tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741709918736017691.post181956728069476615..comments2010-06-15T02:49:06.899-07:00Comments on 40 Days Without Facebook: New Heaven and New Earth: What was wrong with the old one?Sophie's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10811067315838305037noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741709918736017691.post-5718507479690946332010-06-15T02:49:06.899-07:002010-06-15T02:49:06.899-07:00Yes, a new world being created out of the old worl...Yes, a new world being created out of the old world. <br /><br />I expect the congregation was really with you when you preached from Revelation. We spent about three months last year in Bible Study led by Evelyn Hallman, and it opened our eyes to many things.<br /><br />Yes, as you say: God is good, God cares, God will overcome evil.<br /><br />I have always found Revelation a wonderfully reassuring book. And, in the midst of a world where there is a lot of pain and violence and disappointment, there is not an easy way to portray God's relationship to the world without uses images that reflect that pain, violence, disappointment and deep longing for redemption.<br /><br />Revelation does that in a genuine way, in a way that has always "hit home" for me.<br /><br />A great question for readers of Revelation is "where do you find yourself in that book?" which is another way of asking: "who do you identify with?" I ask: "Do I identify myself with the martyrs under the altar crying out for vengeance?" No, I don't. "Do I identify myself with the faithful 144,000 who have come through the tribulation?" I don't dare. "Do I identify myself with those who have received the mark of the beast - given in to evil?" No. <br /><br />But, there is that one passage where it talks about receiving a name on a white stone that no one knows except God. And, for some reason, that has always touched me deep in most hopeful, joyful part of my soul. I identify with that in this book of Revelation. One day God will reveal to us who we are - that is, who we are and have always been in the heart of God. Human identity is a holy mystery.george houston watershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07551741287830911012noreply@blogger.com