3 Things You Should Remember When Studying Heaven

Posted on Mar 09, 2017 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional, Men's Christian Living
Posted by : Michael Vlach

According to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:13

Many discussions on eschatology focus on the rapture, Tribulation, and millennium. Consequently, the eternal state often gets left out of detailed consideration. Yet the eternal state ought to excite us.

When we look at the fallen world and experience its effects, it is good to think about our ultimate destiny. The new heavens and new earth with its New Jerusalem is where we will spend eternity. Even the thousand-year millennial kingdom, as long as it is, is significantly less than eternity.

Let’s remember these three points when preparing to study what the Bible teaches about our destiny:

1. We can have real and sufficient knowledge about the eternal state.

This does not mean perfect or exhaustive knowledge. But just because we do not have exhaustive knowledge does not mean we cannot have true knowledge. God has revealed truths about our eternal destiny, and He wants us to understand them.

2. The eternal state is not just a colorful way of describing our present salvation experience.

Second Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15 indicate we are new creatures in Christ, but Revelation 21–22 is describing the ultimate destiny of God’s people. The details in the latter passage explain a real, literal, and tangible place that the people of God will dwell in.

3. The eternal state of Revelation 21–22 follows the millennial kingdom described in Revelation 20:1-6.

The chronology in Revelation describes a coming period of tribulation (chapters 6–18). This period culminates in the return of Jesus Christ to earth (chapter 19). Following Jesus’ return to earth is the thousand-year reign of Jesus and His saints on the earth (chapter 20). Then the glories of the eternal state will occur (chapters 21–22:5).

The coming eternal state should thrill our hearts. Everything we do now and everything we are fighting for is pointing toward this period in history. No matter what we go through now, no matter what sorrow, tears, or tragedies we face, when we are on that new earth, in fellowship with our God and Savior and all those who love Him, it will all have been worth it.