Will The Real God Please Stand-Up? Conclusion-Eternity

One day, the true God will stand up for His People:

And at that time shall Michael (Jesus) stand up…. and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Daniel 12:1

And …every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:11

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We have been discussing the differences between the two largest religions.  We have let the word of their holy books speak for themselves.  When compared, the truth becomes clear.  The comparison has been stark. One man named Muhammad  wrote the Quran over a 23 year period and The Bible written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by 39 men written over a period of 1,500 years.

We now turn to the last topic in this series.  The place of eternal life called, heaven, paradise, or “the Garden” (an Islamic designation for the place of pleasure for the ones who occupy it)

It does not take long when studying the Quran and the description of paradise to see the diminished role of a woman, even in paradise, as an object to satisfy the carnal desires of men. It seems to be all about sex for the believer of Allah. Following are just a few examples:

At-Tirmizi, vol. 2, states on page 138:

The Prophet Muhammad said “Every man who enters paradise shall be given 72 (seventy-two) houris (gazelle-eyed woman); no matter at what age he had died, when he is admitted into paradise, he will become a thirty-year-old, and shall not age any further. A man in paradise shall be given virility equal to that of one hundred men”.

“gardens and vineyards; and girls with swelling breasts of the same age as themselves, and a brimming cup;” S. 78:32-34 Palmer

Could we not say that the prophet Muhammad’s description of paradise appeals to men only  who will be given “virility equal to that of one hundred men.”  They are given women of the same age with “swelling breasts.”

Women in the Quran are described as  of less value than males and only objects of the males’ sexual desires.  This is demonstrated likewise in the Islamic culture to this day.

Virgins await those who enter paradise. 2:25

“Pure companions, and contentment from Allah”
Virgins await those who enter paradise. 3:15

But the single-minded slaves of Allah will enjoy a Garden filled with lovely-eyed virgins. 37:40-48

But, the Lord Jesus and the Holy Bible described the abode of the saved much differently.

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As mentioned in previous studies, the Quran was written by one man (Muhammad).  He appeals to the sex drive of fighting age men and promises unending sex as the reason to defend the faith. The Bible on the other hand offers to man and women a more fulfilling and happy life.

The Scripture says:

“No eye has seen,
    no ear has heard,
        and no mind has imagined
            the things that God has prepared
                for those who love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9

While it is true we cannot begin to understand what heaven will be like, we are given enough descriptions from God’s word to know that it is for both male and female who are equal in the sight of God:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

While the Quran is an appeal to the carnal nature of the male ,  the Bible tells us that we will be changed when Christ returns. When are we changed?  At death? or at the resurrection?

 Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory

1 Corinthians 15:51

This mystery is made clear that when Jesus returns (last trumpet) and the dead in Christ have been raised, then we are changed from perishable to imperishable; from mortal to immortal THEN AND ONLY THEN can we say death has been eliminated through the victory Jesus provided us through his own resurrection as the “first fruits” of resurrection

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:20

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1 Corinthians 15:23

Being with the Lord begins when Jesus returns, this is the hope of the Christian who dies in Christ:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18

The Bible specifically tells us to “comfort one another with these words.”  The words are that Jesus will come again and raise us from the dead and change us!  The comfort does not come from thinking our loved ones are already in heaven and looking down on a sinful world.

The beauty of the truth is that all of us will meet the Lord at the same time.  What a reunion day that will be!

This reward of eternal life is with Jesus when He comes back.

And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

Revelations 22:12

But, the Bible reveals something many people look over when they talk about heaven.  It is the new heaven and the new earth.

Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about the abode of the saved beyond the second coming and throughout eternity.

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How is do you visualize this place called heaven?  How would you describe it in your own words?  Is it a place of clouds and the redeemed floating on a cloud playing a harp?  Is it old uncle George smoking his favorite cigars and fishing with Peter?  Is it doing all those things you enjoyed while on earth? Are you a wispy spirit with not body? What does heaven look like? What is going on there?

We can find from scripture a mountain of information on this topic.  It is all tangible. Things we can see, touch, and feel!

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Jesus made a promise to His followers:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:1-3

Heaven is where God dwells:

“Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.”

1 Kings 8:30

Jesus said this is where Jesus was going to prepare a place for us:

You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, “I am going to the Father,”

John 14:28

Look closely at these verses in John 14. Jesus promised to “prepare a place” for us, but also notice that we won’t be there until Jesus returns.  Also, notice that Jesus is there already doing a work of “preparing a place.”

Is Jesus building a mansion for us? Is His work the work as a carpenter?

Hebrews tell us something that helps us visualize heaven and the city God occupies now.

