Perspective

Revelation 21:10
10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

Revelation 22:1-5
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Those who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven are like a man who desperately tries to walk upstream. Though the current is constant and the waters will lap, rise and fall against him. Though he walks a riverbed that is marred with rocks, mud, sand and debris. Though others sail easily past him, mocking and singing. These violent waters will attempt to swallow him, but the man who walks against the current will not drown but be washed clean.

It is easy to let the incredible messages found in today’s scripture wash over us because of their awesomeness. A time will come when all the troubles of this world like war, pollution and disease will end. Personal problems like depression, sorrow, crying, death and pain will be removed forever (see 21:4). You and I, and all the generations before and after us, who have “called upon the name of the Lord and have been saved,” (see Acts 2:21) will live together in a holy city. There will no longer be divisions among Believers; distinctions based on age, gender, politics or denomination will not be recognized. We will be in perfect agreement in worshipping and serving the Lord and will even see the face of God (v.4)!

One of the reasons it is hard to grasp today’s passage is because we don’t have perspective. We only understand this world—this complicated, corrupt, fallen world. We are in the midst of chaos and struggle to understand God’s perfect and measured plan. That is why John was carried away in the Spirit to a mountain (see 21:10). He wasn’t carried away to the center of the holy city but to a place where he can see God’s big picture. And what a picture it was!

What perspective do you have? Do you allow the Word to give you God’s perspective? Take a moment to reread this passage again. Ask the Lord to show and reassure you of his perspective.