If you are a child of God, if God is your heavenly Father, then you are greatly, personally, and forever loved by Him. God wants you to know and experience His love every day of the week and every year of your life. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). “Satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days.” Psalm 90:14
If you are not satisfied by God’s love, then you will look to people or things in the world. That will not be good for you and will not bring glory to God. So go after God, seek Him, and make it your goal for your soul to know and be satisfied by His love. Then you will love God and love others and be able to joyfully carry out His plans for your life. Then you can make it through the tough times and these end-times. And then you will greatly glorify your God and Father.
I have written up a long list of Bible verses on God’s love. They are in my most recent article on this blog site. I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing these truths about love, thinking about them, and seeing them impact your life on earth. Listed below are several thoughts about love from these verses.
1. The greatest demonstration of God’s love for you is seen in Christ’s death on the cross, in that He was punished to pay the penalty for all your sins, and that God the Father was perfectly and forever satisfied by what His Son did for you. 2. The love of God is based on the truth of God. 3. God’s word gives you a great amount of information about God’s love. 4. God’s love for you began in eternity past and will continue into eternity future.
5. There is never a gap, a break in God’s love – it is constant and continual. 6. Ask God to show you His love so you can know His love. 7. Never expect or depend on a person to love you, but do expect and depend on God to love you. 8. God’s love is seen in many ways: it is good, kind, gentle, forgiving, patient, and compassionate. 9. Keep thanking God for His amazing and incredible love for you.
10. God’s love is shown in that He thinks about you, speaks to you, and works for you. 11. Knowing God’s love is one of the most important keys to loving people. 12. Singing about God’s love is good for your soul. 13. Being filled with God’s love is necessary to be fruitful and blessed. 14. You need to rely on and be satisfied by God’s love every day of your life. You may start the day with a cup of coffee but you must start the day with God’s love.
15. You see God’s love dimly during this life, but you will see it much more clearly and fully after your life on earth, when you are with Him in heaven. 16. God expresses His love to you in many ways. He loves you by giving you His Spirit, by being with you, by never leaving you, by providing for you, by leading you, by protecting you, by spiritually blessing you, by physically blessing you, by speaking to you through His word, by using you for His purposes, by giving you Christian fellowship, and by giving you hope.
17. Its vitally important to keep yourself in God’s love (Jude 21). You do this by: spending time with God, and for more than just a few minutes a day; meditating on verses about love; remembering what Christ did for you on the cross; loving God; obeying God; being filled with the Spirit; believing the truth of God’s love; having communion with Christians; confessing your sins to God; being thankful; sharing God’s love with others; and having fellowship with Christians.
18. Remember how God loved you in the past; focus on His love for you today; and think about how He will love you in the future, especially when you are in heaven. 19. A key to perseverance, to not giving up, is thinking about the personal and never-stopping, never-ending love of God. 20. God loves you even when you do not feel like He loves you. Never gauge His love for you by how you feel, by your emotional state, or by the kind of day you are having.
21. That God made you and then made you His child is a good and powerful sign of His love for you. 22. God’s love is true, unfathomable, incomprehensible, infinite, and eternal. 23. You cannot love God and love the world – they do not mix. If you love God, you are not loving the world, and if you love the world, you are not loving God. 24. Disobeying God means you are not being led by and filled up with His love.
25. One way to know God’s love is seeing how He is sovereign over your life. 26. God’s caring and compassionate love is really needed when you are going through troublesome and trying times. 27. The more you know God loves you, the more you will work and fight for Him. 28. Great tribulation, great persecution, is coming upon this earth. But during this time, nothing will keep you from God’s encouraging and comforting love.
29. Many of the verses I have listed in Article 52 are about David. I believe he is our best human example in the Bible of one who knew the love of God. Learn about God’s love by reading the Psalms and learning from David’s life. 30. The more you know and walk in God’s love, the more you will glorify God.
P.S. This is Valentine’s Day, a day that focuses on human love. But as Christians, we must focus on God’s love. I strongly encourage you to read and print out the verses on God’s love that are in my recent article, “The Love of God”, and then take the time to think about them. And pass them on to family and friends.
The world has all kinds of ideas about what Christmas means, but what God does say, what does God’s word tell us, what is the whole message? Matt. 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall beara Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.” A foundational truth about Christmas is that there was a woman named Mary who miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to a baby named Jesus. This Son of Man was the Son of God – and He was both God and man so He could be Immanuel, so He could live with man.
There are a number of reasons why God wanted Jesus to be both God and man – let me share with you seven of them: 1. Jesus had to be God and man to fulfill Bible prophecy. Many prophecies in God’s word had to be fulfilled by Jesus, for only a person who was both God and man could fulfill them. – Isaiah 9:6-7 – This child, this son, is the Mighty God, and He will rule over the world forever – and this can only be speaking of Jesus, one who is God and man. – Micah 5:2-5 – This person is born in Bethlehem, and He’s eternal and He’s a King, a ruler who brings peace to the ends of the earth. This describes one who would have to be both God and man, and we know His name is Jesus. – Many prophecies speak of the Messiah, one who would be a Savior, King, Judge, and Redeemer. To fulfill these roles, He would have to be both God and man, and indeed, this is referring to Jesus Christ. Isaiah 40-66
2. Jesus is both God and man so He could reveal God to mankind. God revealed Himself to mankind through creation (Rom. 3:20-21), but most importantly He revealed Himself through Jesus. Heb. 1:3 says, “Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.” The word radiance means to send forth light, and Jesus is sending forth the light and glory of God. Think about the sun – you don’t actually see the sun, but you see the light, the rays of the sun. And just as the sunlight reflects the sun, so Jesus reflects God. When you see Jesus, you see the exact representation of God’s nature. You see His power, love, supremacy, authority, holiness, goodness, mercy, and His purpose. John 1:29
“Jesus is the image of the invisible God”(Col. 1:15). God is invisible but Jesus is visible, and therefore, He can show us who God is and what He is like. Jesus represented God perfectly when He was on earth. By His words and teaching, by His actions and miracles, by what He said and did, Jesus was manifesting God, was making God visible, was revealing God to us. The way we know God the Father is by knowing God the Son. John the Baptist said, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten of God who is in the bosom of the Father,He has explained Him”(John 1:18). And Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” John 14:9
3. Jesus is both God and man so He could take our sins upon Himself. He would pay the penalty for our sins, that is, be punished for our sins with the result that God the Father would be satisfied by the justice that Jesus carried out for us, and then declare us righteous and give us eternal life (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus became a man so He could be our Savior, so He could save us from the consequences of our sin, from Satan, death, and hell. Rom. 5:8, 6:23; 1 Pet. 3:18
4. Jesus is both God and man so He could be with us forever. One of Jesus’ names is “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” This is a powerful and wonderful truth, that God actually came down to earth to love us, to live like us, to live with us, and to be with us forever. This is unbelievable, this is amazing that Jesus, that God Himself wants to live with us.
To think that God would come down to our level so we can live with Him, so we can see Him and His smile and His love for us, so we can hear Him speak to us, so we can talk to Him, and so we can have fellowship with Him is so encouraging. John 14:16-18, 14:1-3. During this church age, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit, but soon enough Jesus will come back and we will be glorified, and physically and forever be with Him in heaven and on earth. Rev. 21:1-3, 10-21
5. Jesus is both God and man so He can be an example to us. Matt. 5:48 says that we are to be perfect like our heavenly Father is perfect, and Eph. 5:2 says we are to imitate God. Since Jesus is God, then we can be like God by looking to Jesus, by seeing His life and hearing His words. We need human examples and Jesus is the best one we have, a perfect one.
