“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
(I Cor. 2: 9 nkjv)
In the closing chapters of this series we will focus on what life will be like in eternity for redeemed human beings who become immortal and possessed with eternal life. We will look at what redeemed saints will be doing as they live, what joys and pleasures they will experience, what occupies their time and attention, and whether they have any sighs, bad thoughts, or any lack of peace. We will consider whether pleasures will be for both body and spirit, or spirit alone. We will consider the mental and emotional life of immortals. We will look at the nature of the resurrected and glorified body which will have become immortal and no longer bound by nature's physical laws, for it will be a "spiritual body."
What will it be like to live forever? What will it be like to live in heaven on earth? What will it be like to live forever without fear of dying and without any spiritual faults or sin? What will we be doing for all eternity? Will we ever get bored? Is sinning and falling from heaven possible? Will we have free will in heaven or the capability to do evil? Will we have super powers? Be supermen? Super human? How will we relate to time and space? Will we be good hedonists? Will we have 'free will'? Will having free will mean that we will be capable of sin and fall again? How will God insure his people from apostasy and transgression in eternity? Can God insure such a thing? Will we remember our former lives on earth? How will we view our mortal lives on earth?
Will the human race continue to be a self propagating species as a race? Who are "the nations" in the new heavens and earth over whom the saints rule? (Rev. 21: 24) Will there be people who are yet mortal? People who do not have glorified and resurrected bodies? If yes, then this will have far reaching effects for how we view life in eternity in the new heavens and earth, not to mention other areas of bible doctrine.
Thus, we have hundreds of questions about life in eternity as immortal beings, as the children of God, as mature sons and daughters of God. However, the bible does not give exhaustive amounts of information about it, as all confess who have studied this subject. However, there is much indeed that is revealed and it is that which will occupy our attention in these closing chapters of our series on the Afterlife.
The two texts at the heading of this posting (chapter) speak of life in eternity as being one of bliss, where there is "fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore." God has prepared blissful things "for those who love him." Both the word "paradise" and "heaven" cause the mind to think of a place of bliss, ecstasy, serenity, and every other good feeling and thing; A "utopia." Christ spoke about Paradise more than once, both before his death, resurrection, and ascension, and after it. In his post ascension appearance to John the apostle on the isle of Patmos, he had John to write the following:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Rev. 2: 7)
While he was on the cross he said to the penitent believing sinner being crucified to his right "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23: 43)
Another mention of paradise occurs in 2 Corinthians 12:4. Paul writes: “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” In verse two he identifies paradise with "the third heaven." This would be "the highest heaven."
Scholars tell us that the English word "paradise" is from the ancient Greek word paradeiso and the Hebrew pardec and literally means a "park" or "garden." It speaks of a pleasure ground or grove. So Eden was called (Gen. 2: 5), being a garden of delight. In the old testament it sometimes referred to an orchard. Says the encyclopedia (See here):
"The word paradise originated from Old Persian pairidaeza, which meant "walled enclosure, pleasure park, garden." Pairidaeza came into Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek retaining its original meanings. It appears three times in the Hebrew scriptures (Neh. 2:8, Eccl. 2:5, Sg. 4:13) and also in later rabbinic literature. In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word for "garden" was usually translated by the Greek paradeisos. In Genesis 2–3 paradeisos refers to the original Garden of Eden (lit., "delight")."
In Ezekiel we have God saying to the king of Tyre (representing Lucifer the fallen angel) "thou hast been in Eden the garden of God." (28: 13) Eden was a paradise on earth, reflecting paradise in heaven. Further, the texts in Revelation speak of at least one tree in the Edenic garden, the "tree of life," one that produced twelve kinds of fruit and whose leaves were for the health of "the nations." (Rev. 22: 2) We also see a beautiful and glorious river running through the midst of the new Eden, in the "new heavens and earth" (21: 1), things which were present in the Eden where Adam was placed. In the midst of this glorious paradise is the city of God, "New Jerusalem," "the holy Jerusalem," with its streets of gold, jasper walls, pearly gates, etc. It is a picture of a "great city" (Greek megalopolis). Other texts also show that paradise is a place of gardens, with trees, plants, and exquisite landscapes.
