Very Good or Perfect?

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV).

 

If we are careful readers, we will notice that God’s creation (cf. Genesis 1) looks like a temple. A temple is a place where heaven and earth meet. So, in Genesis 2-3, God comes to the creation-temple to interact with his creatures. We also see that God’s temple in 1 Kings 6-7 looks like creation. God was present in the temple, and once a year the high priest could be there as well (cf. Leviticus 16).

 

Sometimes people say that the creation was perfect, until sin messed things up. Well, sin did mess things up. It still does. But the creation was never perfect. It was just “very good.” There isn’t perfection until the end, until there is a new heaven and earth.

 

In the new heaven and earth, there will be no temple (cf. Revelation 21:22) because the new heaven and earth won’t intersect at just one place. Instead, they will be united as one new reality. In this new reality, the home of God is with humanity. That’s how God wants things to be and has always wanted things to be — with heaven and earth united. The incarnation reflects this intention. Jesus himself is the new temple (cf. John 2:19-21). Jesus himself is where heaven and earth meet. And in his person, God and humanity are united. That’s not just very good. It’s perfect.

 

Our goal, our desire is not to be very good. In fact, in my experience, when I have those moments of accomplishment that may be deemed “very good” there is always a “better” yet to be achieved. When we are finally in this New Heaven and New Earth, there will be no “better.” It will be perfect. This is what the perfect sacrifice from the perfect Savior has accomplished for us!