6. Jesus is both God and man so He can defeat death and perfectly reign over this earth. Adam, the 1st man, was created by God to rule this earth, but he sinned and failed in his mission. The result of Adam’s sin was that he spiritually and physically died – and his sin was passed on to his descendants resulting in spiritual and physical death to all of mankind. Not only that, but the entire creation was corrupted by his sin. Rom. 5:12-21, Rom. 8:19-22
So God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, the 2nd Adam, a perfect man, to earth. He was the only One who could save both us and this world from sin and death. If we believe that Christ died and rose again for us, we will be saved from sin and death and spiritually be made alive. And at Christ’s coming, when the church is raptured, we will physically be made alive, we will receive brand-new, glorified bodies. 1 Cor. 15:20-23
But what about this earth? Who can redeem this world from sin, Satan, and hell? Who is worthy and able to rule this world? Who can break the seals that initiate the whole end-time process that leads to Christ’s return? Only Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose from the dead, can defeat the devil, and renew and restore this earth. Rev. 5:1-5, Col. 2:14-15
After Christ returns, the restoration process of the earth begins. He will take back the earth from Satan and all the evil authorities and powers. (1 Cor. 15:24-28, 1 Jn. 5:19, Acts 3:20-21). We don’t know exactly how this restoration process will happen, but it will occur when Christ is ruling over this earth during the 1000-year millennial kingdom. At the end of that time, the earth will be restored to God’s original design. Ps. 98:4-8, Is. 65:17-23
Christ’s final act, the culmination of His reign, of all His work, is to turn this world back over to the Father. Then, as 1 Cor. 15:28 says, “The Son Himself also will be subjectedto the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” John MacArthur summed up Christ’s work on earth this way: “When He took the assignmentof salvation from His Father, Christ came to earth as a baby, and lived and grew up as a man among men. He taught, preached, healed, and did miraculous works. He died, was buried,was raised, and ascended to His Father, where He now intercedes for those who are His.When He returns, He will fight, conquer, rule, judge, and then, as His last work on the Father’s behalf, forever subdue and finally judge all the enemies of God, recreate the earth and heavens,and finally deliver the kingdom to the God and the Father.”
Jesus had to be both God and man to carry out this salvation process, the saving of souls from sin and death, and the restoring of this earth. MacArthur goes on to say, “From the time ofthe Incarnation until the time when He presents the kingdom to the Father, Christ is in the roleof a Servant.” That is, Jesus is serving as God and man from the Incarnation, from the birth of Jesus, until the end of the millennial kingdom. And Jesus will keep being God and man forever and ever – and continue His close and affectionate relationship with His Father and with us.
Why am I taking so much time on this 6th point? So you can better understand the meaning of Christmas. We celebrate Christmas not just to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but to uunderstand the totality of Christ’s purpose, His whole reason for coming to this earth. We are not focused on the baby Jesus but we are looking at the big picture, that Jesus was commissioned by His Father to save man and this world from sin, death, and corruption. During this church age, Christ has been doing just that, and as Christians, we are to be worshiping Christ and working with Him, sharing the saving message of the gospel. Indeed, it’s a wonderful life, a fruitful, exciting, eternal, and God-glorifying life that we have.
But we also have hope, we have a future, a most glorious future. This is what Mary tells us. She knew it wasn’t just about baby Jesus, but that her son was God’s Son, the Messiah, and that He would grow up to be the Savior, and the King who would forever rule over the world. (Luke 1:30-33). And as Christians we are so blessed, for we will be living with Christ, reigning with Christ, and loving Christ forever and ever. Rev. 5:10, Rev. 21
We are now very close to the end of this age, to that time when Christ returns to rapture the church, judge this world, begin His reign over the earth, and begin this restoration process. I love what 1 Chron. 12:32 says – “The men of Issachar understood the times and knew what they should do.” As Christians, we need to understand these times that we are living in, and know what we are to do, that we are to love God and live for Him, and that we are to use our gifts and do our part in building up His kingdom. Mark 12:30, 1 Peter 4:10-11
7. Jesus is both God and man so that He and the Father will be greatly glorified. God knew that much more glory would be brought to Him and His Son if His Son would become a man, and be the Savior of sinners, the Shepherd of believers, the Judge of the world, the King of this earth, and reign with Him over the eternal kingdom. “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” (Ps. 72:18-19). “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:4-5
What’s the big deal about this small piece of land that sits off the eastern edge of the Mediterranean? Didn’t you know that God’s purpose has always been to work with His chosen people who are living on this land? God’s plan has always been to bless them so they might fear Him, obey Him, and forever praise Him. “The Lord remembered His covenant for their sake… Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say ‘Amen’. Praise the Lord.” Psalm 106:44-48
Who are these people? They are descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people, the Israelites. And God’s plan is for there to be a special piece of land, a designated place where He can bless His people, and where they can worship Him, serve Him, and be a witness to the world of His glory. God wants people all over the world to see His people being blessed so that they themselves might fear Him, obey Him, praise Him, and be blessed by Him. “Let the peoples praise You, O God… Let the nations be glad and sing for joy… God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth might fear Him.” Psalm 67:7
That Israel should possess this land started with God’s promise to Abraham around 2,050 BC, and this was an everlasting covenant. About 1440BC, God gave Moses specific plans as to how He wanted the Jewish people to live in the land. Then around 1400 BC, Joshua led them into the land, the land from the river to the sea, “from the Jordan even to the Great Sea” (Josh. 23:4), where they lived for a little over 800 years.
God’s history of the Israelites living in their land for those 800+ years is extensive, given in 25 different books of the Old Testament, a history that covers close to 60% of its pages. So what happened during the Israelite’s stay in the land? What does God want us to learn from them? Here are some of the most important lessons:
* God worked through the lives of godly people. God always had His person carrying out His plan, like Joshua, Ruth, Deborah, Samson, Samuel, David, Elijah, Asa, Isaiah, Joel, etc. By God’s grace working in the lives of His people, victories were won and His purposes were fulfilled. I say grace because God’s people in and of themselves were unable to do what He wanted them to do. So God empowered the weak and the humble, like Gideon and his small army, and enabled them to get the victory. “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands” (Judges 7:15). And God always got the credit for the glorious work He was doing through the lives of ordinary people.
* God worked through the lives of wicked people. God raised up evil individuals and nations for His purposes, often allowing them to oppose His own people. Time and time again, God enabled His people to defeat His enemies. But it also happened that God would use His enemies, like the Assyrians and Babylonians, to judge His own people for their terrible sins. Then He would judge these same enemies for their sins (Hab. 1-2). By showing mercy or justice, God would be victorious with both His people and His enemies. The fundamental difference between the two are the three promises that God made to the Jewish people about the land, the King, and salvation, all of which are eternal in nature. You find all three promises in Psalm 125, in Isaiah 55, and in Ezekiel 37:21-23.
* Israel was at its peak during the reigns of King David and King Solomon. The Israelites and their land were being blessed like never before, and when the surrounding nations saw this, they were in awe and worshiped the God of Israel. The Queen of Sheba visited Solomon to learn of his wisdom and wealth, and she was truly affected by the incredible display of God’s glory in Israel. She said to Solomon, “Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel forever.” 1 Kings 10:9
* God’s character, purpose, and glory were on display during Israel’s long stay in their land. If the Israelites were obedient and victorious, it was because God’s grace and power was working in their lives – think of David killing Goliath. If they were disobedient and defeated, then God was merciful and faithful – think of King Manasseh. In either case, God’s character was evident, His purpose was fulfilled, and He was glorified.
