The Greek word at the heart of Revelation 21:3 is the same root word John used in his Gospel for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The tent that has traveled through the whole Bible is finally pitched permanently. Today we close Season One.

In this letter

- The opening claim — the destination is renewal, not escape

- Skēnē (G4633) and the whole Bible's story of God's dwelling

- The trace through Eden, the tabernacle, the temple, the incarnation, Pentecost, and the new creation

- Kainos (G2537) — all things made new in kind

- It is done — the Greek perfect

- The Alpha and the Omega

- The free water of life

- The closing of Season One — a recap of the ten weeks and the word studies that carried them

- A direct pastoral landing for the tired, the grieving, the doubting, and the not-yet-believing

Scripture

- Revelation 21 (full)

- Genesis 3:24 (referenced — the flaming sword)

- Exodus 25:8 (referenced)

- John 1:14 (referenced — skēnoō)

- 1 Corinthians 6:19 (referenced — we are the temple)

Greek word studies

- skēnē (σκηνή, Strong's G4633) — tabernacle. The word that runs through the whole Bible's dwelling story, from Exodus to John's Gospel to Revelation.

- kainos (καινός, G2537) — new in kind (carried from Wednesday)

- skēnoō (σκηνόω, G4637) — to pitch a tent (carried from Week 7)

Season One word studies, in review

- hypóstasis (G5287) — foundation (Week 1, Hebrews 11)

- parepídēmos (G3927) — sojourner (Week 1)

- makarios (G3107) — fully alive (Week 2, Matthew 5)

- ptōchós (G4434) — empty-handed (Week 2)

- lekh lekha (H3212) — go for yourself (Week 3, Genesis 12)

- chesed (H2617) — covenant lovingkindness (Week 4, Psalm 23)

- radaph (H7291) — to pursue (Week 4)

- splanchnizomai (G4697) — gut-level compassion (Week 5, Luke 15)

- Ehyeh / YHWH (H1961) — I AM (Week 6, Exodus 3)

- Logos (G3056) — the Word (Week 7, John 1)

- skēnoō (G4637) — to pitch a tent (Week 7)

- davaq (H1692) — to cling (Week 8, Ruth)

- goel (H1350) — kinsman-redeemer (Week 8)

- katakrima (G2631) — condemnation (Week 9, Romans 8)

- huiothesia (G5206) — adoption (Week 9)

- hupernikao (G5245) — more than conqueror (Week 9)

- skēnē (G4633) — tabernacle (Week 10, Revelation 21)

- kainos (G2537) — new in kind (Week 10)

Next season | Mail from the Far Country, opening with Genesis 1:1-2:3 — In the Beginning.

> That's this season's last letter. There'll be more mail. We'll be back.

Support Letters From Home at https://buymeacoffee.com/lettersfromhome

Join us at https://hanksbiblestudy.com for more resources to help strengthen your faith.

We'll return in a couple of weeks with season 2 of Letters From Home

Most of us have been taught that heaven is where we go. The Bible says heaven is what comes here. The destination is not escape. The destination is renewal.

In this letter

- The inherited picture of heaven as escape

- What the Bible actually teaches — bodily resurrection, renewed earth, descended city

- 1 Corinthians 15:58 — your labor is not in vain

- Living like resurrection people

- The continuity between this life and the next

- The honest question — what are you walking toward?

- The wiping of tears as God's intimate, hands-on response to grief

Scripture

- Revelation 21:1-5

- Revelation 21:24 (the nations bringing their glory into the city)

- 1 Corinthians 15:58

The question to sit with

How would your life change if you really believed that what you do here is being taken up into what comes? Where have you been living like this world does not matter, because heaven is somewhere else?

Coming tomorrow | The Whole Letter. The closing of Season One.

> There'll be more mail tomorrow.

Support Letters From Home at https://buymeacoffee.com/lettersfromhome

Join us at https://hanksbiblestudy.com for more resources to help strengthen your faith.

A new heaven. A new earth. A city coming down. A voice from the throne. A hand wiping tears. We walk the vision.

In this letter

- Verses 1-8 walked slow

- The sea as the image of chaos in the ancient Near East

- The bride and the wedding imagery

- Skēnē (G4633) — the tabernacle word

- The thread from Exodus 25 through John 1:14 to Revelation 21:3

- The wiping of every tear — what the image implies

- Kainos (G2537) — new in kind, not just in time

- It is done — the Greek perfect tense

- The Alpha and the Omega

- The water of life freely given

Scripture

- Revelation 21:1-8

- Exodus 25:8-9 (the tabernacle, referenced)

- John 1:14 (referenced)

- 1 Corinthians 6:19 (we are the temple, referenced)

Greek word studies

- skēnē (σκηνή, Strong's G4633) — tabernacle, tent, dwelling. The noun form of skēnoō (carried from Week 7).

- kainos (καινός, G2537) — new in kind, new in quality

Coming tomorrow | The Address. The destination is not escape.

> There'll be more mail tomorrow.