January 31, Revelation 21
All the promises and prophecies that pledged eternal joy in the presence of God for all who are redeemed by Christ are true! After the judgment, like a postcard from eternity, here is a picture of heaven.
Language is a remarkable tool, a gift from God, for conveying ideas and information. But we know there are experiences where the words cannot adequately communicate the reality. It’s true about earthly things. If no photograph or description can capture the vistas of the Grand Canyon, if no words can describe the exquisite love and joy of having a newborn child, how could we expect words and word pictures to adequately describe the other-worldly perfection and beauty of heaven itself? That is precisely the challenge in this passage. The limitation is not in God’s ability to express the meaning, but in our capacity to receive it.
Everything changed and ruined by sin is now made right. This world is marked by broken fellowship, death, tears and pain. In heaven, separation from God and one another is a thing of the past. Death is a former thing, not part of the present reality. There is no cause for mourning. In our new bodies, we will never know the physical experience of pain. This incredible existence is only possible because God himself recreates everything. It is a gift from him coming down from heaven, nothing that human effort, discovery or treaty could ever
produce. The unchangeable, eternal God is the author and guarantor of this place. It is only for the redeemed who overcome through Christ.
It’s a mistake to fret over and take literally the descriptions of the materials and dimensions of the city. Heaven is beyond perfection and value as we can grasp either of those ideals. The presence of God himself alleviates any need for a means of approaching him, such as a temple. The light of his presence makes any other light
unnecessary. Nothing will ever diminish or compromise this existence.
If we cannot understand all this description suggests, we can take comfort in knowing that there’s much more than any earth-bound mortal could possibly grasp. We are not called to explain it, but to embrace it by faith. The early Christians who endured fiery persecution were encouraged by this description. It will do the same for every child of God in every age of the world who will trust it, including you.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament,
Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—January 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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