The Flight
15. Heaven
The last book of the Bible tells us what God will do when human history comes to a close. God revealed this to the apostle John in a vision:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. (Revelation 21:1)
The joys of the new heaven and earth will be beyond anything we can imagine, but God uses two pictures to give us some inkling of what lies ahead for His people: The city and the garden.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2).
When John saw the new city coming down from heaven, he immediately recognized its skyline—Jerusalem! It was unmistak- ably familiar to him.
Jerusalem is full of significance in the Bible story. This was where God came down to meet with His people. The old Jerusalem had a holy place where the presence of God came down. The new Jerusalem is a holy place where God’s presence will remain.
John heard a loud voice coming from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3–4)
John saw the city from the outside and when, in his vision, he was invited inside the city, what he saw was a beautiful garden.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life. (Revelation 22:1–2)
The Bible story began in a garden. There were trees in the garden and one of them was the tree of life. John would have seen the significance immediately—this is paradise restored, and the new paradise will be more glorious than the one Adam lost.
At the beginning of the Bible, God gave Adam and Eve the gifts of a home, work, marriage, and great joy in His presence. But, at the end of the story, God’s people will have a better life, better work, better company, and greater joy than any of us have ever known.
Better life
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life . . . also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. (Revelation 22:1–2)
The garden of Eden was a wonderful home for Adam and Eve, but it never had trees that bore different kinds of fruit every month!
This is telling us that life in heaven will never be boring. There will always be something new. Jesus will always be leading us into fresh discoveries, and the greatest joys of your life in this world are just a small sample of the delights you will enjoy in God’s new creation.
Better work
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him . . . the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:3, 5)
Notice what we will do in heaven: We will worship, we will serve, and we will reign. When God speaks about us reigning, He is telling us that life will be ordered and brought under our control.
We will no longer be subject to the tyranny of time. We will no longer be swept away by unpredictable tides of emotion or impulses of the will. We will no longer endure dysfunctional relationships. And we will no longer be subject to danger or death.
Our lives will be ordered, our work will be fulfilling, and our relationships will be whole. We will serve God as we always wished we could, and all that we do will be offered to Him as worship.
Better company
The garden of Eden was enjoyed by just one man and one woman. But now a vast crowd is streaming in through the gates of God’s city.
It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels . . . on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. (Revelation 21:12–13)
John saw twelve entrances to the new Jerusalem. The gates faced north, south, east, and west, and all of them were open (Revelation 21:25). At the beginning of the Bible story, the gate to paradise was closed. Cherubim guarded the entrance to the tree of life with a flaming sword.
But Jesus has broken the sword of judgment, and now angels are at the gates to welcome all who belong to Him. People are pouring in from every continent in the world—a vast company of people from every tribe and nation—all of them redeemed by Jesus Christ (Revelation 21:24–26).
Better joy
Our greatest joy in heaven will be the presence of God. God came down to the garden of Eden as a visitor and made Himself known, but in the new creation God will no longer be a visitor. God will dwell with His people, and we “will see his face” (Revelation 22:4).
God’s ultimate gift is the joy of eternity in His presence, and He freely offers this gift to you: “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment” (Revelation 21:6). Heaven is not a reward you can earn; it is a gift you must receive.
Jesus came into the world so that this gift could be yours. He went to the cross for you. He rose from the dead for you. He offers you everlasting life. But you must come.
Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17)
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Receive what He offers.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21)
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
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