◄ What Does Revelation 21:1 Mean? ►

The Bible is God's wonderful plan of man's redemption from start to finish. From the beginning in Genesis to the book of Revelation, we discover the plans and purposes of God (which were made in eternity past) unfolding before our eyes and we start to recognise the tender-mercies of our Saviour and the loving-kindness of our great Creator.

The heavens and earth, which was created, fashioned, formed and filled by God, was cursed because of man's sin, and the icy fingers of death continue to strangle and suffocate all the good things that God has made.

But it is to be replaced with a new heavens and a new earth where death's destructive grip has been severed forever and the curse that pronounced man's eternal separation from God will be fully and finally removed. Christ paid the incredible price for sin: "In His body on the tree," so that all who believe on Him might not perish but be united with Him through time and into eternity.

In the beginning, God created the sun to shine upon the earth in order to provide its warming rays and life-giving light. God created the sun for signs, for seasons, and to divide the brightness of the day from the darkness of the night. But as God brings His plan for man's redemption to its glorious and climatic conclusion, there will be no need for the sun to shine by day nor moonlight to guide our steps at night, for the Lord Himself will be our Light. In Him in no darkness at all, and Christ will be the only Lamp that is needful, for He is the everlasting 'Sun of Righteousness'.

In the beginning, the accumulated waters on the first earth were called 'the sea' and for whatever reason we are told that there will be no sea in the new earth: "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those that love Him."

The Bible is a record of God's wonderful plan of man's redemption, and the amazing grace that caused God to send His only begotten Son to die on the Cross to pay the price for our sin will be brought to its final conclusion when God makes a new heaven and a new earth: "For the first heaven and the first earth will pass away."

In the beginning, we discover that the Lord laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of His hands. They will all perish and wear out like a garment, but God has promised to make a new heavens and a new earth so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in His kindness toward you, me, and all who are in Christ Jesus, all who are saved by grace through faith in Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I can read about the creation of the world in Genesis and see Your plan of redemption unfold all the way to the creation of a new heaven and earth in Revelation. Thank You for that day when the sin stained world will be destroyed, sin and death will be no more, and You will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Thank You that my eternal future is secure in Christ. He alone is worthy of all my praise and glory, forever and ever, AMEN.