Revelation 21:1 | God’s plan is to restore all of creation to what it should have been all along: heaven AND earth. Not a “floaty white place with harps” but a luscious, colorful paradise where the spiritual and physical are fully unified the way they were always designed to be. See 1 Corinthians 15:35-58.
Revelation 21:3 | Here “meta” is what is translated “with” but remember that it is a far-reaching “with”: in, around, amongst, and together are all in view here! God’s eternal purpose is to live WITH humanity! See Jeremiah 31:33.
Revelation 21:4 | The Old Order (which we now live in) is going to end (see the poetry of Isaiah 65:17-25)! And when it does, it is the end of sin, death and the devil. It is difficult to imagine a life without death, mourning, crying or pain, but this is the exact promise to which we cling!
Revelation 21:9b-11a | The Bride, the WIFE of the Lamb is the Church! All Christians, everywhere, from every time, tribe and tongue, the New Humanity in which God’s Glory dwells, will continue to HAVE His Glory forever and ever!
See Ephesians 5:21-33.
Revelation 22:3-4 | No longer will there be any curse! No thistles or thorns! There will be no more slavery to sin! Everyone will know who they are! See Jeremiah 31:34 and Galatians 4:4-7.
Revelation 22:17 | Both the Spirit AND the Bride invite all people to the living water! “Lambano” means “to receive” what has already been given!
Revelation 22:21 | Always remember the LAST words of the Bible should be our FIRST words to one another and all people!
Dig Deeper: Read Ezekiel 37:24-28, 40:1-4, 43:1-5 & 47:1-12 and allow the words of Revelation 21-22 to complete Ezekiel’s prophecy.
The Glory