BIBLE READING

Revelation 21: 3

And 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.'

REFLECTION

So we are looking at Heaven and we have discovered that Heaven is stunning and safe. Next we see that:

HEAVEN WILL BE SATURATED WITH GOD

God’s plan from the beginning was to be with men and women, to dwell among them. To be in close, personal relationship with us. That’s why He made us in His image and likeness.

Sin destroyed that, it put up a wall, a barrier. In the Old Testament, for Israel, the only place to meet God was in the Temple. You went to the temple to get anywhere close to God, and even at the Temple a mediator, a priest went between you and God offered sacrifices on your behalf. You couldn’t approach Him yourself. He was holy and you were sinful.

Now look at what it says:

“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (v 22)

In this new creation, there’s no need for a temple or any building to go and meet God. He’s right in front of you. His presence saturates every square inch of the New Creation. It is God-infused, sacred space.

That’s what makes it heaven. Heaven isn’t so much a place, as a relationship. Heaven is a person, it exists only because God exists and is there.

I love what Samuel Rutherford said:

“O my Lord Jesus Christ, if I could be in heaven without thee, it would be a hell; and if I could be in hell, and have thee still, it would be a heaven to me, for thou art all the heaven I want.”

His glory will be all around us. Look at 21: 23:

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”

“The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face… There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.” (22: 3-5)

There’s a throw away line in here: They will see His face.

We will see God’s face. Remember back in Exodus 33, Moses asks to see God. He says to God – show me your glory.

“Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (18-20)

No one could see His face and live. Such was God’s perfect holiness, and our wretched sinfulness – that we simply couldn’t see God’s face. It would kill us.

But no longer is this the case. We will see His face.

Why – because our sin has been removed by the lamb. The blood of Jesus has taken it away and so we stand before God covered and dressed in Christ’s righteousness.

Imagine what that will be like. To gaze on the face of God. To see the omnipotent one. To focus on His glory. To admire His beauty. To absorb His majesty. To look into His eyes. See pure love. Absolute perfection.