In this enlightening episode of Hope for Today, David Hawking delves into the transformative promises of Revelation 21. We explore the profound assurance that God provides as He promises to wipe away every tear, abolish pain, and offer a new beginning beyond the shadows of our past. With references to Isaiah and the Psalms, David illustrates God’s ultimate plan to dwell with His people, reinforcing the message of hope and redemption.
the past will be removed. You know, there’s a lot of us that need to hear this. There are things about your past you wish you’d never had happen. Well, I can say amen to that. I wish it never had happened. And there are things about your past that remain bad memories. But one day, the past is going to be removed entirely.
SPEAKER 02 :
there are things in all of our past we wish never happened i can say amen to that i’ve got moments i’d like to erase if i could Some memories fade. Others cling to you like a shadow. But you know, the Bible tells us something very, very powerful. There’s coming a day when God doesn’t just mend the past. He removes its impact entirely. Not minimized. Not managed. Gone. Wiped away with every tear. No more regret. No more fear. Only what is new and forever in His presence. Today, David Hawking brings us day three of his message, A New Heaven and a New Earth, here on Hope for Today. Hope for Today Turn to Revelation chapter 21, verses 1 through 8, and we’ll get back into the passage in just a moment. And just before David begins, I want to quickly tell you about learning to praise in the Psalms. Learning to praise in the Psalms is David Hawking’s one-year devotional journey. This book has tremendously encouraged thousands of believers over the years, and it’s perfect to use as your daily guide through every day of 2026, starting with New Year’s Day. Get it online at davidhawking.org or call us at 800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. The Bible is 24253. This is a great way to begin the new year in praise to our Lord. Let’s get back to Revelation 21, 1 through 8 now. And here’s David with day three of New Heaven and New Earth.
SPEAKER 03 :
We said the pattern of things in the universe will be changed. The presence of a new city will be the main attraction in eternity. And third, the purpose of God will be fulfilled. What’s the purpose of God? Verse 3, 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. Is that great or what? In John 1 14 it says, the word became flesh and dwelt or tabernacled among us and we beheld his glory. It just to me is a blessed thought thinking of how God’s purpose is to dwell with us. When I think of how we are, thank God for redemption and we are going to be in his likeness and Certainly with our new resurrection bodies, we’re going to be something far different than we are now. But to think that God’s purpose, where he wants to dwell, is with us. Isn’t that great? You know, sometimes we lose sight of that fact, that God really likes us. God really wants to be with us. The Bible says the Lord delights in his people. We are treasures to him. We are jewels to him. And some of us are floundering and hearing all kinds of statements about what our self-image or esteem should be. Hey, just get rid of all that junk. Just read what God says. And man, you talk about self-esteem. The number one thing I don’t like about the word self-esteem is the first four letters. I believe in esteem and worth, the worth that God places on me because of redemption in Jesus Christ my Lord. Hey, I’m pretty significant now. I’m a new creature. I’m blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. I’m justified, sanctified, glorified, you name it. You can touch me later. It’s unbelievable what God says. And you can be a person so discouraged and defeated over what’s happened in your life, and all you have to do is read what God says. We’re washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are brand new in Jesus Christ. So praise the Lord. Amen. He loves you. He delights in you. And he wants to dwell with you forever and ever. Can you believe it? It’s unbelievable. It really is. It’s an incredible thought in the light of what we’re really like. Thank God for his grace that redeems us. Isaiah 65 has a lot to say about the future. But the fourth thing I’d like to have you see from Revelation 21 is that the past will be removed. There are things about your past you wish you’d never had happen. I can say amen to that. I wish it never had happened. And there are things about your past that remain. You can’t even think about it without being abhorred by it. But one day, the past is going to be gone. entirely. Isaiah 65, 17 says, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind. For all of you that want to be in heaven and continue to remember all that happened here, God says it will not come into mind. Isaiah 43, 18, remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Verse 19, behold, I will do a new thing. Concerning our sins and iniquities, God says in Hebrews 8, 12, and 10, 17, their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Aren’t you glad of that? The past is entirely removed. Look at chapter 21, verse 4 again. What’s involved when the past is removed? Number one, our tears. