God used death to give me a longing for eternity. First when my father died, and then it escalated when Nicholas died. Initially, I just wanted to see my daddy and Nicholas again. When I get there, I imagine Nicholas saying, “oh hi mom” like he has only been there about 15 minutes. But then as I gained understanding of what heaven was like, I looked forward to going to heaven as part of God’s plan for my life. I only want to be on this earth as long as God wills it. As soon as He finishes His work for me here, I am ready to go Home at any time. And not only to be reunited with loved ones, but also to fulfil the perfect design God started in the Garden of Eden for His children and creation.
I am convinced when Christ returns to set up His Kingdom, it will look much like the Garden of Eden. God’s design is perfect. When He created the world and everything in it, He proclaimed it was good. Sin entered the world and broke everything. This put a chasm between us and a holy God who can have nothing to do with sin. But God in His great love, made a way back to Himself by sending His Son to pay the price for my sin. So, when God looks at me as His child, He sees the Righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to my account.
Once I was saved, God has used the joys and sorrows of this life to make me more and more like Christ. This is called sanctification and continues in the life of the believer until they die or Christ Returns. I have already shared with you Erwin Lutzer’s book, One Minute After You Die, to encourage you to know what happens to a believer the moment they die. But would you like to know the rest of the story? What happens after that? What happens when Christ returns to set up His New Kingdom?
If you want to know with confidence that what comes next for God’s children is an exciting adventure where we use our gifts and abilities to bring Him glory in a physical place that Jesus is preparing, then I encourage you to read on.
An impoverished view of Heaven
Revelation 13:6 says Satan slanders God’s person, people, and place because he was evicted from heaven and wants us to believe lies about the home we are entitled to but he was kicked out of. The reason we have an impoverished view of heaven is because Satan convinces us it is a boring, unearthly existence that we won’t enjoy or even recognize; but the truth is, heaven is not beyond what we can envision if our imagination is biblically inspired. Satan delights in keeping us from enjoying the life God planned for us. It is important to be aware of his devices. One major scheme of the enemy is to twist God’s Word. This may lead us to not handle scripture accurately.
Randy Alcorn uses his book Heaven to teach what the Bible says on the subject. This is an incredible and complete resource. I highly recommend it.
A glimpse of Heaven
God uses water and fire to judge, but also to purify and make the earth ready to be reinhabited. His original plan was not a failure. God brings to perfection what He started in the Garden of Eden. He promises His children a forever, physical Home with all of the beauty and none of the ugliness that sin and death created. It’s a place of love and hospitality filled with the familiarity of the things and people we cherish. Enjoying our favorite music, reading a good book, walking in the park, riding bikes, inviting friends over to barbecue, and savoring a cup of coffee as the sun rises are all things we enjoy because we are human, not because we are sinners. These are but a glimpse of the greater life to come.
The already, not yet life
Alcorn describes our present life in terms of the already and not yet. Christ already defeated death with His own death and resurrection, assuring the resurrection of man and the Earth. This loosened the grip Satan has on the Earth currently; but it is not until Satan is cast into the lake of fire, that he will be unable to rule, influence, or touch the Earth again. Christ has already defeated Satan, but the full scope of the victory has not yet been manifested on Earth. Ephesians 1 says God placed all things under His feet and appointed Christ to be head over everything. He is the Sovereign Ruler, and yet, it is only when Christ returns that Satan will be bound. There will be a war and Christ and His Bride will be victorious.
Glory days are coming
I do not imagine this battle taking very long for the King of Kings. What is gloriously fascinating is we are at least along for the ride, if not engaged in fighting as well. Ponder for a moment what it means that death is conquered. Death does not have the final say. Who are we to grieve without hope? We know the truth and it is a blessing. The days seem long as we tarry here, but they are but a vapor in comparison to what awaits. Our eternal life seems to begin when we become saved, but God had our days planned out beforehand. Death doesn’t win. I preach to myself this sermon of the Blessed Hope often. And it encourages me to view today in light of what I know to be true. Glory days are coming!
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18-21 ESV
