From Eden to the New Jerusalem

Exploring God'S Plan For Life On Earth

T Desmond Alexander

• Publisher: IVP
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781844742851
• eBook ISBN: 9781789740547
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Why does the earth exist? What is the purpose of human life?
These are two of life's most fundamental questions - and they are addressed by the Bible's remarkably unified story, which centres on a unique deity.
Desmond Alexander explores this story by beginning at the end, in the final chapters of the book of Revelation. Anticipating the creation of a new earth and a new heaven, these chapters bring to fulfilment a process that began with the creation of the earth, as described in the opening chapters of Genesis. These passages frame the entire biblical 'meta-story'.
This stimulating study outlines some of the central themes that run through the Bible, with broad brush strokes designed to show the general shape of the meta-story. Seeing the big picture enables us to appreciate the details more clearly; and since the themes were an integral part of the thought-world of the biblical authors, an appreciation of them may alter significantly our reading of individual books.
Good theology always has pastoral implications, and the study occasionally moves into areas of application - the truths revealed are extremely important for shaping our life-style choices.

1.   INTRODUCTION

 

Why does the earth exist? What is the purpose of human life? Arrogant as it may seem, this short book attempts to answer both of these questions. It does so by exploring a unique story.

One of the distinctive features of modern Western culture is the particular emphasis now given to telling one’s story. Everyone has a story to tell, although some may be more interesting than others. Undoubtedly, this is a product of a society that has imbibed the postmodern ideology that all truth is relative. In such a world, every story merits a hearing. Yet, no matter how many stories we hear, we may still be left with a sense of emptiness, for few stories address the fundamental questions of life.

Yet, one story stands apart from all the rest. It claims for itself an authority not derived from human beings but from God. As divine revelation it presents us with a meta-story that claims to communicate absolute truth that cannot be discovered by any other means. While the story itself acknowledges that it does not contain all truth, for much truth may be discovered outside it, it claims to answer particular questions that lie beyond scientific investigation.

This unparalleled meta-story comes from an anthology of literature, the Bible, linked by common themes, centred on a unique deity. Produced over many centuries, the differing texts that comprise this library are amazingly diverse in terms of genre, authorship and even language. Nonetheless, they produce a remarkably unified story that addresses two of life’s most fundamental questions: (1) Why was the earth created? (2) What is the reason for human existence?

Although the process by which this anthology was created remains something of a mystery, having been assembled in stages over a long period of time, it is widely recognized as producing a very significant meta-story. Although its diversity of authorship and genre give ammunition to those who wish to dismantle the story into contradictory parts, there is more here to unite than divide. The anthology itself, which abounds in intertextual references, provides most of the literary context within which its contents may be understood. There is not a book within the whole collection that can be interpreted satisfactorily in isolation from the rest. Each book contributes something special to the metastory and, in turn, the meta-story offers a framework within which each book may be best interpreted. In this regard, the longstanding principle of interpreting Scripture by Scripture makes considerable practical sense.

Given the complexity of the Bible as a literary anthology, outlining its meta-story is not easy. The approach adopted here is to begin at the end. As is often the case, a story’s conclusion provides a good guide to the themes and ideas dominant throughout. By resolving an intricate plot that runs throughout a story, a good denouement sheds light on the entire story. While recognizing that there are limitations to this approach, it is nevertheless one way of attempting to determine the main elements of the meta-story.

The final chapters of Revelation, which form the starting point for our study, contain visions that look to the future and anticipate the creation of a new earth and a new heaven. As we shall see, this brings to fulfilment a process that started with the creation of the present earth, as described in the opening chapters of Genesis. The very strong links between Genesis 1 – 3 and Revelation 20 – 22 suggest that these passages frame the entire biblical meta-story. Detailed evidence for this will be provided in the chapters that follow.

To base this study on the visions of Revelation 20 – 22 may seem to some to invite major problems at the outset. The apocalyptic nature of these visions requires that caution must be exercised in reading them. Not everything can be taken literally. Jesus Christ is unlikely to resemble an actual lamb and the New Jerusalem may not be a gigantic cube in shape. Due allowance must be given for the symbolic nature of elements within John’s visions. This does not mean, however, that everything in the visions must be viewed as merely symbolic. As I shall argue, the new earth and the new heavens are very likely to have much in common with the present cosmos.

This brief study does not attempt to be exhaustive, but rather indicative, outlining some of the central themes that run throughout the Bible. Overall, the material is presented using broad brush strokes designed to show the general shape of the meta-story. Where others, to the author’s knowledge, have provided a more detailed discussion, reference is made in footnotes. In places it has become evident that further research still needs to be undertaken to produce a more refined understanding. In attempting to delineate the major themes of the biblical meta-story, I am conscious that aspects of what follows may need to be emended in the light of constructive criticism and/or further evidence.

There is something of value in seeing the big picture, for it frequently enables us to appreciate the details more clearly. The scholarly tendency to ‘atomize’ biblical texts is often detrimental to understanding them. By stripping passages out of their literary contexts meanings are imposed upon them that were never intended by their authors. I hope this study goes a little way to redressing this imbalance, for biblical scholarship as a whole has not articulated clearly the major themes that run throughout Scripture. Since these themes were an integral part of the thought world of the biblical authors, an appreciation of them may significantly alter our reading of individual books.

