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The Coming Kingdom of Peace
From Isaiah 65: 17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.
There's a popular family theme park that draws people from all over the world whose motto is that they will always be creating something new. This is a clever business ploy in that if you visit this park and see new construction, along the fences you will see drawings of what the new attraction will be. And one in your party will say, "We've got to come back to see that!" And once you have saved another fortune, you are able to return to experience that which was being built only to find that something new is being built and again one will say, "We've got to come back to see that!" The park prides itself on its cleanliness and its order of things; there is only so many days that the paint stays without its being repainted. Every night that the park is closed, there are people working to clean and make fresh the appearance of the park. The mess left by people is cleaned up.
Since the days of the Fall, humans have made a mess of things. We have chosen wrong and we have lived wrong, and the consequences of our actions have haunted us since the day of Adam and Eve. The Bible says that things got so bad during the day of Noah that He started over; a new creation of humans and the re-population of the earth with those animals saved from the Flood. And yet again, here we are, living with the choices that we've made or that our ancestors have made for us. Yet, we serve a God of new chances and opportunities. This passage from Isaiah 65 says that God is not finished with us and our dwelling place, the promise is for a creation of a new heaven and a new earth with the promise that the old things will not be remembered or "come to mind." Ours is a call to gladness and rejoicing in what the Lord is creating. The symbol of faith, Jerusalem, will be made into a symbol of joy and the people in it as a delight. The promise is the removal of mourning and sadness, no more cries for help. Infant and child deaths will be done away with, and those who don't live a hundred years will be suspect as to how they're truly living. Those that do live a hundred years will be considered youth. There will be new homes and the chance to live in them. The planting of vineyards will mean new yields of fruit and the enjoyment of same. Whatever you build, you will enjoy; you will plant and you will be able to enjoy your fruits and vegetables. Your days on the earth shall be like those of a tree. All of our labors and efforts, all of the children produced will be blessed and considered blessed children of the Lord. Even before we ask, the response will be on the way. And the beauty of this passage, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox." The only one still not enjoying a good reputation or station in life will be the snake. Their days of harm and destruction are over, so says God.
God is better than the Walt Disney Company at cleaning and making all things new. Jesus spoke of going and building a place and that place is under construction even now, but more importantly, right now in our lives and needs, God will create in us new hearts and right spirits. God will walk with us and help us in fulfilling the task of reaching new people and transforming the world.
All we have to do is ask.
PRAYER: Loving God, make me new. Create in me a new heart and a right spirit for the life and life's work to which I have been called. Let me shine as a light of example to those who have not yet heard nor believed what You have made for us. Let me live not like before, but help me to live among those who seek peace. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
