Tuesday after the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 28, 2023 by under
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7 (NKJV)
21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Devotion
“World without end” is included in the termination of most of our collects. This phrase translates the literal phrase “unto the ages of ages.” Just as the phrase “King of kings” describes Jesus as the greatest (superlative) of all kings, the phrase “ages of ages” is speaking of that “age” which is greater than any age. That age (to the superlative degree) is the eternal age, which will be of endless duration. In that new age, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. You can describe it with the terms “…for ever and ever” (Phil. 4:20 NKJV), or “…world without end” (Eph 3:21 KJV). It’s still the same thing.
“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Rom. 8:22). When the Lord returns He will “make all things new.” The weight of sin will be lifted. Just as our bodies will be raised without the sinful nature with which we fight daily, so also the new heaven and new earth will be without the effects of sin. Not just the removal of thorns and thistles, but also the removal of tears, sorrow, and death. There is no comparison between our old home now and the new habitation for the righteous through faith in Christ. St. Paul professes that he has “a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:23).
Collect: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offenses, that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
