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5. The Temple is God Himself and His Lamb (Revelation 21:22-23)
The Glory of God Illuminates the City: Astonished and overwhelmed John reports now that there is no son and no moon in the new city of God. The old solar system will pass away and also summer and winter, day and night. The covenant between God and Noah will come to an end, and the New Covenant in Christ will unfold.
Even without sun and moon the new city will not sink into darkness like the stinky lake of fire, but God himself and His Lamb are its light and warmness, motion and strength.
John had already previously recognized, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ... But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5.7). Also Isaiah had cried 700 years before, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you!” (Isaiah 60:1). Later on he added, “The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but the LORD shall be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.” (Isaiah 60:19).
More glorious than the sun will the glory of the triune God illuminate every nook and corner of His city and disclose every conscious and thought so that in His huge temple not any sin or unrighteousness can be found. Nobody would be able to bear the intensity of the glory of God, unless the Lamb of God purged us and His Spirit sanctified us. Due to our nature we are condemned, but due to the choice by grace we are enlightened.
A mirror may reflect the light of the sun very effective. We will, however, not only become reflecting mirrors of the glory of God, but the light of Jesus will shine in us. He is the light which will make us bright shining lights (Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:4; 8:12; Ephesians 5:8-9; and other verses.).
PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, we thank You that You are the original light, and Your Son Jesus is the light of the world, that has made us children of light. You will both shine upon the multitudes of saints and purify them so that no evil intent or unclean thought may crop up in them, and Your glory may prevail in us and You make us the splendor of Your kindness. Amen.
QUESTION:
- How does the glory of God enlighten us and make us shining lights in this world and in the hereafter?