Revelation 21:3-4
3 “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.”
The Bible is a dramatic story of ruin, renewal, rebellion and redemption. It begins with a Holy God and His good creation. Ever since the beginning of history, there has been much reason for sorrow and sighing. What could have flourished in creation was cursed when a seditious serpent sparked mutiny in the garden. Adam and Eve defied God’s command by eating the one forbidden fruit! Since then, every part of the earth has been touched by the curse.
We have endured either sickness and strife, disasters and diseases, or hatred and heartaches. And sin has severed our relationships. Suffering has inhabited our days. There isn’t a person or place on earth that is immune to the staggering consequences of the fall. And because of that, we, along with the rest of creation, groan. But as God’s people, we do not groan without hope.
The word of God tells us that God is preparing to bring His kingdom into all its fullness. In fact, it’s something He has been preparing for all of eternity. When God’s perfect kingdom is finally established, sin will have been punished, justice will have been satisfied, and evil will have been destroyed. There will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain. When God brings His kingdom to fruition, no one and nothing will be able to stagger it, stop it, or spoil it.
The purpose of these three verses in the Book of Revelation is to warn, encourage, and bring comfort to the church. It provides a future hope and encouragement to God’s people as we face the hardships of living in a broken world. God’s declarations from the throne emphasize the fulfillment of God’s promises and restoration of all things new, God’s desire to dwell among His people, and God’s intent to eradicate all suffering, death and pain. Collectively, the verses reinforce the themes of God’s presence, His promises and the future hope of His glory.
From Genesis to Revelation the Bible records many failures of life. The Bible is about real people living real lives – like you and me. There are many people in the Bible who we consider heroes of the faith, but before they succeeded, they experienced failure.
So, “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our future hope lies in God, the One who promised to make “All things new!”
Rev. Marion J. Miller is the Senior Pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, 1201 Thomas V. Bryant Drive, Jeffersonville, Indiana. She may also be contacted at 812-283-3747 or via email at wesley1201@sbcglobal.net.
