New Heaven & New Earth
Revelation 21
The Future Shapes the Now: A Vision of Hope and Restoration
What we believe about the future profoundly influences how we live in the present. For followers of Christ, our vision of what's to come shapes our daily actions, relationships, and priorities. But what exactly does this future look like? How can our understanding of it transform our lives today?
Revelation 21 paints a vivid picture of the new heaven and new earth - a restored creation inhabited by radiant people in intimate relationship with a righteous God. This vision is not one of escape to an ethereal cloud-filled realm, but rather the redemption and renewal of all things.
A Restored Creation
When we think of heaven, many of us conjure images of disembodied spirits floating on clouds. But Scripture presents a far more compelling picture. Heaven is not an escape from the physical world, but the restoration of creation to its intended glory. Jesus declares, "Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:5). This is not annihilation, but renewal - a purifying and perfecting of the good world God made.
In this restored creation, we see the ultimate fulfillment of the prayer "Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven." The physical matters deeply to God. He created us as embodied beings and became incarnate Himself to redeem, not destroy, the material world. This truth frees us to faithfully engage in creation care, addressing physical needs, and enjoying the good gifts of this world - all to the glory of God.
A Radiant People
Within this renewed creation, we find the people of God depicted as a radiant bride. Christ's redemptive work through the cross, His Word, and His Spirit prepares His church to shine with incomparable beauty. As Elizabeth Kubler-Ross insightfully notes, "The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths."
Our present sufferings, as painful as they may be, are being used by God to shape us into His glorious image. Even in life's hardest circumstances, we can trust that our redeeming God is bringing forth beauty from ashes, both for our good and His glory.
Fascinatingly, Revelation 21 speaks of the kings of the earth bringing their glory into the new creation. This suggests that the best of human culture and achievement will be brought into eternity, purified and perfected for God's glory. Heaven will not just be an endless church service, but will involve us using our God-given gifts, talents, and cultural distinctives to worship Him in diverse and creative ways.
Relationship with a Righteous God
At the heart of this restored creation is intimate relationship with God Himself. "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God" (Revelation 21:3). This is what we were made for, and what our hearts have longed for since the Fall separated us from God's presence.
The entire new creation is described as a perfect cube - mirroring the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament temple. This imagery conveys that God's glorious presence will permeate every aspect of the renewed world. We will experience the explosive power that created the universe and the intimate love that has existed within the Trinity for all eternity.
This future glory gives us an anchor in present storms. It allows us to say with the Apostle Paul that our current sufferings aren't worth comparing to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18). Keeping our eyes fixed on this hope sustains us through trials and motivates us to live faithfully.
Thirsting for Living Water
How can we ensure that this glorious future becomes our reality? Revelation 21:6-7 gives us the key: "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son."
The only qualification for drinking the water of life is thirsting for it and recognizing we can't pay for it ourselves. We can dwell in this place of perfect righteousness not because of our own goodness, but because the righteous One, Jesus Christ, took our place. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
When we put our faith in Christ, we are clothed in His righteousness. He takes our sin and gives us His perfect standing before God. This radical grace changes everything - both for eternity and for today. It sustains us in life's storms, teaches us to say no to sin and yes to good works, and motivates us to honor God with our whole lives.
Living in Light of the Future
Understanding this future glory should transform how we live now. We are called to be "high definition trailers" of the coming attraction - giving the world around us glimpses of God's kingdom. This looks like:
Engaging in creation care and addressing physical needs, recognizing that the material world matters to God.
Developing our God-given talents and cultural distinctives, knowing they have eternal value.
Pursuing intimacy with God now, as a foretaste of perfect relationship to come.
Finding hope in suffering, trusting that God is using it to make us beautiful.
Living righteously by grace, as citizens of the coming "place of righteousness."
Sharing the good news, inviting others to drink freely from the water of life.
As we keep our eyes fixed on this glorious future, may we be both pushed forward by the grace we've received and pulled forward by the hope that awaits us. Let us live as new creations with an unshakable hope, eagerly anticipating the day when God will dwell with us and make all things new.