The Vindication of Jerusalem

On Sunday we looked at how passages about the ‘vindication of Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 6:21) can be interpreted to justify violence against anyone seen to be a geopolitical enemy of the modern day country of Israel.

Yet, David Newton helpfully pointed out that there’s a very different sense in which the Bible clarifies what the ultimate vindication of Jerusalem is really all about. He quoted from the last book in the Bible about God’s vision of how the story of humanity comes to a close. It’s all about the new Jerusalem:

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. - Revelation 21:2

David was pointing out how the consistent image of marriage in the Bible is not actually heterosexual but rather built on a freely chosen covenant of love. He mentioned the first (c.f. Ephesians 1) and last (see Rev 21) picture of marriage in the Bible is the ideal one: It’s the picture of Christ, the groom, marrying the people of God (whom the Bible calls ‘the bride’).

So in this beloved community, imaged here in Revelation, are both Israelis and Palestinians, both straight and gay, both citizen and immigrant - all are wrapped up together into God’s covenantal love. And that great wedding then becomes an image for how we get invited to love today - being radically welcoming of others, knowing that there’s space for all at the great wedding banquet to come.