READ THE FIG LEAVES

Signs of the Times

STUDY 10

TOPIC 48—SATAN RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON—the Bottomless Pit

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. REVELATION 20:7-8

Satan Released From His Prison—Leads Rebellion

God has no equal! In all confrontations with Satan when there have been contentions, it has been the angels of God that have contented with the devil. JUDE 1:9 & REVELATION 12:7-8 At Armageddon Jesus Christ destroys those armies with the Sword from His mouth—the Word of God; REVELATION 19:21 and in this last battle they will be consumed by fire that comes down from heaven. REVELATION 20:9 Although it is God who does the destruction, the contention is between Satan and God’s angels.

What happens at this release of Satan from his prison and this last rebellion has no other scripture witness that I could find. REVELATION 20:7-8 Further, it is puzzling to most commentators and to me that once again the devil would be allowed to do his work after all evil had been purged from heaven and earth; but this time God is going to destroy the heavens and the earth with fire. MATTHEW 24:35 & II PETER 3:10  “…all these things are thus to be dissolved…” II PETER 3:11 God is getting ready to create new heavens and a new earth where “…former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” ISAIAH 65:17 Only immortal beings will live on the new earth and in the new heavens—none will ever be evil.

Whatever the reason for releasing Satan from prison, it will once again show that mortal men even those under a righteous rule are still inherently “fallen.” When this rebellion is over then Satan and all evil will be totally destroyed—not just imprisoned! Those who are deceived will be consumed by fire from heaven. The devil will join the Antichrist and the false prophet in the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:10

The Final Gog and Magog War— The Last War

Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. PSALM 46:8-9

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, REVELATION 20:7-9

There will be those who are easily deceived who live on the restored earth at the end of the Millennium. These “nations that are deceived” will unite with Satan in rebellion against the saints of the Lamb. REVELATION 20:8-9 There is much controversy concerning the identity of Gog and Magog; but this second war of Gog and Magog involves the same participants as the first war of Gog and Magog. Gog and Magog are symbols of the forces of Satan that oppose God and His people. In this instance they are believed to be Israel’s enemies in the middle east and north Africa—Arab nations. And many believe it will also include Russia. [Gog and Magog are often interpreted as Russian names but Ezekiel chapter 38 verse two refers to Gog as a prince of the land of Magog.] In the first war they will self-destruct. EZEKIEL 38:21-22  In the second they will be consumed by fire from heaven. REVELATION 20:9

The second war of Gog and Magog will occur at the end of Christ’s Millennial Reign. REVELATION 20:7-8 Those who are deceived by Satan will be consumed by fire. REVELATION 20:9 Then Satan will be thrown in to the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:10 It is interesting that one war of Gog and Magog starts the end of human history as we know it and another war of Gog and Magog ends the “end” of human history as we know it.

The devil has fought his final battle—his final war. His works will be completely destroyed. “…The reason the Son of Man appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” I JOHN 3:8 Now the devil himself will be thrown into everlasting punishment!

The Final End of Evil—Satan Destroyed

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. REVELATION 20:10

Satan—the devil—the deceiver—the serpent will join his partners the Antichrist and the false prophet in the lake of fire. He will be tormented forever and ever.

TOPIC 49—THE FINAL JUDGMENT

Great White Throne Judgment—The Dead Come to Life!

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. REVELATION 21:8

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:11-15

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. JOHN 5:28-29

The Son has been given authority to execute judgment. JOHN 5:27  He will be there with a thousand thousands to serve him. DANIEL 7:10 Even Enoch prophesied that he would come with ten thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on all. JUDE 1:14-15 He will call the dead to judgment. For the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. JOHN 5:28-29

“…Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.” DANIEL 7:10 It is the final judgment. “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.” REVELATION 20:11  Only the dead are there. The dead, great and the small are standing before the throne.  Books were opened and another book—the book of life. REVELATION 20:12

Verse twelve says books [plural] were opened. I could not find a scripture that gave a definitive description of those books or what they contained; but given that it is a judgment some of those books contain the deeds the dead have done, chronicles. Many of the deeds of kings and others are recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. Some of those accounts that were not complete indicated more was recorded elsewhere; for in many cases after those accounts were given the author ask the question, “…are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?” II KINGS 1:18 To me this indicates the existence of more records. In the book of Esther it is noted that King Ahasuerus was careful to record his actions in a book of chronicles. ESTHER 2:23 Although these books may be lost to us, they are not lost to God. Other books that must be opened are the books of the Bible.

When both sets of books are opened side by side then the “dead” will be able to know why the righteous Judge sentences them to the lake of fire. They will see their deeds and see what righteousness was expected of them. The Lamb’s Book of Life will not be used in this judgment; for none of the dead are written in His book of life—none “died in Christ;” but the book of life will be checked. It will show their names are not written there either. Then their sentences will be carried out.

