A HAPPY ENDING


Read Revelation 21:1-7 1


Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 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. 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."



5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."



6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.



One day it will be like this. The story of God’s dealings with humankind takes the shape of a circle. Beginning in a perfect garden where God and his creation lived in harmony. Then the humans in that creation declared their independence from God and hence were estranged from God. God sent Jesus his son to end that estrangement and in another more sinister garden Jesus declared his dependence on God and went on to bear our estrangement on himself on the cross. Those who trust in what he did and recognize their need of it are now reconciled to God and share something of his life.



The new order of God has invaded our present world but the present world corrupts and dilutes the rule of God. But one day, God’s victory will be consummated. That is what is described in this passage. And what a pity that countless Christians get sidetracked into figuring out the exact details of the picture portrayed. Jewish apocalyptic literature is complex and to take it all literally is not to take it seriously.



One day we will enjoy perfect relationship with God and one another. One day tears will be wiped away. One day the world will once again become what it was meant by God to be and the people he made for himself will find him…if of course they have entered his family through faith in Jesus. One day the indescribable will become describable and the partially tasted will become the fully experienced.



But this is not to say that Christians are to grit their teeth and merely endure this earth till it is renewed. God’s rule has invaded the present world even if it is not completed. The certain hope of perfect life in the future is not meant to dismiss this present imperfect life. We are called on to extend the rule of God in the present, to have his will done on earth as it is in heaven. We are called on to bring more of heaven to earth, even as we concede that we alone can’t perfect this earth. Just because we have to wait for heaven for every tear to be wiped away doesn’t mean we can’t dry some eyes right now.



Blessings

David Reay


http://www.hope1032.com.au LifeWords 3/9/2010