7) Christian Hope
Eternal life, the new earth, and reunion with loved ones - the future God has prepared for those who believe
After examining the reality of death, the unconsciousness of the dead, and Satan’s deceptions, we now turn our eyes to Christian hope. This hope does not disappoint, because it rests on God’s unfailing promises.
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” — Revelation 21:1 (KJV)
The Promise of Jesus
What did Jesus promise His disciples before He departed?
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Answer: That He would come again and receive them to Himself
John 14:1-3: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Christian hope is not going to heaven when we die, but the return of Jesus. He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself” (). This is a personal promise from the Saviour. He will come for us — not send a message or a representative — He Himself will come.
“The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of His true followers.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 302, par. 2.
The Reunion
What will happen when the dead in Christ are raised?
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Answer: They will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Imagine the scene: Jesus appears in the clouds of heaven with thousands of angels. The graves are opened, and the righteous of all ages rise with glorified bodies. Together with the righteous living, they are caught up to meet Jesus in the air.
After meeting Jesus in the air, where will the saved go?
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Answer: They will go to the Father's house, to the place Jesus prepared
John 14:2-3: "In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
After meeting Jesus in the air, the saved will be taken to the Father’s house, according to His promise. There they will be with Christ during the millennium (). Then, after the final eradication of sin, God will make a new heaven and a new earth, where the redeemed will live forever.
Life on the New Earth
What is God preparing for the saved?
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Answer: A new heaven and a new earth
Revelation 21:1-2: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
Christian hope is not to float in the clouds forever. God will create a new earth, real and tangible, where His people will live forever. It will be Eden restored.
What will no longer exist on the new earth?
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Answer: Death, sorrow, crying, and pain
Revelation 21:4: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Everything that causes suffering now will be removed. Death — the last enemy — will be completely destroyed. There will be no more hospitals, cemeteries, or tears of farewell. Sin and its consequences will be gone forever.
Eternal Life in Detail
The Bible gives us beautiful glimpses of life on the new earth:
What will the saved do on the new earth?
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Answer: They will build houses, plant vineyards, and enjoy the work of their hands
Isaiah 65:21-22: "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."
Eternal life will be active and full. It will not be boring or monotonous. We will have houses to build, gardens to cultivate, skills to develop, places to explore, and all eternity to learn and grow.
How will humans and animals relate on the new earth?
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Answer: The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and there will be perfect peace
Isaiah 11:6-9: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
The Presence of God
What will be the greatest blessing of the new earth?
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Answer: God will dwell with men and be their God
Revelation 21:3: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."
The greatest joy of eternity will be the presence of God. We will see His face, hear His voice, and walk with Him as Adam did in Eden. All the love, all the wisdom, and all the goodness of God will be accessible to us forever.
“There the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The loves and sympathies which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest and sweetest exercise.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677, par. 1.
What will the saved do every Sabbath on the new earth?
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Answer: They will come to worship before the Lord
Isaiah 66:22-23: "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD."
Reunion with Loved Ones
What did Paul say to comfort those who had lost loved ones?
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Answer: That we will see them again when Jesus returns
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."
One of the greatest comforts of Christian hope is the reunion with those who died in Christ. It is not a vague hope that “they are in a better place,” but a concrete certainty: those who sleep in the Lord will rise when Jesus comes, and there will never again be separation.
Eternity with Christ
How long will the saved live with Christ?
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Answer: For ever and ever
Revelation 22:5: "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."
Eternal life is exactly that: eternal. There is no end, no decay, and no uncertainty. For ever and ever we will be with our Saviour, exploring the wonders of His creation and growing in love and understanding.
What Now?
Christian hope changes the way we live today:
- Death is only a brief sleep before the awakening.
- We can comfort one another with the hope of reunion in Christ.
- Every day is an opportunity to prepare for eternity.
- Others need to know this hope.
- The return of Jesus is not a cause for fear, but for joy.
My Decision
I accept the Christian hope of the resurrection and eternal life. I await the return of Jesus and the reunion with my loved ones who died in the faith. I want to be ready for that day, living in communion with Christ. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus.