Thank you for the article - well done!

If I could add something. Revelation 21 paints a picture of God and Jerusalem coming out of heaven to dwell with a renewed and restored creation with the tree for the healing of the nations in the center. This follows so much of what Scripture had been saying all along - that we aren't about trying to reach God and go where God is, rather, God is always coming to us where we are. It happens in the very beginning with the story of the garden where God walks in creation. It happens with God (or God's messengers) always coming to the people with a message. It happens with Jesus, God taking on flesh, and dwelling with creation. It happens over and over and over again - God comes to creation, not expects us to get to him. The only story about that is the Tower of Babel story, which is extremely complex, but the sum conclusion is that it doesn't end well for people trying to get to God. They are scattered and confused. This notion of some kind of escape is very addictive for people - there's plenty of pain and suffering here on earth. And throw in the whole Rapture nonsense of the last two centuries, and you end up with destructive theology.