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar." (Gen. 13: 10; See also Isaiah 51: 3; Eze. 36: 35; Joel 2: 3)
The God of the Bible, as well as the gods of the heathen, are all intimately connected with having lavish gardens (in fact there is a place called "garden of the gods" in Colorado, being a 1300+ acre park). So too did wealthy kings have their gardens. Famous among these are the "hanging gardens of Babylon" and the many gardens of king Solomon. In Song of Solomon there is frequent mention of the several luscious gardens of king Solomon and what joys and pleasures were experienced there. There is mention of a "garden inclosed" and describes it in these words:
"A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." (4: 12-16 kjv)
"The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him." (Eze. 31: 8-9)
Thus, paradise, or heaven, or the new heavens and earth, has all manner of trees and vegetation. It is a place to enjoy, to eat and drink, to fellowship with others, to stroll, to admire all the sights, smells, tastes, etc.
The phrase “under their vine and fig tree” is found three times in Scripture: Micah 4:4, 1 Kings 4:25, and Zechariah 3:10.
"But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; And none shall make them afraid: For the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it." (Mic. 4: 4)
The words "dwell safely" are added in I Kings 4: 25. I take that to mean that there will be both common and private areas for all the inhabitants of the new heavens and earth. Each of the redeemed of mankind will have an apartment in the New Jerusalem mega complex and each will no doubt have his or her own private estates.
Everlasting Pleasures
The Psalmist says that "fulness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore" are at the right hand of God. To be at the right hand of God is to be in heaven and in the immediate presence of God and of the host of heaven.
Some Christian teachers have tried to make a distinction between "joy" and "pleasure" that is not warranted. These say that "joy" is spiritual, while "pleasure" is carnal. But, that is not so. There is nothing negative about the word "pleasure" in itself, and the above Psalm verse proves it. Yes, there are what are called the "pleasures of sin," (Hebrews 11: 25) which Moses refused to "enjoy." Such language implies that there are pleasures that are not sinful; And, the word "enjoy" in the phrase "enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," shows that there is a carnal "joy." Paul spoke of how divine love "rejoices not in iniquity." (I Cor. 13: 6) The same text speak of "rejoicing in the truth" as opposed to "rejoicing in falsehood" as well as iniquity.
Those who become immortal and experience physical resurrection will have a "spiritual body," but that does not mean that all bodily feelings and sensations are gone. Though immortal, they will take pleasure in eating heavenly manna, and enjoy the taste of the twelve kinds of fruit on the tree of life (though I don't think they will need to urinate nor empty waste through the colon, but that is another question for another time). They will also enjoy the pleasant odors from the spices of the gardens of paradise (as is described in the texts above). They will enjoy varied and sundry pleasures from all their five senses, just as they did on earth while in their mortal bodies. Pleasant sights to see? Heaven and life in eternity in the new heavens and earth, in paradise, will provide many wonderful and delightful things to see with our eyes. And, what about pleasures from hearing? As we delight to hear music and "a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument" (Eze. 33: 32), so will we also in eternity. Heaven will have music fit for god like beings, for God and his family, for the angels and other glorious creatures who dwell in the presence of God.
And what can we say about intellectual pleasures and mental delights? Of the "life of the mind"? Will it not be characterized by peace and joy? Will there not be happy thoughts? Thrilling discoveries?
Will we be able to use these words: thrilling, excitement, fun, fascinating, inspiring, etc.? What about laughter and comedy? Will it be gone? Will everything be sober and serious, like being in a high church or funeral service? Will we have pets? Will we be able to travel to other parts of the cosmos? To teleport? To disappear and appear someone else? What will be our relationship to each other? To the angels? To the brute creation and to animals? Will we sleep? Will we eat? Will we need to use the commode? Will we get tired? Will our bodies have powers like superman? What increased attributes will we have as the children of God? What will keep us from being bored? What will prevent our having an accident so as to hurt our bodies or to die?
In the next concluding chapters of this series, which has become a book, we will look at these questions and the leading texts on life in eternity.
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"
(Matt. 25: 34 kjv).
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