Revelation 21:1-4

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” vs. 1

Events of the past months have reawakened the fear of atomic war in the hearts of people. It seems that even in these “enlightened” times there are those who would willingly wreak havoc and destruction on their fellow human beings. Some believe that as weapons become more deadly, life on the earth will come to a fiery end in some great human-caused apocalyptic explosion. A few even believe that the final battle will be at a place known as Armageddon. In contrast to such notions the visionary, John, paints another picture. He saw a new heaven and a new earth, and said that the holy city, the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven, and that God will dwell among humans, and there will be no more tears or death anymore. While not everyone is comfortable with such imagery there is great appeal to the notion of a new creation, one in which humans would love one another with love and compassion and that war would be no more. We may never see Jerusalem descending from the sky, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could at least experience re-creation and begin to live into the image of God that is a part of our genetic heritage? Even if that’s only a dream, it would mean total restoration and cleansing for all peoples and nations–and that is certainly something we can all aspire to!

Thought for the Day: What’s my vision of the future?