Tuesday 10th December
Read Revelation 21:1-4
“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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 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. 4 “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.’” (NIVUK)
Revelation is so steeped in symbolism that sometimes the sheer incongruity of John’s sentences is missed. A city described as a bride! We are so familiar with the imagery that the strangeness is overlooked.
We immediately translate the symbols across to what they so obviously describe – the church adorned with holiness moving into her eternal dwelling on earth to live and dwell with Christ in fulness and life and faithfulness.
Yet whilst that translation is accurate, John’s vision and words are altogether more inspiring don’t you think?
