“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. Revelation 21:1-3 (ESV)
We too often think of heaven as our final destination, and for now, it is. As believers pass through the veil, they find themselves in heaven in the presence of God Himself. But heaven is not the final destination, the New Earth is. Peter writes,
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” 2 Peter 3:10
The New Earth on which God will dwell with His people is our final destination and what an amazing place that will be, beyond our present imagination. In the presence of Yahweh and the Lord Jesus Christ.
When men test explosives, they hide in bunkers or behind barriers to keep themselves safe from the coming violence. One day there will be one of the most extraordinary events in history when God dissolves the whole universe; stars, nebulae, comets, planets, black holes, to be remade into a New Creation. We, those of us who are ‘In Christ’, will be safe in heaven and we will not even notice the smallest tremor as God prepares our final home.
But what about those who are not ‘In Christ’? Men and women are living in the Gospel age. Today they can choose to repent and believe in what Christ has done on the cross for them. We are called not only to witness to Christ and the Gospel but to intercede in prayer that God’s purposes and blessing may be released into our land.
Heavenly Father we cry unto You in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for our land. As we wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ may Your Spirit move amongst us in power bringing salvation, transformation and glory to Your Name. Amen