Christians long for our eternal home in heaven. When we look at the scene of the final judgment in Revelation, we notice that the most important consideration that will determine our eternal destiny is whether our names are written in the lamb’s “book of life.” This is a record of all true Christians, those whose sins have been forgiven by Jesus, described in Revelation 20:12-15 (NIV).
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. . . . Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
The next thing God inspired John to write after those words is a description of the destination of those whose names are written in the book of life in Revelation 22:1 (NIV):
“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.”
In this way, God paints a beautiful picture of what eternity will be like for those who have been saved by the grace of Jesus because of their faith in him.
We were created for an eternal relationship with God. Our ultimate hopes, dreams, and desires can only find their true fulfillment in the eternal kingdom with God after death. When the Bible speaks of our lives in eternity after death, it speaks of a glorious existence—a close, intimate relationship with God.
What does the Bible say about heaven? “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.”
Christians often speak of life after death as a life in “heaven.” To a large degree, this is accurate because that is where our citizenship is held (Philippians 3:20), where our hopes are stored (Colossians 1:5), and where our inheritance is kept (1 Peter 1:4-5). However, in the Bible, the term “heaven” can mean many things, but it mostly refers to the abode of God.[1] So, in this sense, it is hopeful to think of life after death as life in heaven, even though this concept alone falls short of the full biblical picture.
The biblical teaching is that God will create an entirely new mode of existence for his people where he will dwell among them in “the new heaven and the new earth.”[2] The vision of the new heaven and new earth is eloquently described by N.T. Wright in his book Surprised by Hope[3] and Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven.[4] These two wonderful books present the depth of the teaching from God’s Word on our eternal destiny as Christians. The pictures given in Scripture are so inspiring, and we encourage everyone to read these two books in order to be able to anticipate the joy toward which we are heading. Most Christians do not focus enough time on the love, joy, and peace that await us.
For the purposes of this short article, we can best understand our wonderful destination and the eternal life God will give to us in eternity if we grasp four related concepts.
First, we will dwell in God’s presence.
We believe that the most core concept when thinking about our destiny as those who trust and follow Jesus is that God himself will personally and intimately dwell among us in eternity.
“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.’” (Revelation 21:3, NIV)
“The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3b-5, NIV)
Again, the central joy in eternity is that we will be God’s sacred dwelling place. We will experience his full and direct presence. This core facet of eternal life should also make it clear why it’s wrongheaded to see it as a destination everyone will naturally want to experience. Many people do not love God at all and have no desire to live where he rules.
What does the Bible say about heaven? “The central joy in eternity is that we will be God’s sacred dwelling place.”
In this way, all the hopes and dreams of the Old Testament (where God wanted to have a people to dwell among; see Exodus 19:5-6) and the New Testament (where God, in the form of his Spirit, lives in Christians; see 1 Corinthians 6:19) find their ultimate fulfillment. God will no longer dwell in the physical Holy of Holies in the tabernacle/temple as in the Old Testament (1 Kings 6:20). I. Howard Marshall puts it this way:
“The fellowship between man and his Creator, which was broken by sin, is now fully restored. God’s presence among his people is no longer confined to his temple, as in the imagery of the Old Testament (but see also Isaiah 57:15), or to his unseen presence among believers (Matthew 18:20); he is visibly in the midst of them, and they can see his face. Both the Father and the Son are the light of the new Jerusalem, and the Spirit of God summons men to enter the city (Revelation 22:17). Thus, finally, redeemed men and women enter into that fellowship of love which binds Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together, and the holy love of God becomes a final and full and victorious reality (1 Corinthians 13:13). God is at last all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28, NIV).”[5]
The original goal of creation will be fulfilled in eternity. God will be our God and we will be his people.
Second, God will live with us in a new heaven and new earth.
In the end, heaven and earth become one. Creation itself has been subjected to frustration through the fall (Romans 8:19ff), and in eternity all things will be re-created. God’s people have always looked forward to a renewed life where toil, difficulty, and death will be removed. This was the future for which the Israelites longed (Amos 9:11-15; Isaiah 11:6-9; etc.).[6] Now, in the new heaven and the new earth, all of the hopes of God’s people will see their ultimate fulfillment. Note the following passages that refer to the new heaven and new earth:
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create.” (Isaiah 65:17-18a, NIV)
“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13, NIV)
“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” (Revelation 21:1a, NIV)
This existence will not be subject to decay (Revelation 22:3-5), and we will live in new bodies—physical bodies that are powerful, imperishable, and glorious (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
What does the Bible say about heaven? “In the end, heaven and earth become one.”
Third, we will live without the curse of the fall.
Life in the new heaven and new earth will be life minus the trials of this world, life without the curse of sin and death.[7] Gone too will be the animosity that separates groups of people by language and region; for it will be a dwelling of people from “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9).
According to metaphors used throughout the Bible, we will be God’s “Holy City,” the “new Jerusalem,” and the “bride of Christ.” Because God will dwell among us, we will live through eternity in sheer happiness. We will not experience pain, crying, mourning, or death, for everything will be made new.
“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!’” (Revelation 21:3b-5a, NIV)
We will not be subject to Satan (Revelation 20:10), demons, false prophets, or ungodly governments. There will be a separation, so that those who have rejected God and remained unrepentant will not enter (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15). We will be a people living in absolute and eternal security (Revelation 21:10-17). We will be constantly rejoicing with each other and praising God. We will experience the peace and joy of God’s presence and God’s rest throughout eternity (Hebrews 4:1, 6, 9-11).
What does the Bible say about heaven? “They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Fourth, the new heaven and new earth will be like the Garden of Eden.
Once again, humans will have access to the “tree of life,” and this access will ensure endless living and endless healing. The tree of life itself will bear fruit all the time, for all the people. Everything will be made new.
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1–2, NIV)
We will experience a Garden of Eden-like existence and God himself will ensure that it will never end. Nothing will ever destroy it.
“On each side of the river stood the tree of life.”
In summary, we look forward to eternal life because we know that it will bring with it the fullness of a close intimate relationship with God, where God will actually dwell among us, as we live in a new heaven and new earth. We will experience the bliss of sheer happiness in a Garden of Eden-like state. It will be a state of ultimate peace, joy, and love—the ultimate fulfillment of our decision to trust and follow Jesus.
[1] Erickson, Christian Theology, 1226.
[2] See Lee Wilson and Joe Beam, The Real Heaven (Webb City: Covenant Publishing, 2006), and Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004).
[3] N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (New York: HarperOne, 2009).
[4] See and Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004).
[5] I. Howard Marshal, Pocket Guide to Christian Beliefs (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978), 138-39.
[6] Anthony Hoekema does a good job in showing how these promises find their ultimate fulfillment in the new heaven and new earth, not in a millennial state. See The Bible and the Future, 274-87.
[7] Although most Christians think that Revelation 21:1-22:6 is describing a place, it is likely more accurate to say that it is describing the church in eternity. See Robert Gundry, “The New Jerusalem: People as Place, Not Place for People,” Novum Testamentum XXIX, 3 (l987): 254-264.
