Rapture? Millennium? New Earth? What Will Life Be Like?
Recently it’s occurred to me that we spend a lot of time learning about how to live an effective Christian life now… but we pay little attention to what life will be like once this life on earth is through.
So much of our walk with the Lord is built on hope! The hope of heaven, the hope of our inheritance, the hope of living in Christ’s presence. But we spend little time learning about what it is that we are specifically hoping for. That’s concerning. How can our sons and daughters live in the expectation and hope of eternity with God when we spend so little time teaching about it?
We talk about the millennium, but we have little understanding of what we will do. What will our purpose be?
We understand that God will make a new heaven and a new earth and we will live eternally with Him as our Sovereign Lord and King. Yet, if you ask any believer, I guarantee, there would be more questions than answers and most only have a vague idea, at best, of what our life will be like at that point.
It’s no wonder we hear young people say “I do want the Lord to return, but I want Him to wait until… (insert marriage, children, career, travel, etc.) Our sons and daughters lack the longing for being present with Christ because they don’t have a clear picture of HOW it will be better than what they know right now. They’re only told it will be.
If I’m honest, when I was young, I didn’t know much about life beyond that which I knew and experienced to that point. When I thought of heaven, I pictured masses of people, wearing white, standing around in a nondescript cavernous space, singing hymns to the Lord. I mean, don’t get me wrong, who doesn't love a good hymn sing? But for eternity? It just didn’t hold the massive appeal that my parents and older believers said it should. And no one took the time to teach about it. Oh, there was teaching on the Tribulation, for sure, but when we got to Revelation 21 and 22, it was a quick fly-over with few references to the other places in Scripture that described God’s promises. For an extroverted, visual learner, it was a colorless, bland outlook. I struggled with guilt because it was supposed to be what I longed for, yet I didn’t know much about it and it didn’t seem overly exciting.
As I lived my life, I found joy and pleasure in spending a day at the barn and riding a horse through the woods. I communed with the Lord in nature, enjoyed seeing, hearing, feeling all of the wonder of creation while riding and being one with a horse. There was something in that experience that I felt and couldn’t put into words. I enjoyed walking through the woods, exploring, listening to the sounds of the birds and talking to the Lord about my hopes, my burdens, and listening to Him. I loved spending time with friends, especially those who shared my values and convictions, those moments when iron sharpened iron and our friendships were deepened in conversations about the Lord. Could it be that God would give me experiences and pleasures like this in His presence? What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
What was it about eternity that I could really look forward to?
Why would God give us a lifetime of doing things we enjoy here, seeing beauty, knowing love, feeling joy and pain, heartache and bliss, only to have an eternity of monotony? He wouldn’t and He won’t!
Oh, dear friend, that’s not what He has planned at all!! This life is a foretaste!! It’s a shadow of what is to come!
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?!
If we have good things here, IMAGINE the good we will enjoy in His presence?! God gives us continual ‘hints’ of what we will enjoy…are we paying attention?
““For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness.”” Isaiah 65:17-18
Jesus said, “I will go to prepare a place for you.” Jn 12:2 When we invite someone to come and stay, we don’t just welcome them in the door and leave them standing in the entry. No, we bring them in, make them feel welcome, we give them a comfortable place to rest and we entertain them. We have a meal, conversation, and share our lives with them. Jesus is preparing a place for us, just for us! He’s getting ready to welcome us into His home- which will be our home, prepared just for us.
That heavenly banquet…
Will we enjoy food in Heaven? Absolutely!! Our Shepherd will dine with us in the most fabulous feast of perfect foods, delicacies from every culture and land- created by Him for our pleasure!
““I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;”” Mt 8:11
Imagine sitting with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob while we enjoy a banquet! Leaning over to ask the Apostle Paul a question, gathering around Jonah to hear what it was really like in the belly of the fish, listening to Daniel recount his hours in the lion’s den, hearing Jesus tell us that He loved us so much He willingly went to the cross to bear our sin- and He would again and again, but once was sufficient for all. Imagine walking hand in hand with Jesus in the fields and meadows of heaven, feeling that nail scar touching our own palm and knowing that if it had not been for His love for us, that scar would be our own and our destiny so different.
Worship is a way of life and will continue to be
But what about work and hobbies? Oh, I believe He will give us joy in working and creating things that bring glory to Him. You see, worship isn’t just going to church on Sunday and singing songs, praying, and learning. Worship is a way of life. Everything you do points to what you value. So if we value Christ, our lives will reflect that in the way we speak, work, play, and rest. It will be reflected in how we interact with others, how we celebrate joy and how we grieve and mourn loss. All of that will be heightened in the presence of Christ- imagine! He will wipe away every tear! Our daily lives will be a living model of worship to the Savior in all that we do, using our gifts, talents, skills, and in our deep fellowship with others who are doing the same!
Then there is His wondrous, glorious creation that awaits us! Imagine, if we enjoy being outdoors now, how much more amazing it will be in the New Earth where there is no corruption of sin, no thorns on roses, no sting in the scorpion or bite from the mosquito?! If nature holds us captive with beauty in a fallen world, how much more will it be in a perfect one?!
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9
Shalom, once again
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord!! Everything will be at ‘Shalom’ once again- in perfect harmony with God and in worship and celebration of Him. There will be no coup attempt from the enemy to overthrow the Lordship of Christ because the enemy will be banished forever. We won’t have competing values, or struggles with temptation. We will live as God intended, a return to Eden of sorts, where we will walk and talk with the Lord in the cool of the day and enjoy the work that He gives us in the perfection of His creation. The tree of life will once more be available to us and oh, the sweetness of that fruit! Life-giving, refreshing, and boundless! Ours to enjoy!
