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. 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.
Not since the time before the fall in Genesis 3 had mankind been able to stand in the presence of God. Generation after generation had been forced to live in separation from His glory and goodness struggling to hold onto a faith that in the fulness of time all things would once again be made right between our Creator and ourselves. Finally, in Revelation 21 we see that coming to pass.
The promise is made that al things are being made new. Evil is defeated and the righteous (the redeemed) have been restored and once again mankind is made fit to be in God’s presence freed from the sin that would have caused our destruction. The New Jerusalem isn’t like a new building or a new town it is made from the very best of everything. It is fit for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. There is no fault in it. No shoddy workmanship nor any imperfection. The New heaven and the new earth are to be perfect in every way just as we who believe in Jesus and the power of the cross will be made perfect in order to be permitted entry.
There will be no temple because God and the Lamb will be the temple. There will be no sun or moon because they will not be needed to light the place because God’s glory will do that. There will be no security needed (the gates won’t be locked at night v.25) because evil will not exist and there will be no darkness. All things will be made perfect by a perfect God whose perfect Son made it possible to overcome evil.
The only thing that will be required for any of us to be there is to know that our names ware written in the book of life.
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Action:
Read Luke 10:16-20. The 72 returned from their first mission trip having done the things Jesus called them to do. What do those verses teach us when we hold them up alongside today’s passage?
Pray:
Lord Jesus, forgive me my sins, restore a right spirit within me and put me to work to glorify Your name and extend Your Kingdom that all may know Your name and know Your redeeming power. Amen.