Key Scripture: Revelation 21:1–5, Revelation 21:10, Revelation 22:1–5, Genesis 2:8–17, Genesis 3:23–24
Have you ever noticed that the Bible begins in a garden and ends in a city?
Revelation often gets a bad rap as the book about beasts and judgment. But when you read it through the lens of story, symbol, and Scripture, something astonishing emerges:
It’s not a manual for the end of the world. It’s a vision of God’s final movement toward us.
Section: A City That Comes Down from Heaven
“He carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.”
— Revelation 21:10
This city doesn’t rise from the earth like Babel. It descends—a gift, not a human project.
Echoes from Eden: The Story Comes Full Circle
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life… and on either side of the river was the tree of life…”
— Revelation 22:1–2
Compare that to:
“The Lord God planted a garden in Eden… and the tree of life was in the middle of the garden…”
— Genesis 2:8–9
Cities of Man vs. The City of God
Throughout Scripture, cities built by man symbolize pride and separation—think Cain, Babel, and Babylon. But the New Jerusalem is different:
“The dwelling place of God is with humanity… and they will see His face.”
— Revelation 21:3, 22:4
It’s not about going up to God. It’s about God coming down to us.
A Biblical Arc – From Eden to New Jerusalem
| Genesis (Beginning) | Revelation (End) |
|---|---|
| Garden (Eden) | Garden-City (New Jerusalem) |
| God walks with humans | God dwells with them |
| Tree of Life | Tree of Life restored |
| River from Eden | River from the throne |
| Curse enters | Curse removed |
| Humanity exiled | Humanity welcomed |
| Man builds cities | God sends a city |
How This Changes Everything
If God’s final act is not destruction but restoration, then everything matters:
- People matter
- Creation matters
- Justice matters
- Worship matters
We live today in light of the world to come.
Final Reflection
In the beginning, God planted a garden and walked with us.
We rejected that intimacy to build cities of independence.
But in the end, God sends a city, radiant and holy.
The tree of life grows again.
The river flows freely.
The curse is lifted.
And the face of God is no longer hidden.
Would like to see all of this expanded.