An anonymous writer tells about an American tourist's visit to the 19th century Polish rabbi, Hofetz Chaim. Astonished to see that the rabbi's home was only a simple room filled with books, plus a table and a bench, the tourist asked,

"Rabbi, where is your furniture?"

"Where is yours?" replied the rabbi.

"Mine?" asked the puzzled American. "But I'm a visitor here. I'm only passing through."

"So am I," said Hofetz Chaim. [show less]

Paradise.

Holiday. No work. Sunshine. Beaches. Maybe mountains? Sounds like heaven to me!

But what about the real heaven? Do you believe in it? Even if you don’t, what will it be like? Ask ten different people, you might get ten different answers. Speculation runs wild regarding paradise and the hereafter.


dreams and fantasies
Papias, a 2nd century Christian writer, got rather excited over the ancient prophet Isaiah’s words about the hereafter. Isaiah predicted that in heaven everyone will have a private vineyard (Isaiah 65:21). Papias believed every vine will have 10.000 stems, and each stem will have 10.000 branches. He said each branch would have 10.000 shoots, each with 10.000 clusters and 10.000 grapes on each cluster. Each grape, when pressed, would produce 25 measures of wine.

Papias is just one example of someone who dreamt about life in eternity. Dreams about heavenly paradise range from massive wince production to a guaranteed supply of virgins to satisfy all male desires!

Some think paradise would be a great blessing if it simply extended the pleasures we know in this world. Others maintain that they aren’t attracted by Christian images, talking about singing eternal praises, shouting endless hallelujah’s and playing heavenly harps. Wouldn’t that be rather boring? What kind of god would demand that kind of endless adoration?


reality check
Start at the beginning with me. When I read the holy bible, there’s no doubt that something comes after life. Paradise is real. It’s going to be beautiful, full of gold and precious gems. Best of all? It will be without evil or pain or sadness or death or parting. (See “Notes of Wisdom” below.)

Glimpses of paradise are all throughout the holy bible. The ancient prophet Isaiah talks about more than just vineyards. He quotes God saying, ‘Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth—so wonderful that no one will ever think about the old ones anymore’ (65:17).

It will be a place where ‘my people will live as long as trees and where [they] will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains’ (vs. 22).

The prophet speaks of a massive new city that will overflow of peace and prosperity (66:12).

The New Testament fills these sketchy pictures with more details. Jesus himself declares that upon his ascension to ‘heaven’, He is going to prepare ‘places’ for us. There will be many ‘rooms’ for his friends in this new home (John 14:1-3).

The apostle Peter tells us to eagerly anticipate the day when God ‘will set fire’ on this present world and will create ‘the new heavens and the new earth he has promised.’ He adds one crucial detail. It will be a ‘world where everyone is right with God’ (2 Peter 3:13).


complete picture
You can read the most comprehensive account about paradise in the last two chapters of the holy bible, Revelation 21 and 22. Even the location of these two chapters shows that the new world comes after this present one has ended. Paradise comes after Jesus returns to earth and resurrects his friends. (See about:coming back)

Why don’t you read those passages sometime? Take some time to read and re-read the two final chapters of the Bible. Sure, the language is symbolic, but it’s still beautiful. And still real. Maybe you won’t know what to make of some symbols – but that’s okay. What does it mean that the city is ‘pure gold, as clear as glass’? (21:6). How can the walls of this mysterious city be 216 feet thick (vs. 17)?

It’s probably much easier to understand what this new world has not and is not, than to get a clear picture of what it actually is. But there are a few things we know for sure…

There will be no death. Underline this tremendous promise.

Just imagine. No more death. No more accidents. No more sickness, not even a feeling of fatigue. No more Alzheimer’s or heart infarcts. No more cot deaths nor aging, no more handicaps, no more farewells or separations. Truly, that is a new world.

Our present life is always linked with death. We can’t read the newspapers without noticing the obituaries. We cannot visit beautiful medieval cathedrals without walking over the tombstones. When we visit the maternity ward in the hospital, chances are that on our way we’ll see a notice with the word ‘morgue’. We do all we can to ignore death, to fight it and beat it. But in paradise, it’ll be the toothless outsider.

It gets better. You see, paradise won’t have any crime either. None. ‘Cowards who turn away from [God], and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshippers, and all liars’ will be noticeably absent (Revelation 21:8). A world with only honest and decent people! People you can trust.

what’s missing
More definitions of what paradise lacks? Here’s two: no darkness, and no oceans. ‘There will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun’ (22:5) and ‘the sea was gone’ (21:1). To a superficial reader this might not sound promising. Where else do you go for holiday if there aren’t sunny beaches? But remember, this is symbolic language. Ask yourself: how would the original reader have understood this? In ancient times, nights were dark. When you go out at night, don’t you usually see light somewhere, or bring artificial light? But back then people didn’t have our commodities. All kinds of unpleasantness came with the darkness and unsavoury elements roamed with mischief. Darkness == danger.

The sea was another enemy. The ancient Israelites never took to the sea like some of its neighbouring nations, such as the Phoenicians. To the people of Israel, oceans were bad news, a threat that endangered their existence.

So this isn’t necessarily talking about geography or environment. Instead, it’s a sublime declaration of care. When the old world is replaced by new creation, everything that ever posed a threat will disappear. For us they might imply that the elements which threaten our existence will be removed. No more threat of nuclear war, chemical pollution, environmental disaster or bird’s flu. It will be the safest place imaginable—for all.

So when you think of ‘new’, it isn’t just ‘new’ chronologically, but ‘new’ in quality. Paradise will be a renewed, re-created world, with the same God and the same ‘you’ and ‘me’. In essence, this already happens in the present. ‘Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same any more, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun’ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Start fresh. Here and now – in your heart. Getting a little piece of paradise on earth. But again later on, too. In every aspect of existence. Even if it’s good for you here and now, it’ll get better when we all live together in peace forever.

‘The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.’ (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 678). [show less]

What have you always imagined heaven to be like? How does your imagination compare with the holy bible’s description?

What aspect of the bible description of the new earth and heaven most appeals to you?

How would you like a world filled only with decent, honest people? What would you look like if that were true right now?

How can you contribute to making your bit of the world more like heaven? [show less]

Do you want to live forever and be in the new earth with God? What can you do to accept that future for yourself?

Dear God,
I realise that you have plans to make a new earth, where I can spend time with you in worship and service. There are so many things I will enjoy doing. I’m looking forward to it, thank you for loving me this much. AMEN

Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

9 Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

10 So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal. 12 The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. 17 Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).

18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

21 The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. 24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. 25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. 26 And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. 27 Nothing evil[f] will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.


Revelation 22
1 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

6 Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.”

Jesus Is Coming
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.

9 But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

10 Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”

12 “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. 15 Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. [show less]

re:tell: Christopher News Notes. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/h/heaven.htm. 13 April 2006.