The Daily Word of Righteousness

Going to Heaven, #12

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:4)

The Prophets describe the restoration of God's Presence to the earth.

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. (Psalms 66:4)

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

The Prophets speak of growth during the Kingdom Age:

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)

The Prophets speak of our being established in righteousness during the Kingdom Age:

In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. (Isaiah 54:14)

The Prophets speak of our being glorified marvelously:

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. (Isaiah 54:11)

The Lord Jesus warned that some of His servants would be punished because of their behavior:

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (Luke 12:47)

Paul goes on to teach:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

The "we" includes Christians. Some Christians will receive a heavy punishment when the Lord comes. Paul knew the "terror" of the Lord in this respect.

There are those who are beyond redemption. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire to dwell with the False Prophet, Antichrist, Satan, Satan's angels, and the people of this depth of evil. Never again will they be released to destroy the handiwork of God. Any human being who is judged worthy of the Lake of Fire has brought on himself a fate far worse than anything we can comprehend.

The Prophets never portrayed the righteous as living forever in the Heaven above us. Rather, they spoke of the glory of the saints when they have been perfected in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to the Father, and then established as the Kingdom of God: that is, as the city that rules the nations of saved peoples of the earth.

The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. (Isaiah 60:19-22)

The true saints go to be with the Lord when they die. This is marvelous beyond all marvels.

It is also true that one day the Throne of God will come down from Heaven above us and be established on the earth so that the nations of the saved can enjoy the Presence and blessing of God in Christ in His saints forever, ages without end. This is even more wonderful. (from Going to Heaven)