The dead are judged by what is written in the book—according to what they had done. REVELATION 20:12  The sea gave up the dead that was in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead that was in them and each of them was judged according to what they had done. REVELATION 20:13  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:14  Again, in this judgment the book of life will be used—not the Lamb’s book of Life! And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. REVELATION 20:15

This judgment is not for God; for He already knows the hearts of men and those who are going to be judged as dead and worthy of eternal damnation; but rather, it is to show those who are judged that they are worthy of death. It will be a part of their torment; for they will then know for all eternity it was not a righteous God who caused their sentences; but rather their sinful deeds.

Fire is the final punishment—the final death. The fallen angels will be there. JUDE 1:6  For God did not spare angels when they sinned. II PETER 2:4  All the dead will be sentenced to the second death.

There is only one resurrection—the “First Resurrection.” Those who are “caught away” as the bride of Christ are in a sense resurrected—the dead who rise first; but the Bible does not call it a resurrection. The martyrs come to life at the beginning of the millennium to reign with Christ for a thousand years. When those who will rule with Christ come to life, it is called the first resurrection. The dead did not “come to life” until the thousand years have ended. REVELATION 20:4-6 In the preceding scripture it says, the dead “come to life” and in verse twelve of this same chapter it says, “…I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne…” The “dead” do not experience the power of His resurrection. Although they “come to life,” they are still “dead” even if it is referred to as a resurrection.

IT IS OVER!

TOPIC 50— NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH 

Heaven and Earth Will Pass Away

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. PSALM 46:6

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. MATTHEW 24:35

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. II PETER 3:7

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” REVELATION 21:5

All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree. ISAIAH 34:4

A new heaven and new earth has been foretold; but first the old must pass away. Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” MATTHEW 24:35 Peter tells us they are “…stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly;” II PETER 3:7 The renewed and restored heaven and earth will last only until after the Great White Throne Judgment. Then he tells us, “…the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved…” II PETER 3:10 These scriptures leave little doubt that heaven and earth are destined for destruction. A new heaven and a new earth will replace them.

Scripture says Satan will be destroyed at the end of the 1,000 rule of Christ. Heaven and earth will pass away near the same time. There is no scripture that tells us exactly when this will happen; but all evil has been destroy. The earth and heaven that was the last place where evil existed will also be destroyed.

The New Heaven and the New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. REVELATION 21:1-2

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. REVELATION 20:11

And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” HEBREWS 1:10-12

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. ISAIAH 51:6

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, PSALM 102:25-26

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. II PETER 3:10-13

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. ISAIAH 65:17

“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. ISAIAH 66:22

There are many scripture witnesses for the creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”  ISAIAH 65:17 “…according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” II PETER 3:13 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” REVELATION 21:1 We will not remember the old! “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain.” ISAIAH 66:22 Some theorize that God would not even think of destroying an earth he called good in Genesis; but Jesus said that heaven and earth would pass away. So I believe this earth will be destroyed by its creator!

There are many things that could be discussed for there are many different views on the new heaven and the new earth. To understand the new it is often helpful to note the differences between the old and the new. From scripture we can know some major differences between the new heaven and the old heaven and the new earth and the old earth.

New Heavens

God is the light and the Lamb is the lamp of the new heaven, the sun is not needed; and since there is no night the stars and moon will not be seen. The inhabitants of the new earth and the New Jerusalem will all be immortal as Jesus Christ is, so there will be no need for an atmosphere as we have today; but whatever replaces it will be pure and holy. Some believe both the heavens and the earth will be restored to a Garden of Eden type of environment; but immortals do not need same things that mortals need. So the new heavens and the new earth will not be like the old even when it was in pristine condition.

The New Earth

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” REVELATION 21:3-5

The new earth will have a tree of life for it is the paradise of God. REVELATION 2:7 This paradise will be even better than the Garden of Eden which was at the beginning of creation. It will have a new city—the new Jerusalem. REVELATION 21:10 It will descend onto the new earth. The New Jerusalem will be accessible through its twelve gates for they will never be shut. REVELATION 21:25 Through those gates, those on the new earth will have access to water from the river of the water of life. REVELATION 22:1 On either side of this river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruits. REVELATION 22:2 Those who have the right to the tree of life will enter the city by its gates. REVELATION 22:14

The new earth will not have—any fallen angels—no devil; for he and his angels have been destroyed. It will not have a tree of the knowledge of good and evil—only good exists on the new earth. There will be no more seas. REVELATION 21:1  There will be room for everyone; for there will be land where there was once seas. The sun is not needed and there is no more night. REVELATION 22:5 & ISAIAH 60:19-20 There will be nothing there made by man; for the new earth will have everything God desires for us. There will never be any death—no goodbyes! The new earth will be the eternal dwelling place of all of the Saints of God!

