The final two chapters focus on the glorious eternal future that begins
now, but is only revealed after God has removed all sin and evil from His
creation. The first earth had been corrupted by sin and trashed by mankind, and
then destroyed in God's judgments. It had been very good when God created it.
(Genesis 1:1 & 31) He must have restored it for the millennial kingdom, but
it was still the earth we now know. This time He does not separate the seas and
the dry land, unlike the first time. (Genesis 1:6-7) The passing away of the
heavens is a bit puzzling because these were not trashed. Most likely this
refers only to the passing away of the first heaven that was the atmosphere of
the earth. But it is not impossible that the second heaven, the entire physical
universe we now know, is done away with and replaced by a new space-time
continuum. But even if so, it is enough like the current universe that the new
earth is recognizable. Perhaps this is because it was made as a suitable
habitation for man.
The
consummation of the betrothal of the church to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2) is indeed
the wedding celebration of the Lamb. (Rev. 19:7) The holy city, also known as
the New Jerusalem, is identified as the bride, which brings to fulfillment all
of the biblical marriage symbolism. (For example: Song of Songs which is
Solomon's; Isaiah 50:1;
Hosea 2:19-20; Matthew 22:2-14, 25:1-13; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-32)
What does this symbolism mean for us? Marriage as an institution was created in
the Garden of Eden. It combines commitment, familiarity, communication, and
pleasure in intimacy. God offers all of these dimensions to believers,
individually and as a whole.
The
voice from the throne must speak God's sovereign will and promise. In the first
creation, the tabernacle of God only dwelt among the Israelites and that for
only a few hundred years. They did not appreciate what they had because they
wanted to do their own thing, and God's holiness was incompatible with that.
The promise of wiping away tears seems odd - why would there be sorrow in
paradise? Perhaps this is mourning over the sins of the previous creation, or
over those loved ones who rejected Christ.
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