Consummation: A Fitting and Glorious End

As we come to Revelation 21 and 22, the final chapters of the Bible, what do we see?

A fitting and glorious end! All the longings expressed throughout the Bible are fully satisfied. God has kept his promises and the resolution is complete. But the end of the story isn’t only about redemption – recovering what was lost – but also about the fulfilment of God’s original intentions. This story has gone somewhere and we discover God has sprung some surprises and exceeded our expectations. Let’s take a look!

Who would have thought the Garden of Eden and the tree of life would have reappeared again? Paradise lost is paradise regained… no longer just a garden but transformed to fill the whole earth as a garden-city. God has indeed beautifully kept his covenant with Noah to preserve creation - now free from the curse. The abundant creation is the ideal place for the promised worldwide family of Abraham to live. It is the perfect blend of the rural and the urban. We have the opportunity to enjoy rich community and beautiful wide open spaces. We, as the people of God, can fully live our lives as his people in the ultimate promised land without fear of slavery or of ever losing it.

We will truly experience Emmanuel (God with us) in an ongoing, never-ending reality as he will make his home with us. The temple will no longer be needed because God and the Lamb will be the city’s temple and we will all have full access. We will indeed be his holy people, able to see him face-to-face, able to enjoy his presence without hinderance because the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb, has fully removed away every barrier that keeps us from him. This Lamb, the triumphant Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Son of David, has achieved a brilliant salvation for us that will transform everything – personally, socially, economically, politically and environmentally. God will even give us the chance once again to reign over creation for his glory. Such is our certain hope of living with the Triune God in the bountiful new creation.

Therefore, let us live with this end in mind, longing for the appearing of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us be spurred into living under his Lordship now and making him known. Let us hear his promise:

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:12-13)

Let us receive his encouragement:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)

And holding onto the testimony written in this book, along with the Spirit, let us the bride say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:12-17)