These truths are wonderfully illustrated by Psalms 78, 105, 106, and 136. They describe God’s holy, powerful, merciful, patient working with His people. They tell us that God was sovereign, that His promises were kept, and that His purposes were fulfilled. They speak of thanksgiving and praise being given to God because of His awesome works, perfect character, and amazing glory. Psalm 136, my favorite of the four, repeats the truth of God’s love for His people 22 times, from the defeat of the Egyptians to their journey in the desert until the time they entered their land. “To Him who… gave their land as an inheritance, for His love endures forever.” And God continues to show you His immense love during your journey on earth.
God kept communicating to the Israelites during their time in Israel. What God said was the truth, and it was spoken clearly, completely, lovingly, and powerfully (Micah 3:8). He wanted the Jewish people to know who He was – “The Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King” (Jer. 10:10). And He wanted them to know what He was thinking, what He was doing, and what He planned to do. But most Jewish people weren’t interested in what God said, didn’t listen to what He said, or forgot what He said. Not knowing and heeding God’s word was their biggest problem, and it might be ours too. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6
God talked to His people through the prophets, godly men who spoke eternal life-giving messages. “He has told you, O man what is good; and what the Lord requires of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, Mal. 2:4-7). The prophets talked about God, His person, purpose, and character. They proclaimed to the Jews their sin, warned them of God’s wrath if they didn’t repent, and promised them God’s mercy if they did repent. And the prophets gave the people hope, for they predicted the coming of Christ as Savior (Is. 53) and King (Is. 9:6-7), and spoke volumes about His glorious kingdom age. Isaiah 61
From God’s perspective, all those years in the land were very productive. The Israelites entered the land with promise and hope, but it didn’t take long before they sunk deep into sin. Sadly, it was the general pattern for most of those years. This may have seemed like a failure from man’s perspective but not from God’s. Critically important things took place and extremely valuable truths were written down during this time. – Christ’s ancestors, 19 from Salmon to Jeconiah, lived during this time. Matthew 1:8-11 – God’s work was done exactly the way He wanted. Psalm 33:10-12 – God’s word was perfectly written down, and permanently so. Psalm 119 – God’s word teaches you very important lessons. From the Psalms you learn about praising God. From Proverbs, you learn many practical truths. From the Prophets, you learn about your Savior and King, and the coming Kingdom age. – You learn life-lessons from the successes and the failures of those who lived during this time. – Most importantly, you learn how God was always exalted and glorified by His word, by His works, and by the lives of people. Psalm 145
* Most of the Israelites time in their land, humanly speaking, were bad years, marked by all kinds of grievous sins. There was pride, rebellion, idolatry, disobedience, selfishness, worldliness, immorality, and murder, of babies too. God had no choice but to judge the defiled people and the defiled land (Lev. 18:24-28, Numb. 35:33-34). These judgments usually occurred after significant periods of sin. Some of the Jewish people died because of war, famines, and plagues, while others were forced from their sin-sick land and taken to other countries, most notably, to Assyria and Babylon.
* The Israelites’ mass exodus from their land was in two stages, 606 BC and 586 BC. Jeremiah predicted that their exile would last for 70 years, which was exactly what happened (Jer. 25:1-11, 29:10-14). Then the Israelites came back to their land during which time Jesus Christ lived, died, and was raised from the dead. In 70 AD, they were again exiled, and for a very long time. Since the 1880’s, they have been returning to their land, and now there are close to 7.2 million Jewish people living in Israel. It’s absolutely amazing to see God’s purposeful, powerful, and patient working with His people for the past 4,000+ years. But God has only just begun His work with the Jewish people. “For the sake of His great name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own .” 1 Samuel 12:22
P.S. God speaks extensively about the Israelites and their time in their land. That’s because He wants you to know His eternal commitment to them. In the years ahead, you will see the salvation of a great remnant of Jewish people and Christ’s reign over the world. To help you grow in your understanding of God’s chosen people, I encourage you to look at “A Jewish Reading Lesson”.
Did you know that God wants to greatly and eternally reward you for the work you do for Him? Sadly, most Christians don’t know much about rewards because most churches don’t teach on them. But why is it so important that you learn about them? Because knowing that God wants to wonderfully reward you in the coming ages will profoundly affect how you live for him during this church age.
Here are some key verses on rewards and, as you will see, this is no small subject. * “The law of the Lord… the precepts of the Lord… the commandment of the Lord… by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them, there is great reward.” Psalm 19:11 * “Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” Isaiah 40:10 * “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5
* “Blessed are you when people insult and persecute you… rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Matt. 5:11-12 * “When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matt. 6:6 * “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither most nor rust destroys, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:19-21
* “The Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to His deeds.” Matt. 16:27 * “There is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or farms for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, and in the age to come, eternal life.” Mark 10:28-30 * “Blessed are you who are poor… who hunger now… who weep now… be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven.” Luke 6:20-23
* “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great…” Luke 6:35 * “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven.” Luke 12:33 * “He called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business with this until I come back’… The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made 10 minas more.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be over 10 cities.’” Luke 19:12-19
* “Make friends by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9-10 * “He who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal.” John 4:36 * “He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” 1 Cor. 3:8
* “Each man’s work will become evident; the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire.” 1 Cor. 3:10-15 * “Momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weightof glory far beyond all comparison.” 2 Cor. 4:17 * “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done…” 2 Cor. 5:10
* “Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Col. 3:23-24 * “There is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.” 2 Tim. 4:8 * “Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.” Heb. 10:35
* “By faith Moses… choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” Heb. 11:24-26 * “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.” 2 John 2:8 * “The time came… to reward Your bondservants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great.” Rev. 11:18 * “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what He has done.” Rev. 22:12
Here are some thoughts about rewards, and how they relate to your present life on earth, your future in the coming ages, and your relationship with the Lord. 1. God is a very giving and generous Father, and He wants to richly reward you, far more than you can ever imagine, and far more than you deserve. Luke 6:20-26 2. God will reward you for “whatever you do” for Him, whether that’s making a meal, working at a job, praying for someone, sharing the gospel, etc. Col. 3:23-24 3. God will reward each believer “according to his own labor.” Never compare your work and the result of your work with that of another believer. 1 Cor. 3:8
4. God will reward you for faithfully using the money, time, abilities, and gifts He gives you. Matt. 25:14-23 5. Rewards don’t depend on your status, gifts, or abilities – they depend on you being a good steward and faithfully using them for His purposes and glory. A seemingly “small” Christian may receive more rewards than a seemingly “great” Christian. Matt. 25:21 6. Some believers won’t receive many rewards because of their unfaithfulness. “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved.” 1 Cor. 3:14-15
7. The rewards each believer receives from God will be different than what others receive. Yet each believer will be blessed and fully satisfied in heaven. Rev. 21:4 8. We don’t know exactly what these rewards will be, but it seems that they relate to your relationships with God and people, your work for Him in the future, and other special blessings. Psalm 16:11; Luke 16:9; Luke 19:15-18; John 14:21, 23 9. God will reward you at the end of this age, at the coming of Christ. Rev. 22:12 10. Your most important reward is eternal life, which is your relationship with Jesus Christ (Mark 10:30). All specific rewards that you receive have to do with your relationship with Christ, whether it relates to worshiping Him, serving Him, or being specifically blessed by Him. “The Lord is my portion” (Ps. 119:57). “… so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:17
God really wants to reward you. And if He wants to reward you, then you should want to be rewarded – and you are not being proud or selfish for desiring to be rewarded. You see, receiving rewards signifies that you were God-glorifying, for they result from loving, trusting, obeying, and humbly and faithfully serving God while you lived on earth. If you aren’t rewarded in the future, then that can only mean you weren’t loving God and living for Him, and weren’t bringing Him glory – and your work was “burned up.” That would be very, very sad. 1 Cor. 3:14-15
Unbelievers work for themselves, for money, fame, needs, and wants, but as a Christian, you must work for God, not to make money, but to meet your needs and to please Him. If you heartily work for God and His glory, you will be truly blessed in this life and greatly rewarded in the future, infinitely more than earthly wages, investments, or retirement plans. Investing your life in the work of God will result in unimaginable, unbelievable, and astonishing rewards.
The message for you is that every moment of your life is relevant, is a way to please God and receive rewards which relate directly to the coming ages. How you live your life for God will dramatically and eternally impact your future and the future of others. So make the most of it! May the Lord say to you, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.” Matthew 25:21
The chapter in the Bible that best talks about the suffering and glory of Jesus Christ is Psalm 22. It was written by David, and there’s no doubt he experienced some of what he wrote in this Psalm, but its primary focus is Jesus. Psalm 22 vividly tells us what Jesus was thinking and feeling when He was suffering on the cross, but it also shares His hope, a glorious future that centers on Him and directly affects us. And so, it’s unique for it describes aspects of both Jesus’ first coming and second coming. Let’s go through this Psalm and see what it says about Jesus’ suffering and glory.
Psalm 22:1. Shortly before Jesus died, He cried out to His Father – “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46). Jesus feels absolutely terrible, worse than He had ever felt before. Jesus is physically suffering. Every inch of His body is hurting; He’s in great pain; and He’s exhausted. Jesus is emotionally hurting. He, the Son of God, is being mocked and laughed at; He, an innocent man, is being punished for our sins; surely, He feels guilty; and He’s all alone. Jesus is relationally separated from His Father. They had been perfectly united since eternity past, but now His Father rejects Him and isn’t talking to Him because He’s bearing our sin. Jesus is spiritually separated from His Father. He’s experiencing and feeling the holy wrath of God. But Jesus’ suffering and death is the only way a person can be saved. “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh.” 1 Peter 3:18, John 14:6
Psalm 22:2. Jesus keeps crying out to His Father, but to no avail. His Father is completely silent – He could not answer Jesus because He’s treating Him like a sinner – He has to be just, He has to punish His own Son. “God made Himwho knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Psalm 22:3-5. Jesus knows He’s bearing the guilt of sinners and that His Father is doing the right thing by punishing Him. So what does He do? He thinks about the saints of old, many who were persecuted, and yet they trusted God. Here is Jesus in extreme physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish, and He too is trusting God, for He’s convinced that He will be delivered and be greatly blessed. “I trust in You, O Lord… How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You.” Psalm 31:14-19
Psalm 22:6-8. Jesus is hated and so He’s persecuted – He’s taunted and ridiculed. “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross… He saved others, He cannot save Himself” (Matt. 27:39-44). But Jesus knows He’s doing the right thing, that He’s dying for sinners so they can be saved from their sins. And He knew the plan and power of His Father, that He would miraculously raise Him from the dead. “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You allow Your holy One to undergo decay” (Psalm 16:10). “God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death.” Acts 2:23-24
Psalm 22:9-10. Jesus trusted in His Father His entire life, as a fetus, a baby, a toddler, a boy, a youth, a teenager, a young man, during His ministry years, and now on the cross. Jesus’ faith, His complete and total reliance on His Father is critical, for it enabled Him to live a perfect life, have a successful ministry, and die on the cross to pay for all the sins of all the people who would ever believe in Him.
Psalm 22:11-13. Jesus again prays to His Father. Big time trouble is near, for Jesus’ enemies are like animals, like mad bulls and roaring lions. They hate Him with a passion, they can’t wait until He’s dead.
Psalm 22:14-18. Jesus pours out His heart to His Father – He tells Him that all His bones are out of joint. Can you imagine how excruciatingly painful this must have been? The physical stress Jesus is experiencing is putting incredible pressure, an unbelievable strain on His heart, so much so that His heart feels like wax. Jesus is so dehydrated that His tongue cleaves to His mouth. And He feels extreme pain in His hands and feet, for they had been pierced through by huge spikes. Every time Jesus pushes up to get some air, this screaming pain shoots through His hands and feet.
All these evildoers are around Jesus, staring at Him and making fun of Him – and they are gambling for His clothes. Trouble is upon Jesus in every way imaginable, and only by faith, by trusting His heavenly Father can He make it through these horrendous and hellish six hours. What helps Jesus is knowing that this is His Father’s will – “You lay Me in the dust of death.” And He knows it won’t be long before He dies and His work on the cross to pay for our sins is finished. John 19:30
Psalm 22:19-21. Again, Jesus prays to His Father, and He calls Him Lord, the One who directs His life. Jesus asks Him for help, and to hurry up, to bring this unbelievably difficult ordeal to an end. He wants to be rescued from His enemies, ones who are like lions, oxen, and dogs, like wild animals.
Then there’s a dramatic change in the direction of this Psalm. The first 21 verses describe Jesus’ suffering on the cross. But 9 of the last 10 verses speak of Jesus’ hope, of His future (“will” is stated 11 times), and this hope helps Him endure to the end, to finish the work of paying for our sins. But it’s verse 24 that explains why this sudden change in the Psalm.
Psalm 22:24. Jesus knows His Father has not looked down upon Him, detested Him, or disregarded what He’s going through. He knows His Father deeply loves and cares for Him and has not forgotten Him, and that He will answer His prayer. And this is what vs. 24 tells us – “when He (Jesus) cried to Him (God the Father) for help, He heard.” That Jesus’ Father heard Him and was satisfied that He paid for our sins is the reason He had hope and is looking forward to the future.
Jesus knows the plan and promise of His Father, that He would physically die and immediately be with Him, and then 3 days later, be raised from the dead, be given a glorified body. He understood that His victory on the cross was the basis, the reason for a glorious future, for the coming church and kingdom ages. He realized His death and resurrection would bring eternal glory to Him and His Father, and would greatly, powerfully, and eternally affect every person who would ever live, resulting in incredible blessings for a great multitude of people, ones who would be His spiritual brothers and sisters. Jesus has hope – He knows the future is extremely bright for Him and all who put their faith in Him.
So what is this hope? Hundreds of Old Testament verses describe the hope God has given to His people, and these last verses of Psalm 22 give us a glimpse of what is soon to come. And in my understanding, these are fulfilled during the kingdom age, but some may also be referring to the church age.
Psalm 22:22-23, 25. God is being praised, and it’s the main theme in these “hope” verses that are primarily speaking about the kingdom age. We read, “In the midst of the assembly I will praise You,” and who is the “I”? It could be referring to David, but there’s no doubt that Jesus, who is in Jerusalem at this time, is honoring His Father. In John 17:2, Jesus prays, “Glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You.” Phil. 2:10-11 says, “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus wanted His Father glorified and the Father wanted Jesus glorified. Speaking of Jesus, Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to our King, sing praises.”
