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A New Heaven and Earth

If you go to the movies often, you will notice that Hollywood sometimes “relaunches” different movie franchises or adds sequels in order to extend story lines or cash in on viewer interest. We saw that most recently with Star Trek and Spiderman as well as many Marvel superhero series. In theory, the relaunches are supposed to be better than the original. Some are successful, but many fail to capture or recapture the original excitement.

As Christians, we say we are going to die and go to heaven, or be raptured into heaven, and then we will be there with the Lord forever. Actually that is not theologically correct. It is partially true, but in the grand scheme of things, incorrect. The truth is, one day we are going to heaven, but there is a second half to this truth… God is going to restore this planet, and eventually heaven will come to earth.

In Revelation 21:1-5, we have a bold proclamation. John writes: “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.””

From this passage, we learn so much of what eternity with God will really be like. We see that the new Earth will not be a sequel; it will be a remake. God says, “Behold I make all things new.” He goes on to say that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more terminal diseases, hospitals, wheelchairs, funerals, suffering, separations, accidents, courts, prisons, divorces, breakdowns, breakups, suicide, rape, missing children, drug problems, heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, famine, or disasters!

I have often imagined what heaven will be like. I imagine what it will be like to be together with the saints. Just imagine it. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Elijah. Sarah. Ruth. Mary. David. Noah. Jonah. Peter, James, and John. They are all there. Hudson Taylor, William Wilberforce, C. H. Spurgeon, D. L. Moody, and C. S. Lewis. They will all be there too. Best of all your loved ones who knew the Lord and have gone before you will be there, and we will all be together for eternity.

The most important truth of heaven is we will be with the Lord. We all have questions we want to ask God. We often say, “One day, when I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God…” That day will come. You want to ask the Lord something? Go ask Him. There He is. And He has time for you.

We often forget that God is in the business of restoration. He is going to restore this planet. He is going to restore relationships. And He is going to restore our bodies. When God brings heaven to earth, it will be a fulfillment of that part of the Lord’s Prayer where we say to the Father, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

One of the things we are used to doing is referring to heaven as “the afterlife.” We would be thinking more accurately and more biblically if we understood the “afterlife” began the moment we put our hope and trust in Christ. Jesus said in John 3:36 said, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” Did you catch that? “Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life.” It isn’t something we look forward to, rather it is something we experience today!

Paul tells us that we are now “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That means we need to see our lives before Christ as the “before life.” Why? Because eternal life, or the “afterlife” is the main event – it is our present reality. When we see life in that light, it gives us a new perspective that will help you in times of trial, help you to live a godly life, and help motivate you to share the hope of heaven with others.

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