Two ways are pleasing to God: faith and righteousness. God plans the future so that both ways shall have reward. In this age faith is the greater way and has greater reward. The way of faith is prompted by love for God and the desire to follow him however he leads. The way of righteous good work is prompted by conscience. Both ways are good but they are different. Love for righteousness qualifies for life in earth. But love for God—with faith—even in paths unknown qualifies for life in heaven.'There is another way that often seems right to men, but the end thereof is the way of death' (Prov. 14:12).it is the way of self-interest that does not trust in God, nor care for righteousness.
There will be three future destinies: the New Heaven, the New Earth, and the Lake of Fire. There will be people in all three places depending on their heart, the way of Godly faith, righteousness, or self-interest. The New Heaven will be home to angels that never rebelled nor ever left their own habitation (Jude 1:6), and it will also be home to Christian saints, the bride of Christ. The New Earth is this planet but renewed for a renewed humanity (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 8:21-22). God’s kingdom removes the sin curse from humanity and from earth (Rev. 22:3).
Heaven will be joined to earth by a fabulous space-city called New Jerusalem (Rev. 21); this is “my Father’s house” containing the mansions of glory prepared for the saints (John 14:2-3). According to Rev. 21:16 this city is magnificent. It is the future city of the great King (Matt. 5:35). It is referred to in Isaiah 54:11-12; 60; 62:1-5; Zech. 8:3-8. In vision John saw New Jerusalem coming down to earth from heaven, and the city is prepared as a bride.
Rev. 21:2,9-11, v 2: 'And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.'
Vv 9-11: 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.'
The bride is the finished Church in glory, adorned for her heavenly marriage to Christ, just as his reign is about to begin.
Rev. 19:6-7: ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready…’
At the correct time Christ comes to take his bride to heaven (1 Thes. 4:16-17), marking the end of this age. Soon afterwards the city of heaven comes to earth. That marks the start of the New Heaven—and the start of the New Earth as well. The passing away of the first heaven and earth (Rev. 21:1) is the removal of this present age of evil angels and evil men. The new heaven and earth is a time of new people as in Noah’s day; heaven is renewed first and earth soon afterward.
In Scripture heaven can be three things: the sky (earth’s atmosphere of wind, clouds, and birds); the material universe (including sun, moon and stars); and the spiritual universe (God, the angels and hosts of heaven), the ‘third heaven’ that Apostle Paul was shown.
The saints in glory will rule all things but their home is the spiritual universe. God’s throne is surrounded by a vast throng of angels (Daniel 7:10; Heb. 12:22) but the saints are promised an authority above angels (1 Cor. 6:3).
2 Cor. 12:1-4: 'It is necessary to boast; nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.'
The saints in glory will rule all things but their home is the spiritual universe. God’s throne is surrounded by a vast throng of angels (Daniel 7:10; Heb. 12:22) but the saints are promised an authority above angels (1 Cor. 6:3).
Heb. 1:4: "... having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Matt. 28:18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Rev. 5:12: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!”
1 John 3:2: “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.”
Angels had administrative responsibility to perform God’s directives in earth but that part of heaven’s rule fell into disorder. Many angels were ensnared in Satan’s revolt. Earth has suffered horribly under the misrule of corrupt angels. God hates the distress this has caused; He has promised to remove Satan’s rule and restore righteous rule. God accepts responsibility for all that went wrong. God accepts responsibility to put all things right. That is why He came to earth, as the man Jesus, to redeem and restore earthly humanity. From the foundation of the world God chose Himself as the sin sacrifice (John 1:29).
1 Peter 1:20: 'He was destined before the foundation of the world.'
Restoration is more than payment for sin and redemption of earth. There is also the need to renew heaven’s rule and to replace the multitude of angels that rebelled. But God has said the new world cannot be ruled by angels (Heb. 2:5) and he is not creating more angels; he is instead saving elect people from earth in the Church age (between Christ’s first and second advents) and calling them for heaven. This is the Church call for heaven, the Church age New Covenant.
All overcoming believers from the Church age will inherit heaven and have the right of rule in the world to come. This is God’s remedy for Satan’s rebellion.
Eph. 1:3-5: 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.'
