SCRIPTURE: Revelation 21:1-8
OBSERVATION:
New heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1) The Bible starts with a new heaven and a new earth (the original creation), and ends with a new heaven and a new earth (the restored creation). This has always been God’s intent, to establish a perfect world where His children rule with Him in harmony, peace, security, happiness, health, etc. Paradise. This is the utopia we all long for, but that we cannot build, no matter how hard we try.
A bride beautifully dressed (Revelation 21:2) The bride represents God’s covenant partner in ruling His world, those with whom He pledges to love and to serve and honour together. Whether the old covenant people of Israel, or the new covenant people of Jesus (both together symbolically described as the holy city, the new Jerusalem), these are the ones who will inherit the new world.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile… (Revelation 21:8) Its hard to build paradise with people with practice anti-social and destructive behaviours. God is not being unfair here, He has given time for everyone to realize the error of their ways. In the end, people will choose their own destiny. Those who prefer to live selfish, hurtful ways will ultimately reap the result of those ways… death.
APPLICATION:
What kind of world do I want to live in? Am I willing to admit that sinful, selfish living is not only unproductive, it is destructive? Do I really want to experience the paradise kind of life? The only way that I can experience it is choosing to live God’s way (ie Jesus’ way), starting now. Ultimately I will reap the life I plant now. If I surrender to Jesus and with His help start living His way, then I will one day see and experience the new world! But if I refuse, and choose to live selfishly, I will ultimately reap the result of that kind of life, i.e. the second (final) death. Do I HATE deception, cruel words, selfishness, greed, sexual immorality, abuse, etc, or do I justify these behaviours when it suits me, or when others “force” me to them.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to long for Your kind of world, enough to start living like it now. Help me with Your Spirit to follow You! Amen.