A New Heaven and a New Earth - The Ones Conquering

 Those who drink of that refreshing "water" must also conquer as Jehovahg goes on to say: "Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son." (Revelation 21:7) This promise is similar to the promises found in the messages to the seven congregations; hence,  these words must apply in the first place to anointed disciples.  (Revelations 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21)  Christ's spiritual brothers throughout the ages have eagerly anticipated the privileng of being part of New Jerusalem.  If they conquer, as Jesus conquered, their hopes will be realized. - JOHN 16:33. 

The great crowd out  of all nations also look to this promise.  They too must conquer, loyally serving God until they come out of the great tribulation.  Then they will enter into their earthly inheritance.  "the kingdom prepared for them from the founding of the world.' (Matthew 25:34)   These and others of the Lord's  earthly sheep who pass the test at the end of the thousand years are called "holy ones.: (Revelation 20:9)  They will enjoy a sacred and filial relationship with their Creator, Jehovah God,m as members of his universal oraganization. - ISAIAH 66:22; JOHN 20:31; ROMANS 8:21.

With this grand prospect in view, how important it is that Jehovah's Witnesses now remain clean from the defiling things of  Satan's world!   We need to be strong, resolute, and determined that the Devil will never drag us down into the company that Jehovah himself here describes:  "But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing  spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.  This means the second death. (Revelation 21:8)   Yes, the would-be inheritor has to avoid the practices that have befouled this old system of things.  He has to conquer by remaining faithful in the face of all pressures and temptations. - ROMANS 8:35-39.

Christendom, though, she claims to be the bride of Christ, is characterized by the disgusting practices that John here describes. So she goes down  into eternal destruction with the rest of Babylon the Great.  (Revelation 18:8, 21) Likewise, any of the anointed or of the great crowd who take up the practice of evil doing, or start encouraging it, face everasting destruction.  If they persist these actions, they will not inherit the promises. And in the new earth, any who try to introduce such practices will be destroyed speedily, going into the second deathw without hope of a resurrection. - ISAIAH 65:20.

Outstanding as conquerors are the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and his bride of 144,000, New Jerusalem.  How fitting, then, that Revelation shoudl be brought to a sublime climax by a final, transcendent vieiw of New Jerusalem!  John now describes the last vision. 

Next time: The Resplendent City

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