As we progress on our truth about Heaven, there is an area of the afterlife that has been skipped in most of our thinking. It is the intermediate state between death and the final resurrection. Where will we be, and what will we be doing?
In I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul teaches us that when we are dead, there is a present Heaven we will go to, called sleep. That does not mean we are in a state of unconsciousness. We are far from unconscious. We are with the Lord, but it is a temporary state until Christ returns; at that time, we will be given a glorified body. In II Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” According to Matthew 24:36, only God Himself knows when that day will be when Christ will return to gather those who are alive and bring with Him those who have already died and are with Him in the present Heaven. “But of that day and hour knowest no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Our soul and our resurrected glorified body will unite when we return with Christ. Until then, we will be with Jesus, joyfully looking forward to our bodily resurrection and permanent home on the new earth.
I Thessalonians 4:13–18 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
We have moved many times in our 50 years as husband and wife. Some moves were so far away we would stop and spend the night between. This would be our lodging place. This is similar to our journey to our final new home eternally. When Jesus comes back to earth, there will be a final separation of those who are His and those who have not repented and received Him as their Savior. The judgment will take place, and those who are His will receive their final reward, the New Heaven. Revelation 1:1-5 gives us what John saw as the new abode for Christians.
Revelation 21:1-5 “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. 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. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
In II Peter 3:10-13, Peter teaches us also that Jesus will come suddenly when no one expects Him, and the present Heavens will pass away, and this earth will burn with fervent heat. At that time, the new Heaven and earth will be established, and we will live forever with Him on this perfect earth. It will be as it was when God created it in the beginning. When Adam and Eve walked the earth before they sinned, it was perfect. We will experience this perfect world, a world where there will be no sadness, no pain, and no tears. Until then, we need to be busy getting ready to go and take all that we can with us.
II Peter 3:10-13 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
Wow! What a day that will be when we gain our forever home on the new Heaven and earth. Jesus will be on the throne and we will be in an eternal state that never changes. Perfection will be realized and enjoyed.
