All Things New (Revelation 21:1-22:5)
The climax of Revelation is not a great battle with the defeat of God’s enemies. It is the vision of the renewed creation where heaven and earth are together again. God dwells with His creation and His people live together and with Him as intended.
The vision of this new humanity is highly symbolic, but it is the same imagery used elsewhere in the Bible to talk about God’s people, both the nation and the church. There is no distinction here, the Bride of the Lamb is the church and the remnant of Israel together. And it is important to see here what is not being shown as well. The vision is not of an escape from the world to some heavenly, abstract alternate reality. It is not a spiritual existence in clouds with harps. And, significantly I think, the imagery is not the garden of innocence but a city.
Also significant, this city does not have a temple. The era of religion, first seen after the Fall in the story of Cain and Abel, is over. Instead, God lives in the city with His people. There is no more evil, sin, suffering, sorrow, or sickness. There is only good and joy and fulfillment. And this city is on the renewed earth. While the description is highly symbolic and abstract, the city will not be. It will be a real, physical place on a real physical earth without flaws.
The vision of this new humanity is highly symbolic, but it is the same imagery used elsewhere in the Bible to talk about God’s people, both the nation and the church. There is no distinction here, the Bride of the Lamb is the church and the remnant of Israel together. And it is important to see here what is not being shown as well. The vision is not of an escape from the world to some heavenly, abstract alternate reality. It is not a spiritual existence in clouds with harps. And, significantly I think, the imagery is not the garden of innocence but a city.
Also significant, this city does not have a temple. The era of religion, first seen after the Fall in the story of Cain and Abel, is over. Instead, God lives in the city with His people. There is no more evil, sin, suffering, sorrow, or sickness. There is only good and joy and fulfillment. And this city is on the renewed earth. While the description is highly symbolic and abstract, the city will not be. It will be a real, physical place on a real physical earth without flaws.
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