Skip to main content

New Heaven, New Earth

The Seawall, Acadia, NP
Revelation 21:1 
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away."

"The Times They Are a-Changin'" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released in 1964.  The song is a conscious effort to verbalize the changes of the 60's. For me its release influenced my views on society because the lyrics are general yet universal giving the song a lasting message of change similar to Mark 10:31 where the last verse says:
The slow one now will later be fast
As the present now will later be past
The order is rapidly fading
And the first one now will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'

The times seem to be changing to a "new normal". New Normal? What does that mean? Perhaps more working at home, continued social distancing, or more frequently wearing masks? Does it mean an increase in overt violence or a more subtle violence such as suspicion, mistrust and humiliation?

John's Revelation is set in a time of random persecution in Rome and Asia Minor. It's intent was to provide hope to the seven churches of Asia. So it is about more than our reality of earth and our image of heaven as a place in the afterlife. John clearly says this New Heaven and New Earth is about God dwelling among people. It is about God "wiping every tear from their eyes." And that "mourning and crying and pain will be no more."

For me, this vision of God dwelling among us gives us hope in these troubled times of violence, disease, and poverty. Our hope lies in God's presence as we journey through the now to the unfolding "new normal". This unfolding of the "New Heaven and New Earth" is nothing less than God's Peace of Christ among us.




  



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ruler of All Earthly Kings

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (from Rev. 1:4-8 ) About 17 years ago I wrote a letter to the people in the United Church of Underhill. The purpose of the letter was to explain I was retiring at the end of the Conference Year. I felt the time had come for me personally to move on and for the church to grow with a new pastor. I secured a moving company while the church formed a search committee as we both prepared for the inevitable. This is the nature of the book of Revelation, as recorded in 1:4: “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia.” This is Revelation’s context: it was written for the benefit of particular people at a particular time for their particular situation. John’s letter narrates a drama about God’s imminent invasion of the “kingdom of this world” ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grantchester's Warning

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, the owner would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (from Luke 12:32-40 ) I regularly watch Grantchester; a murder mystery set in 1950s England. The main characters are a local detective and an Anglican priest who, as a team, solve mysteries set in the town. Two aspects of Grantchester impress me. First, the simplicity of the 1950’s police communications done by a landline phone and not cell phone. Second, the simplicity of daily life with little television and fewer possessions allowing the characters to focus on their vocation of detective and priest. This simplicity is more than a nostalgic return to the “good old days”. Instead, it’s a Shaker type of simplicity where austerity allows freedom from distractions to focus on worship and community. Today’s distraction-filled world has seemingly countless activ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus, Deliverance, and Demons

"Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind." (from Luke 8:26-39 ) Astrid is a streaming program I often watch. The plot is a basic cops and robbers action until the criminal is caught. The uniqueness of the program is Astrid, who is on the Autism spectrum, is brilliant at solving puzzles including connecting clues to solve the crime. Watching this program has given me a more profound insight to people living with this condition and their acceptance in society. My first-hand experience with children on the Spectrum was driving a Special Needs school bus for 6 years. With this experience, I can imagine the life the possessed man was experiencing, especially living among the tombs, bound with chains and shackles, having to live in the wilds. It was no wonder he cried for mercy. Jesus, with his power and mercy, cast the demons out and even...
Post a Comment
Read more