This passage is absolutely spectacular! All the prior visions in this book show the mighty power of God to redeem and conquer. But this passage brings us to the reason for creation in the first place. Everything else in Revelation is just the story of God redeeming and achieving everything he had planned at the beginning. He has always desired to dwell with us; not us singularly so much as us corporately. That was his original intent when he created Adam and Eve.
The themes that wind their way throughout history bely what God has been striving for, fighting for, building, all along. He wants a house. Think tabernacles and temples. He wants a bride for His Son. Follow the pageantry of the patriarchs finding wives and the parables of Jewish weddings that Jesus used to help us understand the Kingdom of God. He wants brothers and sisters, a family. When God created Adam he decided to give him a wife. But he did not create her out of thin air or dust as he had created Adam. Instead, he took part of Adam and formed (built) Eve from him. That’s why Adam says, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” Just as Eve was formed out of Adam’s side, so also the second Adam, Jesus, had his side pierced and out of it flowed blood and water. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit. As a human is born following a gush of amniotic fluid, each of us who believe are born after the gush of water from Jesus’ side. And the family of God came to life with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This family, this chosen people, are the Bride of Christ. And He dwells in them. What God intended in the beginning has now been consummated and perfected.
He wants a city. Jerusalem had been the place in which he desired to dwell, the place where the Jewish temple was built. But that was just a shadow of the city he had in mind. And again, this city is His Bride. You and I together are the Bride. Likewise, you and I together are the city. You and I together are the New Jerusalem. More on that next time.
The themes that wind their way throughout history bely what God has been striving for, fighting for, building, all along. He wants a house. Think tabernacles and temples. He wants a bride for His Son. Follow the pageantry of the patriarchs finding wives and the parables of Jewish weddings that Jesus used to help us understand the Kingdom of God. He wants brothers and sisters, a family. When God created Adam he decided to give him a wife. But he did not create her out of thin air or dust as he had created Adam. Instead, he took part of Adam and formed (built) Eve from him. That’s why Adam says, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” Just as Eve was formed out of Adam’s side, so also the second Adam, Jesus, had his side pierced and out of it flowed blood and water. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit. As a human is born following a gush of amniotic fluid, each of us who believe are born after the gush of water from Jesus’ side. And the family of God came to life with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This family, this chosen people, are the Bride of Christ. And He dwells in them. What God intended in the beginning has now been consummated and perfected.
He wants a city. Jerusalem had been the place in which he desired to dwell, the place where the Jewish temple was built. But that was just a shadow of the city he had in mind. And again, this city is His Bride. You and I together are the Bride. Likewise, you and I together are the city. You and I together are the New Jerusalem. More on that next time.
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