The NIV 365 Day Devotional

Heaven’s Culture is Everywhere

Art doesn’t stop at heaven’s gate; it flows right in. The final book of the Bible depicts various art forms in God’s presence—architecture, musical instruments and singing (Rev 15:2–3). The scene repeats like a refrain throughout Revelation (5:8–10; 14:2–3). God’s people carry their art up and away from the world’s satanic empires and present it as worship to the King of kings. In the end, Jesus comes down to accept our worship and dwell with us forever (21:1–4). If all art forms are brought to Jesus at his second coming, then what is stopping Jesus’ followers from worshiping him through every art form now?

A common assumption is that “Christian art” explicitly communicates doctrine or maybe depicts a famous saint, while “secular art” illuminates everything else. But this separation is foreign to the Scriptures. Any art that flows from Jesus’ worldview furthers heaven’s culture on earth.

Heaven’s culture is everywhere. If you are paying attention, you can see it. You can hear it. You can smell it. It tells the truth about pain. It points to God’s healing kingdom, which is already invading earth through his Spirit-filled family. It invites everyone, everywhere to add their creative voice to the hopeful refrain. Since the whole “earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:9), for the Christian artist, nothing is off limits, and anything is possible.

Taken from the NIV Upside-Down Kingdom Bible.