Freedom is Good News Part 81
/The apostle John is banished to the island of Patmos and, while there, receives several visions from God. He is told to write down the things he has seen and we know these writings as the book of Revelation. In our previous article I picked up on the very last vision that John saw and quoted from chapter 21concerning a new heaven and a new earth and how the Holy City, New Jerusalem, came down to this new earth from God. As a side note I might mention that the word for “new” has the connotation of renewed or refreshed; i.e. new in quality.
We are told that this New Jerusalem has been “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” With this in mind let’s go to Ephesians 5:32; Paul is discussing the duties of a husband and wife just prior to this scripture and tells us that “This (the idea of a marriage) is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ah! So this beautifully dressed bride is an analogy of the church and her relationship to the Savior! A little earlier in Ephesians 5 Paul writes this, “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of water with the word and to present her to Himself, the church in splendor, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Isn’t this a beautiful analogy? Those who have committed themselves to Christ (i.e. the church) have a future free of guilt and filled with splendor and holiness. They are the bride “beautifully dressed for her husband.” And as we perhaps contemplate this, we are told by John that “Now the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them.”
Let’s take a moment here to consider this. I know that there are some who disdain the bible. They think it is just a bunch of tales told by men. Really?? Has a man ever told a tale quite like the one told in the book of Revelation? Has any man ever proclaimed that there was a new heaven and earth and that a new city would be brought forth as a bride? If God is not the builder of all things, certainly one could not believe that a man was. If indeed the universe exists, certainly it did not build itself. I for one do not have enough faith to believe that kind of a fairy tale. This is an issue that must be dealt with. And we are left with the task of dealing with it. It really is life or death and I for one chose life.
“Now the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.” As I read these words, I see that there is power in them. This statement is something to behold. God wants to dwell with His people - the one that I instinctively know created the universe and gives life to mankind has a mind and a will to desire a dwelling with His creatures. And what else? John then says, “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”.
I get goose bumps contemplating the things of my God!!