BOOKENDS

December 29

Bible Reading: Revelation 22

Revelation 22:1-5, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

I’ve noted before that the message of the Bible can be summarized in four simple words: man sins, God saves.  And, of course, He does that to His glory.  It is by His grace and mercy that He intervenes on our behalf to rescue us from our sin predicament.  As we come to the last chapter of our study, it’s good to keep that in mind.  If the early chapters of the book of Genesis serve as one bookend to the Bible story, then the final chapters of Revelation serve as the other.

What we should note here is the fact that God is great at turning things around.  That’s true in both the micro and macro realms.  He can do that when it comes to our personal troubles, be they big or small!  He can also do that with the sin curse that’s afflicted mankind since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden.  Our passage notes that “no longer will there be anything accursed” (Genesis 22:3).  As horrific as were the consequences of the curse, it is not difficult for God to reverse them.  He is a redeeming God, always working to bring good out of our bad!

Note how God worked to reverse the curse, working to redeem His creation: The fall brought a curse to the ground, but in the new heavens and earth there is no longer any curse (Genesis 3:17; Revelation 22:3).  The curse brought sorrow, but there will be none in the redeemed world (Genesis 3:17; Revelation 21:4).  Then there was sweat on the face, but then there will be no more tears (Genesis 3:19; Revelation 21:4).  Then there were thorns and thistles, but then there will be no more pain (Genesis 3:18; Revelation 21:4).  Then there was the eating of the plants of the field, but then there will be twelve manner of fruits (Genesis 3:18; Revelation 22:2).  Then there was the returning to dust, but then there will be no more death (Genesis 3:19; Revelation 21:4).  Then there were coats of skin for covering, but then there will be fine linen, white and pure (Genesis 3:21; Revelation 19:14).  Then there was Satan opposing, but then Satan will be banished (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 20:10).  Then they were kept from the tree of life, but then they will have free access (Genesis 3:24; Revelation 22:14).  Then they were banished from the garden, but then they will have free access to the city (Genesis 3:23; Revelation 22:14).  Then a redeemer was promised, but then redemption is complete (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 5:9-10).  Then there was evil continually, but then there will be nothing that defiles (Genesis 6:5; Revelation 21:27).  Then there was the promised Seed of the woman, but then there will be the Root and offspring of David ruling over all (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 22:16).  Then there were the cherubim guarding, but then there will be the angels inviting (Genesis 3:24; Revelation 21:9).

If God can redeem like that, imagine what He can do in your life.  There’s no trouble so big, no problem so debilitating, that He cannot work to intervene in your life for good.  There’s no sin so big that He cannot forgive.  No life so desperate, that He cannot save.  No situation so hopeless, that He cannot work to bring good out of bad and reveal His glory!  God is in the business of saving.  The cross is the great testimony of God’s ability to do that!  The simple requisite is that we come to Him in our brokenness, trusting Him to do the saving work.  Praise God for His redemptive power.  He’s got a plan to reverse the curse, both in your life, and in the entirety of His creation!

There’s no situation on earth so desperate that God cannot work to turn things for good!  If we will but trust Him!

I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me.
How He left His home in glory
For the cross of Calvary.
I was lost, but Jesus found me,
Found the sheep that went astray,
Threw His loving arms around me,
Drew me back into His way.

I was bruised, but Jesus healed me;
Faint was I from many a fall;
Sight was gone, and fears possessed me,
But He freed me from them all.
Days of darkness still come o’er me,
Sorrow’s paths I often tread,
But the Savior still is with me;
By His hand I’m safely led.

He will keep me till the river
Rolls its waters at my feet;
Then He’ll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.