And in the spirit, he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” vs. 10
Revelation 21:10, 22-27
The city of Jerusalem has had enormous significance through the centuries, ever since David made it the capital of Israel over 3000 years ago. It’s been besieged, destroyed, and rebuilt dozens of times and even today is regarded as holy by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Its streets are crowded with pilgrims year-round as people come to celebrate holy days and pray in sacred spaces. Even today visitors who come by way of Mount Olives are stunned by their first view of the Temple Mount, now dominated by the Dome of the Rock. So, it’s not surprising that the final section of John’s apocalyptic vision would also include a bird’s eye view of the new city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. When John wrote, the old city had been once again destroyed, and the temple had been obliterated. But not to worry, the new Jerusalem will have golden streets and pearly gates, and there will be no need for a temple–the Lord God and the Lamb will be the temple. This is not a picture of heaven but of a worship center for the nations, a place of healing and reconciliation. That’s why we build cathedrals and mosques–we keep on hoping that they will be houses of prayer for all nations–beacons of light for all people.
Thought for the Day: Why do we seem to need places of worship?
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