Epilogue
Christ revealed in His Church
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is only completed in His intimate communion with the Church, the New Jerusalem, His Bride.
In the final two chapters of the Book of Revelation, the great mystery is fully unveiled, the secret is now opened. Christ has brought Mankind back into the full fellowship of the presence of God the Father. The perfect will of God from the beginning was that God could dwell among His children and bless them with every delight that only His great love and power could provide. Paul expresses it thus:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:24-27)
Paul speaks further of the revelation of the mystery in Ephesians 3:3-21 RSV:
“… how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.
The curse has been reversed, darkness has been dispelled, God’s face is open to full view, the river of life flows from the throne through the streets of the city, and the tree of life is freely available for all to partake of, there is no sorrow or crying, no pain nor death. There is no uncleanness nor shame but rather beauty, love, peace and constant delight.
Is this blessed estate reserved only for another world, somewhere and sometime in the future? No, it is available to whosoever will come and partake of the Water of Life, the healing Tree of Life, the Light of the World, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As His Body, the true Church can live in the Holy of Holies, in marital bliss, with the great Bridegroom. The invitation is open:
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’. And let him who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.”
Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!