The World Of
Tomorrow
The General Electric exhibit at the New York World's Fair of 1964 and 1965 had as its theme song, "There Will Be a Bright Tomorrow." No doubt the producers used this song with tongue in cheek considering the precarious condition of the world. But when the Christian says, "There will be a bright tomorrow," he has no reservations, for God has promised it and "there has not failed one word of all his good promise" (1 Kings 8:56).
The Christian hope is based on two worlds — this world and the next. When these two worlds are in view, we are adequately prepared for a full life here. The Christian has the hope of a life of joy, peace, and outgoing love in the midst of a world of trouble. The Christian has the hope of better living conditions as a result of Christian influence in any society or community. However, the Christian's great and ultimate hope is in the world to come. It is true that a person is not prepared to live until he is prepared to die. Emil Brunner says: "What oxygen is for the lungs such is hope for the meaning of human life." Dr. R. McNair Wilson, a cardiologist, wrote in his autobiography: "Hope is the medicine I use more than any other."1
Everywhere in the Bible it is assumed that there will be a next world. The Bible does not argue for its existence or elaborately explain it. Gordon Allport says: "The future is what concerns people most of all."2 In describing the future of the Christian, the Apostle Paul once said: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man,
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the things which God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Cor. 2:9).
Once the Apostle Paul had a vision of heaven when he saw things "unlawful to utter." This indicates that he could not explain it adequately in language that would be understood. We cannot comprehend the wonders of the next world or correlate its knowledge to that of this world. To do so would be beyond our present capacity to understand. At the close of the Bible it is written: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away" (Rev. 21:1).
A New Creation
Everything in respect to heaven will be new. It is described as a new creation in which we shall move in new bodies, possessed of new names, singing new songs, living in a new city, governed by a new form of government, and challenged by new prospects of eternity. The paradise that man lost will be regained, but it will be much more. It will be a new paradise, not the old one repaired and made over. When God says, "Behold, I make all things new," the emphasis is on "all things." We shall live in a brand-new world.
The traditional concept of the "heaven-dweller" is a caricature. We often think of heaven as a place where people sit at a harp, with wings sprouting from their shoulder blades. We have seen pictures of a jewel-studded halo on a man's head, an angelic look on his face, golden streets under his feet, the dazzling beauty of gates of pearl to fill his eyes. This, of course, is not the true nature of the heaven-dweller. He does not live in a static form of life.
Someone has said that on the door of heaven is inscribed: "No admission except on business." Heaven is not all rest.
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It is labor, adventure, excitement, employment, and engagement. The Scripture says concerning the people in heaven, that "his servants shall serve him" (Rev. 22:3). It will be much like the present life with labor and leisure, but missing all the imperfections that have destroyed the full and true meaning of life.
According to Jesus, life in the future world is related to "many mansions," a term variously understood to mean many places of sojourn, many homes, or many planets to visit. We can read much into this statement of Jesus, but to me it means active, creative, adventuresome living.
Ian McClaren wrote: "Heaven is not a Trappist monastery. Neither is it retirement on pension. No, it is a land of continual progress." Heaven will have many opportunities for endless adventure and abundant creative living.
Time magazine once described the house of the future, calling it "the New Age House." This house was "like none ever built before. Its roof was a honeycomb of tiny solar cells that use the sun's rays to heat the house, furnish all the electric power. Doors and windows opened in response to hand signals; they closed automatically when it rained. The TV set hung like a picture, flat against the wall — so did the heating and air-conditioning panels. The radio was only as big as a golf ball. The telephone was a movielike screen which projected both the caller's image and voice. In the kitchen the range broiled thick steaks in barely two minutes. Dishes and clothes were cleaned without soap or water. The house had no electrical outlets; invisible radio beams ran all appliances. At night, the walls and ceilings glowed softly with glass-encased 'light sandwiches,' which changed color at the twirl of a dial. And throughout the house, tiny, unblinking bulbs of a strange reddish hue sterilized the air and removed all bacteria."3
This was written years ago, and some of this dream has already
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come to pass in many homes. However, the houses of heaven will be far more spectacular. They will be beyond the fondest dream of any housewife.