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. In chapter 7, verse 17, it says of that multitude who are saved during the tribulation, the lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. It’s a quote from Isaiah 25, verse 8. Gone. Psalm 56, 8 is a very interesting verse to me. Psalm 56, 8. Here’s what it says. It says, thou tellest my wanderings. The Hebrew word tell is the idea of counting, numbering. My wanderings, it says. How many times have you wandered away from the Lord? They’re all counted. What’s your count? How many times have you drifted spiritually? Sometimes we call this backsliding. But I’ll tell you, I don’t know they can be described as backsliding, but I’ll tell you, in a given day, your mind can wander and drift away from the Lord. So easy. You’re encumbered by everything that’s happening, and you’re just kind of drifting away. Hey, he’s numbered all those wanderings. And I like this. The psalmist says, put thou my tears into thy bottle. Jewish custom. but it’s likening it unto the Lord. He has a bottle and all your tears. Every time you’ve cried, he’s already counted. Did you know that if he carries his coming, you’re probably going to cry some more, but they’re already in his bottle. He knows how many times you’re going to yet cry before you die and go home to be with the Lord. He knows it all ahead of time. It says, are they not in thy book? He knows it all. Now that to me is really encouraging. That means there’s not a moment of sorrow and tears in my life that God doesn’t know everything about it. It’s all in his book. No wonder he keeps telling us, stop worrying. Just trust me. Rest in him. I mean, why pray when you can worry? How crazy we are. Back to Revelation 21. The fifth thing, we’ve said the pattern of things in the universe will be changed. The presence of a new city will be the main attraction in eternity. The purpose of God will be fulfilled. The past will be completely removed. The tears will be gone. The pain will be gone. Death will be gone. Crying, sorrow, nothing anymore. The former things are passed away. I had surgery on my throat, and I have never known pain. I got a shot every 30 minutes to try to help me endure the pain. I really wanted to take my life. I just could not stand the pain. It was terrible. And I still remember it very well. Six weeks of it. Couldn’t stand it. Talked to anyone. Well, I couldn’t talk. Didn’t want to listen either. And a pastor of a church in town came by our house and in the midst of all this pain when I’d gotten back from the hospital, and he came up and he said, I’m not going to stay long, which I was thankful for. He said, I’m not going to stay long, and I know you’re really hurting. That was the understatement of the year. I couldn’t answer back, and I just felt terrible. And he said, but I just want you to know that Revelation 21.4 says one day there’ll be no more pain. You would have to use Scripture. Scripture. But you know, that really helped me in a time when I really needed it. One day, there’ll be no more pain. And I know many of you, in fact, I know some personal examples. I won’t obviously discuss your situation, but I know people here, I’m looking at them right now to the audience, and you got a lot of pain. And sometimes what we say to you seems so easy to say. We’ll pray for you and one day things will be different and all of that. And yet that pain is so bad. Sometimes it’s emotional. It’s a pain from the past that you can hardly stand. And sometimes it’s physical. And you even came here under great duress just to be here. Because you love the word of God and love his people. But it’s not easy for you to come. God bless you for doing it. But I know about pain and so do you. And one day it’s not going to be around here anymore. You’re not going to have one stitch of pain anymore. It’s going to be gone forever. Praise the Lord. Revelation 21, 5 to 8 brings us the fifth thing, and that is that the promises of God will be realized. Be faithful, weary pilgrims. God is going to fulfill his word, and I notice that that’s based on his ability to do it. Verse 5 says, behold, I make all things new. It isn’t just going to happen through political process. It’s going to happen because God is going to cause it. I will make all things new. The promises of God will be realized because they’re based on his ability. And they’re based on the accuracy of his word. It says in verse 5, these words are true and faithful. That was said back in chapter 3, verse 14. And back in chapter 19, verse 11, dealing with the return of Christ. These words are true and faithful. His word is accurate. You can rely upon it. And it’s also based on his authority to do it. He said, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Praise the Lord. It’s also based on the assurance that he gives us. I love the end of verse 6 and verse 7. Just take a moment to reflect on it. There are three kinds of assurance that God gives us. as we look at how the promises of God will be fulfilled. One is assurance of eternal life. I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He said to the woman at the well