Immanuel – God With Us
Week 4 – Revelation 21: Immanuel Forever
The First Gospel
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Immanuel: God with us
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
…between your offspring and her offspring…
…shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Revelation 20
The final defeat of the serpent and death
Revelation 21
The new comes and the old passes away
Revelation 21:1
…And the sea was no more
What is the sea?
“Sea” symbolism in the Old Testament
Sea and Waters = Chaos and Evil
Evil nations are raging seas
YHWH rules over the seas
The Spirit hovers over the chaotic waters
Revelation 20-21:1 | Enemies defeated
Revelation 21:2 | The heavenly city descends
The heavenly city is the Church
The bride of Christ made beautiful and ready
A Pattern for the Church
Moses received the pattern of the tabernacle – Exodus 25
David received the pattern for the temple – 1 Chronicles 28
And John received the pattern for the Church
We are an outpost of the heavenly City as we gather for church on Sundays
Word and Sacrament
They transform us as we then go to transform the world around us
Revelation 20-21:1 | Enemies defeated
Revelation 21:2 | The heavenly city descends
Revelation 21:3 | God’s Declaration of Immanuel
Revelation 21:4 | What Immanuel forever looks like
Vs. 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.”
We live now in a world of injustice, war, and darkness…
The Light shines in the darkness… And the darkness has not overcome it.
When I am afraid… I will put my trust in you.
What does it mean to have God with us?
We even catch glimpses of it here as we await our blessed hope.
The Joy of Immanuel…Forever
Laboring for the least of these
Building up and serving the Church
Serving with our mission partners
Proclaiming the Gospel
Leave a Reply