“I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).
“…On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month;” Rev 22:2
There is so much yet that we need to learn. And there is much we need to encourage our sons and daughters with, even today. Are they truly looking forward to eternity with Christ, or is it just what comes next? Do they have an excitement for life in a sinless world? Do they comprehend what God has in store? Let’s have these conversations! Do we know everything? Of course not, but imagine the joy of discovery as we learn together! It might offer a little taste of heaven that we can enjoy here!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters develop an eternal perspective of what is to come, the joy that is set before us when we step into Christ’s presence and the deep purpose and fulfillment that are promised for eternity in an uncorrupted world where God reigns unchallenged and forever.
“Oh, Father, You hold so much in store for us, yet we don’t understand it and we rarely seek to learn more about it. I pray that You would assure (name) that their eternal inheritance is so full of the very best of everything You create, all that You own, all that You can so generously provide that we will be overflowing with joy, gratitude and fullness in Your Presence. Give them tangible reminders of what You have in store. Assure them that they will have purpose. Remind them of the deep and refreshing fellowship they will enjoy with You and with other believers. Show them the wonders of Your creation here and remind them there is so much more they will see and experience. Open their eyes to see wonderful things in Your word (Ps. 119:18) that would affirm Your promises of what awaits us when we meet You face to face. Lord, we await Your return with anticipation, but please help us to learn and understand more of what we are awaiting! Our minds are so limited and this sinful world is all that we know. Holy Spirit, work in us to understand the things of God more clearly so that this world loses its charm and our hearts and minds long for the next. You are more than we can imagine and how amazing is that, because if we could, it would mean you are limited and small. Oh, great God and Father, thank You for being more than we can grasp and for giving us the promises of greater things! I pray that You would move and work in this generation. Turn their eyes to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
If you would like more resources on God’s promises and the hope of Heaven and life beyond the grave, I highly recommend Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven. You can also follow his ministry, Eternal Perspective Ministries. https://www.epm.org/
Pray without ceasing!
Are you praying for a prodigal?
Are you praying for a prodigal or know someone who is? Consider purchasing 40 Days of Prayer for the Prodigal. The book will walk you through heart preparation of confession, surrender and exaltation to the Lord. There are 40 days of prayer on specific topics, supported by Scripture, but you will enjoy a Sabbath refreshment every seventh day to keep your heart and mind focused on God. Don’t miss this solid resource to encourage your heart and empower your prayer life to more effective petition to the Lord.
Who is Jesus to Our Sons and Daughters?
Any parent who loves Jesus has a strong desire to see their sons and daughters do the same and follow after Him faithfully. We want to know that they don’t just have a head knowledge of Christ, but they’re pursuing a living, growing relationship with Him, one in which they talk to Him, listen to Him, read His Word, and desire to do His will.
But really, have we stopped to ask who Jesus is to them? Is He someone they know about or someone they know personally? Is He a figure in history or is He a prominent figure in their personal life? Are they compelled to follow, or do they sit idly by? Is their heart burdened to obey or are they pursuing other things?
We can’t require their allegiance to the Lord, especially if they are adults, we cannot manage their faith for them. They have to make that choice and commitment. They must choose to follow and walk in obedience. It’s between Him and them.
So today, and every day, we pray. We pray a lot.
The following are scriptures and prayer points to pray over our sons and daughters daily. Though the posts on this blog may change, the need for and importance of prayer on these points does not.
Pray fervently, regularly, and with hope. God isn’t done working!
Pray that they recognize the Truth and follow Jesus.
1 John 2:4 “If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”
Pray that they would value their relationship with Jesus more than anything and choose Him above anything else.
Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Pray that they would grow and mature in Christ.
Philippians 1:9-11 “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.”
Pray for their spiritual protection.
Psalm 91
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”Surely He will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Pray that their life, lived in obedience to Christ, would be an ever-speaking testimony of the gospel of salvation and the hope, joy, and peace of life in Christ
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 “ With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Do they know Christ?
Our prayer should be that they would truly and authentically know Him and follow after Him with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Do you know Christ? Do you have more than just a knowledge ‘of’ Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Or are you longing for peace, joy, and hope that all seem elusive? If this is your heart’s desire, you simply need to admit you’re a sinner and agree that Jesus’ death on the cross is the only way to receive forgiveness and eternal life. He is the One Savior who can redeem - there is nothing too damaging, too dirty, or too deep that He cannot forgive.
1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (unrighteousness).”
“Lord, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.”
“If you confess with your mouth and Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10
“Jesus, I believe You died on the cross for me. I believe You were buried and rose again to conquer death and all the power of darkness. Please forgive me for my sins. I surrender my heart and life to You. Be my Lord and Savior and help me to live for You, in Jesus’ name, Amen”
Satan’s big lie is that we can be ‘good enough’ and by convincing us of that, we lay Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross aside. We overlook His resurrection and that He conquered death …and we put ourselves in the place of God….the very lie that led Adam and Eve to eat the fruit in the garden, “You will be like God” Genesis 3:5
We have no ability to save ourselves. But Satan wants nothing more than for us to believe that we do…because if we believe that, then we are eternally condemned.
But Jesus!!
He died for our sins so we wouldn’t be condemned. He rose from the dead to conquer death and sin and hold authority over every power, dominion, principality and authority. He rules! He reigns! And we can be covered by his sacrifice and be their heirs to His eternal kingdom. Why wouldn’t you want that?!
I’m praying for each of you who read this. Jesus loves you dearly. He died for you. Will accept His gift of salvation; will you choose to surrender to His Lordship and live for Him?
If you made a decision for Christ today, I would love to hear it!!
Pray without ceasing!