TOPIC 51— THE NEW JERUSALEM

The New Jerusalem [Holy City]

One of the most notable things about the New Jerusalem, besides its unimaginable beauty, is the fact there is no temple in the city. REVELATION 21:22 Gone are the altars seen in heaven. REVELATION 6:13 & 8:12 Gone is the sanctuary of the Tent of Witness seen in heaven. REVELATION 15:5 Gone is the temple seen in heaven. REVELATION 16:1 “…for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” REVELATION 21:22 Abraham “…was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” HEBREWS 11:10 We too are looking forward to living in the New Jerusalem. Abraham says foundations—there are twelve and Jesus Christ is its designer and builder.

The New Jerusalem Descends  and Is Described

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. REVELATION 21:10-26

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. REVELATION 22:1-5

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east… it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through… I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other…And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. EZEKIEL 47:1, 5, 7, 12

These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side… three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. On the east side…three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. On the south side…three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side…three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.     …And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There. EZEKIEL 48:30-35

The above scripture gives a great description of the New Jerusalem. Even with this description we cannot begin to understand and know how beautiful and majestic it will be. The  most luxurious thing that will be in Babylon the great could never be comparable to the smallest thing in the New Jerusalem. “…no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” I CORINTHIANS 2:9

However, I believe that the scripture from Ezekiel chapters forty-seven and forty-eight is about the Jerusalem of the Millennium. The Jerusalem of the millennium will have some of the same attributes of the New Jerusalem; but this Jerusalem Ezekiel writes about will pass away when the earth passes away! Then when the new earth is created, the New Jerusalem will descend to the new earth!

Eternal Home of the Bride of Christ

But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. ISAIAH 65:18

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. REVELATION 21:2

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, would I have told you. I go to prepare a place for you? JOHN 14:2 [KJV]

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” I CORINTHIANS 2:9

For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. HEBREWS 11:10

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. HEBREWS 11:16

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. HEBREWS 13:14

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. II CORINTHIANS 5:1

  After Jesus’ second coming, after the battle at Armageddon, after Jesus Christ’s one-thousand year rule, after Satan has been destroyed, and after the great white throne judgment, these physical heavens and earth will pass away. REVELATION 20:11 Then God will create new heavens and a new earth. [The New Jerusalem is already being created.] After the new earth is created, the new Jerusalem will descend to earth. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “…Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” REVELATION 21:3 “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” REVELATION 21:22-23

In Revelation chapter twenty-one we find that John saw a new heaven and a new earth for, the first heaven and earth had passed away. Then he saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Then, in verse nine, one of the seven angels who poured out the seven last plagues told him to “…come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” Then he again shows him the new Jerusalem. It almost seems the angel is saying—John you did not get it the first time—the inhabitants of this city are the Bride of the Lamb. John sees the New Jerusalem descending twice in this same chapter.

The new Jerusalem is being created by Jesus Christ in the third heaven—when it is completed Jesus will catch his Bride away—the Lamb and the bride will inhabit the New Jerusalem. The marriage of the Lamb will be there. The new Jerusalem is in the third heaven during the Millennium reign of Jesus Christ, the Great White throne judgment and the creation of a new earth!  New Jerusalem is the new Heaven. It will not descend until the old earth has passed away and there is a new earth!

Last Order of Business—All—in—All

After all evil has been destroyed forever and after the new heavens and the new earth have been created, there is one more thing to do. “…he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” I CORINTHIANS  15:24 He [Jesus Christ] has put all His enemies under His feet. Now that all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him [God] who put all things in subjection under Him [Jesus Christ], that God may be all in all. I CORINTHIANS 15:25 & verse 28

Now He has been given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. DANIEL 7:14  “And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” ZECHARIAH 14:9

TOPIC 52— ETERNITY WITH JESUS CHRIST

I Can Only Imagine by Bart Millard

How Beautiful Heaven Must Be by Mrs. A.S. [Cordie] Bridgewater

When We All Get to Heaven by Eliza Hewitt

In the Sweet By and By by S. Fillmore Bennett

Heaven, I Cannot Even Imagine!

We sing these songs about Heaven. They give us hope and encouragement. One of the best Christian songs ever written about heaven is entitled—“I Can Only Imagine.” That description of heaven may be as close as our ability to know, what Heaven is like, will allow. Perhaps an even better statement would be—I Cannot Even Imagine!

The writer of the song “I Can Only Imagine” crafted into words what has been expressed by many in differing ways. The writer uses the maieutic method with great effectiveness. He says he can only imagine when is surrounded by the glory of God. Then he asks the question, “What will my heart feel?” He answers that question with a series of questions—all of which cause him to declare, “I Can Only Imagine.”

