A New Heaven and A New Earth
Revelation 21: 1-6
Having the book of Revelation accompany our journey during this Easter season has reminded us of several important features of this often puzzling book:
1. It is apocalyptic literature, which means that is message is coded in images and metaphors that have a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. To read it literally is to miss its point.
2. It calls itself a prophecy, which means in the biblical sense it is quite different from a prediction. Rather than being a foretelling of what God is going to do at the end of history, it is a proclamation of what God is always doing in the midst of history.
3. Its sometimes bizarre symbols are vehicles for telling the Gospel story, connecting the covenant faith of Old Testament history with what God is revealing through Jesus Christ. It is a creative re-telling of the testimony of God’s people.
4. It is a theology of history – an affirmation of the relation of God to humanity and the historical process.
Our lesson text for this week is part of the final vision that portrays this theology of history. A new heaven and a new earth bring renewal to all of creation. Let’s look briefly at a few of the details:
The “holy city” – the “new Jerusalem” – appears to take the place of the first heaven and the first earth. A new reality comes as a gift from God, “as a bride adorned for her husband.” Note the relational emphasis: this new reality is a relationship, not a location or a political entity.
The first thing the voice from the throne (remember who this is) says is this: “Look, the dwelling place of God is among people.” Think about what this is saying, and what its listeners would hear.
The gospels proclaim in various ways that the Kingdom of God is not only something that would be fulfilled at the end of history, but also a reality that is present in history and among those who embrace it.
As Matthew introduces Jesus’ public ministry (4:17), he says, “From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.’” He instructs his disciples, “Proclaim the good news: news: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) In Luke’s sermon on the plain, Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) When the Pharisees asked when the Kingdom of God was coming, he replied, “You won’t see it coming, because it is among you.” (Luke 17:21) And, we would not forget the line in Jesus’ model prayer, “Thy Kingdom come ... on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
The clear affirmation of this text is a reminder of Jesus’ teaching that the new order of God – God’s Kingdom – was a reality already among God’s people. The implication is that they should not wait around watching for the Kingdom to come, but to realize that it already has and live as its faithful citizens in the here and now. The new heaven and the new earth are not things to anticipate in the future, but things to embrace and proclaim in the present.
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