No Dirty Dogs Shall Ever Trample Upon That Golden Pavement
The sermon emphasizes the absolute holiness of heaven and the exclusion of unholy beings from God's eternal presence.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the stark contrast between the holiness of heaven and the unholiness of sinful people, using vivid animal imagery to describe the nature of the unholy. He argues that just as various creatures symbolize different sinful behaviors, God has decreed that no unclean beings will enter His holy presence. Brooks asserts that heaven is a place reserved for the holy, and the presence of unholy individuals would be intolerable for the righteous. He concludes that the purity of heaven necessitates the exclusion of all who practice sin, reinforcing the idea that the eternal city is not meant for those with beastly spirits or practices.
Text
Throughout the Scriptures, unholy people are branded, to their
everlasting contempt--with the worst appellations. They are the
most dangerous, and the most harmful beings in the world, and
therefore are emblemized . . .
by lions--for they are cruel, Psalm 22:21;
by bears--for they are savage, Isaiah 11:7;
by dragons--for they are hideous, Ezek. 29:3;
by wolves--for they are ravenous, Ezek. 22:27;
by dogs--for they are snarling, Rev. 22:15;
by vipers and scorpions--for they are stinging, Mat. 12:34, Ezek. 2:6;
by spiders and cockatrices--for they are poisoning, Isaiah 59:5;
by swine--for they are intemperate, Mat. 7:6.
Remember this--that all these stinging expressions and
appellations which disgrace and vilify unholy people, were
inspired by the Holy Spirit, and published in His holy Word.
The glutton is depicted as a swine;
the fraudulent person is depicted as a fox;
the lustful person is depicted as a goat;
the backbiter is depicted as a barking cur;
the slanderer is depicted as an asp;
the oppressor is depicted as a wolf;
the persecutor is depicted as a tiger;
the seducer is depicted as a serpent.
Do you think that God will admit such vermin as unholy people
are--to eternally inhabit His holy heaven? Surely not! God
has long since resolved upon it--that no unclean beasts shall
enter into heaven--that no dirty dogs shall ever trample
upon that golden pavement. Certainly God will not allow
such beasts and toads and snakes and serpents--to forever
live with Him! Heaven is a too holy place to admit such
vermin to inhabit!
"Nothing impure will ever enter it." Revelation 21:27
"Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the
sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone
who loves and practices falsehood." Revelation 22:15
All in heaven are holy: the angels holy, the saints holy--but
the Lord Himself above all, is most glorious in holiness. Now
certainly it would be a hell to these holy ones to have
unholy wretches to be their eternal companions! When the
holy angels fell from their holiness--heaven was so holy that
it spewed them out! Certainly there will be no room in heaven
for such filthy beasts as unholy people are! 'Jerusalem above'
is too glorious a habitation for beasts--or for men of beastly
spirits, or beastly principles, or beastly practices. The city of
the great God was never built for beasts. A wilderness and
not a paradise--is fittest for beasts.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The branding of unholy people in Scripture - Emblems of danger and harm - The consequences of unholiness
- II points: - God's resolution against unclean beings - The holiness of heaven - The exclusion of the unholy
- III points: - The nature of heavenly inhabitants - The glory of God's holiness - The eternal companionship of the holy
- IV points: - The implications of being unholy - The fate of the unholy - The contrast between heaven and hell
Key Quotes
“Surely not! God has long since resolved upon it--that no unclean beasts shall enter into heaven--that no dirty dogs shall ever trample upon that golden pavement.” — Thomas Brooks
“Nothing impure will ever enter it.” — Thomas Brooks
“The city of the great God was never built for beasts.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Reflect on the nature of holiness in your life and strive to align with God's standards.
- Recognize the seriousness of sin and its consequences in the context of eternal life.
- Seek to cultivate a heart that values purity and holiness, as these are essential for fellowship with God.