Congregational Bible Experience Day #87: Revelation 21-22

Introduction

Congregational Bible Experience Day #87
Bible Reading: Revelation 21-22

To this point in the book of Revelation John has been describing our present life in the Kingdom of God. We live in the tension of knowing that Jesus is the King over all and that by His death on the Cross He has triumphed victoriously and fully over sin, death and Satan, yet at the same time acknowledging that the pernicious effects of these spiritual enemies still linger and that they remain a debilitating snare to God's people. But with the future - still-to-be-realised - vision described in Revelation 21-22, all has changed. Once more, John is attempting to describe the indescribable with images that readers will be familiar. We again must use our imaginations; but the reality - when we one day come to experience it ourselves - will be infinitely more amazing and wonderful than we would ever dare to dream. This is not the End. This is the beginning of a whole new story…

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Unfortunately, these chapters are almost only read at funeral services. Yes, they offer comfort and hope to the bereaved and broken hearted, and that is good and right and helpful; but Revelation 21 and 22 are meant to do more than ease the pain of grief. They are meant to envision us for our certain and glorious future that we might live faithfully and boldly for Christ in the unstable and often, distressing present (Revelation 6-20).

These chapters describe not only a new creation but a creation renewed.  The heavens have not looked down upon the earth like this since Genesis 2. If anything, this creation renewed is even more glorious than the original, for Revelation 21-22 describe, in their fullest expression, God's intention for the outworking of the Gospel. We are reminded that the Gospel must not be limited to 'Jesus and Me', but rather has as its goal a new world order. Our present salvation is a pledge from God, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has cosmic dimensions and implications in view as God's Kingdom is once more universally acknowledged and rejoiced in. Creation will no longer groan under the burden of humanity's sin (Romans 8:19-24); it will be resplendent with blazing glory because God will be forever among His people. Then, there will be no more separation between heaven and earth, they have become one (21:3). This is not because we have gone to heaven to be with Him; rather heaven - where God is - has come down to us (v2,10).

John's guide, who invites him to see the Lamb's bride, actually shows him the holy city, New Jerusalem, for the two are one and the same (21:9-10). (Remember - we are not watching the future as in a documentary film, we are reading John's reported visions of God's Word (1:2): these are word pictures that are brought to life!)  The holy city - the Church experiencing the fullness of salvation - in its construction, perfectly embodies and expresses God's glory, by displaying His majesty, beauty and purity (21:11): its cubic shape represents perfection (v16), made from the most precious of materials (v18-21); its gates represent the 12 tribes of Israel (v12) and its foundations the apostles (v14, 19-21), thereby celebrating the unity of God's people from Old and New Testaments (read Ephesians 2:19-22 to see how Paul's simple picture is imaginatively developed by John). 

As to the contents of the city (21:22 - 22:5), there are many allusions and references to OT promises which are now fulfilled and God's purposes realised.  Most of what was promised to the faithful "overcomers" (chapters 2-3) is found in the city, and the sneak preview of the 'final salvation' in 7:15-17 is here confirmed and expanded. There's so much here to comment upon; so just the highlights…

Of note is what the city does not contain:  there is no "sea" (21:1), symbolic of the malevolent forces of chaos; there are no tears, death, mourning, crying or pain (v4) - all markers of this life and of the 'human condition', no matter how much we advance in our technologies; there are no 'unbelievers' (v8), described as the cowardly, liars, idolaters, etc - this was often promised, not it is seen to be true; there is no temple (v22), because what was already a symbol of God's presence has been replaced by the reality, God Himself; there is no night, nor the need of sunlight or moonlight (21:23,25; 22:5, remember no artificial lighting then!) for the radiant splendour of God's glory is fully displayed; there are no closed gates for foreigners from other nations are welcomed here because the Gospel transcends national borders (21:24-25); and there is no more curse (22:3), for there is no need of any more judgement, since the Lamb has shed His blood and fully borne the judgement upon Himself. In Eden, the curse hung over the Garden like a dark, threatening cloud (Genesis 2:17); here, the curse and its threat are forever gone.

So, positively, what is in this city? One, God is there (21:2-3), as the fulfilment of His many promises to be with His people. Two, there is glory there, lots of it (v11,23) - that is, whatever makes God 'God' flows freely and abundantly, like Niagra Falls 'flowing' (!) - throughout the city (among the people), from what source? The Lamb (v23) - Jesus, in all His crucified, risen, ascended and reigning beauty, majesty and glory. Three, there is stuff there, materialistic stuff: trees, fruit, a river, walls, foundations… yes, symbolic of other things, but physical, tangible, touchable stuff is there because at Christmas God became human and became what we are, flesh and blood. To live in the new heavens and earth is not to live for eternity floating on a cloud, but it to be enfleshed in a resurrection body (remember 1 Corinthians 15?) so that we can live physically and eternally in the actual presence of God. Four, peoples are there, not just people, peoples (is how 21:3 should be translated): it takes the whole range of humanity, every tongue, tribe, nation, people, to display and manifest the full image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and they are all there. Every missionary enterprise attempting to reach an 'unreached' people group, is ultimately assured of at least one convert, praise God! Five, there is creativity there (21:26): in this earth, our energy and capacity weakens with age, for death is the inevitable norm; but in the presence of God, it is life that rules and thrives, so we shall never stop becoming more alive with a growing capacity and ability to fill the new earth with infinite expressions of our work and creativity that, echoing the Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:28), brings glory to God. Finally, God's face is there, and we shall see Him (22:4). Moses asked to see God's face, but was refused for He could not bear the radiance of God's presence (Exodus 33:22-23). But we shall Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

Why? Why was John allowed to see all this and share it with us? There are probably a host of reasons in the mind and purposes of God, but let me briefly mention a couple. First, that believers can face up to the inevitability of death with understanding and assurance. John's pictures of life beyond the grave tell us that what awaits the believers is much more real than what we have now. CS Lewis called life in the here and now the "Shadowlands", mere shadows of the wonders to come. Death will not deprive us of anything real and good, instead we shall be immeasurably and endlessly enriched; for to be with Christ is gain… better by far" (Philippians 1:21,23). Second, by showing us the glories of this city, this vision helps us see the glory of its architect and builder (Hebrews 11:10). When we grasp how magnificent our future lives with God will be, we shall more deeply appreciate the goodness, greatness and grace of God who has planned it and made it possible, who promised it for His people and who paid a terrible price - the 'blood of the Lamb' - to make it real, and who brought it to completion (Philippians 1:6) despite the furious and devious opposition of this world and the one who 'rules' it. Such a God, our God, should be loved and praised and served without hesitation, without fear, and without reserve.

These final paragraphs of the book - and of the whole Bible - bring us back to Jesus (22:6-21). This passage announces His coming (v7,12,20), tells of His greatness (v13,16) and commends us to His grace (v21). Jesus is - and so should be for us - our First and Last, our Beginning and our End (v13): our foundation and our destination, our reason and our goal, our focus - now and always. In dealing with our past, in coping with the present and as we face the future - our lives must be centred on Him.

In closing, I'm afraid I can't help myself, but here's some similar thoughts from the final paragraphs of CS Lewis's tales of Narnia as Aslan speaks to the children about their End:     

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. Your mother and father and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."

And as he spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read; which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.

This is probably the longest daily entry of all of 87 of them, and I'm sorry about that, sort of...

But what now? It seems more than appropriate to note that as we finish together the New Testament, that God has still more of Himself to show you as you keeping on reading and rereading His Word; more of Himself to give, more of Himself that He wants you to share with others. So, a new page is turned, a new chapter of opportunity opens up, and a new phase of your life with God can begin.