Challenging Christians to Look Forward to Heaven's Reality
The Christian hope for heaven is rooted in biblical promises of a renewed existence and a direct relationship with God. This hope is not merely for an ethereal afterlife but for a tangible reality, often described as "new heavens and a new earth" [4, 10].
The Apostle Paul expresses this forward-looking perspective, stating, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14 BSB) [1]. This pursuit involves a transformation, where believers' bodies will be changed into "glorious bodies" [8]. The book of Revelation provides vivid imagery of this future, depicting a "new Jerusalem" descending from heaven, where God will dwell with humanity [7, 10]. In this new creation, earthly luxuries become common building materials, signifying a reversal of present values [5].
The concept of heaven involves a profound intimacy with God. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, emphasized the importance of lifting one's heart to God in the heavens [6, 3]. This aligns with the understanding that God and the Lamb will be the temple and light of the new Jerusalem, eliminating the need for a physical temple [7]. The vision presented in Revelation 21-22 describes this new community as a "home for God’s people that is fashioned and given by God," intended to uplift persecuted Christians [10]. It is portrayed as the ultimate Garden of Eden, a state of perfection that Adam and Eve could have experienced before the Fall [10].
While the present world is described as a "heavy burden" under heaven (Ecclesiastes 1:13 BSB) [2], the future reality offers a different perspective. The "world of light and exaltation" is understood to be populated by "blessed angels by whom God is praised," though God does not need or benefit from their service [12]. This future hope is a central theme, with believers encouraged to "taste the good word of God" and the "powers of the world to come" even in the present [11]. The joining of Gentile and Jewish Christians in Christ forms a "holy temple for the Lord," signifying God's presence among His people even now [9].
Sources
- Philippians “Philippians 3:14 (BSB) — I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.”
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 1:13 (BSB) — And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!”
- Lamentations “Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens. -- Lamentations 3:41”
- 2 Peter (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Peter 3:13: 3:13 the new heavens and new earth: See Isa 65:17; 66:22; Rev 21.”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 21:21: 21:21 Things that are precious and luxurious on earth are common building materials in heaven.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: 13:17 13:23 James 1:6 2:13 2:19 2:26 3:11 4:3 1 Peter 1:3 1:12 2:13 2:21 2:21 2:22 2:22 2:22 5:5 5:8 5:8 5:8 2 Peter 2:4 3:13 1 John 2:9 3:2 3:8 4:8 Revelation 1 1:4 1:9 1:11 1:16 1:20 2 3 3:12 14:1 14:4 14:13 15:6 20:9 22:16 Tobit 12:9 Wisdom of Solomon 1:4 1:14 11:23 11:24 14:16 Sirach 2:2 2:2 2:4 2:10 2:11 2:27 3:10-12 3:11 5:6 6:14 6:16 6:34 7:6 7:31 9:13 9:15 10:9 10:12-13 11:1 11:2 11:3 11:3 11:4 11:15 11:28 12:13 13:15 14:9 15:9 16:3 18:13 18:13 19:14-15 20:20 21:2 22:21-22 23:17 23:17 25:1 25:1 25:11 26:27 28:6 31:1 32:10”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 21 (introduction): The new heaven and the new earth, Rev 21:1. The new Jerusalem, Rev 21:2. God dwells with men; the happy state of his followers, Rev 21:3-7. The wretched state of the ungodly, Rev 21:8. An angel shows John the holy city, the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:9, Rev 21:10. Her light, wall, gates, and foundations, described, Rev 21:11-21. God and the Lamb are the temple and light of it, Rev 21:22, Rev 21:23. The nations and kings of the earth bring their glory and honor to it; the gates shall never be shut, nor shall any defilement enter into it, Rev 21:24-27.”
- Phil (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Phil 3:21: 3:21 change them into glorious bodies: See 1 Cor 15:42-54; cp. Rom 8:23. • he will bring everything under his control: See 1 Cor 15:24-27.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:21: 2:21 Joined together in Christ, Gentile and Jewish Christians become a holy temple for the Lord, because the Lord himself is among his people (see Matt 18:20; 28:20; 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:4-5).”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 21:1: 21:1–22:9 The final scenes of the new heaven and earth are striking pictures of a new community and home for God’s people that is fashioned and given by God. These scenes help to lift the spirits of persecuted Christians. John lays out his basic vision (21:1-8) and follows it with two expansions: (1) In 21:9-27, he presents the new Jerusalem as the site of holy perfection; (2) in 22:1-5, he describes the new Jerusalem as the ultimate Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve could have experienced had they not sinned. 21:1 The vision involves God’s creation of the new ”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 6:5: tasted the good word of God--distinct from "tasted OF (genitive) the heavenly gift"; we do not yet enjoy all the fulness of Christ, but only have a taste OF Him, the heavenly gift now; but believers may taste the whole word (accusative case) of God already, namely, God's "good word of promise." The Old Testament promise of Canaan to Israel typified "the good word of God's" promise of the heavenly rest (Heb. 4:1-16). Therefore, there immediately follows the clause, "the powers of the world to come." As "enlightening" and "tasting of the heavenly gift," ”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 148:1: We, in this dark and depressed world, know but little of the world of light and exaltation, and, conversing within narrow confines, can scarcely admit any tolerable conceptions of the vast regions above. But this we know, I. That there is above us a world of blessed angels by whom God is praised, an innumerable company of them. Thousand thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him; and it is his glory that he has such attendants, but much more his glory that he neither needs them, nor is, nor can be, any way benefited by them.”