Heaven on Earth
Some days I just get tired of people. Or at least that’s what I say to describe how worn down I feel. But in all honesty, it’s not so much that individual people that are wearing me down…it’s the clash of their self-tainted agendas with my own self-tainted agenda that leaves me feeling like the ocean has been pounding on the shore of my psyche.
How great would it be if we could just remove everyone’s sin nature from life’s equation?
We get an idea of what it will be like as John moves from describing the exterior of New Jerusalem to what he sees (and does not see) inside the city:
Revelation 21:22-23
I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
The fact that there was no temple in New Jerusalem is a significant change. The temple was the central location for the people to meet with and relate to God. God’s presence resided in the Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of the temple – and it was there that once a year the High Priest would meet with God on behalf of the people.
However, in New Jerusalem God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them (Revelation 21:3). Access to God is no longer limited to a representative once per year…His presence will be so constant that His glory will negate the need for a sun in the sky!
The Holy of Holies was built in a cube form, both in the tabernacle (Exodus 26) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:20). The cube shape of New Jerusalem also affirms that we have permanently entered into the most intimate of relationships with God – so close that a meeting place isn’t necessary because the entire city is the meeting place.
Revelation 21:24-27
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.
And so the ancient practice of honoring the greatest king by bringing him wealth from your nation will continue in New Jerusalem (e.g. – 1 Kings 10:10, Psalm 72:10-11). These gifts to honor God will be brought by only those [whose names are] written in the Lamb’s book of life, ones who had previously accepted Christ’s offer of eternal life.
How magnificent will this city be?!?! No corruption, no lies, no selfishness, no greed, no lust… nothing unclean will ever enter it. How incredibility freeing would life be, if sin could not interfere? Think about how smoothly New Jerusalem will function. When today’s frustrations make you wish a change – your feelings are spot-on. Our desire for sin’s removal will, one day, be fulfilled.
I hope you are as excited about New Jerusalem as I am…our forever home will truly be “Heaven on Earth”.
Keep Pressing,
Ken