BIBLE BULLETS – 33

Revelation 21:1–5

Paradise. What will it be like? What will it look like? Smell like? Sound like?

Few on this side of the grave have glimpsed our Heavenly home. John did. Jesus revealed it to him and John recorded his insights in the “The Revelation,” the sixty-sixth book.

“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. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new’ ” (Revelation 21:1–5).

When John saw what awaits every Christian, he fumbled for words to justly portray what his eyes had seen. “It’s as pretty as a peach… no that won’t work!” He settled on, “It’s as pretty as a bride on her wedding day!”

When God created our universe, He stepped back and took a good look. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed” (Genesis 1:31). Reviewing Heaven, He declared,

“Look, I am making everything new.” He’ll “wipe away every tear” and give us a new start, one without shame or sadness. It will be new… holy… unblemished…

And the best thing about Heaven… “God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.”

When you’re tempted, tested, troubled, imagine what’s in store for us! “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).