Commentary

 

249 - Newness of Life

By Jonathan S. Rose

Title: Newness of Life

Topic: Salvation

Summary: What the Bible calls newness of life is not just a matter of changing our behaviors but of gaining a new heart and a new spirit.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Romans 6:1, 4
Isaiah 65:17; 66:22
Jeremiah 31:31
Leviticus 3:1, 14, 17, Leviticus 3:23, Leviticus 3:26, Leviticus 3:33, Leviticus 3:40-41
Ezekiel 11:16; 18:30; 36:25
John 3:3
Romans 12:1-2
2 Corinthians 4:16; 5:17, 10
Galatians 6:12
Ephesians 4:17, 24
Colossians 3:5, 9-11
Titus 3:1-5
Revelation 21:1-5
Isaiah 62:1-2

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Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 12/30/2015. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com

The Bible

 

Revelation 21:1-5

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1 And I 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.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

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.

4 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.

5 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.

      

From Swedenborg's Works

 

True Christianity #625

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625. The fifth memorable occurrence. On one occasion when I was meditating on the Lord's Second Coming, an intensely bright light suddenly appeared and shone right in my eyes. I looked up and was amazed to see that the whole heaven above me was full of light. I heard praises upon praises in a long chain from the east to the west.

An angel appeared by me and said, "These praises are glorifying the Lord on account of his Coming. The praises are coming from angels of the eastern and western heavens. "

All that was heard from the southern and northern heavens was a gentle murmur.

Because the angel was hearing it all, he first said to me, "The praises they are using to celebrate the Lord come from the Word. "

Soon afterward he said, "Now they are specifically glorifying and celebrating the Lord with the following words in the prophet Daniel:

You saw iron mixed with muddy clay, but they will not stick together. But in those days God will make a kingdom rise in the heavens, which will not pass away throughout the ages. It will grind down and consume all the [other] kingdoms, but it will stand throughout the ages. (Daniel 2:43-44)

[2] After that I heard something like a voice singing, and farther to the east I saw a brilliant light that was even brighter than the one I had seen before. I asked the angel what the praises were there. He said they were praising the Lord with the following words in Daniel:

I saw visions in the night, and behold, the Son of Humankind was coming with the clouds of heaven. He was given dominion and a kingdom. All peoples and nations will worship him. His dominion is a dominion of an age that will not pass, and his kingdom is one that will not perish. (Daniel 7:13-14)

"They are also celebrating the Lord with the following words from the Book of Revelation.

Jesus Christ has glory and strength. Behold, he is coming with the clouds. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. I, John, heard this from the Son of Humankind among the seven lampstands. (Revelation 1:5-7, ; 22:8, 13; also Matthew 24:30-31)

[3] I looked again at the eastern heaven, and it lit up to the right, and its brightness extended into the southern expanse. I heard a sweet sound. I asked the angel, "What are their praises for the Lord?"

The angel said, "They are using the following words in the Book of Revelation.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride for her husband. I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among people, and he will dwell with them. " And the angel spoke with me saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. " And [the angel] carried me away in the spirit to the top of a mountain great and high, and showed me the city, holy Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:1-3, 9-10)

"They are also using these words.

"I, Jesus, am the bright and morning star. " And the spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And he said, "I am coming quickly. " Truly indeed, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:16-17, 20)

[4] After these and many other praises, there was an overall praise that went from the east to the west of heaven and also from the south to the north.

I asked the angel, "What now?"

"These praises," the angel replied, "are using the following passages from the prophets.

So that all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer. (Isaiah 49:26)

Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth: "I am the First and the Last, and there is no God except me. " (Isaiah 44:6)

It will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God. We have waited for him to free us. This is Jehovah whom we have waited for. " (Isaiah 25:9)

The voice of one crying in the desert, "Prepare a way for Jehovah. Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with strength; like a shepherd he will feed his flock. " (Isaiah 40:3, 10-11)

A Child is born to us; a Son is given to us. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Behold, the days are coming when I will raise up for David a righteous offshoot who will reign as king; and this is his name: Jehovah is our Justice. (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16)

Jehovah Sabaoth is his name, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. He will be called God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)

In that day, Jehovah will be king over the whole earth; in that day there will be one Jehovah, and his name will be one. (Zechariah 14:9)

Because I heard and understood these things, my heart rejoiced. Filled with joy, I went home, and there returned from the state of my spirit into the state of my body and wrote down the things that I had heard and seen.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.