Then we read, “all you descendants of Israel” – all these Jewish people are praising the Lord and standing in awe of Him. That it says “all” means this is not taking place during this church age for not “all” descendants of Israel are worshiping the Lord at this time, but they will be during the kingdom age.
Psalm 22:26. The afflicted are the poor, the needy, the humble, and they are seeking God, and He’s helping them, saving them, and they live forever, they have eternal life, and He’s forever satisfying and blessing them. “He will deliver the needy when he cries for help… He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy He will save.” (Ps. 72:12-13). This could be speaking of both church age and kingdom age believers, for people are turning to Christ and getting saved during both these times.
Psalm 22:27. Everyone on earth, all nations and all peoples, and all Jews and Gentiles, including unbelievers, will be worshiping the Lord. Again, Phil. 2:10-11 predicts this – “that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” – and this sure isn’t occurring now, which means it must happen during the coming kingdom age. Psalm 67:3
Psalm 22:28. There will be a kingdom, and this is Christ’s kingdom, and He’ll be reigning over the world and ruling with a rod of iron. “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15). “The Lord will be the King over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9). Psalm 2:9, Matthew 6:10
Psalm 22:29. All those who are rich, whether they’re saved or not, are not just eating good food but are worshiping the Lord. This must take place during the kingdom age because there’s no way all rich people are worshiping Christ during this age. Not only that, but all those who die, who go down to the dust, will bow to the Lord. God makes His point loud and clear that all people, whether they live or die, whether they are rich or poor, will worship Jesus Christ. Again, we’re seeing the truth of Phil. 2:10-11, that “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Psalm 22:30-31. Our posterity, our spiritual descendants, will worship and serve the Lord, in this age and the next (Matt. 4:10). And how? By telling people that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, by proclaiming His righteousness and their unrighteousness, by telling them that Jesus died on the cross to pay for their sins (“He has done it” – He finished the work to pay for people’s sins), and if they repent of their sins and believe Jesus died for them and rose again, they’ll be forgiven and be given eternal life.
This big-picture Psalm is all about Jesus’ suffering and glory. Be very thankful that He suffered and died to save your soul and give you eternal life. But now’s our time to serve our Lord and suffer for Him. Rom. 8:18 tells us, “suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” 2 Cor. 4:16-17 says, “momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory.” Now we suffer, but in the future, we will be glorified, and be blessed forever, and worship and serve the Lord forever! Hallelujah, what a Savior! “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” Psalm 86:12-13
Why is it so important to know about your brand-new glorified body? Because it’s really good news!!! Because you live in a body that’s sin-prone, that gets sick, tired, and is getting old, and you need hope of a brand new body. Because we live in a world that is fixated on our mortal body, and God wants you to be thinking about the immortal body He will be giving you. Because your salvation is not complete until you receive your new body. Because there’s so much in the Bible on this subject. And because it won’t be long before it happens.
Today, we are looking at 1 Corinthians 15, gleaning several truths from it about your glorified body. To summarize: 1) We are reminded of the primacy of the gospel message, and that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, the first person to receive a glorified body. 2) We learn that all believers, those who have already died and those alive at the coming of Christ, will be given a new body at that time. 3) We get a glimpse of our Christ-like body, that it is imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. 4) We learn that we need a perfect body that is fit for the future, that can fully worship and serve the Lord in the coming ages. 5) We are instructed how we are to live on this earth in view of the glorious future God has in store for us.
1) 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 states the essential truth of the gospel, that Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins, and was raised from the dead, proving His victory over sin and death. 1 Cor. 15:20 tells us that Christ is the first fruits, the first person to be raised from the dead and glorified, to be given an immortal and imperishable body. This took place about 2000 years ago.
2) 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 teaches that all believers are Christs and are in Christ, and will be made alive, will be glorified at His coming. That the resurrection and glorification of believers takes place at His coming is an extremely important point, shown by the fact that three other prophecy passages, Matt. 24:27-31, 1 Thess. 4:15-17, and 2 Thess. 2:1, tell us that believers are gathered to Christ at His coming, which again, is when we will be given our new glorified bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 speaks of believers who are asleep, those who have already died and gone to heaven. God wants you to know that believers who die before Christ’s coming will not be getting their new body until that time. And Christ’s coming does not begin until sometime after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, and after the coming of the Antichrist. Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 29-31
1 Corinthians 15:51 talks about those believers who never physically die, who don’t fall asleep, who are alive on earth at the coming of Christ. It says, “we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” As 1 Cor. 15:22 told us, “All will be made alive.” All believers from all time, those living on earth at the end of this age, along with all those who have physically died and gone to heaven, will be glorified, will be made alive, will be changed at Christ’s coming, which occurs just after the “last trumpet.” 1 Corinthians 15:52
That there will be the sound of a trumpet before we are glorified is also stated in 1 Thess. 4:16 which calls it the “trumpet of God” and in Matt. 24:31 which says it is the “great trumpet.” At that time Christ descends from heaven, and “coming in clouds with great power and glory”, He quickly glorifies the believers, lovingly and immediately gathering them to Himself “from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” Mark 13:26-27
There’s another point I want to mention as to when believers are glorified. 1 Thess. 4:15-16 states, “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep… the dead in Christ will rise first.” Do you see what will happen? The believers who have physically died, those “who have fallen asleep”, the “dead in Christ”, will be glorified a split second before the believers who are still alive on earth at the end of this age, at Christ’s coming. Then together they will all “meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:17
3) 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 gives a short summary of what our new bodies will be like. a) Our earthly body is perishable, but it will be raised imperishable. It will never get tired or old, and will not be subject to disease, decay, or death. It is immortal and incorruptible, living on forever. b) Now you live in a dishonorable body, but you will receive a glorious body. Our present body is imperfect, unable to be all that God desires. In the future, you will have a glorified mind, soul, body, and personality, one that will be ideal, excellent, faultless, impeccable, beautiful, out-of-this-world, altogether perfect, and always pleasing to God. c) You live in a body that is weak in every way, but it will be raised in power. The strength of our present-day superheroes, Superman, Ironman, and Captain America, etc., is nothing compared to the power and capabilities of your new body. Soon enough you will be able to do everything God wants you to do. d) Now you have a natural body, one able only to live on this earth, but in the near future, you will receive a body that is both spiritual and physical in nature, one perfectly suited to worship and serve God in heaven and on earth. The Lord Jesus Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” Philippians 3:21
4) 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 speaks of the coming kingdom ages, and this helps us see why we need to be glorified. We know that all believers will be glorified, will be made alive at Christ’s coming (1 Cor. 15:22-23). Then begins the millennial kingdom, which is when Jesus Christ reigns on earth and abolishes all rule and authority, and death too. Rev. 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:6 tells us that we will reign with Christ during this 1000-year period, assisting Him in His promised and glorious rule over the nations (Psalms 47, 67, 72). This is when our prayer, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” will be answered. Having a brand-new body will enable us to fully experience eternal life and to perfectly live for Jesus Christ during the ages to come.
5) 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, 10, 31-34, 42-44, 57-58 instructs you how you are to live in the end-times, in these last years leading up to Christ’s coming. You are to remember the truth of the gospel (3-5), live by God’s grace (10), die daily (31), not live in a worldly way (32), not be deceived and associate with bad people (33), be sober minded and stop sinning (34), have hope by understanding the truth about your Christ-like body (42-44), be thankful for the amazing victory Christ has given you (57), and “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (58).
The good news is that we will soon be in heaven with our Lord and all the believers and in a new glorified body.“Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.” Eliza E. Hewitt, Emily Wilson
P.S. No believers are fully saved – that won’t happen until Christ comes back and He gives us our new glorified bodies. This is something we should really be excited about. Here are two posts on this subject that I encourage you to read: “The Best Is Yet to Come”, and “The Believer’s Brand-New Body – Amen!”
I think of Jesus Christ when I think of Christmas, not the worldly, materialistic, and made-up one. And Christmas is not just about baby Jesus – there is so much more…
I think of Christmas being about Jesus Christ, not food, family, presents, vacations, and secular songs. That “the Word became flesh” means that Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of man, an amazing, wonderful, most important miracle. John 1:14
I think of a world that does not know Jesus, and does not understand the spiritual truth and relevance, the real meaning of Christmas, but instead uses this special season for physical and commercial purposes, for the fleshly desires of man instead of for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31
I think of how Jesus was like each of us, a little baby, 7 or 8 pounds or so, with arms and legs and fingers and toes – and He was dependent on His mother and father, but much more so, on His heavenly Father. Psalm 22:9-10, Luke 2:7
I think of Jesus, and He was not like us, for He was God in the flesh. And not having a sin nature, He never sinned. As the “Holy One”, He was perfect in all He thought, said, or did. Mark 1:24
I think of Jesus existing in the “form of God” since eternity past, but on Christmas He “became flesh”, was “made in the likeness of men”, an incredible miracle we call the incarnation. And that was just the beginning, for Jesus humbled Himself and became a “bond-servant”, a slave, and in fact, the lowest of men, for He died in the worst way, as a criminal and on a cross. But it was for a reason, to save man from his sins and from eternal death, with the result that Jesus was “highly exalted” and His Father was greatly glorified. Philippians 2:5-11
I think of how Jesus was born to live with man, One we call Immanuel, “God with us”. He went from being a baby to a toddler to a young boy to a teenager to a young man to a man. For three years, Jesus ministered to people, He “dwelt among us, and we saw His glory”. Then He died for us, rose again, and ascended into heaven to be with His Father. It won’t be long before Jesus comes back to earth, and then we will see Him and be with Him forever. Hallelujah! Matt. 1:23, John 1:14, John 14:1-3
I think of God’s character being clearly displayed at Jesus’ birth and during His first coming – His love, power, holiness, goodness, wisdom, sovereignty, etc. Therefore, God was glorified and worshiped! Luke 2:9, 14, 20, 32
I think of Jesus becoming a baby, becoming human flesh, and how it shows the great and marvelous love of God for each one of us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave us His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
I think of Jewish people in those days looking for a King, and they were correct in their understanding of Jesus being a King, and were excited about the prospect of Jesus being their King (Luke 19:38). But most did not recognize Jesus as their Savior, as the only One who could take away their sins. “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
I think of Satan’s strong and continued opposition to Jesus’ birth, summarized in Rev. 12:1-5. Six different evil empires over the course of 2,000 years tried to wipe out Israel, but they were all unsuccessful. God’s plans for the birth of Jesus were never thwarted, for Israel “was with child, and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth… but she gave birth to a son, a male child.” Psalm 33:10-12
I think of those God chose to be involved in Jesus’ birth and early years on earth. There were the angels, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna, and the Magi, and many others we don’t even know about. All were blessed to be part of the most important birth on earth – but consider this, that those of us alive at this time are also blessed, for we are God’s chosen servants in these last years leading up to Christ’s 2nd coming. Mark 13:34, John 15:16
I think of Christmas being about baby Jesus, but more than that, it led to His ministry years on earth, to His death, resurrection, and ascension, to shepherding the church – and at this time, to His return to rapture the church, judge the wicked, reign over the restored earth during the millennial kingdom, and over the new heavens and earth with His Father in the eternal kingdom. 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, Matt. 19:28
I think how we are much, much closer to Christ’s 2nd coming than His 1st coming. But keep both in mind, remembering that Christ’s work to save souls at His 1st coming will result in their salvation being completed at His 2nd coming, at which time God will give all believers glorified bodies. Jesus was born to die, but was raised again to redeem sinful man, and “when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 40-42
I think how God had all the details of His Son’s birth planned out, the time, the place, Joseph and Mary and many others, the census, the Satanic opposition, etc. Nothing was left to chance, for it was all part of God’s wise, holy, perfect, and glorious plan. Isaiah 46:9-11, Luke 2
I think how God predicted specific aspects of His Son’s birth long before it happened, for He wanted His people to be looking forward to His coming (Gen. 9:10, Deut. 18:15, Is. 7:14, Is. 9:6a, Mic. 5:2). So too, God has predicted many aspects of Christ’s 2nd coming, for in these days, He wants all Christians to be looking forward to His return. Matt. 24:3-31, 1 Thess. 4:15-17, Rev. 7:9-14
I think how in these end-times, all true Christians rightfully and joyfully look back at Christ’s first coming and see Jesus as a Savior, but sadly, most Christians are not expecting and looking forward to His second coming, to seeing and being with Jesus the King. Might we rightfully and joyfully sing – “Joy to the World, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King… Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns; let men their songs employ… No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground… He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love.” From “Joy to the World”
I think how the Son of God, as a baby and a servant, came humbly, quietly, and secretly to the little town of Bethlehem. And the Son of God will come again, as a man and a King, this time in the sky and in power and great glory, with the trumpet of God and the voice of the archangel, and “every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” Rev. 12:5, Matt. 24:30-31, 1 Thess. 4:16
I think how Jesus was born to be a Savior (Psalm 22), but also to be a Shepherd (Psalm 23), a King (Psalm 24), and a Judge (John 5:22, Acts 17:31).
I think of how Christmas needs to be personal, and it is to me, for Jesus is my Savior, my Lord, my Shepherd, and my King. And I do love Him and rejoice in Him and trust Him and learn from Him and submit to Him and talk to Him and pray to Him and thank Him – and I cannot wait to see Him. “After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:26-27
Think about Christmas and Jesus Christ, and what it really means, how it should greatly affect your life, the church, and the world. And think how it won’t be long before Christ’s second coming, and all believers will forever be with Him in heaven and on earth (Rev. 21:1-7). “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among men!” Luke 2:14
This blog site is about Christ’s coming, the rapture, and the glorious future God has planned out for you. These things should be on your mind and heart, personal and real to you. Do you think about meeting Jesus, being in heaven, seeing your loved ones, and reigning with Him over the earth? It’s important that you do, for this is your hope, giving you endurance and encouraging you to keep living for Jesus. Here are some things God wants you to be looking forward to:
* Literally seeing Jesus Christ. “From my flesh I shall see God, whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another.” (Job 19:26-27). You will actually see Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, One who is God in the flesh. And think about how you will see His pierced hands and feet, permanent marks of His great love for you, of how He died to pay for all your sins.“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see.” Luke 24:29
* Lovingly gazing upon Jesus’ face. “The upright will behold His face” (Psalm 11:7). You will see Jesus’ godly and glorious face, and His sweet and loving smile for you. “I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.” Psalm 17:15
* Listening to Jesus’ voice, specifically that He is pleased with you. Won’t it be encouraging when Jesus comes up to you and personally commends you for how you served Him on earth? “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things – I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.”Matthew 25:23
* Living together with Jesus Christ.“We will live together with Him” (1 Thess. 5:10b) in our heavenly home. “I will go and prepare a place for you… I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may also be” (John 14:2-3). And you won’t be with Jesus for just a short while – you “shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:17, Rev. 21:10-22
* Looking at the incredible, unbelievable, magnificent glory of Jesus. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.” (John 17:24). You will always be amazed by Jesus, eternally in awe of His glory, of His power, His wisdom, His love, His supremacy, His goodness, His righteousness, His splendor, His faithfulness, His truth, etc. Then you will say, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11
* Being gathered together with all the believers to meet Jesus. “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17). This spectacular and thrilling onetime event will occur at Christ’s coming – and you will be there! Can you imagine being with this exceedingly joyful assembly, with all the believers from all time, and together seeing Christ in all His power and glory? Matthew 24:30-31
* Being at one of the greatest worship services ever. “Behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands, and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.’” (Rev. 7:9-14) This describes what happens just after the rapture, and all the saints are together in heaven, proudly and wholeheartedly worshiping both the Father and the Son. I am really looking forward to this!!!
