We have been casting vision for a new world and it begs the question, “Where is this all going?” We know God promised Abraham that all families on earth would be blessed. We know that God’s kingdom is being revealed “on earth as it is in heaven.” We know that God is making “all things new” and that he’s doing it here and now through those who believe . . . Let’s take a look at one more dimension of this worldwide blessing that’s promised to humanity. We’ll start in Revelation 4. 

In Revelation 4 we see a vision of heaven with God seated on the throne. Around him we see twenty-four thrones with twenty-four elders. We also see a number of elements including a rainbow and seven torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God. We see four living creatures saying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Revelation 4:8). And whenever the four living creatures praise the one who is seated on the throne, the twenty-four elders throw their crowns down and say, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11). 

The twenty-four elders make the point that God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because he created everything and everything exists because of him. This is foundational in understanding the destiny of planet earth. Because we exist, and because God created us, he is simply worthy to be praised. He is worthy to be enjoyed, honored, and worshiped because he is our maker! 

“The earth is the Lord‘s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). Because we understand the beginning of the story, that God created all things in Christ (Colossians 1:16-17), we are filled with hope that God is working to bring everything back to the knowledge of Him. The whole earth belongs to God, and everything in it. This is what God has been working toward from the beginning, through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the family of Israel, and then through the Messiah and his church. God has been working to reconcile the whole world back to Himself.

Of course, he has already done (Colossians 1:20). Now it’s a matter of people waking up to the reality of God; to remember their Maker. A huge part of the fall of humanity has to do with us simply not giving thanks. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20-21). 

The creation has been missing the point for a long time, not acknowledging the One seated on the throne who made all things. Paul points out that God’s eternal power and divine nature are clear because of the creation of the world and everything made within it. Therefore, part of redemption is humanity waking up and thanking God for everything. A planet-wide praise party! 

In the next chapter of Revelation, we see another glimpse of this global party when the Lamb is given all power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. We see there that he is worthy of these things because of his death and resurrection. In the context of humanity waking up the the One on the throne and his Son (the Lamb, all of creation breaks out in planetary praise! Revelation 5:13 says, “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’” 

Here is the fulfillment of so many promises of the Bible! All the way back to Abraham, through David and then the Messiah Jesus, the promise that the whole earth would be made new is here! All the families of the earth are blessed. All things made new. A New World. Every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea, praising God and his son! Thanking him for existing and also for redemption! 

This is the same vision Paul had when he wrote, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). This is the full hope of the gospel–that every creature would reconnect with their Creator through Jesus. This is what the blood of Jesus has already purchased. 

We know that the eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). God desires that every person, every last little lost sheep, coin, and son would be found (Luke 15). There is a mystery here. We don’t fully know how it will all work out and who will end up in the new world and who will resist it. We know the Bible has severe warnings for those who refuse to awaken to the truth (Revelation 22:15). But we also know God’s heart that he “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). 

Let’s have vision with our Father that all people would wake up and find joy in their hearts from him . . . that they would be filled with thanksgiving and praise . . . that in this way the world would be made new and whole and all things would be restored.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6)! Let there be a planet-wide praise party in the name of Jesus!