the Kingdom

Our Eternal Home in the Presence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

In this final post of the Signs of the End Times series, we will look at what the Scriptures have to say about our eternal home in the presence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

However. first let’s recap the previous posts in this series.

What Happens at The Close of Christ’s Millennial Reign?

There are a few housekeeping items that need to take place before we move into our forever homes throughout eternity. First, Satan will be released one last time. Next on the agenda, will be the Great White Throne Judgment. Third, our heavens and the earth we currently live on will be destroyed. Then, God will create a new heaven and earth. Finally, The heavenly city of God, the New Jerusalem will come down to earth where God will dwell among us forevermore.

Satan Is Released for a Short Time

At the end of end of the Millennium God’s Word states:

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:7-10).

You may be asking yourself why God would release Satan to again entice people to fight against Jesus Christ. Does Satan really think he can accomplish what he failed to do during the battle of Armageddon?

Moreover, what is up with those who rebel against Jesus and go into battle with Satan? After all, they lived in near perfect conditions! We see according to scripture that many will respond to Satan’s deception and choose his selfish, rebellious ways and form a sizable army.

God Loves Us Enough to Give Us Free Will to Make Choices

Our heavenly Father gives everyone the choice to accept or deny Jesus Christ. Because humans are born with a fallen nature many will still be rebellious throughout the millennium against Jesus Christ. Yes, even without the deceitfulness of Satan.

I heard a joke one time about Satan sitting on the steps of a church building crying his eyes out. When asked why he was crying his response was,” those Christians give me too much credit for what happens in their lives. They blame me for everything!”

Poor Satan… NOT! However, there is much we blame him for when it is nothing more than our own disobedience to God’s Word that creates many problems in our lives.

Scripture does not give us a length of time for this rebellion when Satan is set free. However, we do see that this revolt is dealt with quickly.

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:9).

Then, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever “ (Revelation 20:10).

The Resurrection and Judgment of The Unbelieving Dead

“But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:5).

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).

At the end of the millennial reign of Christ all men that rejected God through the ages will be resurrected for the final Great White Throne Judgment. Those whose names are not in the Lamb’s book will be judged by their own actions throughout life.

In that fiery lake, they will experience ceaseless physical anguish. Furthermore, they also will suffer deprivation of mental and spiritual relief. Consider the story of the death of Lazarus and the rich man as told by Jesus in the book of Luke, chapter 16, verses 19-31.

Lazarus and the Rich Man

“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.“ [Emphasis mine]

Jesus Himself spoke of this dire, eternal doom awaiting rebels, a place “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-48; Isaiah 66:24).

Why a New Heaven and Earth?

Scripture states that God will create a new heaven and earth after the thousand-year reign of Christ. God made the earth to be the permanent home for mankind. However, once Adam and Eve sinned against God, the earth and all creation were cursed.

“Then to Adam, He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil, you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field” (Genesis 3:17-18).

The Bible also states in the book of Psalms that this cursed earth along with the present heavens will one day perish.

“They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak, You will change them,
And they will be changed” (Psalm 102:26).

“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:19-22).

The Old Heavens and Earth are Dissolved by Fire

According to 2 Peter 3:7:

“And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment when ungodly people will be destroyed.”

Then Peter goes on to tell us:

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness” (2 Peter 3:10-13).

The New Heavens and Earth

“In the beginning, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing, you will change them and they will be discarded.” (Psalm 102:25-26)

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies.
But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.  (Isaiah 51:6)

“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord,
“so will your name and descendants endure.” (Isaiah 66:22-23)

The New Heavens and Earth are a Promise of God

  • “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17).
  • “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord…” (Isaiah 66:22).

The Bible Speaks of Three Heavens

The new heavens and earth are different from the period of the Millennium. They will replace the old, cursed creation. Do you realize that the Bible speaks of three heavens? When the term “heaven” is not used symbolically in Scripture, it usually refers to one of three realms.

  • The first heaven is the atmosphere around the earth.
  • The second heaven is the sun moon and stars.
  • The third heaven is the realm of God.

However, all three of them will not pass away. Scripture makes it clear that sin entered only the first and second heaven, not the realm of God. God’s realm was untouched by sin and remains perfect. The physical universe, however, has to be destroyed. Therefore, it is the first and second heaven that will be changed.

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1).

