March 14, 2022 – Monday
Revelation 22:5 NIV
5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Comment.
This may seem very much like the verses of the day for Friday in chapter 21, 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. But it is very different, as in context it is providing a picture of Eden restored as the initial two verses of this chapter show, 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
I once read a short science fiction story where humans had settled on a planet where rain was incessant, constant day and night. The place of relief for them was a very large domed area with constant light at the center of the top. It was like heaven for those who lived there as a relief from the constant rain and darkness as the cloud cover never ended. I wonder today if the writer intended an analogy between our world of constant ongoing relentless sin and his world of unremitting rain. Then an area of constant light and no rain as a comparison as to what heaven would be like.
Concerning our verse for today, the statement that there will be no more night nor need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun satisfies Christ’s declaration of Himself as “the light of the world” in John 8:12, 9:5, and 12:46. As a people reigning there for ever and ever as permanent residents of the New Jerusalem (see 20:15 and 21:27) we shall be there forever with the Lord, as we read in Daniel 7:18 and 27.
This is a good point to mention a song provided by a reader (thank you Jen Strong), All My Tears by Ane Brun which has been seen over 10 million times on Youtube in all its versions. Here is one with the lyrics which begin, When I go don’t cry for me; In my father’s arms I’ll be. I think you will enjoy the music and the lyrics even more. The song surely does tie in with Friday’s verses as well as today’s verse.
My only additional thought is how sad so many will miss out on such a glorious eternity, instead choosing darkness and aloneness away from God.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Source of all light and all goodness, thank You for the wonderful gift of grace through Your Son on the cross. You have loved us without measure while providing a way home for us. Thank You for all of our blessings. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek