My favourite quote from Randy Alcorn is “Would you ever go visit another country without learning as much about it as you can?”  Well, no, of course not.  There is much to be researched.  You don’t just take a flight to Italy, get off the plane and start touring.   Part of the excitement of traveling is the anticipation of what is to come!  This is exactly WHY we should be longing to know more about our eternal destination.   Note:  this post won’t be speaking about the heaven as it now exists – the intermediate heaven where our souls go after we die.  No doubt it is an amazing place seeing as we will be with Jesus, which is where he is ruling and reigning!  But the Bible doesn’t talk as much about the intermediate heaven as it does about what is to come – our true and final home of the new heavens and the new earth.

It’s quite distressing to hear that some people still think that heaven will be like a never-ending church service, where we will be singing hymn after hymn, after hymn, after hymn ad finitum.  As a person who loves music and singing, this doesn’t leave me with a bored feeling, but I don’t know that even I would want to be doing that for all eternity!

And, I admit, I feel quite sad when I hear people say that they don’t think we should be all too concerned about “what it will be like, I guess we’ll find out when we get there.” Or “No matter what we could imagine, it will be much, much more glorious!”  No doubt this is true.   It will be more glorious than we could imagine.  But to have no desire to think about it, imagine the possibilities (God did give us imaginations), or read about it says something about what the person considers most important and valuable.  Do the glories of this world, the relationships in this world, the accomplishments and goals of this world matter more than what is to come?  If you answer “well, no”, then ask yourself how often you dwell on the coming new heavens and new earth.  

So, what does the Bible say about the new heavens and new earth?  A lot, actually. The writers of Scripture show us in many ways what will be there – gardens, cities, and kingdoms. It’s a tangible place, not an ethereal place. And it’s kind of ironic that after I started composing this blog post, our women’s bible study decided to study Revelation! 

One big question that rises in most people’s minds is: “Will we know each other?  Will I know Martin as my husband? Or my grandma?” etc.   Surprisingly, some still hold on to the belief that we will not remember each other.  To which I say “hogwash”.  We don’t die here, and then be resurrected into our now immortal bodies just to get to heaven and walk around introducing ourselves to each other.  Of course we will know each other.  We don’t become blank slates. We are who we are.  Our souls are who we are. Our memories are an integral part of us.  This is why it’s so hard to watch a loved one with dementia. Our lives, our histories make you, you, and me, me.  Our bodies are just temporary – they house our souls, our minds, our spirit.  Who would you be in heaven if you aren’t who you are now?  Of course, we will be perfected and glorified as Christ is.  We will no longer be beset by sin.  But we’ll still be ourselves – and with that comes knowing loved ones.  Will we need to be introduced to those whom we don’t know?  Perhaps or perhaps not. But will I know Martin?  Yes.  Will I know that I was married to him on earth?  Yes.  Will it matter in heaven? Will we bemoan the fact that “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.” (Mark 12:25) No.  We will not be sad about that.  Because our marriage to Christ will far surpass the best marriage earth could ever see. Earthly marriage is a shadow or a copy of the coming true and ultimate marriage! We are the Bride of Christ, he is our groom – and we’re looking forward to the complete fulfillment of our union with him, and the marriage feast that awaits us.

In his book “Heaven”, Randy Alcorn says, “Our minds will be clearer in Heaven, not foggier. Memory is basic to personality. The principle of continuity requires that we will remember our past lives. Heaven cleanses our slate of sin and error, but it doesn’t erase our memory of it.  The lessons we learned here about God’s love, grace, and justice surely aren’t lost but will carry over to Heaven.” (pg.344) To this I would add, that if our memories would be erased, then we wouldn’t remember the depths of our sin and the incredible mercy and grace of Jesus in heaven!

The Bible gives many proofs of knowing one another.  Christ’s disciples recognized him countless times after his resurrection in his glorified state. (John 21:1-14; John 20: 24-29; John 20:16; ).  Think about the Transfiguration in Luke 9.  The disciples recognized immediately that Jesus was speaking with Moses and Elijah.  And they were separated by thousands of years.  This suggests that if we recognize people we haven’t met, how much more will we recognize our family and friends! 