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:10

This passage tells us that Abraham was looking forward, by faith, to a time when he would not be living in tents, but rather a city with foundations built by God Himself as the architect and builder. We can know that this city and its  mansions have already been built, because Jesus spoke in present tense. “In my Father’s house, there ARE many mansions”

The work of  preparing a place for us appears to be described in Hebrews:

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through (ascended to) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession…Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4: 14, 16

So Jesus role is not an architect, but as a priest.  We need no other priest upon earth, because we have Jesus as our High Priest now in heaven.

His work of preparing a place is a spiritual preparation of our hearts and minds to inhabit such a wonderful place.  Every day, we have the honor of approaching the throne of grace to find mercy when we need it and call up God’s grace (power) to keep us from giving up and turning back into the wilderness of sin.

Heaven a literal place that is not “wispy” and cloud-like that we have seen in pictures by well meaning artists.  It is a city!

'No! No more harps! I can't take it anymore.'

The book that reveals (Revelation) describes the city and its foundations.  John was allowed to see the city.  He described this city  as follows:

1.) It was bright with the Glory of God and appeared like a precious jewel:

It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Revelation 21: 11

2.) It had high walls with 12 gates and names on the gates on each side:

 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21: 12-14

3.) The City is huge!

And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.  Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

Revelation 21: 15-17 (NKJV)

A furlong is 5.268359 yards.  12,000 furlongs = 1,500 miles.  The city is 1,500 miles on each side.  It covers 2, 250,000 square miles or (3,621,024 Kilometers)!

There is no city on earth that comes close to the size of this city! Something this large is considered a country!

This is the dwelling place of God Himself:

4.) It is colorful

The 216 foot thick wall is made of all kinds of precious stones and metals.  The city itself is gold!

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones

Revelations 21: 18-19

5.)  By faith, Abraham looked forward to this city whose architect and builder is God Himself!

for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:10

6.)  The city has a name! It is called, New Jerusalem

Then I, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:2

7.) This city that God built and where He, Jesus, and the angels dwell will come to this earth one day!

 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Revelation 21: 2, 10

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We have seen in previous studies that after Jesus comes to redeem the people who are alive when he comes and those who have died in Him, He will take us to where he is.  He is now in that big city.  So we will be moved from this sinful world to the pure city into the presence of God.  But, we do not stay there forever as strange as that may sound, we come back to the earth!

This city is coming back to this earth! Zachariah describes this day to us:

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west,Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

Zachariah 14:4

But when does this happen?

From Revelation 20, we get a clear picture of this earth void of people being the abode of Satan for 1,000 years before he is loosed out of his prison of circumstance

All the redeemed have been taken to heaven (the city called New Jerusalem).  All the lost are in their graves.  Some killed at the brightness of his coming  and the others from centuries past remained dead.

 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them,,,they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Revelation 20: 4

There awaits the lost for their own resurrection.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:5-6

The two resurrections are separated by 1,000 years.  At the end of that period, the New Jerusalem returns to the earth that Jesus promised to His followers:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5

Before the meek inherit the earth, God must put a final end to rebellion and sin.  When the masses of the sinful history are resurrected, Satan convinces the multitude to attack the Holy City. Because, like in the garden of Eden, the tree of life is inside.  If they can get to it, they will live forever.  But they are stopped and death and the grave are cast into the lake of fire.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are…

 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20: 9-10, 15

Then God begins to make a new heaven and a new earth:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Revelation 21: 1-3

What will this new earth be like?

Death and all the mental and physical ailments will be gone!

 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Who will we see?

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 8:11

But equally important we will see the ones we loved and we will recognize each other.

 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Who will we be like?   We will be like Jesus!

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

1 John 3:2

In Jesus resurrected glorified immortal body, he was real, but had abilities to suddenly appear or travel at the speed of thought.

Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have

Luke 24:39

In this glorified body, he also had an appetite:

He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.

Luke 24: 41-43

What will be do in heaven?

Remember, we can not know everything, but God has revealed two important aspects of our lives today that will give us great joy to do.  It is work and worship:

They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Isiah 65: 21-23

This new earth free from poisons and dangers will become our source of practical happiness.  We will work with our hands and enjoy it!  We will build vineyards and a beautiful home to our liking.

Then each week and each month, we will gather back in the city for a Sabbath worship service that will exceed any service we have ever attended, because God Himself will be there!

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 66: 22-23

The Sabbath is important because the redeemed will watch as God creates a new heaven and a new earth.  This verse indicated that, perhaps, the Lord gives us a eye-witness account of the creation week and (again) He will rest from His work of creation and redemption.  We will all worship and admire the works of His hands.

Our name and our decedents will remain.  Our remembrance of this old earth and our journey through rebellion and sin will forever keep us from choosing sin a second time.

Our differences created by divisions of nationality and race will be healed as we come to the city to worship and eat from the tree of life that perpetuates eternal life

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 21: 1-2

This earth will become the dwelling place of God and the redeemed. The true God has stood up for His people:

“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.”

Great Controversy, page 678

 

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