Chapter 9:
Eternity
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Chapter 9: Eternity
As we conclude our prophetic journey through the "You Are Here" book, we arrive at the culmination of God's plan for creation: the new heaven and new earth, and eternity itself. This final chapter will explore the last two chapters of the Book of Revelation, offering a glimpse into the eternal state that awaits those who are in Christ.
It's important to recognize at the outset that our understanding of eternity is limited. Two chapters in any book, even the Bible, cannot fully capture the vastness and wonder of eternity. We need the gift of eternal life itself to fully comprehend what God has in store for us. While we can imagine certain aspects based on what has been revealed in Scripture, much remains a mystery that will only be fully revealed in due time.
Our exploration of eternity begins where our previous chapter left off - with the destruction of death, the last enemy. In 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, we read:
"Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For 'God has put all things in subjection under his feet.' But when it says, 'all things are put in subjection,' it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all."
This passage provides a crucial framework for understanding eternity. It describes a state of perfect unity and agreement, where all things are brought into subjection to God. The phrase "that God may be all in all" points to a reality where God's presence and will permeate every aspect of existence.
This state of complete unity and agreement in eternity is reminiscent of the concept of the body of Christ. Just as the body's members work in perfect harmony under the direction of the head, so too will all of creation function in perfect alignment with God's will. The prayer "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" becomes fulfilled in this new reality, as God's will is perfectly manifest in both the new heaven and the new earth.
Revelation 21:1-4 provides our first glimpse of this new reality:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [...] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
This passage highlights the radical transformation that takes place in the eternal state. The absence of death, sorrow, crying, and pain indicates a fundamental change in the nature of existence itself.
To fully appreciate the magnitude of this change, we must understand that in this new state, even the memory of these negative aspects of our current existence will be erased. Isaiah 65:17 confirms this:
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
The erasure of these memories is crucial for the perfection of our eternal state. If we could remember pain, sorrow, or death, it would be possible for these concepts to manifest in our experience. By removing even the memory of these things, God ensures that our eternal state remains untainted by the imperfections of our current existence.
Revelation 21:7 further emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of our inheritance in Christ:
"He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
This verse indicates that those who are in Christ will inherit all of creation. There is no part of the new creation that will not be an inheritance for those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
However, it's crucial to understand why certain individuals cannot be part of this eternal state. Revelation 21:8 provides a sobering list:
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
This is further reinforced in Revelation 22:15:
"For outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie."
The exclusion of these individuals is necessary for God to fulfill His promise of a perfect, eternal state. Their presence would compromise the purity and harmony of the new creation.
Revelation 22:11 provides a stark picture of the finality of this judgment:
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."
This verse indicates that the state in which one enters eternity is permanent. Those who are cast into the lake of fire will eternally remain in that state of separation from God. This serves as a powerful warning to those who persist in rebellion against God - there will be no opportunity for repentance after death.
The description of the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:10-11 provides a glimpse of the glory that awaits believers:
"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal."
This new Jerusalem is not the same as the temple described in the Old Testament. It's a completely new structure that descends from heaven to earth. Its dimensions, as described in Revelation, are massive - approximately 1,500 miles in each direction, forming a perfect cube. This city would cover an area equivalent to half the United States, stretching far into what we would consider space. In fact, it would extend about 1,250 miles higher than the International Space Station, which orbits at an average altitude of 250 miles. The sheer scale of this celestial city is beyond our current earthly comprehension, emphasizing its divine and otherworldly nature.
Revelation 21:22-23 reveals a striking feature of this new Jerusalem:
"And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, even the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb."
This concept of God being the light, eliminating the need for the sun or moon, is further emphasized in Revelation 22:5:
"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."
These verses underscore the direct presence of God as the source of light and life in the new creation, rendering physical luminaries unnecessary.
The nature of life in this new reality is further described in Revelation 21:24-25:
"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there."
This passage suggests that the redeemed from all nations will have free access to the new Jerusalem, bringing their glory and honor into it. The absence of night and the perpetually open gates symbolize the perfect security and peace of this eternal state.
Revelation 22:3 reaffirms the absence of sin and its effects in the new creation:
"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him."
The removal of the curse that entered the world through sin marks a return to the perfect state that existed before the Fall, but now made eternal and incorruptible.
Finally, Revelation 22:14 and 17 offer an invitation to this glorious future:
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. [...] And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
These verses extend God's invitation to eternal life to all who will accept it, emphasizing the free gift of salvation through faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (Yeshua The Christ).
As we conclude this exploration of eternity, I encourage you to meditate on what a world without death and its associated ills - pain, fear, suffering, sadness, sickness, anger, hate, strife, falsehood, and disagreement - might be like. While our imagination falls short of the reality God has prepared, this exercise can help us glimpse the wonder of what awaits us.
Consider the profound promise in Revelation 21:7: "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son." This inheritance of "all things" is an amazing concept that goes beyond our current comprehension. It suggests that God's people will have a significant role in the new creation, perhaps even participating in its formation and governance.
This idea finds potential support in passages like Isaiah 51:16: "I have put my words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of my hand, so that I could plant the heavens and lay the earth's foundations, to say to Zion, 'You are my people.'" While we can't be certain of the exact meaning, this verse hints at the possibility that God's people, might play a role in establishing/planting the new heavens and new earth.
Such possibilities stretch our imagination and remind us of the depth and richness of God's plans. They encourage us to think beyond our current understanding and to anticipate a future where we, as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), are intricately involved in the new creation in ways we can scarcely fathom now.
Yet, even as we explore these possibilities, we must humbly acknowledge that our current understanding is limited. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." The full reality of our inheritance and our role in eternity will undoubtedly surpass even our most vivid imaginings.
Let us remain steadfast on the narrow path, holding fast to the blessed hope of eternal life in Christ and the incredible inheritance that awaits us. Though we cannot fully comprehend the glories of eternity now, we can trust in God's faithful promises, knowing that what He has prepared for those who love Him - this inheritance of all things - surpasses all we can ask or imagine.
