# 20 2022 Dev. Rev.21:3. God Among us! Read all of Rev. 21 first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think and interact with. This is God’s story. Will it affect your story? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Rev.21:3 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
Intro. These visions that John sees are not actual events but will and have come to pass at one time or another and will be repeated in increasing intensity until the end. The vision is put into the words of men so that those who believe will understand by the power of the Holy Spirit. What is being described here is from eternity to eternity. God, who is outside of time, operates in the eternal present, represents to us what is about to happen in time, as long as time lasts.
Rev. 21 is a description of the New Heaven and the New Earth, including the New Jerusalem as the bride of the Lamb, including a metaphoric description of the glory of God as described in the the city of God coming down from heaven.
Vs.1-4 is a preview of the chapter: “then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” This present world will pass away. While God is with us spiritually now, in the new order of the universe we will be physically present with God.
V.5 God: “I am making everything new!” This began the day Jesus was born, His birth and ministry changed everything and His salvation changed the present world and culminates in the new order of our physical presence with God.
Vs.6-8 He said to me; “it is done…” Jesus said that on the cross, that was the beginning of the end. For those who believe, they will be victorious. The unbelieving; those listed here, without repentance, will suffer the second death.
Vs.9-14 Here, the new Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb. It is a metaphor for the Christ church relationship introduced in Eph.5: 25-33 highlighting: “God’s creation of man and woman in his image, male and female he created them.” God brought the woman to the man and He blessed them; “be fruitful and fill the earth.” Any other relationship is a violation of the created order.
Vs.15-21 The city is measured indicating perfection, and unbelievable value. This is how the church must be seen today; perfect, four square, valuable, loved and protected by God. Thank God for your church here on earth, build her up, cherish her, pray for her daily!
Vs.22-27 “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” The glory of God lights the city. Everyone will walk by God’s light, that is how it is today; God lights our lives, we walk by His light, the Word of God. Everyone written in the Book of Life will have access, the gates are never closed. As imperfect as things are now we should realize that we are in the city now, with complete access to God, prayer, protection by the Holy Spirit, His light, the Word, His love, forgiveness, declared righteous by Jesus. Praise be to God, we have arrived. Believe it. Thanks be to God!
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Heavenhigh 