Clean City

Clean City

Revelation 21: ⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God ¹¹ and shining with the glory of God. The city shone like a precious stone, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

 

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Asleep in the back seat, I woke up because I could tell we were getting close to home. The stench of the landfill was the first indicator that we were getting close. I anticipated the swampy smell of the shipping dock followed by the final chemical smell of the paint factory. I saw garbage on the sides of the road. Yep, I was almost home!

 

• Many cities I have been in were dirty.
• Many cities I visited had graffiti and grunge.
• Many cities I lived in had industrial stuff that belched carcinogens in the air.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, had the SPIRIT take control of him and was carried to a very high mountain. The Holy City was coming down out of heaven from GOD. It was shining with the glory of GOD.

 

My Observations:

• GOD’s glory was so bright, that humans could not look at it.
• The new Holy City will be so clean that no disease can live inside it.
• Brightness will shine from the Holy City like nothing seen before.

 

No more smells. No more rot. No more feeble attempts by humans to create something temporary that misuses GOD’s creation, causing people to be harmed. The plagues were over and a new city was presented. What happened to GOD’s people? You and I become recipients of a brand new city.

 

Remember that new car smell? Or that new house smell? Or new shoe smell? Think of a new city that shines with GOD’s glory. HE cannot wait to provide this gift to those who go through the grunge of life’s difficulties. When life is dirty, I am glad I can focus on a future that is bright and new!

 

Challenge

• Why was the writer taken to a mountain to see the city?
• Have you ever been deeply worried or saddened by circumstances or regretful because of sin?
• Can you imagine a place where you are free to love GOD and HE is right there, wiping away your tears?