by Beth Fore
“Then I saw a new heaven
and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had
passed away, and there was no
longer any sea. I saw the Holy
City, the new Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully
dressed for her husband. And
I heard a loud voice from the
throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling
of God is with men, and he will
live with them. They will be his
people, and God himself will
be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from
their eyes. There will be no more
death or mourning or crying
or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away.'”
(Revelation 21:1-4 NIV)
A New Heaven and a New Earth
I long for a perfect home, Lord,
just like the Garden of Eden.
A place of beauty and splendor
with no sign of sorrow or sin.
I wonder how it would be, Lord,
if Adam and Eve had obeyed you.
We would talk and walk in the garden
and be refreshed by the morning dew.
There would be no ugly curse on us
to inflict pain, agony, and death.
Each day would be filled with delight
as we praised You with every breath.
Our bodies would never age, Lord,
and we would never grow old and decay.
We would forever rejoice in Your presence
and serve You joyfully each day.
Is this how the New Earth will be, Lord,
a restoration of Your original plan?
Will our resurrected bodies be renewed
and transformed into a perfect man?
I long for a perfect home, Lord,
when my resurrected body You will raise.
I desire to be in Your presence forever,
to glorify You and give You praise.
written by Beth Fore
*The time will come when the old heavens and earth will be destroyed, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth for us to enjoy.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1 NIV)
The Bible tells us that the heaven and earth we know will pass away. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. We don’t know exactly what this means, but we do know things will be different and much better.
Some people think the new earth will greatly resemble the original Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned. If this is true, just imagine how beautiful and pristine it will be. All of the plants will be beautiful, and we will be able to walk in God’s gardens with Him in the evening. Life will be peaceful and pleasant, and there will be no sadness or sorrow or sin!
There is much that we do not know about the specifics of the new heaven and earth; but we do know that the one we now live in will be destroyed, just as our physical bodies will be destroyed, and our spirits will live on forever with God in the new heaven and earth.
*God will live with us in the new heaven and earth, and there will be no sadness or sorrow, nor tears or disappointments. Our lives with God will be wonderful beyond our imagination.
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” (Revelation 21:3 NIV)
The most wonderful blessing we have, as Christians, is the unfailing love, forgiveness, grace, and salvation God offers us through the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. We have the honor and privilege of being in his presence, and He reigns as the Sovereign Lord over everything. Non-Christians will face the afterlife and God’s judgment. Their punishment will be eternal; not only will they dwell in hell for eternity, they will also be separated from God eternally. Perhaps, this is the greatest punishment of all.
Let us all look forward to the day when God creates the new heaven and earth and takes us home to heaven to live with Him forever!
APPLICATIONS
- Look up descriptions of the new heaven and earth in the Bible. Write these down. Then, write a poem or paragraph describing what you think heaven will be like. Share this.
- Most women look forward to the day they will be beautiful brides, dressed in splendor, to come before their soon-to-be husbands. The Bible describes the New Jerusalem as coming down from heaven, appearing as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. What do you think this means, and why do you think this metaphor is used?
- Think of some of life’s greatest sorrows and burdens you have overcome. Write these down. Then, go through them, one by one, and mark through them. You might say something like, “In the new heaven and earth, I will no longer deal with this problem/sorrow; and, hopefully, I won’t be reminded of it any more.
- Where do you think you will spend eternity? Are you happy with that? If not, what can you do to change your destination?
If you want to learn more about what it means to be a Christian or to become a Christian, click this link: https://woww.newlifebehavior.org/what-it-means-to-follow-jesus-how-to-become-a-christian/ If you have questions, please send us an email at nlbiministry@gmail.com.
Women of Worth Worldwide 