Randy Alcorn explains: People usually think of “Heaven” as the place Christians go when they die. A better definition explains that Heaven is God’s central dwelling place, the location of his throne from where he rules the universe. The exact location of the present Heaven is unknown, but we’re told the future Heaven will be located on the New Earth, where God will come down to live with his people (Revelation 21:3). The present Heaven is a place of transition between believers’ past lives on Earth and future resurrection lives on the New Earth.

Heaven Comes Down to the New Earth

The Redeemed are going to dwell forever in new bodies on a new earth in a New Jerusalem in the presence of Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ. What we think of as Heaven will be relocated to the new earth!

“For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:16).

All Things are Made New

Revelation 21:2-4: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God, Himself will be with them and be their God.” 

The New Jerusalem is likened to a bride because the people are forever united to God and to the Lamb. We are the bride of Christ. This city takes on the character of its inhabitants. It is a city with virgin beauty, virgin virtue, and an intimate relationship with the living God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:5: “Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

John MacArthur points out that the word used for “new” is kainos, which means “new in quality.” It is “fresh.” It is “different.” The quality of it is completely different from the heavens and earth we now know.

Living Throughout Eternity

Jesus made a wonderful promise to all of those who believe in Him. He said:

“In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).

Repeatedly in the New Testament we are told as believers we are citizens of heaven, and we are waiting to get to heaven where our Father and Savior is. Where once again we will be united with our loved ones who have gone before us. This is what we have been longing for. Moreover, this is where our treasure is, and where our inheritance dwells.

Like a person traveling to a foreign country wanting to know where they’re going to live when they get there, we excite ourselves when we begin to see some of the details about the place we’re going to spend eternity. Therefore, God knowing our sense of anticipation, has given us a glimpse of heaven within Scripture.

How Would a Person Describe the New Heavens and New Earth?

There is more information in the Scriptures concerning Christ’s Millennial reign than His reign throughout eternity. But there are references that reveal what we can expect. Especially when it comes to The Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem. However, ligonier.org puts it this way:

“To describe the coming cosmos negatively, we can say that miseries that now cause such damage and distress will be gone: no mourning, pain, death—no remnant of the curse will remain (Rev. 21:4; 22:3). It is more challenging to portray positively what a world purged of wickedness and woe will be. Prophets and Apostles strain language to its limits to offer glimpses of glorious realities beyond our experience.

We can say that Jesus’ resurrection is the first-fruits of the consummated new creation, so His glorious risen body foreshadows the resurrection awaiting His people (1 Cor. 15:20- 22; Phil. 3:21). After He arose, He could eat and be touched (Luke 24:39-43), so the materiality of His body leads us to expect that the landscape painted in the book of Revelation—the tree of life’s curative leaves and ceaseless fruitfulness, for instance (Rev. 22:1-5)—is not wholly symbolic. At least we can say that our ultimate home is not ethereal and immaterial, but a robust reaffirmation of the Creator’s original design, for He pronounced the first heaven and earth “very good” (Gen. 1:31).”

Jerusalem, The Capital City of Heaven

The most detailed information which the Scriptures give about our eternal home pertains to the New Jerusalem. However, the information contained in Revelation 21 is not the first reference in the Bible to the New Jerusalem. We see It is mentioned in Hebrews 11:10 as a city “whose architect and builder is God.” Jesus made a reference to it that is recorded in John 14:1-4. He called it His “Father’s house,” and He said He would prepare a place in it for His Church.

Furthermore, this could be where God relocates His followers at the end of the Millennium while He creates the new heavens and earth where His city will be relocated.

However, before we examine the City of God in detail, lets look at a few questions concerning the occupants of this awesome city.

Who Will Live in The Eternal City of Jerusalem?

Scriptures reveal:

  • “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Revelation 21:7). 
  • “His servants shall serve Him” (Revelation 22:3). 
  • There will be those “who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw” (Revelation 1:2).
  • “those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands” (Revelation 20:4).
  • “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).
  • “All those whose names were written in the Book of Life. “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15; 21:27).

Who Will Not Live in The Eternal City of Jerusalem?

The Scriptures are very explicit in this matter.

  • “But as for the cowards and unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8 AMP).
  • “Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating)” (Revelation 22:15 AMP).
  • “Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21 AMP).

What Else Will We Not See in The Eternal City of Jerusalem?

