Special Morning Prayer Sep. 3
Revelation 22:1-5
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Part 3. The Present and Future Heaven
1. Summary of the Book’s Key Points
There are two states of heaven: the present heaven and the future heaven. Pastor Randy Alcorn clearly distinguishes between these two in this chapter. The present heaven is a spiritual place where believers who have died in Christ are currently with Him. This is a temporary state where our souls go immediately after death. However, the Bible teaches that there is a future heaven where we will live with resurrected bodies. This is the ultimate place where, after Christ's return, the new heavens and the new earth will be created, and our souls will be reunited with our resurrected bodies to live eternally with God (P.62).
The present heaven is a temporary state, and everything will be made new when Jesus returns. In Revelation 21, the Apostle John says, “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.” This refers to the future heaven, a completely renewed place different from the present heaven. The future heaven represents a perfect state where we will live with resurrected bodies. In this place, there will be no more sin or suffering, and we will live with God forever (P.68).
The Bible also provides specific details about what our lives will be like in heaven. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says that our resurrected bodies will be imperishable and glorious. This emphasizes that heaven is not just a spiritual state, but a place where we will live with resurrected bodies. In the future heaven, we will see God face-to-face and live forever in His glory (P.74).
2. Central Message
Heaven is our final destination, and understanding both the present and future heaven is central to our faith. In the present heaven, we rest spiritually with Jesus, but our ultimate hope lies in the new heavens and new earth that will come after Jesus’ return. In this place, we will live eternally with God in resurrected bodies. This assurance of heaven gives us the strength to transcend our present life and fills our lives with the hope of heaven (P.79).
This hope of heaven allows us to see our current lives in a new light. When we realize that heaven is not just a temporary place for our souls but an eternal place of life that God has prepared for us, we gain the strength to endure suffering and trials in our present life. This truth about heaven guides us to live beyond the present life, looking forward to the glory of heaven.
3. Our Application
We must realign our lives based on this firm truth about heaven. Our present life is temporary, and ultimately, we will live forever in the new heavens and new earth that God has prepared. This hope should influence every area of our lives. We should regard our life on earth as temporary and focus our hearts on the eternal heaven.
Additionally, we should live our present lives more faithfully with our eyes fixed on heaven. The hope of heaven gives us the power to overcome suffering and to live according to God’s calling. We should live with the hope of heaven, allowing that hope to influence all our decisions and actions. This will empower us to work faithfully for God's kingdom and live a life that glorifies Him (P.85).
