The Associated Press reported this past Friday from Washington DC, that a new Pentagon study was released. It examined sightings of UFOs. These sightings from over 100 years found no evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial intelligence. This decision was consistent with past U.S. government efforts to assess the accuracy of claims that have enthralled the public attention for decades. “Last year NASA did an independent study and they too did not find any evidence that UAP have an extraterrestrial origin.

We earthlings have been fascinated with UFOs and the cosmos. The vastness of space speaks of our awesome Creator. Our moon is 211,463 miles but if we could just crank up our speed a little bit, like 186,000 miles per second, you could get to the moon in a second and a half. At that speed you could reach Jupiter in 35 minutes and 11 seconds; which is only 367 million miles away. The USS Enterprise travelling at Warp 1 being Light Speed would take roughly 80 minutes to reach Saturn which is only 790 million miles away.

Additionally, the whole universe as we know it, all the way out to endless space through all the billions and billions of light years that make up the stratospheric heavens is so vast we cannot even comprehend how vast it is.
Psalms 19:1 declares, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Astronomy is a science that studies everything outside of the earth’s atmosphere, such as planets, stars, asteroids, galaxies; and the properties and relationships of those celestial bodies. Astronomers base their studies on research and observation and we can observe there work and stand in awe of God’s handiwork.

But beware of Astrology on the other hand it is the belief that the positioning of the stars and planets affect the way events occur on earth. Some believe God is speaking to the people of earth through alignment of the stars. Divination was common among the pagan peoples of the Bible lands. When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land of Canaan, God warned them not to practice astrology. We have Leviticus 19:26, 31; Leviticus 20:6, 27 and Daniel 2:27 and Daniel 4:7, 19 among others verses.
There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to the stars or astrologists. We do not need astrology to speak to us when the Word of God states, “He Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds…Hebrew 1:2

Revelation 21:1-5 tells us that God will bring about “a new heaven and a new earth.” Life will be wonderful, free from all the devastating effects of sin. There will be no more death, sorrow, mourning, or pain, for God will make “all things new.” There will be…

I A New Cosmos vv. 1

1. John says in 21:1, “and I saw a new heaven and a new earth… it will be a universe greatly changed. God originally created the heavens and earth as a home for humanity to fellowship with Him, but sin transformed God’s beautiful creation into a place of wickedness and rebellion. God has a plan to redeem not only the human race, but also all of creation. We saw God rid us of Satan and judge the ungodly & casted them in the eternal Lake of Fire.

2. The word “new” is important. It’s not the word (na-os) neos which means new as opposed to old, it’s the word Greek (Kainos) (ki-nos) it means a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of, new in quality. This is the same word used in Matthew 26:28.They are not new models of the old, but something totally new and different.

Illustration: Movie video contrast DVD’s. The new heaven and new earth are possible because the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (21:1). No details are given here, but as we studied last week according to
2 Peter 3:10-13 the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. “parerchomai” Pur- rare- o-my – to pass away, perish. – Luke 3:21:33

3) The Second Law of Thermodynamics is the law of entropy it says this present universe is running down. This old earth is dying. It is all decaying; losing its energy; it is growing cold. The earth is not headed for an ecological holocaust it is headed for an eschatological one.

But in the new heavens and the new earth that law is apparently reversed. Instead of running down, the universe begins to come together again. Instead of losing energy it will gain it. It will have stability, symmetry and beauty that the old heavens and earth never had. The O.T. spoke of this too in two Scriptures: Isaiah 65:17, & Isaiah 66:22.
4) John says in 21:1 there was no more sea. That means it’s going to be different because three quarters of the earth’s surface is covered with what? Water. And you know something, you’re mostly water. Your blood is 90 percent water and your flesh is 65 percent water. — Water bags…

God is saying that the new heaven and new earth don’t operate on water. Now that’s enough to tell you it’s going to be different. No more evaporation and condensation. Whatever our glorified form is it’s not going to depend on a process that demands water.

Whatever else this may mean it clearly indicates there will be a total change in climatic conditions, since the seas and oceans determine our humidity and rainfall. We will experience once again Garden conditions on a new earth, not only will there be a new earth but there will be…

II. A New Jerusalem (21:2-3)

1. Here we are introduced to the capital city of heaven which is the New Jerusalem. This suggests strongly that the New Jerusalem, this great city that John describes, is to be the capital of the whole new universe. Remember Jerusalem is the eternal city not New York. (Isa. 33:20)…John’s attention is drawn to the focal point of the new heaven and earth—the holy city, the New Jerusalem (21:2).

Nothing is said concerning the creation of the New Jerusalem, so it may well have been in existence in heaven prior to coming down from God out of heaven (21:2). Abraham is said to have looked for a heavenly city in Hebrews 11:10, we find this city spoken of in verse 16, just maybe it already exist…
But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

2. The New Jerusalem is pictured as a stationary city floating above the earth in space. Interesting that the earth will encircle this heavenly city and it will receive light from it. Take note with me and look at verses 10, 23 and 24.

3. The third thing we are told here is that this will be the dwelling place of God. In the New Jerusalem, God will make His dwelling place with His children for all eternity. John says in 21:3, and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The word tabernacle literally means “dwelling place.” The home of God the place where God lives with his people. This is when the name “Immanuel” (“God with us”), will be fulfilled, and when the New Covenant will be fully worked out, “They shall be my people, and I will be their God,” Jeremiah 24:7

It is all within this beautiful setting of Heaven. The New Jerusalem is a holy city. We don’t know anything about a holy city…but this city is the holy city, (three Jerusalem were considered holy…) this one is the sinless capital city of eternity where everybody who lives in it is perfectly holy.

III The New Eternal State 4-8

1. In Revelation 21:4 we see the glorious, eternal state of a world with the effects of sin completely removed. Amen! God has removed the curse he had placed upon it in the Garden of Eden. He will restore the earth to its original form a place that will be perfect. Vv. 22:3

There will be no reminders, nothing to bring to remembrance the former days. It is at this time we note,”… And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and their shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away
The emphasis here is on the comfort of God, not on the remorse of the saints.

2. One very important truth should not be overlooked in 21:5-6. In verse five God says, I make all things new. Then in the next breath, He says in verse six, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. God is the beginning and the end, and there is no need for anything in between. It will not take millenniums and an evolutionary process for God to make all things new. Everything will simply take shape instantly as God commands.

Conclusion:

God will make the world anew but until then he can make you anew. But none of us can overcome our sinful state that we are in without Jesus Christ. Gospel- 2 Cor. 5:17

Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.