Scripture: Revelation 21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Devotional: Let’s take a moment to go back to the very beginning of the Bible. I know this may seem counterintuitive as we are doing a study on the very last book of the Bible, but in order to better understand what the new heaven and new earth will be like, we need to start with the account of creation.
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Scripture opens with God creating everything and it closes with God restoring that same creation. The new creation is the complete fulfillment of God’s greater story. When we look at the metanarrative of the Bible, that is the overarching story that exists within Scripture, we see a thread that runs all the way through it. It is at this point, after Jesus has returned and ushered in the new heavens and new earth, that Christ accomplishes God’s original intention for creation.
It is truly amazing to step back and see the intentionality of God and His Word. When we say that the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament and is the God of today, this is perfect example of that. God has always had a plan. He is always faithful. The God who created the universe, who created you and me, has a plan to redeem creation to its original state. He will make all things new. He started the story and He is there at the beautiful, glorious end, too.
Reflect:
- How have you experienced the faithfulness of God in your own life?
- Knowing He is faithful, how does that change your view of the end times?