In addition to not encountering anyone that was described in the last section we also will not see per Revelation 21:4:

  • Tears
  • Death
  • Sorrow
  • Crying
  • Pain

Those negative things which make up life here will be utterly absent. Again, John MacArthur states: There will be nothing:

  • Unfulfilling
  • Lacking
  • Wrong
  • Limiting
  • Nor to Cry About, no tears of:
    • Misfortune
    • Poverty
    • Loneliness
    • Tears Over Lost Love
    • Sympathy
    • Pity
    • Tears of Persecuted Innocence
    • Remorse
    • Regret
    • Penitence
    • Tears of Neglect
    • Tears of yearning for what cannot be.

They are all gone forever!

What Will We Do Throughout Eternity?

  • “…For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship Him” (Revelation 22:3).
  • “…And they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

READ RANDY ALCORN’S ARTICLE ON THIS SUBJECT: Our Best Life Yet to Come: The New Earth, Our Eternal Home …

Heaven’s Jerusalem Relocated to the Newly Created Earth

New Jerusalem using the present city of Jerusalem as the center point.

Area covered by New Jerusalem using the present city of Jerusalem as the center point.

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone-like jasper as clear as crystal.” (Revelation 21:9-11).

This is a city created out of precious jewels and in the center is the glory of God, blazing out through all the refractions of those jewels and scattering light throughout the entire new heaven and new earth. This is our Father God revealed as light.

 In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  And 1 John 1:5 states: “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

Further Descriptions of New Jerusalem

“The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:12-14).

If you had any doubt about God’s relationship with Israel, it can be laid to rest. God keeps His Word for all eternity. God has a unique covenant relationship with Israel. Therefore, He had the twelve tribes of Israel written on the gates of this city.

Moreover, the foundation stones depict the relationship God has with the believers in Christ as represented by the apostle’s names being written on the foundation stones.

The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width, and height were each 1,400 miles. 17 Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick…” (Revelation 21:12-17).

Note: Some versions state 1,500 miles such as the NASV: “The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.“

Whichever, IT IS A HUGE CITY!

This is Not Your Average Brick and Mortar City

(Revelation 21:18-21) “The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was…”

1. Jasper2. Sapphire3. Chalcedony
4. Emerald5. Sardonyx6. Sardius
7.Chrysolite8. Beryl9. Topaz
10. Chrysoprase11. Jacinth12. Amethyst 

These are the same stones that were on the breastplate of the High Priest in Israel.

New Jerusalem stones

“The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:18-21).

In an paper titled “The New Jerusalem (An Engineering Feasibility Study)” by Michael R. Daily in November 2005 he states the following:

The city is described as pure gold, like transparent glass. Have you ever seen gold that is transparent glass? We have seen pure gold and we have also seen transparent glass that is gold but, except for John, we have not seen gold that is transparent glass.

Mr. Daily goes on to say that we have seen transparent glass that is gold…

Dr. Henry Morris: The Institute for Creation Research

Charles Ryrie in his Everyman’s Bible Commentary stated: Dr. Henry Morris, founder of The Institute for Creation Research made some interesting calculations concerning the New Jerusalem: Henry Morris… estimates that the total population of the world, past, present, and future, will be about one hundred billion. If 20 percent ultimately become residents of the New Jerusalem, then the city will have to accommodate twenty billion people.

If residences occupy 25 percent of the space in the city (leaving 75 percent for avenues, parks, public buildings, and other areas), then each residence, or cubical block, would be about one-third of a mile on each face of the cube. Compare one-third of a mile, or 1,760 feet, to the width and depth of lots (which might range anywhere from 60 to 250 feet) on which homes are typically built today. Obviously, there will be more than ample room for all who will live in New Jerusalem.

A Layman’s Perspective of The New Jerusalem

The new city of Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven would look something like a moon landing on the New Earth. The New Jerusalem is sure to be the Capital City of the New Earth, if not the Holy Galactic Headquarters of the Universe as well, since it will probably be more than large enough.

Visualize, by my laymanic calculations, size wise, a cube about 1,500 miles per edge length, depth and height, this New Jerusalem would be too large to fit inside of the moon.

Its eight corners would each be poking of the moon’s surface as eight three-sided pyramids, each about 100 miles high! If the foundation of New Jerusalem is 1,500 miles square, then the area of its base is 2.25 million square miles, which would take up roughly 72% of the continental United States surface area of 3.12 million square miles.

