Well that was 2020. Much has been said – a year like no other, unprecedented, good to see the back of it. And so on. 

It didn’t finish with the usual celebrations, but there was one significant event that coincided with December 31st.

I finished the book of Revelation in my daily study. You may be tempted to stop reading here – but bear with me.

The book of Revelation is full of imagery and can be read in different ways – but however you read it, you’ll agree that there’s a battle going on. There’s a close relationship between what goes on on the earth (which we can see), and what goes on in heaven (which we can’t see). And it all comes to an end with a final battle, a final judgement and a new heaven and a new earth.

And it’s that last bit which coincided with the close of 2020 – somehow very appropriate.

One commentator writes this: “The whole terrifying conflict has been about the divine Husband’s jealous love for his bride, a love so jealous that he will fight all comers in order to have her all to himself, a love so sacrificial that he lays down his life to protect her from every threat and enemy” (Dennis Johnson – The Triumph of the Lamb). All that’s gone before – war, locusts, dragons (and, significantly, plagues) lead up to this moment when everything is made new.

I found that really encouraging. All the bad things that are going on in the world have a heavenly counterpart. They’re also a part of God’s purpose which has an end in view. We only see part of what’s going on, nevertheless history is moving towards a goal, under the control of God, which is both cosmic in proportion, but also personal because it’s about us. So it’s not just head knowledge, but a call to perseverance that can be put into practice every day. Focussing on our walk with God, putting his kingdom first, growing in sanctification.

Moving forwards, who knows what 2021 will hold? It’s not exactly had a great start from a pandemic point of view. On the other hand, it’s a year closer to that Day.

Isaiah 61 is a passage that looks forward to that time as well. There are promises of good news to the poor,  binding up of the brokenhearted, liberty for captives, comfort for mourners, and more, all summed up as ‘the year of God’s favour’ (Isa 61:1-3). These things are brought about by an anointed one. We know this to be Jesus – he picked up on the passage (see Luke 4:16-21) and effectively said “It’s me!”.

So the great thing is that the process which will end with everything being made new has already begun. We can start to experience these benefits and blessings, even while the battle is raging. Jesus is fixing what sin has broken, repairing us on the inside (we are new creations) while restoring our outward circumstances and preparing a place for us in the new creation.

So what of 2021? It is the year of God’s favour, so our response is to rejoice and be glad in him!