According to the account in Genesis, in the beginning humans enjoyed a direct, personal relationship with God in the Garden of Eden. He walked and talked with them. Yet since the fall, humanity’s relationship with God throughout history has mostly been remote. The Israelites encountered God in cloud and fire and in a tabernacle and temple by the mediation of Moses, but they did not know him personally. Jesus Christ came into the world to bridge the gap and reveal God in a personal way, but even believers enlightened by the Holy Spirit only ‘see in a mirror dimly’ (I Corinthians 13:12, ESV), and we are limited by the constraints of our physical bodies. 

However, Revelation 21-22 gives a glimpse of a wonderful time when the close relationship with God will be fully restored and we shall ‘see face to face’. Couched in the visionary language of Revelation, and representing spiritual realities with physical language, we should avoid taking the passage too literally. Yet it provides a wonderful hope and a vivid contrast between the challenges and imperfections of the physical world we predominately experience today, and the glorious inheritance Christians yearn for in Jesus Christ.

In this spiritual vision we see the new Jerusalem descending from heaven (Revelation 21:10 NIV). It is described as a place of stunning brilliance and beauty (v.11). And then we find that God himself and Jesus Christ are right at the heart of everything that happens in this Holy City. Let’s notice what we find:

• There is no temple ‘because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple’ (v.22). Humans no longer encounter God through a physical place of worship; instead he is present directly with them as a living temple.
• There is no need for the sun or moon, because ‘the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.’ (vv.23-24). The true light of the world replaces the need for every physical light.
• The gates of the city are always open, ‘for there will be no night there.’ There is no need to defend the city against evil. Its citizens from all the nations have continual access and share in glory (vv.25-26).
• There is nothing impure, shameful or deceitful in the city; only those who by God’s grace have been written in the Lamb’s book of life (v.27).
• ‘…the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal…’ flows from the throne of God and the Lamb down the main street of the city (Revelation 22:1-2). Eternal life-giving spiritual water replaces the life giving properties of physical water.
• On the banks of the river stands the ‘tree of life’, bearing fruit every month and healing the nations (v.2). The tree that was rejected in the Garden of Eden is restored.
• The throne of God and the Lamb is in the city, and his servants serve him (v.3). God is no longer remote: he is present and there is a close, personal relationship of service.
• ‘They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads … And they will reign for ever and ever’ (vv.4-5). People will see God intimately, face to face, and they will receive his name and reign with him forevermore.

It’s a wonderful picture of life and hope. Everything we need – spiritual light, water, energy and healing – all emanate from God and the Lamb. The experiences of our physical life today are mere hints of the glorious spiritual realities. What a wonderful future to look forward to – all made possible in and through Jesus Christ alone!

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall                             
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church