God’s Ultimate Goal
What We Can Learn from the Four “Sinless” Chapters of the Bible
“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” -1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)
What Is God’s Greatest Desire?
What is it that God wants more than anything else? There are obviously many things that are important to him and a lot of things he is passionate about, but if you had to name one thing that he desired more than anything else, what would you say? Keep that question in the back of your mind as we continue on together.
In my last post, I discussed the fact that even though the Bible was written by different people from different places in different languages over a span of 1,500 years, it is nevertheless a single, unified story that culminates with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And it is not just an account of what happened long ago; it is a story we are invited into as active participants.
Today, I’d like to begin a journey through the Bible with you. Now, as much fun as it would be to go verse-by-verse, I would very much like to finish this journey before my retirement (somewhere around the year 2055, give or take). So instead, I’ll focus on the big-picture story of creation, fall, and redemption through Jesus. And I’d like to begin telling that story in a somewhat unorthodox place: the very end of the Bible.
Spoiler Alert!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets annoyed when people ruin the endings of books, movies, or video games I was looking forward to. It’s frustrating to not get to experience that journey the way the author or director intended. But I don’t think the Bible is supposed to have a surprise ending. It’s not a mystery novel that is intended to keep us guessing — it’s a story that God wants us to know inside and out, from beginning to end. I think God wants us to be fully aware of where we are heading so that we can actively join him on the way.
That’s why I think reading the Bible backwards, so to speak, is a valuable way of approaching the Biblical story. The very last chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21-22) help us understand the destination we are heading towards. And more specifically, they show us that God is working toward a future that allows him to dwell with his people forever. That is God’s ultimate goal, the thing he desires above all else, and the story of the Bible tells us how he plans to accomplish that through the sacrifice of his son Jesus.
The Four Sinless Chapters of the Bible
Let’s take a closer look at Revelation 21-22. These chapters (along with Genesis 1-2) are part of a very small but very significant segment of the Bible that shows us what life with God can be like when there is no sin or evil or temptation to corrupt it. That’s because the first sin did not occur until Genesis 3, and God’s final victory over sin and Satan occurs in Revelation 20, which leaves Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22 as the only “sinless” chapters of the Bible.
Those chapters paint a picture of what life was supposed to be like before our sins corrupted our relationships with God and with others (Genesis 1-2), and a picture of what life will once again be like when God wins that final victory over our enemy the Devil (Revelation 21-22). Those chapters paint the ideal that we are striving towards — and more importantly, the ultimate desire that God is pursuing throughout the Bible.
And the key point I would make about all of this is that there is consistent theme in those four chapters of the Bible: God wants to dwell with his people forever. Take a few moments to read Revelation 21:2-8, 22:1-5, and 22:21. Then come back and review these highlights from those chapters:
God and his people will be united as a husband and wife (21:2).
God is dwelling among his people (21:3).
God himself will be with them (21:4).
God will be our provider (21:6).
God will be our Father (21:7).
There will be no more curse (22:3).
God’s throne will be among the people (22:3).
God’s people will see his face and bear his name (22:4).
The grace of Jesus will be with God’s people (22:21) — the very last words of the Bible.
In Genesis 1-2, we see very similar themes:
Human beings are made in the image of God.
God enjoyed an active, open, and intimate relationship with humanity.
Adam and Eve experienced true joy and fellowship in an intimate relationship with each other.
There was no death, tears, evil, or corruption in the world.
The story begins with God dwelling with his people in the Garden, and it ends with God dwelling with his people in the new Jerusalem. What God desires more than anything else is to rescue us and restore us so that we can once again live in his presence without the damaging, corrupting effects of sin and death.
That is the goal God is working towards, and once we realize that, it helps the rest of the Bible click into place as a unified story that leads to Jesus.
Paul’s Example in 1 Timothy 2:1-7
As a final thought, consider Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:1-7, and specifically how they give us an example of letting the Biblical story define how we live in the present.
We are commanded to pray (a concrete action) for all people and especially our earthly leaders. Why? Because those prayers please God, “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (v. 4). Paul says that our actions should be based on what God desires for us and for the world. Paul goes on to remind us of the core parts of the Gospel story, that Jesus died as a ransom for our sins, and that Paul was subsequently called to be an apostle who shared that message with people all over the world.
In other words, Paul understands that his identity (a disciple and apostle), his community (the Christian church), and his purpose (to share the Gospel) are all rooted in who God is, what he desires for the world, and what he’s already done by sending Jesus to die on the cross. That was not always the foundational story of his life, but God transformed his story on the road to Damascus which changed the trajectory of his life forever.
What about us? What is currently shaping our sense of identity, belonging, and purpose? If it’s not the Biblical story of creation, fall, and redemption, what is it? Perhaps we need to re-commit to rooting our story in the grand narrative of Scripture. And that begins by understanding that God’s ultimate desire is to dwell with his people forever.
That is where the rest of the Biblical story is heading.
Bryan - this was such a beautiful concept so well-worded it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you!