Friday, April 28

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.”

Revelation 21:1-5

Ultimate Christian Hope

The bible is 66 books telling one story. This metanarrative's main character is God, and the arc of the story is all about God being with his people.The book of Genesis (the opening book in the narrative of scripture) opens in a Garden where God and creation are living in perfect unity! God with us. The book of Revelation (the closing book of the Bible) finishes in which God and his creation are living in perfect unity in a Garden city, God with us. While we originally spoiled our relationship with God and the world he created, in His kindness he has restored us back to that original state and more.We see in Revelation 21:1-5, that the new heaven and the new Earth are dominated by the reality that God is dwelling with humanity. Eternity is not marked by a fear of hell; it is marked by a love for God. What makes the new heaven and the new Earth so good is that God is there! It is in this place that we return to our original design, to know God, to love Him, live with Him, and glorify Him forever.Further, this is a place marked by no grief, crying, and pain. All of those things have passed away. The new heaven and new earth are a new world where we live forever.It is thrilling news.