* Being with your believing friends and loved ones. “Who is our hope or joy or crown or exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thess. 2:19). You will be super-excited about your grand reunion with dear friends and family members you knew on earth. Just think about the soul-warming, God-glorifying times of fellowship you will have in heaven, and which will go on forever. You just can’t imagine the extreme and exhilarating joy you will feel in your heart, and the profound and perfect love you will have for all the saints. “You have come to… the general assembly and church of the first born.” Hebrews 12:23
* Being “absent from the body and… at home with the Lord” – soon enough, you will be gone from this evil world and from your weak, sin-prone body. (2 Cor. 5:1-8). Every Christian should have “the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better” than living on earth. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:25). You should long for that time when you will be with your heavenly Father, when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain.” Revelation 21:3-4
All believers who have physically died are now experiencing this heavenly perfection, this absence of sin, sickness, and pain, this freedom from fleshly and worldly problems and pressures. And I believe millions more Christians will die and ascend to heaven before Jesus descends to rapture the church, and you may be one of them. At the end of this age, Jesus will return to rescue His bride, and then all believers from all time, those in heaven and those just raptured from the earth, will be glorified. This is when our salvation is complete, when we receive our brand-new glorified body.
Then “we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). The Lord Jesus Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:21). You will receive “an imperishable body… one that is raised in glory… raised in power… raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:42-44). “We will be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52), wonderfully, beautifully, perfectly, powerfully, and eternally.
* Being with the angels. “You have come to… myriads of angels in festive gathering” (Heb. 12:22). All believers will soon be with all the angels, ones who are worshiping the Lord and perfectly “obeying the voice of His word” (Ps. 103:20). We will join the angels in giving praise to our Creator and King, and what a joyful, heart-gladdening time that will be! “I heard the voice of many angels… saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’” Revelation 5:11-13
As a Christian, you have this hope of a great and glorious future, of being in heaven in a new body with Jesus Christ and all the believers and all the angels. It’s imperative that you think about this soul-charging, super-encouraging, God-given hope. This is especially true at this time in history, for we are seeing God’s prophetic word being fulfilled in the world around us – which means it won’t be long before Christ comes and takes us home to heaven so we can forever be with Him. “‘Behold, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
Could you have ever competed in the Olympic games and won a gold medal, or a silver or bronze for that matter? I could have never done that – I have never been even close to being that athletic, that physically talented. But God wants each Christian to know that they are to run the race He has set before them, and be winners, and then He will give them a “gold medal”, a crown, a prize, a reward. To every Christian, God gives unique gifts and talents that they are to use for Him – and it’s not what or how many gifts or talents God has given you, but are you wisely and wholeheartedly using what He has given you to serve Him? If you do, you will be a winner, and in the coming ages, you will be infinitely blessed and God will be supremely glorified.
Today we will look at how God describes these future, eternal, and glorious blessings.
1. CROWNS.“In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day… and to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). In the first century, crowns were the wreaths awarded to winning athletes at the Olympic games. For the Christian, receiving a crown from the Lord means you ran the race God gave you to run, you competed according to the rules, you persevered, and you were victorious (Heb. 12:1, 2 Tim. 2:5, Rev. 2:17). Can you imagine the exhilarating joy you will experience when you receive a crown from the Lord, and when you hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? Being blessed in this way shows that God is very pleased with you, for you gave it your all. The Bible also speaks of the crown incorruptible (1 Cor. 9:25), the crown of life (James 1:12), the crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4), and the crown of rejoicing (1 Thess. 2:19), crowns which show God’s hearty approval, but also relate to blessings that He will lavish upon you in the future.
2. PRIZE.“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). This is referring to the crown, the wreath an athlete receives for winning an event at an athletic game. This word emphasizes the fact that God Himself is the righteous Judge, the One who rules, who perfectly decides the prize you will receive for your labor of love (2 Tim. 4:8). 1 Cor. 9:24-27 instructs you to “run in such a way that you may win” the prize. It’s good to learn from successful athletes, especially the need to discipline your body, to exercise self-control in all things. Indeed, the Christian life is a long race, a life-time race, a marathon. But remember, God is always with you, watching you all the way, and helping you win the prize He wants you to give you. Psalm 73:23-24
3. REWARDS. “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what He has done” (Rev 22:12). The word “reward” in also translated as wage. John 4:36 says, “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal.” Rom 4:4 tells us, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but what is due.” In Matt. 6:4 we read, “Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” God’s promise is that He will reward you when you work for Him, for that is what is due you, it is what you earned. Now as Christians, we are all in the church, all on the same team, all working for Christ, but each of us “will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). Whereas all Christians will be in heaven with Jesus and in a new glorified body, each of us will be rewarded differently, in accordance with how we, by God’s grace, worked for Him. And those who live full out for the Lord will be richly rewarded for their faithful service to Him. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you… rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Matt. 5:11-12, Heb. 6:10
4. RECOMPENSE. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward (recompense) of in inheritance.” (Col. 3:23-24). This word reward or recompense literally means “a giving back in return” (Vines Exp. Dict.). It’s amazing, and encouraging, that whatever you do, whether working at a job, serving someone, praying for someone, sharing the gospel, raising your child, cooking a meal, cleaning your house, mowing your lawn, etc., God will graciously and generously reward your efforts. It is truly astounding that “whatever you do” for the Lord will be justly compensated, eternally rewarded. As to when, Luke 14:14 says “you will be repaid (recompensed) at the resurrection of the righteous.”
5. TREASURES. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither most nor rust destroys, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19-21). All of you know people who have lots of earthly things, who through the years, have been collecting lots of stuff. “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15). God wants you to invest your life and money wisely, not for this world, but for your eternal future. Now I believe it is a good practice to regularly set aside money for your earthly “retirement,” for that time when you are not fully employed. But you should never love your money and trust in it. You don’t want to be the person who “lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). Love God and trust Him (“In God We Trust”) and use your money for His purposes, knowing that He will bless you now and for all eternity.
