The City Of God

THE CITY of GOD (REVELATION 21)

Typhoon Saola came and conquered last week! On the night after Saola left, I noticed my window ledge was wet, and so were the pillows and blankets on my bed by the window. I could not figure out how in the world the water entered. I had to throw two small pillows, wash a load of two window drapes and another load of two blankets, and dry them near midnight.

The next day, I saw an older lady talking longer than usual to the reception employee, so I asked the reception employee, “Were a lot of homes affected?” She said, “Many!” I told her, “I couldn’t understand how water entered when the windows were not wet.” She replied, “Through the window rubber because the building is more than twenty years old, so the windows need attention!”

Much as we love our possessions and properties, we are merely pilgrims and wayfarers on earth. Like Abraham, we are looking “for the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb 11:10)

In the last chapter, Satan was bound for a thousand years (Rev 20:2), then was released to deceive the nations (20:8) and was recaptured to be cast in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10) in the last chapter. All judgment (Rev 20:4) and judging (Rev 20:12, 13) were done in the last chapter, but the Satan’s destiny in the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:10) is not the climax of Revelation. The climax is the city of God, God’s residence with man.

What is God’s city like? How do we solve problems there? Why is the city of God all we ever need?

Experience His Goodness

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live 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." 5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Last month I returned to my hometown to meet a close relative who has “fourth stage cancer.” My goal was to share the gospel with the family. On the first night, we went to dinner, followed by durian and ended with Indian milk tea. My relative showed me the small tubes taped inside his big shirt and a plastic carrier or bag inside his pants to drain fluid from his chemotherapy treatment two days ago. At dinner I told my relative that I felt half of me is dying as well, to which the person says, “I am so happy you said that.”

We had breakfast the next day and lunch on the third day. My relative previously thought he had less than a year to live. At one time, my relative asked me, “When are you coming back again?” I said, “Chinese new year,” which is five months away. The person sighed in resignation.

Because I had to leave not too long after lunch nearby, I said, “You guys can carry on, we have to get the rental car and luggage!” When we left the hostel, my relatives were downstairs to meet us. I asked, “I thought you guys were staying longer to enjoy your lunch!” They said, “Your relative missed you.” After reflecting on the trip, I decided to go again next month to give more support.

Life on earth is fragile, fragmentable and fleeting. What is our option? The structure of verse 1-4 is an interchange of verses 1 with 4, and verses 2 with 3 in the middle. The repetitions in verses 1 and 4 are the words “no,” “no longer/more” (same in Greek) and “passed away.” There are repetitions in verse 2-3 are “out of heaven” and “God” (thrice).