What is Heaven like? part 3

July 11, 2020 (Saturday)

 

At the end of Revelation 21, John describes things that will not be in the New Jerusalem. The first notable missing thing is, “I didn’t see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” [Revelation 21:22 CEB] I think the elimination of the temple demonstrates an elimination of religious systems. A temple is not necessary because God is the temple.

 

While light exists, there is no need for a source of light. “The city doesn’t need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” [Revelation 21:23 CEB] If we travel back to the Creation story in Genesis 1; we will see light is created on the first day while the objects we consider the source of light (sun, moon, and stars) were created on the fourth day. In Heaven the source of light is God’s glory.

 

The next verse declares, “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” [Revelation 21:24 CEB] This is the point about God being the source of light, every nation and power walk by the light. By walking by God’s light, they will contribute to God’s glory. Jesus noted that He is the light of the world. Speaking to His followers, Jesus declared them to be light.

 

Remember the impressive gates made from a single pearl? They are there for beauty, not war. “Its gates will never be shut by day, and there will be no night there.” [Revelation 21:25 CEB] Gates were shut for protection during the night. This allowed for a minimal number of troops to guard the entrances. Since there is no night, there is no fear… no need to shut the gates.

 

John again emphasizes the importance of behavior. “Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is vile and deceitful, but only those who are registered in the Lamb’s scroll of life.” [Revelation 21:27 CEB] Please understand, the “saved” are changed. Their behavior is changed. Their loyalty is changed. Eventually their bodies are changed.

 

The idea of “unclean” goes back to the ceremonial unclean. People disqualified themselves either by contamination or choosing not to be clean. There is also a shadow of the Old Testament difference between the “holy” and the “common” (something the priests failed to distinguish and teach). The “vile and deceitful” reflect false religion. The word translated “vile” is a reference to idolatry. This is then backed up with deceit, which is a conscious and intentional falsehood.

 

I feel like I just describe politics, not to mention religion and theology. We create and ideology then worship it. We back it up with whatever falsehood we can manage at the moment. Never mind “the facts” are always changing, ever inconsistent in interpretation, and basically dangerous.

 

Can you imagine a world without religion (temple), theology, or politics? Which is why I said yesterday, “Heaven is beyond our understanding, Hell is closer to home.”