The New Jerusalem
Welcome to day 100. Today’s reading is Revelation 21:1 – 22:21
Read the Bible passage here or listen to the audio file below.
From Otago University New Testament Professor Paul Trebilco…
Revelation 21 and 22 give an amazing picture of the New Jerusalem – the future city of God where God will be with his people for eternity.
It’s hard – indeed impossible – for us to imagine heaven and eternity. But the passage is full of amazing images to help us to understand the new Jerusalem – images of God “making all things new” (21:5), of receiving “a gift from the spring of the water of life” (21:6), and of a huge city whose wall is of pure gold (21:18). We’re told that the glory of God is the light of the city, and the Lamb its lamp (21:23) and so there is no night. And the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations (22:2).
These are all images of wholeness, of re-creation, of restoration, of eternity. Such images are to bring joy and comfort and refreshment to us.
Of course we are not to be so heavenly-minded that we are of no earthly use. Revelation, like the rest of the Bible, calls us to live for God day by day, to be faithful in the pilgrimage of life even when it is tough.
But for Christians throughout the world who suffer for their faith, it is a great encouragement that this eternal life with God is a sure and dependable hope. For us in New Zealand these days, it does matter that God has such a future prepared for God’s people. For being a faithful follower of our Lord Jesus Christ here is not easy – and at times can be very demanding. The good news is that our hope is secure.
The end of the Book of Revelation is written so that we know how the story will end – and it will be a great ending! We don’t know the specifics and the details. But we do know that God will dwell with his people forever; we know that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. … See I am making all things new” (Rev 21:4-5). Amen!
Paul
Filed under: Week 20 - Paul Trebilco
