God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

— Genesis 1:31

Careful readers have noticed that God’s creation in Genesis 1 looks like a temple. A temple is a place where heaven and earth meet. So in Genesis 2-3, God comes to the creation-temple to interact with his creatures.

Careful readers have also noticed that God’s temple in 1 Kings 6-7 looks like crea­tion. God was present in the temple, and once a year the high priest could be there too (Leviticus 16).

Sometimes people say that the creation was perfect, until sin messed things up. Well, sin did mess things up. It still does. But the creation was never perfect. It was just very good. There isn’t perfection until the end, until there is a new heaven and earth.

In the new heaven and earth, there will be no temple (Revelation 21:22) because the new heaven and earth won’t intersect at just one place. Instead they will be united as one new reality. In this new reality, the home of God is with humanity. That’s how God wants things to be and has always wanted things to be—with heaven and earth united.

The incarnation reflects this intention. Jesus himself is the new temple (John 2:19-21). Jesus himself is where heaven and earth meet. And in his person, God and humanity are united. That’s not just very good. It’s perfect.

Holy Jesus, you have made it possible for God and humanity to live together. Even more, you have made it real. How perfect is that? Amen.