While God has revealed in scripture some of the miseries of the lost, He has not left us in entire ignorance of the everlasting happiness of those who are now justified by the blood of Jesus. Being already partakers of the heavenly calling, and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, we await the coming of our Lord from heaven, when we shall meet Him in the air, and be taken to the Father’s house, until the heaven opens and we come out with Him in manifested glory. “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
But who can describe the blessedness of being “forever with the Lord”! What tongue can utter the bliss of being joint-heirs with Him who is Heir of all things! What pen could depict the joy of the Father’s house, the blessedness of sharing the honor and glory of the glorified Son of man I What mortal mind could comprehend such infinite heights and depths! What words could portray the beauty and brightness of these cloudless regions of peerless purity and perfection! At our very approach to the subject, we seem to hear a voice within us, saying, “Take thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”
We are clearly taught that the “inheritance” will be incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away;” that it is reserved in heaven for us, and that we are kept by the power of God for it through faith. All our blessing being founded on the blood of Christ, He will there be the absorbing object of delight, the untiring subject of praise, the source of uninterrupted joy and thanksgiving.
How widely all this contrasts with the present state! Now is the time for “evil things” then to be forever comforted and blessed; now to sow in tears, then to reap in joy; now to endure suffering, then to enjoy pleasures for evermore; now to live in a Christ-rejecting world, then to dwell forever amid Christ-exulting crowds; now to know Christ only by faith, then to see Him with unclouded vision, and so be forever with the Lord. No Satan to tempt us then, no deceitful world to allure, no false friends to betray, no wicked to trouble, no vile body to clog, no infirmities to hinder, no sin to distress, no bereavement to cause weeping, no perplexities to harass, no separations to call for mourning, no failure to give sorrow. In the eternal state there will be no pining sickness, no aching brow, no breaking up of happy associations no heaviness of spirit, no disappointment, no unkindness; but Satan bruised under our feet, heaven and earth passed away, the wicked cast into everlasting punishment, our present body of humiliation changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of the Savior, and everlasting songs of joy in every heart. Distress will not be known, for “God 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 have passed away.” Well may one who joyfully anticipates the coming glory sing,
“There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest;
And not a wave of sorrow roll
Across my peaceful breast.”
It is declared to be the purpose of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ “that, in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7).) In the millennial age, when nations are still occupying this earth, and the bride, the Lamb’s wife, has descended from God out of heaven, and taken her appointed place over the earth, then God and the Lamb are everything. Then too the world, when it looks up and sees the glorified saints, will know that the Father loves us as He loved Jesus. (John 17:2323I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23).) What wondrous grace to us!
Heaven will be the region of unsullied holiness. We are told that the living creatures rest not day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, therefore “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
It will be the abode of unchanging light and glory, for God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all, hence we are twice told, “There shall be no night there.” How can there be darkness in the presence of God and the Lamb? There will be no need even of created light, neither of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it; “for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof.” “They need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign forever and ever.” How wonderful the thought that such as are now saved by the grace of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ will then have the glory of God, and be where the eternal and uncreated light of divine glory will be their light, and forever shine through the Lamb. So bright then will be the glory reflected by the bride the Lamb’s wife, when she takes her place as having descended out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, and her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone clear as crystal, that the nations on earth will walk in the light of it. (See Rev. 21:9-279And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:9‑27).) Surely it is the precious blood of Christ that gives us title to this glory.