Some time ago I visited Rocket City in Texas. It is one of the most fantastic developments in America. It is the place where the astronauts live and train. They showed me some of the capsule food which has been developed for spacemen to use when they go to the moon. One of the scientists laughingly said: "Maybe this is going to be the food of heaven!" The Bible does teach that there will be some kind of food peculiarly adapted to the bodies of those who will live in heaven, for the book of Revelation speaks of "a tree of life which bore twelve manner of fruits."
Jesus Christ Will Be There
However, the most thrilling thing to me about heaven is that Jesus Christ will be there. I will see Him face to face. I will have the opportunity to talk directly to Him and to ask Him a hundred questions that I have never had answered.
A little boy was riding alone on a train on a hot day when the travelers were extremely uncomfortable, and the scenery was not too interesting as they passed through the desert of Arizona. A lady sitting beside the boy asked him: "Are you tired of the long ride?" The little boy smiled and said, "I'm a little tired, but I don't mind it much. You see, my father is going to meet me when I get to Los Angeles."
Sometimes we get a little tired of the burdens of life, but it is exhilarating to know that Jesus Christ will meet us at the end of life's journey. The joy of being with Him forever is beyond the ability of any writer to describe. The Apostle Paul was so anxious to see Christ that he was
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"willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).
The Bible teaches that the throne of God is in heaven. "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool" (Acts 7:49). His kingdom is the universe and there is no limit or end. Scientists tell us that space is infinite and that we live in an expanding, not receding, universe. Our telescopes have never found the limits of outer space. When we get to heaven we will not be limited to one particular place. The universe will be our empire. And what is true of space is true of what we now call time, for time will be succeeded by eternity; and we will move on into the endless eons of the future, exploring the endless reaches of the universe.
A Place Being Prepared
Heaven is more than just a state of mind or a condition of life. It is a place being "prepared," meaning that it is to be suited to the habitation and use of the people who have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ.
All this leaves us with the conclusion that heaven will be as expansive as the universe itself. It will be as wonderful and beautiful as only the creator God can make it. Everything for your personal happiness and enjoyment is being prepared. Every longing and every desire will have perfect fulfillment.
One of the descriptions of heaven is that found on the Bible's concluding pages where it says: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2). There is nothing more universally beautiful than a bride. Think of all the anticipation, care, and preparation of a bride. Her dress, her hair, her bearing, her smile, and her transparent joy all combine to make her wedding moment the
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the most transcendent event of her life. I have never seen an unlovely bride, and the Bible uses this beauty to describe heaven. On the morning of my oldest daughter's wedding I had a private talk with her. I have never seen such a combination of anticipation, joy, and happiness on the face of any woman before.
The Apostle John, who was given a glimpse into eternity, said: "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 are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:4-5).
One night a young girl taking a walk with her father was very quiet for a long time. Finally her father asked what she was thinking about. "I was just thinking," she said, "if heaven with its stars is so beautiful when we look at it from this side, how wonderful it must be from the other side."
Perfection
Heaven will be the perfection we have always longed for. All the things that made earth unlovely and tragic will be absent in heaven. There will be no night, no death, no disease, no sorrow, no tears, no ignorance, no disappointment, no war. It will be filled with health, vigor, virility, knowledge, happiness, worship, love, and perfection.
Heaven will be more modern and up to date than any of the present-day constructions of man. Heaven will be a place to challenge the creative genius of the unfettered mind of redeemed man. Heaven will be a place made supremely attractive by the presence of Christ.
One of the almost unmentioned wonders of heaven will be the varied kinds of beings represented in its population.
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Some are called princes, others potentates, others rulers, for there will be thrones, principalities, and powers to be occupied by various ranks of celestial princes. There will be seraphim and cherubim, angel and archangel, Gabriel and Michael, plus the innumerable myriads who tread the celestial courts and palaces. These will surround God on His throne to recognize His Majesty, ever attentive to His orders, watching over the inhabitants of the celestial worlds.
