Himself and His people.

God’s final plan is to break down the separation between God and His people so that we can live with Him forever.

1 Corinthians 15:28
28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

Having fellowship with God is the most glorious and powerful thing. Having fellowship with God should be part of our daily lifestyle. Prayer is like a special meeting with God to talk about certain things, but fellowship is our continual interaction with God.

In all of our relationships, we need to have both fellowship and “meetings.” We need to take the time to talk with our children or parents or spouse eye-to-eye. We need to take the time to have purposeful interactions with our loved ones in addition to the continual interactions.

Fellowship with God should be throughout every day, a dialogue between you and the Father. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Share the things are happening during your day. Through that, you gain so much benefit. Fellowship with God builds our trust in God and peace with God.

When you have a relationship with God, you will always have someone to talk to. You will always have someone who understands what’s going on in your life and the struggles you are dealing with. You will always have a comforter and companion. You never have to feel lonely or isolated; God is always with you.

If you have fellowship with God, you will feel hunger and desire to spend more time with Him. If you don’t really have the desire to spend time with God, to go to church, to study, or to pray, you haven’t been fellowshipping with God. Fellowship with God is like drinking salty water; the more you drink, the more you want. You don’t have thirst for God because you have been lazy about fellowshipping with Him.

In the Old Testament God told Israel they were His chosen people and He was there God.

Leviticus 26:11-12
11 I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.
12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

God chose Israel as His chosen people.

Jeremiah 31:33
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Ezekiel 37:27
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

God has called us, “My people.” Once God makes a promise, He doesn’t break that promise. Our sin keeps us from receiving the promise, but God doesn’t break His promises.

In Genesis 3:15, God spoke to Adam and Eve about their Seed (Jesus) but it took 4,000 years for that promise to be fulfillment. Sometimes it takes time, but God always fulfills His promises. Sometimes it will be your next generation that receives the promises. God’s promise to Abraham is still being fulfilled through every new generation.

God will only give you what you can handle, by the measure of your faith. We need to believe the Word of God: God is in us and He created us in Him image. We are conquerors. God did not create us to fail but to overcome and conquer. We can do all things through Christ.

God wants to have fellowship with us. God’s last plan is to bring all of His people together, to enjoy fellowship with them.

Revelation 21:4
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

God will wipe away every tear, every sorrow, and every pain; therefore, during this time, we need to get close to God. We need to get delivered and saved and overcome this world. Overcome yourself. We shed many tears in this world, but when the new heaven and new earth comes, every tear will be wiped away.

Isaiah 35:10
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 65:19
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying.

Isaiah 25:8
8 He will swallow up death forever,
And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people
He will take away from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.

This is the promise of God.

Matthew 5:4
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.

Philippians 3:10
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

When this time passes away, and the new time comes, we will no longer suffer. We will no longer be in pain. We will no longer worry. We will no longer go through persecution or trial. We will no longer experience separation or strife.

Those who overcome this world and themselves will live forever in New Jerusalem. Therefore, everyday we must say “goodbye” to this world.

Always remember how Jesus lived His life on this earth. He separated Himself from this world. He lived for God’s purpose and will. He experienced trial and persecution but He overcame everything. That is how we need to live.

We must desire the new heaven and new earth. We must fight the good fight to die to our flesh.

God bless you,
Pastor Sun East

More in this series:
Part 1: Revelation 21, New Jerusalem is coming