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will.
Rom. 8:28-30: 'We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called…'
The New covenant has both earthly and heavenly provision and the fulfilment for each is different. In the Church age (between the first and second advents), Christians relate to God through the New covenant heavenly calling (Heb. 8-9). The Church age New covenant calls born again persons to follow Jesus by faith. It is Spiritual in nature and it has heavenly promises.
1 Pet. 1:4: '... into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…'
The heaven call was a mystery that Jesus only told his disciples:
Luke 10:23-24: 'Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
1 Pet. 1:10-12: 'Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated, when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you the good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.'
Jesus expounded this new calling in parables, stories with a hidden meaning. He spoke of the heavenly call as a secret mystery.
Mark 4:11: 'And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables..."'
The Church call for heaven is a mystery because it was never taught in Israel before Christ came. We know the call for heaven announced by Jesus was not familiar to Jews because the Pharisee master Nicodemus had never heard of it. The Spiritual new birth was a new doctrine to the Jews. John 3:1-3: 'Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."
'Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born anew from above. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit."
v 9-10: 'Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
'Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?"
v 12: '"If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?"'
The heavenly things that Jesus taught were new, not only to the Pharisees but to his disciples also. They did not understand until their own spiritual new birth on Pentecost Day, fifty days after Passover week and the death and resurrection of Jesus. Therefore the heavenly things that Jesus taught were a total mystery in Israel. This confirms that the call to heaven was not part of the Law covenant and it explains why Israel’s prophets did not understand their own prophecies.
The Church age is ‘an invitation to heaven,’ an age of grace for those in that calling. After Noah’s time, covenants were for special purposes and given only to the ‘few’—while the world is seemingly abandoned. The world is waiting for God to reclaim earth; that will be at Christ’s return, and the New covenant will then provide for normal earthly life and will be world-wide for everyone.
This world is a tragic place since the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden—a world of unending suffering under evil spirits. The whole world is in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19); the only hopeful prospect is the promised Messianic age.
That will be a refreshment time for all people, for restoring humanity and earth.
Acts 3:19-21: 'Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, So that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets.'
The Messianic age is the time for the whole world to be God’s chosen people including past generations fallen in death that have deeds of good conscience. The Messianic age will bring a covenant of normal human life in the New Earth. The Bible does not call this earthly hope a mystery, for it was never concealed.
The Jewish hope was always for earth and the Law covenant is only about earth. That is the reason Moses’ Writings differ from New Testament Writings. The New Testament focuses on heaven as the priority call until Jesus returns, but the Old Testament focuses mainly on earthly life and the hope for a renewed earth.
For believers in the heavenly Church call, earthly hope has been ‘replaced’ by heavenly hope. Old Testament texts are therefore ‘spiritualised’ to serve the heavenly Church call. This mind view is called ‘Spiritualised Interpretation,’ or ‘Replacement Theology.’ But this theory can only apply during the Church age because the earthly realities of Old Testament texts cannot be replaced in fact; they may have been set aside only for a time, until the Church call is complete and the saints are taken home. The New Earth promises can never be changed or replaced. God’s promises are true as written—and his word abides forever. All the New Earth promises are true and will remain forever unchanged.
The plan for national Israel was put aside for the duration of the Church age, but it will be fulfilled in due time.
Romans 11:7, 28-29; v 7: 'What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened...'
v 28: 'As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.'
Some may see Israel as something of the past with no further application, but the plan for Israel pertains mainly to the future. The main goal of Israel’s calling and election has never been yet fulfilled and cannot until Messiah is present on earth as King. The Church age New covenant is a spiritual fulfilment of Jer. 31:31-34, but the earthly provisions for this New Covenant promise remain to be fulfilled.
The purpose of Jesus’ return is to establish his kingdom in earth. If an earthly New covenant is to succeed Jesus must be present in earth as King. The earthly Kingdom will operate globally from heaven’s rule. The glorified saints will be in New Jerusalem; heaven’s government will operate from this heavenly city. The main earthly focus then will not be religion but restoration of human wholeness.
At Christ’s return the earthly New covenant will be approved with Israel. But God alone decides who is in New Earth Israel—the “fleshly Israel” of the future. “For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants” (Romans 9:6-7).
