Creation Will Be Renewed

During Ian’s encounter with God in heaven, God granted him a glimpse of the future new creation. He says, ‘I saw a brand new earth. Green pastures. A crystal clear stream. Rolling green hills. Mountains in the distance. Blue skies above. Fields interspersed with trees and flowers. The same light that was on God was radiating throughout this entire, perfect creation, uncorrupted by people. I knew I belonged here. I was home.’ Because Ian never knew Scripture, he’d wrongly thought that if there was a heaven, it would be a non-physical experience of playing harps upon the clouds. What a surprise it was for him to see the truth…

Read Revelations 22:1-5.

The Bible starts in Eden. But then our sin brought Eden to an end. Wonderfully, the Bible ends with the new Eden, the renewed creation where God will live amongst his people forever. ‘No longer will there be any curse’ (v3). The dark shadows of sin are gone forever. God and his Son light everything up. Joy has eclipsed sorrow and suffering. ‘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’ (Rev 21:4).

What will this new world be like? Scripture provides glimpses. We will enjoy intimate closeness to God and the endless discovery of the wonders of who He is (v4). We will experience deep and rich relationship with other people, who are very different to ourselves; people of all cultures and languages. The harmony will be electric. We will revel in creative and thrilling work, play, adventure, growth, travel and learning. We will experience unspeakable beauty and pleasure. All that our current world was meant to be but wasn’t able to be because of the curse of sin and death, the new world will be. ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — these things God has prepared for those who love him’ (1 Cor 2:9).

What do you think is the significance of having Christ’s name on our foreheads (v4)? What part of the new creation do you look forward to most?