Scripture
Vs 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” …
VS 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
Vs 4 ‘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.”
Vs 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Vas 6 He said to me: “It is done …”
Vs 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut …
VS 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
Observation
John is “revealing” the ultimate end here.
Heaven and earth are made new.
God and His people live with each other.
Ultimately, Creation is as it was intended to be in the beginning …
No death … no pain … no gates …
God and people in unhindered relationship … with glory filling all of creation!
Application
It’s “Advent” … the time of “waiting” for “Emmanuel” (God with us).
Christmas time is awesome to remember the coming of God to “dwell with us”.
I love everything about this season.
But I’m in a second “Advent” today … and every day until Jesus’ “Second Coming”.
During this time of “waiting”, do I get consumed with wanting to “go to heaven”?
If I am consumed with this question … (as it seems so many Christians are) … then I am being too short sighted.
Ultimately, “going to heaven” is NOT the goal!
Ultimately, God will dwell with me here … in the new heaven and new earth!
Do I think God’s going to destroy this earth, but I get to escape this destruction because I’ll be in heaven with Jesus?
Well, if I believe John, (and I do!), then this earth is not going to be destroyed, but made new!
This is amazing!
Why do so many Christians think, “the earth is not my home” or “I’m just passing through”?
John makes that sort of thinking nonsensical!
The earth is my home now … and eternally … but it’s the earth made new!
The way John talks about the ultimate end reminds me of Jesus saying,
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
And of Paul saying, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, the new has come!”
The end is not a destruction or annihilation of earth, but a transformation and purification of it!
(Noah and the flood, and the promise of God, makes so much sense with this sort of thinking, as well!)
And I love John’s description of “No Gates” in the new creation and of “Glory” filling the space!
This makes me think of Paul saying all of creation will be “set free”! Yes! Yes! Yes!
What a Day it will be!
Not destruction, not annihilation, but Redemption!
With this thinking that John gives me, I can embrace life today, in this Second Advent, with an eager anticipation of welcoming heaven “here” and life with God, not a fearful trepidation of avoiding hell “there” and abandonment by God.
Prayer
Thank you again, God, for your word
It will never pass away
Thank you that you are of God of renewal and redemption
Help me, Spirit, to live with this in mind every day
In Jesus name
Amen