Feature Friday: Terranova

Have you been watching Steven Spielberg's new masterpiece?  If you catch Terra Nova on Fox, you're in for breathtaking nature scenes, futuristic technology, and, best of all, dinosaur-packed action!

In the not so distant future, mankind's use of industry, cars, factories, and more has left the world extremely polluted.  Combined with over-population, the human race doesn't have long before its too late.  Laws limit a household to two children and purifying devices called re-breathers are needed to breathe outside air.  But there is hope. 

Scientists have discovered a rip in the space-time continuum (Great Scotts!).  Using futuristic technology, they have been able to open a portal that will send people 85 million years into the past.  A plan is devised to send earth's best, brightest, and wealthiest back in time to give humanity a second chance before the earth has been polluted and crowded.  Sadly, only a few can go through and the rest of humanity will die.  With the knowledge they have, they must start over and avoid the mistakes of the past...er...future.

They name their settlement Terra Nova which means New Earth.  In many ways, it is a paradise.  The air, water, and soil are pure and clean.  The wildlife and forests are gorgeous and fascinating.  But in many ways, it is filled with danger.  Savage dinosaurs roam free outside the walls of the city, prehistoric diseases wait to plague the new earth pilgrims, and a group of rebels called "Sixers" are out to destroy everything Terra Nova stands for.

Enough Sci-Fi, did you know the Bible talks about a Terra Nova? 


Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. -- Revelation 21:1-2


There is coming a day when Jesus returns.  There will be a new earth and a new heaven.  It will be a beautiful paradise like the Garden of Eden 2.0.  It will be a place of breath-taking beauty.  There will be a settlement, a new and beautiful city for us to live in.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  -- Revelation 21:3


The land will be beautiful and the city will be amazing, but that's not what will make this place paradise.  God Himself will live with us.  King Jesus will rule over us.  We will see Him face to face and we will be His people.


He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  -- Revelation 21:4

Unlike Terra Nova, there will be no hungry dinosaurs waiting to devour us, diseases waiting to infect us, or any sort of worry, pain, or fear.  Death itself will be a thing of the past.  We will dwell with God forever in joy and peace.

But just like Terra Nova, not everyone will make it to this paradise.  Some will perish.  But with God, its not the best, brightest, and wealthiest that make it to the new heaven and new earth.  God isn't looking at your GPA, the cuteness of your smile, your list of good works, or your bank account.  All of us have sinned and our sin separates us from God.  Our sin is a death sentence, a pollution of our souls.  So what must us sinners do to make it to the new earth?  If not by our smarts, or deeds, or looks, or money then how?

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  -- Romans 10:9

By faith in Jesus Christ.  Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life we failed to live, died the death we deserved to die, and rose to give us eternal life we could never earn.  Jesus conquered Satan, sin, and death on our behalf.  Faith in Jesus is our only ticket to God's Terra Nova.  Have you secured your place there?

For those of you who are not Christians:  Put your faith in Jesus today to be saved.  There is no decision of greater importance or impact than this one.


For those of you who are Christians:  Spend some time thanking God that He has secured your place in the new earth by the work of Jesus Christ.  Remember, your hope and joy should come from your certainty of this wonderful future.  Make it a priority to invite others to the new earth through Jesus.