This prompts the question: “Well, if we’ll know each other, then won’t we know when our loved ones are not there?  Won’t that be awful?”   This question is a very personal, painful one to contemplate.  Given that we will continue to be who we are, I believe that yes, we will know that a loved one isn’t there.  Making it real and true that he or she is, in fact, in hell.   I struggled with this – and still do.  I have two kids who are not walking with the Lord.  Their stories are not over, and I believe God is merciful and can change them even in their last moments.  BUT – if they’re not there in heaven with me?  I once read (I don’t remember where) that even if I know my parent, or child, or friend is not there, it will not bother me because I will fully see and know how just and good God is.  Those who go to hell put themselves there by their stubborn unbelief.  Those who go there, deserve to be there.  That’s God’s justice.  And I will worship Him because of it. And I won’t be “proud” that I am in heaven – because I’ll really understand the mercy and love of God through Jesus Christ that I even get to be in His presence!!  Biblically, we need only look at Jesus’ teaching found in Luke 16 – the story of the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus.  One day they both die – Lazarus is taken to heaven, and the rich man – “being in torment in Hades” (vs 23) is in hell.  They know each other.  That’s the first point to see.  The rich man is begging for a bit of water to cool his tongue – he’s physically there.  Then the rich man asks Abraham to please go warn his 5 brothers who are still living – so that they will repent and not go to where he is, he even pleads that if someone from the dead goes to them, then surely, they’ll repent!  Why wouldn’t Abraham do this?  “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” “If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.”  We see familiarity, and that without repentance, they put themselves in hell.  The context of this story is Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God, and Kingdom values.

Another thing that people find uncomfortable is the idea that we will be living on an earth we don’t recognize.  Will it be unrecognizable, though?  And many cannot fathom the idea of cities, of work, of art, of culture.  Or of working.   God is a God of pleasure – He is pleased to give good things to His people.  He showers us with blessings because He loves us.  He gives people imaginations that have given us so much in the history of man.  He gives people gifts and talents to do and make amazing things.  Will nothing from our time here on earth be kept?  Will it all disappear?  Will we be starting from scratch on the new earth?  Think of all the art we have been gifted with from the likes of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Van Gogh, Picasso, Rembrandt to name a few of the more commonly known ones.   Will da Vinci’s “Last Supper” be wiped out? Or the sculptures or paintings of Michelangelo? Or Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” or Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” vanish from history? 

Think of all the beautiful, majestic music composed over the centuries.  How could we not enjoy “The Messiah” in heaven?  Can you imagine a multitude of God’s people singing The Hallelujah chorus?  Or what about all the psalms and hymns, both old and new, that we love and hold so dearly?  Gone, never to be seen again?  Will we do and learn everything from scratch?   Will I still be able to play the piano on the new earth?  Will there be pianos?  Or organs?  😊  Some would say, please! No organs, or bagpipes!! 

What about some of the greatest man-made wonders of the world?  The pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, the Taj Mahal.  I’ve never been out of North America.  And humanly speaking, I will never get to tour the world.  I hope that on the new earth I’ll get to see those things, and other wonders like The Grand Canyon, the Swiss Alps, the cathedrals – even Hawaii.  I believe that the best of what mankind has done will last for eternity.  Renewed, perfected, but not completely destroyed.   God created the world back in the beginning – and it was good.  And He continues to create and control and reign over it all.  When Jesus returns, and the old passes away and the new comes, God won’t be starting over.  He’ll be renewing and perfecting what He already created.   We’re not returning to the first Edenic garden, there will be no regression of culture.  Again, it’s the principle of continuity.  Everything will be cleansed of sin and will be renewed.  Thinking that a return to Eden with no technology or accomplishments of man in history doesn’t fit the continuity we see in Scripture. 

Cornelius P. Venema, in his book “The Promise of the Future” writes “Life in the new creation will not be a repristination of all things – a going back to the way things were at the beginning. Rather, life in the new creation will be a restoration of all things – involving the removal of every sinful impurity and the retaining of all that his holy and good. Were the new creation to exclude the diversity of the nations and the glory of the kings of the earth, it would be impoverished rather than enriched, historically regressive and reactionary rather than progressive. To express the point in the form of a question: is it likely that the music of Bach and Mozart, the painting of Rembrandt, the writing of Shakespeare, the discoveries of science, etc, will be altogether lost upon life in the new creation?” (Heaven, pg. 243)

Matt Emerson in his article “The New Heaven and New Earth” (TGC) writes: “The historic Christian position is that the new creation is a renewal of the old/first creation, in which Christ’s work and particularly his death and resurrection remove the effects and source of sin and thereby bring restoration not only to human beings but to all that God has made. This accords with the biblical data, including an affirmation of creation’s goodness (Gen 1:3,10,12,18,21,25,31) and God’s care for it, the scope of redemption encompassing all that was affected by the fall, the prophetic hope that it is the current created order that will be restored in the new creation (Isa 65:17ff), the continuity our resurrected bodies will have with our current fallen bodies (1 Cor 15), and creation’s own longing for restoration and liberation from the curse of sin (cf. e.g. Rom 8:22)

