Theological Journal – September 4 The Most Important Word in the Bible (besides God)
What do you think the most important word in Bible (besides God) is? To be more precise, what one word captures the fullness of God’s intention for us and the creation? There is one. It’s not even a theological, religious, or churchy word. It’s neither a noun nor a verb. You can find it thrice-repeated in Revelation 21:3 (in Greek, as in the AT below), that biblical picture of God’s purposes fulfilled and completed. See it?
“Behold, the dwelling place of God
is with humans, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples, and
God himself will be with them.” (AT)
Yes, it’s the little preposition
“with.” But it carries the boatload of biblical and theological meaning. God’s
intention from all eternity was to create a world with which and on which God
could share his life with his human creatures in intimacy and fellowship
forever. Or as I like to call it “At-One-Ment.” That’s the goal and all God’s
actions toward that goal are “atonements” – reconciling, healing, forgiving – a
bringing together what has become separated to restore all things to God’s
creational design (Col.1:20). “At-One-Ment and Atonement” is a book I hope to
write sometime, God willing.
Richard Bauckham writes of
Rev.21:3,
“. . .for the first time God’s “with-ness”
presence becomes a universal presence, not just with his singular people Israel
and not just with the new people the church, but with “humans” who become God’s
“peoples.” All the blessings of eternal life follow from this perfected divine
“with-ness.” [Who Is God? (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology) (p.
32). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition]
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