The Lord having come for us ere this, given us glorified bodies, taken us to our prepared abode in the Father’s house; the marriage of the Lamb having taken place, and the bride presented to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, and, as we have seen, being then in manifested glory with Himself, we shall ever realize nearness to God. It was the Father’s eternal purpose to have us before Him in love, without blemish, in the endearing relationship of children; therefore, as redeemed and a new creation in Christ Jesus, nearness, unspeakable nearness to God, must be known. Did not Christ once suffer for sins that He might bring us to God? And here we find its true fulfillment. We are told, “I saw no temple therein.” A temple was ordered for God’s chosen, loved, and redeemed Israel, and a mark also of distinguishing privilege, but it always implied distance. And it could not be otherwise; for why the magnificent building with its many sacrifices, successional priesthood, veil unrent, and the only house on earth where Jehovah had recorded His name? but to show that His people, though in covenant relationship with Himself, were still at a distance from Himself; shut out from His presence, and not yet brought in conscious nearness to God. It is well to observe, then, in this heavenly vision, that the reason assigned for there being no temple in it is, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it;” for the Lamb will be the everlasting Witness that all our blessings are founded on the claims of divine righteousness having been met for us in His accomplished work, and that the rending of the veil removed all thought of distance. For the same reason it is said, “There shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it.” Grace too will be flowing like a river, pure, abundant, widening and deepening as it flows on; for what else than living blessing could flow from the throne of God and the Lamb? What refreshment, what satisfaction, what delight, this pure river of water of life tells us of, “which is clear as crystal, and proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb.” “The tree of life” also in the midst, not of the earthly paradise, but of the paradise of God, will be ever feeding and gladdening us with its varied and soul-satisfying fruits, while the healing virtues of the leaves of the tree are given to the nations on earth. But the best of all will be to see His face—to see the Lord Himself, the One who loved us and gave Himself for us; for nothing less could ever satisfy one who is born of God. “They shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads.” What heavenly, what eternal, and perfect bliss! Yes, “There we shall see His face, And never, never sin. There from the rivers of His grace Drink endless pleasures in.”
Besides all this, there will be willing and happy service—“His servants shall serve him;” and it need not be added that the deepest reverence and profoundest humility will also be manifested. If the sinless seraphims which are ever ascribing holiness to the Lord of hosts, were seen by the prophet with covered faces and covered feet, how much more will it become us in unfeigned lowliness and holy reverence, to rise from off our thrones of glory, and, while prostrating ourselves, cast our crowns before Him who sits on the throne, and say, “Thou art worthy”! Yes, so conscious shall we then be that we owe all our happiness, all our blessings, all our eternal salvation to the rich, unmerited grace of God, that our becoming utterance will be, “Not unto us, Ο Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name be all the praise, all the honor, all the glory. Moreover, it will be the dwelling place of perfect love, for God is love. The eternal love of the Father, the self-sacrificing love of the Son, the love and fellowship of the Spirit will then be fully known, calling for ceaseless and grateful response from the innumerable hosts of the blood-washed dwellers in heaven. There the Father will be rejoicing over His returned and welcomed prodigals with exceeding joy, the Shepherd rejoicing over His lost sheep safely folded, the Spirit filling each vessel with fruit in season, and the praises of countless ransomed ones causing heaven to resound with joyful hallelujahs, and the untiring anthem of “Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood;” while myriads of bright angelic hosts add their ascriptions of “Worthy is the Lamb.”
It need scarcely be said there will be rest there, even the rest which now remaineth, as it is written, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
What will it be to be “forever with the Lord?” To be forever gazing upon His face, to see His name written on every forehead; to behold Him in His rightful place as Lord of all; to hear Him honored and extolled by every creature; to find all there harmoniously employed in serving Him; every mind in heaven according to His thought; every heart responding to His desire; every soul delighting unceasingly in Him—His fullness, His perfection, His worth, His glory; all feeding on His joy, filled with His love, and waiting in His presence; every knee bowing to Him; every tongue praising Him. His name how fragrant, His love how perfect, His voice how sweet, His glory how unutterable, His word how blessed, His will how just; and, above all, His blood, how precious! He Himself our Life, our Peace, our Righteousness, and not ashamed to call us brethren, but still saying, “My Father and your Father, my God and your God.” He Himself satisfied at seeing the travail of His soul, and we forever satisfied at being forever with the Lord. Well may we exclaim, “What must it be to be there!” But we must stop. Our thoughts are too poor, our conceptions too meager, to attempt further description of the unspeakable glories of that bright and hallowed region. It is most happy to know that the blood of Jesus has secured it for us, that Christ is made unto us righteousness, that He has accomplished eternal redemption for us, and that He ever lives to make intercession for us, so as to save us through all this checkereda path right on to the end. Λ little while, and then the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and His saints, living or dead, shall be caught up to meet Him in the air; then this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, this mortal shall have put on immortality, and death shall be swallowed up in victory. Then shall we see His face, and be with Him and like Him forever.
“Forever on His face to gaze,
And meet the full assembled rays,
While all His beauty He displays
To all the saints in glory!”
Reader! Will you be there?
Man has a living soul. No doubt other creatures have living souls, but it is bound up with their organization. “Man became a living soul” by the in-breathing of God, and the difference is immense, and of all-importance. (Compare Gen. 1:20, 3020And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20)
30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. (Genesis 1:30), margin, with Gen. 2:77And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7).)