Heaven On Earth - Part 1

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Rev. 21:1)

For a long time I wondered how there could be a new heaven, if heaven were that place where everything was perfect; there would be no need for a new heaven. A new earth, sure - earth has it's problems. But there are no problems in heaven, so why a new one?

I'm not going to answer that right now; the answer might get in the way of what I want to say next.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (verse 2)

Everybody wants to go to heaven. Heaven is that place where everything is perfect, where there are no more tears, no more parting, no more sickness, where there is perfect peace and perfect joy, where we will see Jesus face to face. Oh, there's so much to look forward to. And the only way to get there is to die. Sorry.

But John saw something different. He saw the new Jerusalem coming down to earth out of heaven. Go ahead, read it again; I'll wait. That's really what it says.

God is doing everything in His power to get heaven into us now. He was incarnate in Bethlehem, died on a cross, was buried in an earthly grave, rose from the dead and walked the earth for 50 days, ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit for whosever will to be all that He is in us.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (verse 3)
God spoke and said that His dwelling place was with men. (He didn't say "the tabernacle of men is with God," but "the tabernacle of God is with men.") He said that He would dwell with us.

God has pitched His tent in our wilderness. He desires for us to be His dwelling place, His habitation in the earth. Did not God command Moses to build Him a tent where He came to dwell in visible glory? That was just the precursor to this overwhelming truth for our day, that He desires to inhabit His people as His abode.

Some people get upset with this and say "Oh, you are taking heaven away from us." No, God wants to bring heaven closer - He wants to bring Heaven to earth. (to be continued...)