Good theology always has pastoral implications. Doctrine and praxis ought to be closely related. For this reason, our study of the main themes of the biblical meta-story occasionally moves into the area of application. The truths revealed are extremely important for shaping the lifestyle choices we make. However, because the application of scriptural truth often needs to take into account cultural diversity, the observations made here are suggestive rather than comprehensive.

2. FROM SACRED GARDEN TO HOLY CITY:
EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

As the book of Revelation moves towards a conclusion, the apostle John recounts one final, fascinating vision to add to those he has already witnessed. He introduces it with these words:

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.’ (Rev. 21:1–3)

John’s attention is drawn to a holy city that possibly fills the new earth.¹ As the voice from the throne announces, here God will live alongside human beings.² With this remarkable vision of God coming to dwell with humanity on a new earth the biblical metastory comes to an end.

Yet, the Bible begins with a similar picture. Genesis opens by recounting how God creates an earth, into which he places a human couple, Adam and Eve. This first earth, as I shall argue later, is designed to be a divine residence, for here God intends to coexist with people. However, the divine plan for this first earth is soon disrupted when the human couple, due to their disobedience, are driven from God’s presence. The complex story that follows centres on how the earth can once more become a dwelling place shared by God and humanity.

By providing a closely matched beginning and end, the opening chapters of Genesis and the final chapters of Revelation undoubtedly frame the biblical meta-story. To quote Jon Levenson, ‘Eschatology is like protology.’³ Yet, while Endzeit resembles Urzeit, there is progression. Whereas Genesis presents the earth as a potential building site, Revelation describes a finished city. Underlying the construction of this city is the expectation that God will reside within it, sharing its facilities with people from every nation.

Although it may not be immediately apparent, the theme of God’s presence on the earth is especially significant for understanding the biblical meta-story. Before focusing on the details, a brief overview may helpfully establish its importance. This will sketch out in general terms the overall pattern that runs from Genesis to Revelation.

Overview

The opening chapters of Genesis assume that the earth will be God’s dwelling place.⁴ This expectation, however, is swiftly shattered when Adam and Eve disobey God and are expelled from his presence. While people continue to live on the earth, God’s presence is associated with heaven.⁵ From there he occasionally descends to meet with selected individuals, although these encounters are always relatively brief and sometimes unexpected. When God reveals himself, it is always for a particular purpose. This pattern is found throughout almost all of Genesis and the first half of Exodus.

In the second half of Exodus a major new development occurs, linked to the divine rescue of the enslaved Israelites from Egypt. At Mount Sinai God enters into a special, covenant relationship with the people. This results in the construction of a lavishly decorated tent that becomes God’s dwelling place in the midst of the Israelite camp. This event represents a major advance forward in the biblical meta-story, for God now resides permanently with one nation.

Soon after the Israelites’ initial settlement in the land of Canaan the tabernacle is set up at Shiloh in the tribal region of Ephraim and appears to have remained there for many years (Josh. 18:1; 1 Sam. 1:3).⁶ In due course, according to the books of Samuel, the Shiloh sanctuary is replaced by a new temple constructed in Jerusalem during the reign of Solomon. Dedicated by Solomon in his eleventh year as king (c. 959 BC), this ornately decorated structure becomes God’s permanent residence. Due to the temple, the entire walled city of Jerusalem is also perceived as being God’s dwelling place. Consequently, for almost 400 years God coexists in a unique way with the citizens of Jerusalem.

A major reversal of this occurs when in 586 BC the Babylonians raze the temple and destroy the walls of Jerusalem. This temporary state of affairs is eventually overturned when the Persian king Cyrus gives permission in 538 BC for exiled Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the temple. While the process is slow, the completed temple is dedicated in 516 BC, but not before the prophets Haggai and Zechariah have had to intervene in order to encourage the people of Judah to complete the reconstruction. As the books of Haggai and Zechariah highlight, the restoration of the temple was divinely sanctioned, underlining God’s ongoing commitment to Jerusalem and its population. The walls of the city, however, remain largely in ruins, a situation later remedied when the Persian king Artaxexes I appoints Nehemiah as Governor of Judea in 444 BC. In spite of opposition, Nehemiah oversees the renovation of the city walls. While the evidence is ambiguous, God was probably perceived as once more dwelling within the city of Jerusalem.⁷

The next significant development in the biblical meta-story is the coming of Jesus. As the opening chapter of John’s Gospel affirms, Jesus, as God, tabernacles among human beings (John 1:14).⁸ The incarnation is a further development of the concept of God living on the earth. For this reason Jesus can speak of his own body as a temple, as in his comment ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’ (John 2:19).⁹

The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus paves the way for another significant step in the process by which God comes to inhabit the earth alongside human beings. Jesus hints at this in his conversation with the woman at the well in Samaria when their discussion focuses on the place where God is to be worshipped.

The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe m...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• 1. Introduction
• 2. From sacred garden to holy city: experiencing the presence of God
• 3. Thrown from the throne: re-establishing the sovereignty of God
• 4. Dealing with the devil: destroying the source of evil
• 5. The slaughter of the Lamb: accomplishing the redemption of creation
• 6. Feasting from the tree of life: reinvigorating the lives of people from every nation
• 7. Strong foundations and solid walls: living securely among the people of God
• 8. Conclusion
• Select bibliography
• Index of Biblical References