13. HEAVEN AND ETERNAL LIFE
In the last two chapters of the Bible, God pulls back the curtain and gives us a glimpse of heaven. What an incredible scene we see! The description of our future home is rich with details, and yet this is just a tiny preview of what’s to come. Mere words are inadequate to describe what God had prepared for us in eternity.
1. According to Revelation 21:3, in heaven, we will dwell with God. The word translated “tabernacle” means place of abode. This is God’s house, the place where He lives (cf. Leviticus 26:11, 12; Deuteronomy 12:5).
2. According to Revelation 21:4, the former things that will have passed will be death, sorrow, crying, and pain. Since there will never be a tear in heaven, nothing will be sad, disappointing, deficient, or wrong (cf. Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1Corinthians 15:54–57).
3. The extent of our inheritance in Revelation 21:7 is “all things.” M-Text reads “overcomes, I shall give him these things.” The spiritual inheritance all believers will receive (1Peter 1:4; cf. Matthew 25:23) is the fullness of the new creation (Cf. Romans 8:16, 17).
4. According to Revelation 21:18, the material of the New Jerusalem’s thick wall will be transparent as crystalline jasper. The term actually refers to a completely clear diamond, a perfect gem with the brilliant light of God’s glory shining out of it and streaming over the new heaven and the new earth (cf. Revelation 4:3). The vast city itself (v. 16), especially the streets (v. 21), are also like clear glass, even though they are made of pure gold. Unlike earth’s gold, this gold will be transparent so the overpowering radiance of God’s glory can refract and glisten through the entire city. The overall effect is that of an incredibly beautiful and transparent city, symbolizing never-ending glory and purity.
5. Revelation 21: and 23 tell us that “the glory (M-Text reads the very glory) of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” The glory of God which illuminates all heaven defines it as His temple. There is no need for a temple in the eternal state since God Himself will be the temple in which everything exists. The presence of God literally fills the entire new heaven and new earth (cf. v. 3). Going to heaven will be entering the limitless presence of the Lord (cf. John 14:3; 1Thessalonians 4:17).
6. According to Revelation 21:27, “there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes (NU-Text and M-Text read anything profane, nor one who causes) an abomination or a lie.” Only believers, whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, are allowed by God to enter the New Jerusalem. The “Lamb’s Book of Life” is a divine journal that records the names of all those whom God has chosen to save and who, therefore, are to possess eternal life (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19; cf. Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20).
7. According to Revelation 22:2, we will once again have access to the “tree of life.” The Tree of Life is a symbol of both eternal life and continual blessing (Genesis 2:9). The tree bears 12 fruits, one for each month, and is symbolic of the abundant variety in heaven. The English word “therapeutic” comes from the Greek word translated “healing.” The leaves somehow enrich heavenly life, making it full and satisfying. This implies that a new, better, and everlasting Eden has come.
8. According to Revelation 22:3, our occupation will be to serve God. The Lord will again be with His servants (bond-servants, slaves) eternally. In turn, His servants will worshipfully serve Him (Romans 12:1).
9. Revelation 22:5 states that we shall reign alongside God “forever and ever.” We will share the privilege and authority that Christ enjoys as we reign with Him (Revelation 1:6; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:29, 30).
10. What do you forward to most about heaven? How can you allow that to positively impact the way you are living today on Earth? I look forward to seeing Jesus face to face, the One who died for me, so that I could have everlasting life. I will allow this to be a positive influence on me to share the Gospel of Christ with others, pointing them to the way of salvation.
All Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.
©2013 Kenute Curry. All rights reserved.
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