Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,[Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17, 66:22] for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there. 2 Also I saw the holy city, New Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “See! God’s Sh’khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God.[Revelation 21:3 Leviticus 26:11–12; Isaiah 7:14; 8:8, 10; Jeremiah 31:33(34); Ezekiel 37:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away.”
5 Then the One sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Also he said, “Write, ‘These words are true and trustworthy!’” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’ the Beginning and the End. To anyone who is thirsty I myself will give water free of charge from the Fountain of Life.
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The beautiful poetic imagery of John's Revelation engenders a vivid picture of eternal life. The important thing for us in these images is to hear the surety of God's promises. John is writing to a community of early Christians for whom the lion's den may be the next stop if they do not confess Caesar as Lord rather than Christ. In a similar way the enslaved African-American community seized upon this glimmer of hope through their spirituals, anticipating beauty in the life to come.
The promise of God is to be claimed for all of us: "Behold, I make all things new--I am the Alpha and the Omega--to the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life." That's a promise we too can claim now as in faith we forge the beauty of a Christ-like love for the 21st century.
Translate for us, O God, the words of revelation to make the beauty of love radiate throughout our lives. Amen.
Paul Christenson
Retired
Master of Divinity, 1959
Revelation 21:1 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 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.[New Revised Standard Version]
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The promise of God is to be claimed for all of us: "Behold, I make all things new--I am the Alpha and the Omega--to the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life." That's a promise we too can claim now as in faith we forge the beauty of a Christ-like love for the 21st century.
Translate for us, O God, the words of revelation to make the beauty of love radiate throughout our lives. Amen.
Paul Christenson
Retired
Master of Divinity, 1959
Revelation 21:1 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 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."
6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.[New Revised Standard Version]
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