Creator, Father, King #362

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.

WHAT WILL HEAVEN BE like?

It’s a question that intrigues us, sells books, generates movies, and sparks debate. With great fascination, we read the apostle Paul’s account in 2 Corinthians 12:4 when he “was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.”

As Christians, we realize that this world is not our home. We yearn to know what our eternal dwelling place will be. Yet there is great mystery surrounding it. But God has given us clues. He has told us just enough to make our hearts dance with anticipation!

Let’s discuss this fascinating topic.

What’s It Mean?

First, we must dispel a few false ideas about heaven:

• We will not get bored after we’ve been there awhile. If you think that, you think too lowly of God’s holiness and his eternal plans for us!
• We will not be little winged cherubs floating around the clouds strumming harps all day. (Now that would get boring!)

Those ideas are found nowhere in the Bible. But here are some glorious truths about heaven:

• The place believers go now when they die (sometimes called “paradise” or the “intermediate state”) is different from our final eternal dwelling. Their soul immediately goes to be with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8). Then when Christ returns, they will receive a perfect, imperishable resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).
• Our eternal dwelling place will be the new heaven and new earth (today’s verse). God’s plan is not to annihilate the current universe, but to purify it from sin’s curse and renew it (Romans 8:19-22; 2 Peter 3:10-13).
• There will be no more sin, sorrow, or death in the new creation (Revelation 21:4).
• We will reign over God’s renewed creation, delighting in its perfect goodness (Revelation 22:5).
• Best of all, God will dwell once more among his people, allowing us to see him face-to-face and worship him perfectly, as we were originally created to do (Revelation 22:3-4).

If heaven were an ocean, we have just examined a few drops of water. The amount of spiritual riches and blessings that await us is unfathomable!

Now What?

Don’t try to fill any voids of information about heaven with conjecture. Instead, search God’s Word for answers, be content with divine mystery, and joyfully await the Savior’s return!

Did You Know?

There will be no sun in the new creation. God’s glory will fully illuminate it (Revelation 22:5)!