Your Righteous Home

2 Peter 3:13-14 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
 
THIS is a wonderful promise. We will live forever in the home of righteousness. We understand this as God’s perfection. The new heaven and earth is where God’s holy presence governs all things. There is no room for sin.
   The greatest truth of the righteous home is the relationship we’ll have with the LORD God. We have a glimpse of what this will look like when we read Genesis 2. God formed Adam and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7) Then he put the man in the garden with trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. (Genesis 2:9) He gave Adam responsibilities to manage the earth, to name the animals and to guard the law. The Father didn’t want Adam to be alone, so he made the perfect helpmate for him. Out of Adam came life. And God personally joined the couple into the marriage union. Together, before the sin, Adam and Eve experienced the righteous enjoyment of a life together under God’s pleasure.
   We see the righteous life of Enoch, son of Jared, father of Methuselah: Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. There is the righteous Noah: Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
   The righteous have union with God. In this world they walk with God spiritually. In the new heaven and earth the righteous – the children of God – will personally walk with the Triune God. Jesus promises: Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.  
   And Jesus confirms in his revelation to John: Revelation 22:3 The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
   This is the home of righteousness forever. How glorious it will be to walk with God forever.