“For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly... Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly” (Rom. 2:28-29).This is true in the Church age, and true of the New Earth in the future Messianic age.
“Inwardly” has been interpreted as the ‘Spiritual new birth’ for believers in the Church call but it is not limited to that interpretation. The word “inwardly” has another meaning for the “fleshly Israel” of the earthly heritage. It may indicate ‘a secret identity,’ a secret destiny and heritage from Isaac and Jacob, which is only known to God. The complete identity of New Earth Israel is still a mystery.
The first covenant with Israel was cancelled because they turned to idolatry. “The LORD uprooted them from their land in anger, fury, and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as is now the case.” (Deut. 29:28). But all this was kept hid.
Verse 29 continues, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children for ever.”
Those Jews that observe Mosaic laws make their Jewish identity known wherever they are. But Israel’s forgotten descendants in “another land” are the unknown Israelites; they are part of the secret things only known to God.
God does not rely on tradition or religion to identify people. He identifies us from our genetic code and information in our souls: inherited destinies, curses, and blessings. The House of Israel taken captive to Assyria in 722 BCE was not lost to God and was never in danger of being lost, for God looks at the inward identity. Assimilation does not change the identities of successive generations because, in God’s view, the soul decides the identity (not the body). The soul has priority above physical genetics for deciding identity. Assimilation has not diminished the House of Israel. Rather the opposite; they have increased.
Assimilation alters the physical genetic code in favour of the majority group and can also affect the soulish nature of later generations. But the blessings or curses borne in the souls of the former generation are what decide the identity of successive generations. This reality affects our view of the world around us and also our view of Bible prophecy, for this enables us to identify people in the way that God identifies them, not in outward appearance but by inward reality.
The heaven-called Christians, reborn of the Spirit, are no more identified by their genetic code or their soul, but are identified by their new life in the Spirit. That is why in Christ there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, male and female, bond and free (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). But the earthly kingdom of God is not like that. Prophecy says that people of the New Earth will observe distinctions of honour and servitude. And there will continue to be distinction between males and females. And Israelis will differ from Gentiles in the new world, for covenant renewal shall be only with the House of Israel and the House of Judah (Jer. 31:31).
Human nature should not be mixed with spirit nature, or material things with spiritual things, or earthly values with heavenly values. They are not the same. There is a need for separate distinctions to help understand heaven and earth.
God’s mind is found in both Old and New Testaments but each has a different characteristic. The Old Testament reveals God’s mind for earth-bound people, but the New Testament reveals his mind for heaven-bound people, the Church. The highest priority in the New Testament is the call to heaven, but that will end. The New Testament also contains much information pertaining to earth because Jesus is Lord of both heaven and earth.
Jesus necessarily taught about both inheritance hopes (heaven and earth) for he is Lord of both! Jesus is God, and God speaks total truth. Jesus is the head of the Church but he is also God of the whole earth at his return. He therefore must necessarily speak for both portions of his kingdom.
It’s interesting that the people of God’s kingdom, of heaven and earth, are all originally from earth. Saints in the heavenly city go through a change of nature and are no longer earthy because they get a new body in the likeness of Christ, made for heaven. But people of the New Earth keep their earth nature because they are called to live on earth. Human nature in the Kingdom will not contain inherent sin, as now, because the curse on earth will be gone. Our flesh bodies are part of earth because we are made of earth dust. The inhabitants of heaven and earth will always be different but God does not want anyone to be envious of another lifestyle. Everybody in God’s kingdom will be glad where they are.
The new world will be fully satisfying for all.
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Commentary:
My initial reaction upon completing reading this article, was "interesting food for thought." I had certainly never thought of our eternal destinies in this way.
As with most people, I used to think there were two eternal destinies: heaven, or the New Earth, for all believers in Jesus Christ (the Christ of the Bible), and the Lake of Fire, for the devil, his angels and those who have died without Jesus. Heaven shall come down to the New Earth and the inhabitants would freely traverse from one sphere to another.
It remains to be seen if, indeed as illustrated in this article, there may actually be three destinies. Aside from this, I really don't have any other comments to make.