We are told in scripture, “…What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” I CORINTHIANS 2:9 & ISAIAH 64:4 So although the height, width and depth of the size of this city is given to us, we cannot imagine, the height, width and depth of its beauty; for we can only imagine what has entered our hearts!

I have been told by some that they know exactly the first thing that they will do when they get to Heaven. With all due respect, I say they do not really have any idea what they are going to do when they get to Heaven. They, too, cannot even imagine!

The method of teaching called the “Maieutic Method” is a method that answers a question with a question—much like the song “I Can Only Imagine” does. It is meant to elicit knowledge in the mind of a person by interrogation and insistence on close and logical reasoning. Even the Maieutic Method fails to come close to describing what heaven will be like; rather, it probably only deepens the mystery with its many questions.

Prologue

The suppositions in this prologue are things I currently believe; but some lack the scripture witness I require for my attestations. While we are not yet immortal, when we step into eternity we will be. We will be like Jesus Christ with all the attributes of both a spirit and a body. We will be in our glorified bodies. We can eat; but we will not have to eat! We can think and talk. He will be in all of our thoughts. We will sing praises to Jesus Christ and we will worship Him continually. We will know all people for we will know as we are known. I believe we will have a new name—unique to each of us. Teleportation, the ability to travel through pure thought, is one of the travel modes of angels. It too will be our method of travel. We can do all the things that immortals can do. Everything will be there for us. Everything will be perfect! We will live for all eternity.

We will worship Jesus Christ and the Father for all of eternity, they are one. While scripture tells us little, many differing things are believed about eternity with God. I believe, everything we do will be worship of God; but I do not believe this means: we will sing for ten millions years—and then we will thank Him for another ten million years—then we will prostrate ourselves in praise and worship for the next ten million years and that at some point we will repeat those cycles. Even the twenty-four elders are seated on thrones until glory and honor and thanks are given the Lord God Almighty, then they prostate themselves before the throne. I believe there will be congregational and individual worship in heaven; but there will also be times worship in heaven will resemble the things we now do on earth. There will be music and singing! Everything we do will be thanks and praise and glory and honor to the Lord God Almighty. Please do not consider the next statement injudicious, but no one is going to spend eternity “running the aisles.” Without scripture witness we cannot know what the new earth and the New Jerusalem will be like; but we do know they will be Heaven.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. JOHN 14:2-3

In the above scripture Jesus makes a promise to His disciples, and to His Church, that He will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house which already has many rooms. Scripture doesn’t tell us about those preparations. Again, we cannot even imagine; but scripture does give us some description in Revelation chapter twenty-one.

It may be those preparations that Jesus was speaking about is the building of the New Jerusalem. Further, I believe the New Jerusalem will be our [The Church’s] Heaven. “‘And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’” REVELATION 21:2-3

John is telling us in Revelation the New Jerusalem is the dwelling place of the Bride. “‘Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.’” REVELATION 21:9-10 Only those whose names are in the Lamb’s book of Life can enter there. REVELATION 21:27 The only names that are in the Lamb’s book of life are the names of those who are “in Christ.” These have been in heaven in the New Jerusalem since they were caught away at or near the mid-point of Tribulation. It is that city He has prepared for us. “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” HEBREWS 11:16

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. HEBREWS 12:22-24

You have come “…to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” It is the New Jerusalem, the home of the Bride of the Lamb. An “…innumerable [number of] angels in festal gathering…” are preparing for the marriage of the Lamb. And all of “…the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven…” are there. This is the bride of the Lamb. “…the spirits of the righteous [have been] made perfect…” We are now ‘like’ Him.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21

Our citizenship is in heaven; but we await our Savior and His appearing to transform our bodies and transport us to the place he has prepared for us and our place of citizenship! We can be sure it is one of these three “candidates,” a new Heaven, a new Earth, or the New Jerusalem.

I am convinced it is the New Jerusalem!

Eternity with Jesus

Just as I cannot even imagine what Heaven will be like, I think it is harder to really know what being with Jesus for eternity will be like. We will see His face and the scars in His hands. It has been said, “The only thing in heaven made by man are the scars in the hands of Jesus!” “… we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” I JOHN 3:2 We shall be like Him!  We shall be in Heaven with Him. He will be the object of our worship! And if the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders are our worship leaders, then worship of our Lord and Savior in Heaven will be much different and much more intense than any worship on earth! The four living creatures have been worshipping God a lot longer than the twenty-four elders. Isaiah saw the seraphim with six wings and heard their worship. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” ISAIAH 6:2-3

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’” REVELATION 4:8-11

I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE!

Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.

Over a Period of Two + Years

Finished October 28, 2023

Last Edited May 31, 2024