Our background gateway today is the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
For the people who lived in the early 1800’s, St. Louis was the “Gateway to the West” … the gateway to faraway lands where there existed things which could not even be imagined!
Imagine trying to describe to someone, using only words, the vast expansive grassland prairies of the Midwest … covered with thousands upon thousands of roaming buffalo.
Imagine trying to describe, using only words, the mighty Rockies … and the spewing, steaming, bubbling geysers of Yellowstone!
Imagine trying to describe, using only words, the mighty volcanic peaks of the Cascade Mountain Range … to someone who had never ever seen a mountain before.
Now imagine that it was you who had never seen these sights before. Imagine trying to picture in your mind what these things might be like, simply from someone’s description.
This is what we come to when we open the book of Revelation. Just as the Gateway Arch was the “Gateway to the West” for the people of the early 1800’s … so also, the book of Revelation is the Gateway to Heaven.
In the book of Revelation, we have descriptions of things we can’t fathom! There are creatures we can’t quite comprehend! There are events occurring which are beyond our understanding!
Probably to many people who lived during the early 1800’s, the descriptions of the faraway lands of the “West” seemed incomprehensible! But that did not mean these things did not exist. The vast prairies of the Great Plains absolutely existed! The mighty Rockies and the Cascade Range were absolutely real!
The same thing is true when we read the book of Revelation. Heaven is absolutely real! The sights and events which are described in the book of Revelation absolutely will occur! There is 100% certainty!
1 Corinthians 2:9 – “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Isaiah 64:4 – “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.”
John 14:2-3 – “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
The book of Revelation wraps up God’s message to us in the Bible:
* God loves people!
* People have been separated from God by their rebellion and sin.
* God provided a way to restore people once again into relationship with Him.
* Jesus came from Heaven to earth to take care of the sin problem.
* If people will repent of their sin and believe in Jesus, they will receive forgiveness!
* Jesus will take to Heaven all who believe in Him!
* Jesus will come back to earth to judge the whole world of sin!
* Anyone who has rejected Jesus will be judged for their sin!
* The judgement for sin will result in total, absolute destruction of the earth!!
* The judgement for sin will result in everlasting torment in Hell for those who do not believe.
* God will create a brand new, perfect Heaven & earth!
* All who have believed in Jesus will live with Him in this perfect Paradise forever and ever!
The book of Revelation describes in vivid detail the total absolute judgement poured out upon the earth and upon humanity because of sin! Sin will be judged!
But Jesus has provided an escape … Jesus has paid the penalty for sin on our behalf! If we will just repent of our sin and believe in Jesus, we will escape this coming judgment. Jesus will take us to Heaven to live with Him forever and ever!
Jesus is the Gateway to Heaven!!
Jesus Christ in Revelation
Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End
– Revelation 1:17; Revelation 22:13
Jesus is the Living One, who was dead and is now alive forever and ever!
– Revelation 1:18
Jesus holds the keys of death and Hell – Revelation 1:18
Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah – Revelation 5:5
Jesus is the Root of David – Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:16
Jesus the Lamb who was slain – Revelation 5:6-13
Jesus is the Faithful and True – Revelation 19:11
Jesus is the Judge of all the earth – Revelation 19:11
Jesus is the Word of God – Revelation 19:13
Jesus is the King of Kings! and the Lord of Lords! – Revelation 19:16
Jesus is the Bright Morning Star – Revelation 22:16
