Comfort one another with these words
When we believers go through challenging times, we can become a bit earthbound and be affected by what we see and hear.
It is easy to become a little forgetful of the enormous comfort [1] that we receive from God’s word concerning our eternal destiny.
Recently a brother was wondering what it would be like in heaven. He expressed the opinion that the bible had little to say about heaven and eternity. I disagreed with him on this, as I find all through Scripture there are clues and tantalising hints about what we believers shall be like and what will happen in heaven in the hereafter.
So, today my fellow believer, you are invited to relax and permit me to share with you some of these glimpses from scripture of your eternal destiny in Christ Jesus.
The format of this message [2] is not a formal bible study but an opportunity to meditate on and eagerly look forward to your eternal reward!
You hear the shout! [3] The voice of the Archangel! it is the Lord himself! The King of Kings! The Lord of Lords! He is descending from highest heaven with the sound of the trumpet. The dead in Christ are arising.
We, who are alive, are changed in the twinkling of an eye! Our corrupt bodies become incorruptible! Our mortality is swallowed by immortality!
And we are like Him! Yes, like Him! and we are caught up to be with Him, Him who our souls love, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
We were told to comfort each other with these gracious words.
We then see that we are indeed surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, our fellow saints and we shall be with Him forever!
Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament and those who turn many righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
Our citizenship is in heaven, no longer eagerly waiting, our lowly bodies transformed and conformed to His glorious body. We are like Him, with glorious bodies.
We are with Him! – oh the joy for in His presence is fullness of joy and He is allowing us to share in His glory!
And to some of us, the ultimate accolade and the sublime reward of “well done thou good and faithful servant.”
With baited breath, we watch as our work is tried by fire [4], some suffer loss, as the wood, hay and stubble is burnt, yet, there is great joy for the gold, silver and precious stones – the Lord’s reward to His faithful. As Abraham’s servant led Rebecca to Isaac with bracelets and ornaments, so the Holy Spirit lifts up the Church and brings us to Christ in the air, bestowing on us precious jewels and ornaments on us that Jesus might present us to the Father without spot and without blemish. We are clothed in splendour, with the robe of righteousness!
Next, we attend the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Hallelujah! For the Lord, our God the Almighty reigns. We rejoice and are glad and give the Glory unto Him, for we are come to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and we have made ourselves ready, we are clothed with fine linen, bright and clean, which is the righteous acts of the saints. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
These words we can now see are true.
We await the new heaven / earth with no more sea, and the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven. He wipes away every tear, no more death, mourning, crying pain.
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard or what has entered the heart of man. All that God has prepared for those that love Him.
And we have received the Spirit from God that we might know the things freely given to us by Him.
Meanwhile let us not grow weary in well doing for in due time we shall reap that harvest and receive or eternal reward!
Amen
Personal Prayer
Footnotes [1] 1 Thessalonians 4:18 [2] This message is written from a pre-millennial rapture point of view. You of course are free to construct your own ‘glimpses of things to come’ from your own eschatological point of view. [3] 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 [4] 1 Corinthians 3:12-13