Day 29: A New Heaven and New Earth

Some people envision heaven as a place somewhere up in the clouds where St. Peter stands and guards a pearly gate entrance. They imagine that life there will be boring because we will be forced to ride around on clouds and play small stringed instruments. They legitimately wonder if they will be reunited with family and friends and they can’t imagine a life where everyone will do the same thing for all eternity.

The Bible presents a far different picture of what God has planned for those who accept His gospel and trust in His son, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, and the apostle John both pull back the curtain and give us a glimpse of the new heaven and the new earth that God stands ready to create at the end of the present age. After the Tribulation period and after the 1000 year millennium period, God will bring about this glorious new creation called the new heaven and the new earth and guess what, Jesus will be there! This is what makes heaven … heaven! There is no need anymore for a temple because Jesus is the temple. There is no need in this place for the sun because the glory of God will light the place up! Do you see the picture that everything centers on the Lamb…Jesus and His servants will serve Him! We will see God face to face! What you and I follow by faith right now we will see by sight! The most important thing about heaven is who will be there!

Read Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27 & 2 Peter 3:10-13, Matthew 24:35

Q: What are some of the current “curses of sin” that won’t be a part of the new heaven and new earth?

Q: Why do you think God will totally obliterate His current creation (even down to the fundamental elements that make up our universe)?

Q: In what ways do you think God’s new heaven and new earth will resemble our current universe?

Q: In Revelation 21:8, who does God say will not be permitted to be part of His new creation and what is their fate?