Christians should think of death as a beginning and not an end. We are on this earth for maybe 80 plus years on average. Once we die our soul immediately goes to be in the presence of the Lord. We have an opportunity to live forever in a new heaven and new earth which is beyond our ability to describe its beauty.

John 14:1 – 4 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” We shall reside in heaven until Christ returns and then there will be a thousand year while God prepares a new heaven and new earth.

Revelation 21:1 – 3 – “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, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

If we make the wrong choice we will live in torment throughout eternity as described is Luke 16:23 – 26 – “In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’”

What is the desire of every Christian? It is to live with God and Christ in eternity. That is our ultimate goal. To obtain that goal we must be willing to become completely obedient and submissive to God’s will and to live our lives as Christ instructed. Ask most Christians to describe eternity and what will it be like living there. The majority may have trouble describing it. Yet, Americans spend millions of dollars trying to find out what their lives will be like in ten years. How important is it for you to know what “forever” is going to be like? Scripture has made it very clear that if we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we will spend eternity with the Trinity.

Our heaven, earth and seas will be gone. The apostle Peter writes that our present earth will be destroyed by fire. (II Peter 3:7) This will occur after the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth. The curse that has been on our earth and the evil that exists will be gone. Its atmosphere and surroundings are so different that it will allow our imperishable bodies to exist forever. Our diets will be different as we eat from the Tree of Life. Some believe it is the same type of Tree Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat.

In the new heaven and earth there will be no sun, no Satan, no sin or death, tears or sickness. Mankind will have made a complete cycle. We believe our new earth will be similar to what God had intended in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve prior to their sin. Yet, the new earth has been described as being far more beautiful and more perfect.

We know that God walked among Adam and Eve in the Garden and will walk among us on the new earth as He describes in Leviticus 26:11 & 12. We will be able to live with no stress or pain and live a secure life of peace and complete joy.

John writes that He was allowed to view the new earth. It was decorated with pure gold as clear as glass and fine jewelry. It sparkled and its brilliance came from the radiance of God. There will be twelve gates surrounded by walls that are 200 feet thick. Each gate will be a huge pearl. The earth will be a perfect cube and was measured between 1400 and 1500 miles squared. There will be enough room for a billion or more people. It has no impurities. There will no longer be a need for a sun or a moon. Our light will come from God since sin cannot occur in the presence of God. There will be no need for darkness or a day and night to keep time.

Water will be provided from the Water of Life River. Beside the river will be twelve different types of trees each bearing different fruit. It is highly assumed everyone will be vegetarians. I can’t imagine anything being killed on the new earth in God’s presence. Should you cut yourself; the leaves from the trees will heal your wound. Therefore, we may assume that our bodies will be more than just spirits or ghost-like.

Our relationship to God in eternity means there will probably be duties that we will be required to perform. I don’t believe God would expect us to sit around all day drinking ice tea. We may have to pick fruit and pump water out of the Water of Life River. If we have bodies that require food and water that means there will be plenty of tasks to be performed. I am sure that everyone will have some requirements, even attorneys. God will find something else for them to do.

Our character and our behavior shall be the same as Christ. Can you imagine what life would be like if we all had a servant’s heart and had an unconditional love for each other? Then think of being with a God who wants to meet our every need and every desire. He wants to bless us, His children, beyond anything we could ever imagine. If He can create a universe and be everywhere in it, don’t we believe He can create a utopia that would be indescribable?

We leave you with one question. Is living a disciplined life, saved, totally surrendered and committed to Christ for how many years you are alive worth forever and ever? Many who are wise spend years preparing for retirement. Shouldn’t we spend even more time preparing for heaven and eternity verses the alternative of a place of torment?