in John 4, that that water that I shall give you will be everlasting life. Aren’t you glad you have eternal life? There’s a second kind of assurance there, and that’s assurance of inheritance. You’re not going to heaven poverty stricken. He that overcomes us shall inherit all things. The Bible says in Romans 8, 17, we will be joint heirs with Christ. Well, what does Christ have that we’re going to share in? According to Psalm 2, everything. He owns it all. He owns the cattle in a thousand hills, the wealth in every mine. And he is receiving it. God even said, ask me and I’ll give you the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession. And we are joint heirs with Christ. We’ll rule and reign with him. Assurance of eternal life and of an inheritance, but also, and I think this is precious in verse seven, assurance of a personal family relationship with God himself. I will be his God and he shall be my son. Wow. sons of God, by faith in Jesus Christ, part of God’s own family. A lot of good things coming, huh? One final thing, verse eight, the punishment of the wicked is a certainty. I think it’s very interesting that God in his word in describing future events, led us through the great white throne judgment, telling us that whoever was not found written the book of life was cast in the lake of fire. And then to see when he starts about eternity, that he would return to it and throw in this verse at this point. But the fearful and unbelieving, the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers, that’s the word for drugs, pharmaceutical, and idolaters and all liars. You say, well, you know, I’ve lied. I’ve done some of this. When a sin is put into its noun form rather than a verb form, it is talking about a pattern of life, a lifestyle, and normally refers to the unbeliever, not the believer. If you’re a believer and you can continue to sin and it doesn’t bother you, you’re giving evidence that you really never have been born again. People who are born again and have the Spirit of God in them, when they sin, they are miserable. They are convicted. The Spirit wars against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit. These are contrary to one another. Somebody who could live in a pattern of sin with no sensitivity to God whatsoever, no pangs of conscience and misery created by the Holy Spirit, hey, they are not Christians. I’m tired of putting them into the camp. Somebody needs to warn them. Those who continue… They are mentioned here, and they will have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, which reminds us again of the end of chapter 20. The punishment of the wicked is a certainty. Will you turn to Isaiah 55, and I want to conclude with a reading of this passage. Isaiah chapter 55, just reading it. These are beautiful words, and just rejoice in the word of God. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters. And he that hath no money, come buy and eat. Yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not. Hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me. Here and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and a commander to the peoples. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing. And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree. Instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree. And it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. And all God’s people said, Amen. Let’s pray. Lord, as the prophet Isaiah invited us to come to the water and drink, As you said in the book of Revelation, you will give the water of life to all those who are thirsty and come to you. And Father, I pray that all of us who claim to be Christians who are going through hard and difficult times may remember what we have heard. God will make all things new. and the former things will be taken away. There’ll be no more pain or suffering or sorrow. The hurts will be gone, and God will dwell with us forever. He is our Father. and we are his children. We do not have the spirit of bondage, which leads to fear, that is so prevalent in our world. But we have the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, God, we thank you for our special relationship with you, that you delight in us, you love us, and you have a great future for us. An inheritance that fadeth not away. I pray, Lord, for those that have never settled their personal relationship with you and your son, Jesus Christ. God, I pray you’d help them to come to the only one who can give them eternal life, the only one who can give them forgiveness of all sin, the only one who can make a place in heaven for them, that new city that will come down out of heaven from God. And Lord, I pray that you, by your Holy Spirit, would move on our hearts to settle our relationship with you. That we wouldn’t go on any further until we know that we are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, you made it so simple even a child can receive it. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER 04 :
