Don Carson, Revelation 21-22

Plenary Session 8

Imagine attempting to explain electricity to a pre-Stone Age tribe in Papua New Guinea. You would simply attempt to explain what it does, but they have no categories into which to put this information.
In the same way, how would we talk about the throne room of God? He uses symbolism because we are so without the vocabulary and categories with which to describe them. The symbolism opens the doors to the categories with which we can discuss the glory of the Father.
In Isaiah 6, the seraphim could not see His face. Isaiah cannot describe him. Ezekiel’s description of the chariot is incredibly detailed, but the one who sits upon it is indescribable. But we will see His face.

The culmination of everything is not to see loved ones gone before. It is to see God. Every picture, every taste we have of glory is to see His face.

This book ends in spectacular invitation. And so do we. “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”

I deserve this lake of fire, but I long for the New city. I believe, help my unbelief.

For the rest of the notes on Dr. Carson’s talk, go to: http://is.gd/yjPon9