6. INHERITANCE. “Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt 25:34). Can you imagine that? You will inherit the kingdom, and inherit the earth! That’s unbelievable! An earthly heir receives money, property, and goods from his parents, that which may have some worldly value. But Christians are children of God and heirs of God, and will receive an inheritance that has infinite value, which is “imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). Then you learn that you are a fellow heir with Jesus Christ and will share in His possessions. Wow! (Rom. 8:17). God gives you an abundance of verses on this subject because He wants you to be excitedly looking forward to being in heaven with Him, your loving Lord and Father. (Matt. 19:29, Luke 12:32, Acts 20:32, Rom. 8:16-17, Gal. 3:29, Eph. 3:6, Titus 3:7, Heb. 1:14, James 2:5, 1 Peter 1:3-4). Gal. 4:7 – “You are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God.” Just think, you are an heir of God, and He won’t just give you good things, but Himself. “The Lord is my portion.” Lam. 3:2
7. GRACE.“God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… made us alive together with Christ… so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace…” (Eph. 2:4-7). Do you see what God is saying, that He wants to show you “the surpassing riches of His grace”? Everything about your future, your inheritance, blessings, crowns, treasures, and rewards, result from God’s love expressed in His grace to you. Your entire and eternal life is wonderfully blessed because of God’s grace. But you are only at the very beginning of your Christian life – you have the rest of this life and the ages to come to experience God’s grace. There’s the 1000-year kingdom age when Christ is reigning over the earth, and then the eternal kingdom age when everything is completely perfect, glorious, and altogether beautiful. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13
8. GLORY.“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). What an encouraging prayer, that Jesus is praying to His Father so that you may see His amazing glory when you are in heaven. But what is this glory? It’s a big word that speaks of who God and Christ are, their essence and nature, their truth, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, eternality, supremacy, etc. It speaks of their character, their love, holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, righteousness, sovereignty, and mercy, etc. Their glory is also seen in who they are, in what they do, in the creation, in Christ’s life and work, in the lives of believers, in His dealings with unbelievers, in our glorified bodies, in the millennial kingdom, and in the new heavens and earth. And there’s no doubt that God’s glory is directly related to the blessings and rewards He will be giving you. “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:3
God’s glory is the single most important truth for the Christian, for it relates to everything about God and our life, now and forever. We have been, and will continue, through all eternity, to know, see, and grow in our understanding of the glory of God and Jesus Christ. And then we are to give Them the honor and glory they rightly deserve – “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13
All that we have talked about – crowns, prize, rewards, recompense, treasures, inheritance, grace, and glory – is speaking of the HOPE God has given us with regards to our future. God has given us plenty to think about with respect to what He has in store for us, and that’s because He wants you to be looking forward to the future and being with Him. “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). What our future exactly looks like, we don’t know. (1 Cor. 2:9). Yes, God has given you a general idea, but the specifics won’t be known until you get to heaven, and even then, they will be forever unfolding for all eternity. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” Ephesians 1:18
In the future, your heavenly Father will show His great love for you by giving you incredible and unbelievable blessings! His plan is to generously reward you for your life of service to Him, a life of godly thoughts, words, and actions. And receiving rewards has nothing to do with your age, abilities, income, race, or what church you attend, but is a result of faithfully living for the Lord. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Colossians 3:23-24
You will be rewarded in many specific ways, but your reward is essentially the Lord! That is, it’s not really what, but Who – Jesus who loves you so much, seen in that He died for you and saved you from sin and death, and is now and forever your Lord, Savior, and Friend. Your life as a Christian is the Lord, for He is everything you would ever need or want. “The Lord is my portion.” Psalm 119:57
Your reward is the Lord, and knowing Him, being loved by Him, and having this eternal relationship with Him. John 17:3 says it simply, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” The definition of eternal life is knowing God and Jesus, having a relationship with Them that lasts forever and ever. When you believe in Christ, you are born again, and you begin this eternal relationship with Him and His Father. This is real living, this is the abundant life, and is seen with Enoch who walked with God (Gen. 5:24), David who beheld the Lord’s beauty (Psalm 27:4), and Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet. Luke 10:39
The disciples had forsaken many things to follow Jesus, and so Peter asks Him what they will get for being faithful to Him. Jesus answers, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms for My sake and the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30). Do you see what it says? God will richly bless you in this life if you are faithful to Him, and then Jesus sums up the age to come by saying that you will have eternal life. And this is the main point, that your reward is the Lord! As a Christian, you now have a relationship with the Lord, and this will get better and better, and then in heaven, you will have a perfect relationship with Him. Think about rewards this way, that it’s not what you will receive but Who, for you will be seeing and spending time with Jesus Christ Himself. “Yet in my flesh I will see God, I myself will see Him with my own eyes… how my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27
Paul was teaching about Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church, that all believers would “meet the Lord in the air.” And what does he say after that? “And so we shall always be with the Lord.” You can’t miss what’s being said, that it’s all about our relationship with the Lord, for “we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:15-18
Jesus was talking to His disciples and could tell they were sad, that something was bothering them, and so what did He say? Jesus spoke about faith, He told them to believe in Him, to trust Him. He also spoke about hope, for He said, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go and prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). Again, what’s most important about your future is that you will always be with the Lord. “Nevertheless, I am continually with You… Whom have I in heaven but You?” Psalm 73:23-26
When Jesus comes back, He will take you to heaven, to His heavenly home. But heaven is much more than a place, for its focus is Jesus, the most famous and important Person in all the universe. Let’s say you visit a friend at his or her house, but the visit is not about the place – it’s not about the nice home, the beautiful yard, the comfortable couch, or the good food. It’s about the person and spending time with that person – it’s talking, sharing, loving, crying, and laughing. And so too, your future is principally and primarily the Lord, and being with Him, knowing His love, learning from Him, and having close fellowship with Him.
A famous Bible verse conveys the same point. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Your future is summed up as being forever in the house of the Lord, which means being with the Lord, and having a most excellent relationship with Him. My favorite heaven verse says the same thing: “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb. 12:22-24). When you go to heaven, you are going to a place, to a city, to the heavenly Jerusalem. But these verses don’t focus on the place, but on the angels, the church, the Old Testament saints, and most importantly, Jesus Christ and God the Father. Your reward is being in the very presence of God and literally being with Jesus and seeing Their awesome glory, and also being with all the angels and believers.
Rev. 21:3 communicates this as well. “I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.’” Our reward is not just that we will be with God, but that He will be with us. God greatly desires to be with you and me, and all the believers, so much so, that after the millennial kingdom age, the new heaven and new earth will actually be joined together (Rev. 21:10). The holy city, the new Jerusalem, will be our eternal home, and there we will live with Jesus, and experience eternal life, eternal love, joy, peace, goodness, and eternal pleasures. And having a brand-new glorified body will enable us to fully experience all that God has planned for us. 1 Cor. 15:42-44
Never forget that the Lord is your reward, that it’s having a relationship with God and Jesus Christ, knowing and loving and enjoying Them, and Them knowing and loving and enjoying you! Yes, you will receive all these other rewards, these amazing and innumerable treasures, an inheritance beyond belief, and you will be living in that most wonderful house of the Lord – “The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone” (Rev. 21:19), but most of all, you will be with the Lord Himself. Psalm 16:11 says it perfectly, “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
Jesus loves you much more than you can ever imagine! When He prays to His Father, He expresses His deep love for you by sharing His desire to be with you, and to reveal more of His infinite glory to you – “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.” John 17:24
P.S. We love the idea of prizes, presents and gifts, but God really wants you to be looking forward to the rewards you will have in heaven, especially being with Jesus, His Son. Here is an article that I just wrote that lists out over a 100 different verses about these rewards and the incredible future that God has planned out for you – “Your Lord, Your Hope, Your Reward.”