At the Earth’s current size, weight, and gravity, New Jerusalem at 1,500 miles high and being made of Gold, precious stones, and everything in between, the current earth’s crust would be crushed hundreds of miles into the ground, possibly rupturing the earth’s crust and mantle in time, and the poor Old Earth would just get all bent out of shape!

Living Space

Size wise, the living surface area of New Jerusalem using only the six inside surfaces of the 1,500-mile cube would be 13.5 million square miles, or almost 23% of the size of current earth’s land mass area of about 59 million square miles, which could become a little crowded.

Current earth population is roughly 7.7 Billion people spread over 59 million square miles (not all inhabitable) which equates to about 130.5 people per square mile. Now if God were to design New Jerusalem with floors or some other layered structure, as we do in our tall buildings, then there would be much more usable surface area which would tremendously increase the number of inhabitants.

For example, if He were to have 1,500 floors or layers, with each floor then having a ceiling height of about one mile, the total usable floor surface area would be about 3.375 billion square miles, equivalent to the land mass of 57 earths; and with God as the architect and builder, all the surface area would be inhabitable.

Earth’s current 7.7 Billion people would then equate to just over two people per square mile. If we wanted to continue this scenario and have God create metropolitan areas in New Jerusalem with only a quarter mile ceiling height, etc., we could have even more inhabitants still. We could go on and on, but you get the picture…

Note: I must confess. When I came upon this article it boggled my mind how this author related the size to the moon. Now when I look at the moon I will once again be amazed at our heavenly Father’s love for us.

Unfortunately, I always save the site address where I get my information to give credit where it’s due, but I have searched high and low and can not find anything in my notes. Nor by doing another web search. I wanted to link the complete article with you. If by chance you come across this somewhere else please let me know so I can update this post with his information. Until then I will keep looking… (ugh) Movin on…

No Manmade Temple in the New Jerusalem

“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:22-23).

“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord, your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory” (Isaiah 60:19).

What a sight to behold. A massive city made out of various jewels and precious stones that reflect and radiate the Glory of God. What a laser light show that the whole universe will experience!

No Man Can See God and Live

In our present bodies we cannot look at God and live because of our impurities.

“The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. 20 But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22 As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen” (Exodus 33:19-23).

“No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18).

“He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will…” (1 Timothy 6:16).

But One Day Soon…

We have the promises of God that we will see Him! The day will come when we will be pure and we will see God. However, for the time being, all we can see is a veiled glimpse.

“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8)

“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

“And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:4).

I don’t know about you but I long to see God. Nevertheless, in this life, we will not see Him, with the naked eye. However, for now, we see Him with the mind and the heart. Moreover, we see Him in history, in circumstances, through creation, and through revelation. However soon and very soon the day is coming when we’ll see Him face to face. 

We Shall See Him Face to Face

Ezekiel tells us: “On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity” (Ezekiel 1:1-2 NLT). 

This made such an impact on Ezekiel that he could tell you the exact time and place! How does he describe God in this vision?

“Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. 27 From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. 28 All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground…” (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

John’s Description of the Lord

“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead” (Revelation 1:12-17).

John Calvin wrote, “Our glory will not be so perfect as to be able to comprehend the Lord in His absolute godhead. Even at the last, there will remain an impassable distance between Himself and us.”

And yet this is more than we could ever imagine. We will see God face to face. We will literally be engulfed in the glorious light of His presence. How awesome that will be!

No More Night

“The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. 25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there” (Revelation 21:24-25).

The River of Life

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. 3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5).

Jesus Testifies to the Churches

“And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts” (Revelation 22:6).

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22:12).

The Hope of Heaven is Eternity With Our Savior

Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that God has set eternity in the hearts of men. It is God Himself that has put a longing in the heart of man for eternal life. The anticipation of a future life throughout eternity is very important. The anticipation of heaven is the only reality that can make life here and now have any lasting meaning. Especially now more than ever before. Therefore, the hope of the believer is in an inheritance that will not fade away.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:23).

We will experience an intimacy with the Lord that transcends anything possible in this life. We were created for fellowship with God and that purpose will reach its zenith in the eternal state as we live in God’s presence.

Where Will Your Eternal Home be Located?

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