The reliability of prediction

Revelation 21:2  "I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband."

Chapter 21 of Revelation is John's description of seeing the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven.  He hears God's voice announcing His arrival to live among His people.  An angel shows John the intricate details of the city's wall, the precious stones it was constructed from, the street of pure gold.  The description goes on to say that the New Jerusalem has no temple and the sun is gone.  Neither are needed because God will live among His children and there will be no night. 

I have to admit I read all of this with a certain detachment.  Although all of this sounds wonderful beyond words, it is difficult to comprehend.  It is the difference between reading what has been deemed as history versus reading predictions of the future.  We accept history as fact, but we classify predictions as opinion.  Opinion doesn't carry the same weight with us as facts. 

But in this case, history and prediction have one common thread- they are both God's Holy Word.  The same sense of truth and reliability I feel when reading God's Word about events that have already occurred should be the same sense I feel in reading about what is to come.  The Author is the same, and His nature and character are the same.  Words that come from His mouth are trustworthy and true, whether they describe things that have already happened or are yet to occur. 

Although the descriptions in Revelation will probably always be difficult to wrap my mind around, the feelings of reliability, inevitability and factual integrity should be the same as I feel when reading of Jesus' birth or death on the cross.