Revelation 21:2 - Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Last Thursday I spent a day at Old World Wisconsin with a group from church. This is an outdoor museum of rural life just outside Milwaukee's city limits. We marveled at the simplicity of the lives back then, in one respect--their houses, barns, tools, etc., were basic. As simple as that was we realized that their lives were not, but comprised of hard work from sun up till sun down just to maintain what they had and eke out a living.
At one location a friend of mine and I got caught up in thinking about what the world will be like someday and we happened to mention it to Pastor Cliff who was with us at that moment. He quoted the Bible saying it would be a new heaven and new earth. So we mulled it over. We don't know all the details of what it will be like, whether we will have trees, grass, flowers or all the critters we now have. He said it's just one of those mysteries of God. I know we're in agreement that no matter what it will be like we will be happy, and hopefully it will be a simpler life, although we will not be just sitting on clouds playing harps like we've often heard!
With this end of an age, however, we see what lies in store and it's glorious! It all comes together as God's great plan, which He knew before the beginning of time.
Heaven is described as paradise. The first New Testament description of Heaven states it is where God's throne is. There will be no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. The city will have no need of sun or moon to shine on it because the glory of God will give it light, and its lamp will be Jesus, the Lamb. Jesus is the Light of the World.
I'm convinced words cannot do justice to what it will be like in Heaven. Our human minds and imaginations just cannot comprehend what God has in store for us. Isn't this the life we'd all like to have, even today? We can be assured of this life if we allow Jesus into our lives. Let Him do the work of transforming us into the men and women of God that He desires. Without a relationship with the Lord this lifestyle I described cannot be attained. It's not about a religion or creed but about relationship. No other gods will be worshipped in Heaven because there is only one true God. This may sound narrow minded, but then the Bible tells us the way of Jesus is the narrow Gate.
Friday I talked about the inevitability that there will be an end of the world as we know it today. What a way to end a week! It's a somber thought, but one which believers can also be excited. This does not mean the world will end, but it will be the end of an age. Yes, difficult days will come. We don't know for a fact that we ourselves will see the soon coming of the Lord but we know it will happen because "the Bible tells us so." However, there is much happening today that gives us insight into the words the Bible speaks of last days' events.
Last Thursday I spent a day at Old World Wisconsin with a group from church. This is an outdoor museum of rural life just outside Milwaukee's city limits. We marveled at the simplicity of the lives back then, in one respect--their houses, barns, tools, etc., were basic. As simple as that was we realized that their lives were not, but comprised of hard work from sun up till sun down just to maintain what they had and eke out a living.
At one location a friend of mine and I got caught up in thinking about what the world will be like someday and we happened to mention it to Pastor Cliff who was with us at that moment. He quoted the Bible saying it would be a new heaven and new earth. So we mulled it over. We don't know all the details of what it will be like, whether we will have trees, grass, flowers or all the critters we now have. He said it's just one of those mysteries of God. I know we're in agreement that no matter what it will be like we will be happy, and hopefully it will be a simpler life, although we will not be just sitting on clouds playing harps like we've often heard!
With this end of an age, however, we see what lies in store and it's glorious! It all comes together as God's great plan, which He knew before the beginning of time.
Heaven is described as paradise. The first New Testament description of Heaven states it is where God's throne is. There will be no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. The city will have no need of sun or moon to shine on it because the glory of God will give it light, and its lamp will be Jesus, the Lamb. Jesus is the Light of the World.
This city, the (new) Jerusalem, will be on a great and high mountain. A description of the city shows us it will be 1,500 square miles, a little more than half the size of the United States. It will be made of pure gold, like clear glass, as are the streets. There will be twelve foundations each bearing one of the twelve apostles' names. They will be decorated with twelve precious stones which will reflect the light of the glory of God. The walls will be 1,500 feet high and made of jasper. There will be twelve gates of one great pearl, each one bearing the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. An angel will stand at each one. They will be open continuously during the day. Nothing evil, detested or cursed will come into the city.
We are told there are many rooms within the Father's house and there is one for each believer. I have read that when we see the rooms we will know immediately it is ours! We will be in constant worship of God, which is hard to imagine. I'm sure it will be easy to do since He will be there among us and it will be what we desire to do. Only the righteous will live there, those written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
There will be a pure river of water of life that will come out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Jesus is our Living Water. On either side will be the tree of life bearing twelve fruits which will produce fruit continually. The leaves of these trees will provide healing. All the people will serve God and even, at last, see His face. We will walk with Him as Adam and Eve did in Eden. We will commune with Him. All days will revert back to the way it was in the beginning before the fall of man.
The best part, however, is that God will dwell with us and He will wipe away all our tears, remove all death, sorrow and pain. All will be new.
The best part, however, is that God will dwell with us and He will wipe away all our tears, remove all death, sorrow and pain. All will be new.
(Luke 23:43, John 14:2, Matthew 5:34, Hebrews 8:2, 2Peter 3:13, Revelation 7:15-17, 21:3-4, 10-14, 16-23, 22-23 and 22:1-5)
1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
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