When I was a boy, the thought of Heaven used to frighten me more than the thought of Hell. I pictures Heaven as a place where time would be perpetual Sundays, with perpetual church services from which there would be no escape.
David Lloyd George
What do you think heaven will be like?
In order to figure out how our future will look, we must first look to the beginning of time. Read Genesis 2:4-25
What kind of place did God originally intend mankind to live in?
Do you think the Garden of Eden would be a cool place to live? Why or why not?
Read Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9; 25:6-8; 55:12-13; 60:18; 65:17-25; Zechariah 14:6-9
According to the passages above, what is God’s ideal for humanity?
God never gave up on his original plan for human beings to dwell on Earth. In fact, the climax of history will be the creation of a new heavens and a New Earth, a resurrected universe inhabited by resurrected people living with the resurrected Jesus.
Randy Alcorn
Read Acts 3:21; Romans 8:19-23; Colossians 1:19-20
What do these passages say that God is going to do through Jesus? What will be restored?
According to biblical faith, God’s plan of restoration includes the whole creation, not just individual ‘souls’.
Ronald J. Sider
Jesus’ physical resurrection is presented as the prototype of where God is taking His people and His planet. Jesus is the “firstfruits” of what we will all experience and our resurrection life will be the “firstfruits” of what all creation is looking forward to (Rom. 8:19-23; 1 Cor. 15; Phi. 3:20-21; Jas. 1:18).
So, if Jesus experienced what I will experience, what does the Bible tell us about what we can expect (Luke 24:13-43; John 20:11-21:14; 1 John 3:2)?
Read Revelation 21:1-4; 10-14; 18-27; 22:1-5
According to this passage, where is heaven? What happened to the earth? Where will we live? What are some things we will enjoy?
We will be given new bodies to rule wisely over God’s new world. Forget those images about lounging around playing harps. There will be work to do and we shall relish doing it.
N. T. Wright
What are we supposed to do with this information?
What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived— these things God has prepared for those who love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
Christian living is simply a relationship with God that is lived by faith, believing what He said is true. Heaven is the fulfillment of that faith – the relationship continues on… “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully…” The common denominator? A relationship with God.
Could it be that maybe heaven doesn’t seem exciting or appealing because we don’t know God and His character?
Jesus calls us to live ONE life, starting NOW!
(1 Pet. 1:3, 23; 2 Cor.5:17)
