We are going to continue looking at what we know in Scripture about our eternal existence. There are odds and ends throughout the Bible and especially in Revelation 21-22 on that subject. I want to summarize very quickly nine things that we know for certain about our eternal life that is found in Revelation and some other places.
Here are nine things we know for certain will happen in our eternal state:
1. We will have a life of fellowship with Him. We see that in Revelation 22:4 as we look at our personal relationship with Him. It says, “they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.” We also see this in 1 Corinthians 13:12, it says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face-to-face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” We also see this in 1 John 3:2, which says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”
2. It’s a life of rest. We see this in Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven, saying “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” Other scriptures tie into that. It will be a time of rest. Not a time of which we do nothing. As we see, we serve Him and reign with Him, but nevertheless it is a time that we rest from the labors that we have done in a broken and polluted and corrupt world.
3. Life of full knowledge. 1 Corinthians 13:12 again speaks of a couple of things, but certainly that in eternity we will see Him face-to-face and know Him fully and be fully known.
4. Life of holiness. Revelation 21:2 says, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” We will have a life that is holy in the new Jerusalem. A life that is free from the sins and the corruptions that we have known and experienced all our lives. So, it is a life of holiness. The holy Savior is there, and the holy throne is there. All that is holy, righteous, and pure is there and we will live in that environment forever.
5. Life of joy. Revelation 21:4 says, “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” All these kinds of things will be no more. We have a life of joy. Life that is joyful in a way that we have never experienced before. A fullness of joy. A joy with no caveats or exceptions. A full rejoicing wrapped around Jesus Christ.
6. Life of service. Revelation 22:3 says, “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him.” Jesus speaks about that in some of His parables. We will serve the Lord in capacities that would probably not make sense to us if we knew about them now. We don’t know how they fit or how it works, but we know we will have the privilege of serving Him in whatever way He wants us to serve Him forever.
7. Life of abundance. Revelation 22:6 we see we have a life of abundance. It says, “And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.” This is abundance. These are the things He is going to now show us that are ours. Overflowing in the abundance of Him . . .
