The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2016Sample

The Beginning and the End

One young person asked me the following questions: ‘What will it be like in heaven? What will our heavenly bodies look like? Will we be able to fly? Will we be sexless? Will we be able to see the Garden of Eden? Will we recognise family and friends? What sort of friendships will we have? What will we do? Will there be Bible studies and Alpha? Who is the congregation?’

The Bible does not give the answers to all our questions.

I have a book on my bookshelf entitled, 50 Remarkable events pointing to THE END. Written in 1997, it predicted that Jesus could return by AD 2000. This is one of many attempts to predict the timing of the ‘the End’ that have turned out to be false. That is why Tony Campolo wisely says he wants to be ‘on the welcoming committee’ rather than the ‘planning committee’!

We are not told when the end will come, but we are told about the how and the who. The key is the who. Jesus says, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End’ (Revelation 22:13). Of course, ‘the End’ and ‘the Beginning’ appear very different. However, as we see in each of our readings for today, there can be significant similarities to both the beginning and the end. 

Psalm 150:1-6

1. Begin and end with worship

In the end God’s ‘servants will offer God service – worshipping, they’ll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God’ (Revelation 22:3, MSG). Our response to seeing God face-to-face will be eternal worship.

The book of Psalms ends with ‘Hallelujah’, translated here ‘Praise the Lord’ (Psalm 150:6b). Psalm 150 itself begins and ends with ‘Hallelujah’ (‘Praise the Lord’, vv.1,6). All of us are called to worship: ‘Let every living, breathing creature praise God!’ (v.6, MSG).

• Worship everywhere
  The worship of God should fill the universe: ‘Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies’ (v.1b, MSG).
• Worship him for everything
  We should praise God for who he is (‘his surpassing greatness’) and what he has done (‘his acts of power’, v.2).
• Worship in every way
  We should praise God with everything we have, including every type of music and dancing (vv.3–5).

Lord, I praise you for your surpassing greatness and your acts of power. We worship you as the creator of the entire universe. Yet you love each one of us individually. Thank you that through Jesus I can come to you and live in a relationship of love and intimacy with you.

Revelation 22:1-21

2. Begin and end with Jesus

In the end, it is all about Jesus. It always has been about Jesus. It always will be about Jesus. Begin now to focus your life, your thoughts, your ministry, your evangelism and everything else on Jesus.

The Bible begins with Jesus. The creation of the universe (Genesis 1:1 onwards) was through Jesus. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … Through him all things were made’ (John 1:1,3).

The Bible also ends with Jesus: ‘Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen’ (Revelation 22:20b–21). He is ‘the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End’ (v.13).

In this passage we see how the world will be in the end. The language is figurative, so it is not an exact description, but it is full of images of life and blessing. The Bible begins and ends with a garden, symbolising God’s life of blessing and his ‘good’ plan for his people.

In the new heaven and the new earth, there will be ‘the river of the water of life’ (v.1). This will fulfil the prophecy in Ezekiel 47, which Jesus spoke about in John 7:37–39 (‘rivers of living water’). It will bring ‘healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2). How desperately that is needed both within countries and between nations. How wonderful it will be when there really is ‘the united nations’.

The ‘tree of life bearing fruit continually’ (v.2), which was there at the beginning (from which humankind was barred because of sin), will be available again for all. The curse of Eden will be revoked (v.3). The word for tree (xylos) is sometimes used in the New Testament to describe the cross (see, for example, Acts 5:30).

In the end, we will see God’s face. No one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20), but in the new heaven and the new earth, we will see his face and his name will be on our foreheads (Revelation 22:4). ‘There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light’ (v.5a). And we will reign with him forever and ever (v.5b).

There is so much to look forward to in the new heaven and the new earth. Jesus promises, ‘I am coming soon’ (vv.7,12,20).

No wonder that ‘the Spirit and the bride [the church] say, “Come!” And let those who hear say, “Come!” Let those who are thirsty come; and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life’ (v.17).

The Bible is one long invitation to come to Jesus. In him we find the meaning and purpose of our lives. Part of that purpose is to invite others to come so that they too will find meaning and purpose in the water of life.

The Holy Spirit and the church invite people to come and to receive the amazing gifts God has for them, rather than missing out on the wonders of the holy city (as with vv.11a,15,19). They pray too for the return of Jesus – ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (v.20).

Lord, thank you that one day we will drink the water of life to our hearts’ content. Thank you that we will see you face to face and we will reign with you forever and ever. Thank you that you are coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Nehemiah 13:1-31

3. Begin and end with love

The book of Nehemiah, like the Bible as a whole, begins and ends with love. Nehemiah began by praying, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love …’ (Nehemiah 1:5).

In this chapter, we read of Nehemiah’s final reforms. As a good leader, Nehemiah chose to delegate to people considered ‘trustworthy’ (v.13) and ‘faithful’ (AMP) – ‘those who had a reputation for honesty and hard work’ (MSG).

Joyce Meyer comments, ‘Do you know how God tests our faithfulness? He assigns us to do something for a period of time that we do not want to do, something that is not fun or exciting, something that may require us to submit to someone else’s authority for a while, and he will speak to our hearts, “Just be faithful.”

‘Faithfulness is not showing up day after day; it is showing up day after day with a good attitude and an excellent spirit. God will reward that kind of faithfulness. Luke 16:12 tells us that if we are faithful over what belongs to someone else, God will give us our own. If you are being tested in the area of faithfulness, be unwavering in your resolve to be faithful and dependable. You will be glad you did.’

In today’s passage, as the book of Nehemiah draws to an end, he prays, ‘Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love’ (Nehemiah 13:22).

Nehemiah achieved so much, but he could not change the hearts of the people. They had promised wholehearted commitment to the Lord, but they were unable to deliver (compare 10:30 with 13:23; 10:31 with 13:16; 10:39 with 13:11). The problem of human sin still remained.

Nehemiah warns them (vv.15,21). He rebukes them (vv.17,25). He wants them to be pure (vv.22,30), but it is in vain. Nehemiah’s frustration points us forward to Jesus, the only one who could deal with the problem of the human heart and deal with our sin.

Again and again, Nehemiah prays ‘remember me’ (vv.14,22,31). He asks to be remembered with favour because he had faithfully served God. But ultimately he trusts in God’s mercy and love: ‘Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love’ (v.22). Nehemiah, like all of us, needs to be a recipient of God’s mercy and love, which was displayed supremely as Jesus died in our place. As Paul wrote to the Romans, ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8).

Lord, thank you that the book of Nehemiah, like the Bible as a whole, begins and ends with love. Thank you that ultimately we can trust in your mercy and great love. Thank you that in the new heaven and the new earth we will enjoy your great love forever and ever. Thank you that right now we know your love through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and we experience your love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. May we praise his name forever and ever!

Pippa Adds

Psalm 150:1–6

This psalm says ‘praise’ twelve times. It is good to end this year praising God for all that he has done.

Notes:

Joyce Meyer, The Everyday Life Bible, (Faithwords, 2014).

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.