The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

— Revelation 21:24

In Genesis 1, God’s first creation is light. Amazingly this first light appears in the darkness before the sun, moon, and stars are even created. Today’s passage echoes Genesis 1: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” God’s glory is the source of light, and Jesus is the vessel through which God’s light shines in all its brilliance!

This passage about God’s new creation can make us feel like it’s the first day of creation all over again, a fresh start. But that brings up a question: What if we sin again? We’re still human. Won’t we make a mess of this new creation just as we have done with the current one?

As if anticipating that question, God shows John that the nature of human relationships, of kings and kingdoms, will be transformed. “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.” Through Jesus Christ, God is bringing about a new creation in which the power struggle to control resources and the distrust and hatred between people groups no longer exists. The whole of this new creation delights in God’s goodness and lives together as stewards of God’s creation! What a day that will be!

Creator God, thank you for making the future of this peaceable kingdom secure in Jesus Christ. As we celebrate Jesus’ birth, teach us also to look forward to his coming kingdom with joy-filled confidence. Amen.