Our Science and Song Throughout Eternity.
“And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” – Revelation 21:23-27. (NASB)
The New Jerusalem is so amazing that it can only be described in negatives. Sometimes the positives in life are so overwhelming that you can only describe them by what they won’t be. That’s the way it is with the New Jerusalem. The reality of the New Jerusalem is indescribable. We learn that there will be no temple, no need for sun or moon, no night, and the gates will never be shut. There will be no more tears, no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Rev.21:4). How our hearts long for this. No more struggle!
In the New Jerusalem all nations (ethnic groups, denominations, etc.) will live together and will have learned the joyous acceptance that is in Jesus. The gospel calls us to anticipate the glories of the New Jerusalem in the way that we treat people today. Jesus accepts us in spite of our own peculiarities. The best way to return the love of Jesus is to treat others the way He has treated us. That principle is at the heart of the life of heaven.
Three times (Rev.21:8, 27; 22:15) the Book of Revelation lists people who will not attain eternal life. But will those who receive eternal life really be the fortunate ones? Really, we have no idea what eternity will be like for us. Sometimes my kids in class say “I think living forever could get boring, I don’t think I really want it.” Among other things I say that should you get tired of eternity, you could probably ask God to be put to sleep. Of course, nobody is ever going to get to that point. Another point is that time will no longer be as it is now.
To live forever is not enough. An excess of pleasure and wealth will not be enough for eternal life to retain its flavour. The joy of eternity will be found in the depth of relationship with God and others and in the work we will do to carry out God’s ultimate purpose for us and for the universe. The good news is we can begin living the life of heaven now. To know and obey God will be our science and song throughout eternity.
Your entry into ‘the Lamb’s book of life,’ is gifted to you as you accept what Jesus has done for you on a personal level. Remember, ‘books’ is conceptual language indicating that in heaven, somehow, a record is kept. God remembers you.
“The joy of eternity will be found in the depth of relationship with God and others and in the work we will do to carry out God’s ultimate purpose for us and for the universe”. Amen and amen.
And Amen again. Thanks for your comment.