Heaven

Lesson 8 w/AnswersLife and Relationships in the Resurrected Earth

Heaven

Over the next several lessons, we will be finishing our study of Heaven, with an overview of Sections 8 through 12 of Randy Alcorn’s book, "Heaven". In these sections of his book, Randy addresses specific questions that people ask about Heaven.

Following the final judgment of man, and the defeat of the final enemy, Death; those who have been saved and raised with resurrected bodies will live on a new earth and a new heaven where God will live among them (and us). In the course of this lesson, we will be covering Sections 8 through 10, and we will be addressing such logical questions as, "What will the resurrected earth be like?", "What will our lives be like?", and "What will our relationships be like?"

Let’s examine the answers to these three broad questions in our study this week.

  1. What does John 14:2-3 tell us about the coming new earth and our new home?
    1. ANSWER: 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. [NIV]
  2. What will the new earth be like? How is it described in scripture? What do the passages below tell us about the new earth?
    1. Ezekiel 36:35
      1. ANSWER: They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited." [NIV]
    2. Isaiah 51:3
      1. ANSWER: "The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing." [NIV]
    3. Isaiah 35:1
      1. ANSWER: The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [NIV]
    4. Isaiah 55:13
      1. ANSWER: "Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." [NIV]
    5. Isaiah 65:17
      1. ANSWER: "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind." [NIV]
    6. Isaiah 66:22
      1. ANSWER: "As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and descendants endure." [NIV]
    7. 2 Peter 3:10-13
      1. ANSWER: 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. [NIV]
    8. Revelation 21:1-4
      1. ANSWER: 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." [NIV]
    9. Revelation 21:23
      1. ANSWER: The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. [NIV]
  3. Once we are living on the new earth, what will our lives be like? What will relationships be like? And what will it be like to actually live in this new earth in our new home? What do the following passages reveal about living in the new earth?
    1. Revelation Chapters 21 and 22
      1. ANSWER: These chapters describe many physical aspects of the new earth that we will live on and experience. They will include rivers, trees, fruits, and mountains, for example. These passages also describe a physical city with gates and traffic, people coming and going, i.e., an active kingdom.
    2. Genesis 2:9, Gen 3:23-24, and Revelation 2:7
      1. ANSWER: The Tree of Life, originally planted in the Garden of Eden and now in the "paradise of God" will be in the center of the New City of Jerusalem.
  4. What will we physically be like as we live on the new earth in the new city of Jerusalem? What do the following passages tell us?
    1. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
      1. ANSWER: 13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words. [NIV]
    2. Job 19:26-27
      1. ANSWER: 26"And after my skin has been destroyed, yet [a] in [b] my flesh I will see God; 27I myself will see him with my own eyes�I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" [NIV]
    3. Luke 24:39
      1. ANSWER: "Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." [NIV]

From our quick look at the passages above, we see that our new heavenly home will be a physical place built and created for us by Christ. It will have many of the same components found in the Garden of Eden: vegetation, fruit trees, rivers, and the presence of God. Just as with Adam and Eve, we will then have a relationship with God in a way that we have not yet experienced; as He comes to live and reign among us, heaven and earth all in the same place. What a glorious picture! What an exciting world to look forward to!

We also learned that everything that we will experience will happen in our resurrected bodies, and it will be each of us individually who experience it as ourselves, just as Job stated. We will have duties to perform, responsibilities to manage, relationships with everyone in heaven, feasts, meals, celebrations and worship like we have never before experienced. It will indeed be a perfect place, and one in which we will be perfectly at home living with God and His Son Jesus, the Christ.

Have a great week everyone.

In Christ,

Wes

[2009]

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