The Perseverance Of The Saints Gise J. Van Baren
We read in Rev. 21, “And 1 saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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 Him self shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ And He that sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said unto me, ’Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ ” That is beautiful, is it not? To us is given the description of the new heavens and earth where righteousness dwells. But — are you convinced that you shall arrive there? Are you sure at this very moment, without any shadow of doubt, that this place is your place? We live in the present age; and though the end is at hand, the road before us yet looks long and treacherous. There are the snares of the wicked laid to catch our souls. Their temptations surround us along this road to glory, for the wicked would seek to lead us astray. Do you think then that you shall surely arrive at the New Jerusalem? Can you endure to the end in the face of additional threats? There is persecution along that way before one arrives in the new heavens and earth. And all the time we live on the earth, we still have a sinful flesh: a flesh which wants to enjoy this world; a flesh which falls so often into sin. Will we arrive at that glorious place described in Rev. 21? Remember what the Psalmist said in Psalm 69? “I sink in deep mire where there is no standing: 1 am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are 83
