By Mike Chaffin
“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Isaiah 66:22-24
The last words here are about last things. These may be some of the most important last words ever spoken as they offer a prophecy, a promise, and a warning about eternity.
Isaiah is recording God’s words of the end times, the restoration, and Jesus coming back to Earth to rule and reign during the millennium. These words are nearly identical to John’s Revelation told in Chapter 21:1-8,
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And 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. 4And 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.” 5Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 6And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The two passages make it very clear, there is a heaven and a hell. We will either go to heaven or we will be cast into the lake of fire. The prophecy in these last words is of Jesus coming back. The promise is all who believe in Him will be with Him. The warning is to those who reject Jesus as savior or put off the decision to accept Him until it is too late.
To enter heaven, one must believe Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world, repent of those sins, and accept Jesus as savior and then serve Him. We become His disciple and develop a relationship with Him and worship Him. Those who don’t turn from their sins will not inherit eternal life; but will inherit eternal pain and torment in death.
Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Only through Him can we be saved. There is no other way. If you have never accepted Jesus as your savior, I implore you to hear Him calling you, knocking on your heart’s door. Let Him in.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for these last words that make it clear you are in control. You make a place for us in heaven and on the new earth if we trust in you as Lord and Savior. You were victorious when you conquered death and the grave and you call for us to repent and be saved. Thank you. In Jesus name, amen.