For a different way of looking at this issue, consider CS Lewis’ book “The Last Battle”.  In it we see Lucy mourning the loss of Narnia, the world created by Aslan.  She assumed that it had been forever destroyed.  She and the rest are on the threshold of walking into Aslan’s country (Heaven), but she still looks back, feeling a tremendous sense of loss.  But as she walks further into the new country, she begins to realize the new beauty of the old beauty.  Huh?   “Lewis captured the biblical theology of the old and New Earth, and the continuity between them, better than any theologian I’ve (Randy) read.  Did you catch his message?  Our world is Shadowlands, a copy of something that once was, Eden, and yet will be, the New Earth. All of the old earth that matters will be drawn into Heaven, to be part of the New Earth.” (Heaven, pg.247)

Yes, I am aware that the Bible does mention the destruction of the old order of things, the cleansing of the earth by fire.  But I’m not convinced these are to be taken as literal happenings.  We shouldn’t put God in a box.  God can destroy and renew in many ways – and ultimately, the new creation is the restoring of Eden – and the New Jerusalem will be in the center – with Jesus as King.  The tree of life will be nourished by a river that flows from the throne of Jesus. (Revelation 21 and 22) The New Jerusalem will be pure – pure as gold, beautiful as the brightest, most gorgeous gemstones and the glory of God’s light will shine brilliantly over everything on earth.  And all the earth will be pure and beautiful.   The oceans, the seas, the rivers, the mountains – beauty that God created FOR us will be seen in even more beauty!

15 times in Revelation 21 and 22, John refers to the place where God and His people will live as a city. Randy Alcorn suggests that the repetition of this word city, along with the detailed descriptions of what it will look like – the streets, the walls, the gates, the garden within – tells us that it’s not just a figure of speech, but a literal geographical location!   As physically resurrected people – we’ll need a physical place to dwell in.  Not only that, but Jesus did tell his disciples (and us) that he’s going away to prepare a place for us in Heaven.  (John 14: 2,3).

And finally – what will we be doing for all eternity?  Day in and day out?  Get rid of the Philadelphia cream cheese commercial of white clothing, white clouds and harps.  We know we will be praising and glorifying God.  But what will that look like?  Singing?  Yes, absolutely.  I can’t wait!!  Even those of you who don’t really love to sing will find it amazing!  (so, sing now with gusto!).  But how else do we worship God now?  Isn’t all of life worship?  Every aspect of who we are, what we do, and where we go – is all for the Lord whether you realize it or not.  

Whether you’ve got little kids at home and you’re doing endless amounts of laundry and wiping snotty noses, or whether you work in the hospital as a nurse, or in a school as a teacher, or in an office in some type of business, or retired, – all of it is worship.  What we do in our non-work hours – hanging out with friends, reading, watching movies, playing instruments, studying, napping, going for a walk, run or bike ride – all of it is worship.  Will that change in heaven – on the new earth?  I don’t think so. 

We will be working – after all, God told Adam and Eve to work the garden. (Genesis 2:15) They didn’t just loll about eating apples.  Work was a joy, it was worship!  Sin just messed it all up. After the fall is when The Curse became reality – one of tediousness, frustration and pain.   I do believe some of us will be “out of work” in the next life.  There will be no need for doctors, nurses, x-ray techs, surgeons, fire officers, police officers, EMT’s, politicians, weapons manufacturers, ministers, and more.   But we’ll still need architects, artists, musicians, teachers (hey, we’re not going to know everything when we get there!), gardeners, builders, animal keepers, and more.   We’ll be working…and loving it.  I believe we’ll be able to learn new things we couldn’t or didn’t have time for here.  Imagine that!!!  I could learn to play the violin.  I could learn to garden.  I could learn to paint.  I could learn to design buildings, etc.  We won’t know everything when we get there – only God is omniscient. Our understanding of things will not magically be full. Will we have different abilities and knowledge? Sure – just like now. And the principle of continuity applies here too– what we learn here on earth we’ll take with us to heaven. We will learn for all eternity.  We’ll never arrive at a full knowledge of everything because we are not God.

The final reality?  We don’t know 100%.  But the Bible has given us enough information to give us a small, yet sure understanding.  And whatever the new earth will be, will be infinitely better than anything you or I could imagine. 

Best of all?  Seeing Jesus – face to face.  Touching and seeing his nail scarred hands and feet.  Feeling him hold me in his arms.  Worshiping him with every fiber of my being, without sin getting in the way.

The song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe has always been a tearjerker for me. 

“Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees, will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?  Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine.  I can only imagine.”

To sit at Jesus’ feet, to listen to him, to learn from him, to walk beside him…. Come, Lord Jesus, Maranatha!