Have you given your heart to Him? We’d like to pray for you right now. Open your hearts, please, as we pray. Lord, You know who’s listening and who isn’t. And I pray for those that have never settled their relationship with You. O God, I pray that through Your powerful Holy Spirit, as they put their faith and trust in the finished work of our Lord, who died for our sins and rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven and is coming back. Lord, if they will believe in you, you have told us in your word that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I pray, friends, that you’ll give your heart to him right now.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s Bible teacher David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. Friend, if you prayed that prayer along with David, welcome to the family of God. We’d love to help you in your new walk with Jesus Christ by sending you a free booklet by David called What Is Christianity? and a Bible study by mail. They’re free if you’re new to the Christian faith, or maybe you’re not yet a Christian, but you’re curious, you’d like to know more. We’ll get it to you as well. And you can receive this by calling us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Or you can request What Is Christianity? and the Bible Study by Mail using the contact form at davidhawking.org. And perhaps you’re already a believer, but you’ve had a dry patch. We’ve got something for you too. The free download called Revival Now. Download it just by clicking the link on the homepage at davidhawking.org. And David will be back in just a moment to close out our time into words. So do stay with us for the final teaching of the day. First though, Matt’s here, and we’re going to tell you about a special Christmas study package for 2025.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, Jim and I recommend the 2025 Hope for Today Christmas Package.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, inside you’re going to find David Hawking’s booklet, Jesus Christ the Reason. It takes us from the incarnation through God’s plan of redemption and salvation that has been planned in his heart through the ages.
SPEAKER 01 :
And we have a very special three-message audio series also titled Jesus Christ the Reason. You can get this package today and make your Christmas this year truly Christ-centered.
SPEAKER 02 :
And it’s all just $20. You know, this is the Christ of Christmas, truly. Discover him in a deeper, more special way this season with the Hope for Today Christmas Package.
SPEAKER 01 :
Again, you can get my dad’s 87-page booklet, Jesus Christ, the Reason, plus his three-part miniseries, also titled Jesus Christ, the Reason.
SPEAKER 02 :
Both in the package. They’re just $20 this month. And consider adding a special year-end donation with your order, or many folks will simply send a donation. That is helpful as we seek to make a strong start for the new year. And remember to please pray for hope for today. Amen. To get your copy of the Hope for Today 2025 Christmas Study Package, Jesus Christ the Reason, call us at 800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, Bible, again, by the numbers, 24253, or go to our website, davidhawking.org. And just before David returns to close out our study, would you also consider standing with us financially so that we can finish the year and go into the next year reaching even more people with the gospel of Jesus Christ and building up the body of Christ with the teaching of God’s Word? You can donate securely at davidhawking.org or call us at 800-75-BIBLE. Again, that’s in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And if you prefer to mail a donation in the U.S., write to Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 927-9277. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO, Seven Oaks, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 8P1. And thank you. Thank you for your support. We appreciate it. Here’s David.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thanks for listening today. Revelation 21, 1 to 8, on the new heaven and new earth. And I love this from the Lord’s lips. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I’ll give unto him that’s a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Wow! But then in verse 8, the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, drug dealers, idolaters, all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Wow. Yes, the physical death that we experience is only the beginning. If you haven’t settled your relationship with our Lord, you are facing the terribleness of hell itself, where there’s weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. I don’t want you to go there. But to avoid it, our Lord said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by me. Boy, don’t ever forget that. Our Lord, the Messiah of Israel, our Lord Jesus Christ, in Hebrew, Yeshua HaMashiach, He’s the only one that can save us from sin, death, and hell. Have you given your heart to Him? It’s time to turn to the Lord alone. God bless you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Amen, David. Amen. Well, if you’ve ever wondered what heaven will be like according to the Bible, join us next time to find out as David brings us day one of his message called The Heavenly City. We’ll see you then right here on Hope for Today.
