Day 12 - Going Home

 Day 12 – Going Home

 

Today's Key Passages:

Micah 6:8; Hebrews 13:1-2, 14-16; Isaiah 54:5-10; Ezekiel 47:1-12; 

Revelation 21:1-27, 22:1-5; Genesis 2:8-14

 

Day 12 was supposed to be our travel day home. Obviously, we won’t be going to Israel as planned. Instead of reflecting on traveling home, let’s consider more of an eternal perspective and reflect on going home.

 

Even though we aren’t travelers, we are sojourners (temporary residents). Hebrews 11, the ‘hall of faith’ chapter, says “These [the descendants of Abraham] all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeting them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (v. 13). Paul tells us “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)

 

Let’s briefly ponder three questions: What should we do with our time on earth, especially in the midst of where we are and what the world is experiencing? What has God promised? Finally, what will be the result of those promises?

 

What should we do with our time on earth?

 

The prophet Micah and the author of Hebrews give us a blueprint of what we should be doing. Micah tells us that God has told us what is good, and required, of us – to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with your God.

 

These are the primary forms of love. According to the ESV study bible, justice means fulfilling mutual obligations in a manner consistent with God’s moral law. Biblical justice creates the perfect human society. So, behave toward your fellow image bearers in a way that is consistent with what is outlined throughout scripture. Show mercy (loving kindness) and faithfulness (walk humbly). The Jewish Study Bible, Tanakh translation, says that walking humbly with your God isn’t just modestly, but to walk wisely, carefully, completely with your God. When we walk in sync with God like this, our faithfulness will be a natural, expressed response to him and his redemptive acts.

 

The author of Hebrews reiterates these themes to let brotherly love continue (13:1), and to not neglect to do good (13:16). But the author also tells us how we are able to do this, even in the midst of suffering. We are able to do this kind of godly goodness when we focus on, and look to, a future hope. He reminds us that “we have no lasting city here, but we seek the city that is to come.” (13:14) This life on earth isn’t the end.

 

While you are here, do what is good. Love and care for the people in your sphere well – your family, your co-workers, your neighbors, your church community. As I recently heard someone say, be generous with your LIFE (labor, influence, finances, expertise). 

 

We can feel powerless and small when it comes to global issues, especially with wars happening in Israel and Ukraine. But we can pray. Our God is not powerless or small. He hears our prayers. We can also stay well informed. Seek out facts, not propaganda. Let your voice be one of reason and speaking truth into chaotic and heartbreaking circumstances around the world.

 

What has God promised?

 

God asks us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with him because he has shown us these things by example. His promises are the tangible expression of his goodness. Here are a few from our key passages:

 

·      He’s promised us the eternal city to come. (Hebrews 13:14, Revelation 21) “I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” (Revelation 21:9)

 

·      He’s promised to gather us with great compassion. (Isaiah 54:7, Revelation 7)

 

·      He will have compassion on us with his everlasting love. (Isaiah 54:8)

 

·      His steadfast love will not depart from us … his covenant of peace will not be removed (Isaiah 54:10)

 

·      He will call us his bride – we will go from being a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off (Isaiah 54:6) to the Bride, the wife of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9). The holy city, new Jerusalem was prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2).

 

·      Water, once a symbol of death, will become the River of Life. God brought judgment on the earth through the flood (Genesis 6-8). He promised that he would never again curse the ground because of man (Genesis 8:21), he swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth (Isaiah 54:9).  

 

What will be the result of those promises?

 

God’s promises result in life, in restoration.

 

The prophet Ezekiel told his vision of water flowing from the Temple (Ezekiel 47:1-12). John also tells of the vision of the River of Life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1-5). 

 

Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22 both talk about the river of life and the tree(s) that are along its bank. Ezekiel tells us that he saw very many trees on one side and the other of the bank – on both sides of the river there will grow all kinds of trees for food and they will bear fresh fruit every month (Ezekiel 47:7, 12). John gets specific with his vision and says that he saw “on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month” (Revelation 22:2).

 

Ezekiel says the trees’ leave are for healing (47:12). John again gets specific saying “the leaves of the tree [singular, referring to the tree of life] were for healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:5) 

 

According to Ezekiel 47:8 the water flowing to the eastern region will end the sea which will make the water become fresh. The sea here is the Dead Sea that has such a high concentration of salt that no life can live in it. Again, John goes a step further to say that “no longer will there be anything accursed” (Revelation 22:3). In other words, the curse brought on to all of creation that we read about in Genesis 3 will one day be lifted for all of eternity.

 

The curse is not forever for those who put their faith in Jesus. Life is eternal. The tree of life that was in the midst of the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9) will be on the side of the river of life in the New Jerusalem.

 

Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. These four words describe the gospel message. As believers in Christ, we are a redeemed people. That doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to have struggles and suffering in this life on earth. But we do have a future hope that we will be fully restored and going home to the city that “has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and honor of the nations” (Revelation 21:23-26).

 

Let us cling to the promises of God as the apostle Paul did. That is how he, and we, can say even in the most uncertain and scary of times, “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5-7).

 

Lord, bring Shalom.

Cindy Preston

 

I took this picture from an airplane on a recent trip. The cloud was in the shape of a mountain. Heaven and the New Jerusalem will be more glorious than we can possibly imagine, but this made me think about Mount Zion. “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.”

(Revelation 21:10-11a)

Reflection Questions

What comes to mind when you think of doing good? Does that fully align with what the prophet Micah said in 6:8? Are there people in your sphere of influence for whom you have neglected to do good?

 

What are specific ways that you can be generous will all of your LIFE (labor, influence, finances, expertise)?

 

Which of God’s promises from our key passages is most encouraging to you today, and why?

 

Why is it significant that the tree of life was in the garden of Eden and will also be in the New Jerusalem?

 

What gives you hope and encouragement while living as a redeemed person while waiting for restoration?

 

Prayer

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being a God of redemption, hope and restoration. Lord, help me to cling to your promises when chaos and uncertainty at times seem to be all around me, and throughout the world. Help me to be a beacon of hope and goodness to those you have put in my sphere of influence. When trouble comes my way, or to those that I love, remind me, and help, me to not lose heart and become discouraged, but to maintain an eternal perspective. I pray your Holy Spirit does not let me forget the future hope that is secure, one in which you will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, or pain anymore. Amen.