When we have compressed the Bible's descriptions of heaven into a composite picture, we find it to be a new heaven and new earth crowned by "a city whose builder and maker is God." In the book of Revelation, John pictures it as having trees, flowing fountains, fruits, robes, palms, music, crowns, precious stones, gold, light, colors of the rainbow, water, knowledge, friendship, love, holiness, and the presence of God and His Son. This and much more will be heaven!
The Apostle Paul said: "We . . . are citizens of heaven, and from heaven we expect our deliverer to come, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). The Bible teaches that we Christians are aliens here. We are strangers, foreigners, pilgrims, and sojourners on the earth. "Here we have no continuing city" (Hebrews 13:14). We desire a better country, which is heaven.
Citizens of Heaven
No exemption is granted to the Christian from the common lot of the human race. We are born to trouble even as others and have tribulation like the rest. When depression comes, we may be out of work. When war rages, we are in danger. We are exposed to the same diseases and many of the same psychological problems as others. Thus we must take an
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interest in the present world. We must do all we can to help our neighbors with whom we dwell, be they believers or not.
However, it is true that even in this world the Christian has certain privileges as he anticipates heaven. As Charles Spurgeon used to say: "All the legions of hell cannot compel us to do the devil's work." The prince of this world may make his servants serve him, but he cannot raise a conscription among us "aliens." The true child of God claims an immunity from all the commands of Satan. In actuality, we are the only ones who are completely free. There are those today who say that we must do as others do, that we must conform to our world, that we must swim with the tide, that we must move with the crowd. But the believer says: "No, do not expect me to fall in with the evil customs and ways of this world. I am in Rome, but I will not do as Rome does. I am an alien, a stranger, and a foreigner. My citizenship is in heaven."
We are tuned to a different world. The Scripture says: "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Be willing rather to be sneered at than to be approved, counting the cross of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Washington London, Paris, or Moscow.
To aliens, the treasures of this world will not be attractive. Our treasure is in heaven "where neither moth nor rust corrupts and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:20). Neither the American dollar, the British pound, nor the German mark can be spent in heaven. When we get to heaven we shall wish that we had laid up more treasure in its banks. I would far rather be rich toward God than before men.
As citizens of heaven, we also share in heaven's glory. The Bible teaches that even the angels are our servants. The great saints of the past are our companions. Christ is our Brother.
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God is our Father. And we will receive immortality. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
Only One Door to Heaven
There is one more thing of tremendous importance concerning heaven, and that is how to get there.
There are restrictions to entering heaven. The Scripture says: "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" (Rev. 21:27). This says plainly that certain people will not be allowed to enjoy the glories and joys of heaven. They are the ones who neglected to have their names written in the Lamb's book of life. They are the ones who rejected God's offer of love, mercy, and grace. They are the ones who said "No" to Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Have you, by faith, entered that narrow gate? Do you now walk on that narrow road that leads to eternal life? Or, are you among the masses of humanity who are on the broad road leading to destruction? What is your destination? Which road are you taking? Not every person will be found in heaven.
A man in a car stopped to ask a pedestrian the way to a certain street. When the man told him the way, the driver
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asked doubtfully: "Is that the best way?" The man replied: "That is the only way."
There is only one way to heaven. Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but by me" (John 14:6).
The last invitation of the Bible says: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Rev. 22:17).
This is still an age of grace. God's offer of forgiveness and a new life still stands. However, the door will one day be closed. Someday it will be too late. This is why the Bible continually warns and challenges: "Now is the accepted time" (2 Cor. 6:2).
When the flood came, Noah was safe and secure in the ark. He had been "foolish" enough to trust God and to take Him at His word. When the world goes up in flames, you can be safe and secure by believing and accepting the "foolishness of God." This makes little sense to this dying world, but to those of us who are saved, it is the power of God unto salvation.
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1. Doctor's Progress (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1938).
2. The Individual and His Religion (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1960).
3. April 29, 1957.
