He Reigns
Bible reading
Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
– Revelation 21:1 (NIVUK)
Devotional
Just down the street from our house is a beautiful garden with an old mansion right in the middle. The mansion was, at one time, a beautiful home of some wealthy man who had settled in Oeiras. While the gardens were maintained, the mansion was not. Over the years, the once beautiful home became a derelict building, dangerous to even enter. But recently, changes have been made. The long-neglected house is being renovated and restored to its former glory. Right now, it’s a mess! There is no roof, no windows, not much of anything except for a brick frame. I’ve seen pictures though, of how the mansion will look in about 2 years when it’s finally restored, and it will look incredible! They are planning to keep it as close as possible to the original but with all new materials and better building techniques. In other words, the new house will look like the old one, only better, and the old will actually be a part of the new. I can’t wait to see it!
In Revelation 21:1, John sees the new heaven and the new earth. How amazing will that look? The old, he says, has passed away. But I think what he is seeing is just like the house I’m seeing being rebuilt. The old won’t disappear or be destroyed, it will be totally renovated and renewed. The new will be rebuilt and better built on the old. And it will be amazing! Earth in it’s Genesis 1 and 2 description sounds beautiful and peaceful. Walking in gardens, taking care of all the animals, enjoying one another completely and innocently, talking with God in the cool of the day. It sounds amazing. But the new earth is renewed, made better and will never be corrupted. I wonder if the colours will be brighter, the animals gentler and the conversations with God longer.
One thing I am sure of, there will be no sea! From a Portuguese standpoint that sounds sad. We are people of the sea! But for the people who were reading John’s Revelation, the sea meant chaos. They lost loved ones in the sea, and they didn’t know where and if the sea ever ended. So, the fact that there is no sea in front of the throne of God means that there is also no chaos, no mystery, and nothing to fear. We are moving from darkness to light, from despair to the focus of our hope, we have entered heaven and into our rest.
– Connie Main Duarte
This devotional is part of a series that helps us navigate the texts of the book of Revelation with fresh eyes. A new devotional every Saturday.
These devotionals are available in Portuguese and in English.