The Destination

   Where are we heading, or where should we be heading? Is there a destination beyond the grave? God Almighty has the answer to this question, but it might not be as you currently believe. Our destination, according to the New Testament is the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, but this doesn't mean we will live in Heaven along side God, His Son and the heavenly host; at that point the Kingdom of God encompasses all existence, all will be as pure as Heaven, where God Almighty exists, and all will be considered Heaven because it will be prepared by God with His seal of purity. The earth made new will be our home; a new creation, "But according to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells." (II Peter 3:13). For sure, New Jerusalem will be pure, which is where those given the gift of eternal life will live for one thousand years after the first resurrection, for those listed in the Book of Life, at Christ second advent, "And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, having been prepared as a bride, having been adorned for her Husband." (Revelation 21:2), during which this current earth, will experience its needed millennium of rest. The Bible doesn't say if New Jerusalem will remain after the second resurrection, when Satan and death are destroyed in the Lake of Fire, then the New Earth will be our new home, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth passed away, and the sea no longer is." (Revelation 21:1). I didn't find any verse that indicates that God's people will be playing harps on clouds, thank Jehovah.

    In the New Testament Jesus asks us to follow Him, "For you were called to this, for even Christ suffered on our behalf, leaving behind an example for us, that you should follow His steps." (I Peter 2:21), His perfect earthly walk was in compliance with all of Jehovah's laws and instructions. We are to follow the only-begotten Son's example, and how this is done is by reading, studying, considering and doing what Christ has given us, which is from His Father, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but the ones who do the will of My Father in Heaven." (Matthew 7:21). The Son of God is our Mediator between us and God, "For God is one, also there is one Mediator of God and of man, the Man Christ Jesus." (I Timothy 2:5), making Jesus the "Way" to our Father, Jehovah God, and Christ is our "only" way to our God, "Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6), and without His Son showing us the way, we are lost, because God Jehovah is our destination, He is the Creator and Master of the kingdom of Heaven. Many Christians come to Jesus and consider the journey is over, that Christ is our destination, but Jesus is the Way to the Father, Jehovah is to be our final destination. We are called to seek The Father, "Seek Jehovah, all the meek of the earth who have done His justice; seek righteousness; seek meekness. It may be you shall be hidden in the day of the anger of Jehovah." ((Zephaniah 2:3), "But without faith it is impossible to please God. For it is right that the one drawing near to God should believe that He is, and that He becomes the rewarder to the ones seeking Him out." (Hebrews 11:6).

   What we will do during eternity has not been revealed in God's word, but only some of the conditions are spoken of, as being according to God's perfect design and without sin. Hell, on the other hand, which is preached by many Christian churches, as the place all those deserving God's wrath will spend their eternity with Satan, but the Bible says, the wages of sin is death, by the Lake of Fire, "And if anyone is not found having been written in the Scroll of Life he was thrown into the Lake of Fire." (Revelation 20:15), "But for the cowardly and unbelieving, and those having become foul, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the lying ones, their part will be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8). And if there is any question if the Lake of Fire is a place called "Hell" that lasts forever, which is often preached, verse 14 should answer that, "And death and Hades (Strong's #86: place (state) of departed souls: grave, hell.) were thrown into the Lake of Fire, this is the second death." Revelation 21:14), hell or death will be destroyed along with Satan, the false prophets and those not in the Book of Life. The second death is just that, a death that last forever, without any hope, remembrance and thought.

   It should seem obvious to anyone, if you believe in God's word, that God's kingdom will be the saint's ultimate destination. However, if one believes what the general earthly wisdom promotes, the theory of evolution, then, all man has to look toward to, is not a future of any kind, but a simple and permanent death. For the non-believer in God's word and the believer in whatever else man promoted, both have the same eternal destination, void of any existence or future, according to science.

   If nature's eternal death doesn't appeal to your heart, how can one qualify their name to be written in the sacred Book (scroll) of Life, spoken of in the Bible, "The one overcoming, this one shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not at all blot his name out of the Book of Life; and I will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5)? "Overcome" what? Overcome the influence from the world's wisdom and the deceptions from Satan. This is actually not too difficult and the journey is uplifting and rewarding, but there is a difficult element to the process, discarding the ways of the world and uniting with the ways of God, this will be a struggle until you come to understand the purity and perfection of this peaceful and rewarding way of life, transforming the heart in preparation to exist in God's kingdom with Jehovah Himself. An important part to remember is that the God of the Bible, Jehovah, is our Creator and since He designed us, He, and no one else knows better what is best for all humans and what would ultimately please you and give you the happiness you desire and need. Jehovah, in His wisdom and compassion, has given us His words in a Book that is designed to instruct us to know how salvation from a pointless eternal death can be secured. God's word is the Book needed, however, there are many translations and versions of this one Book, therefore, it is to your benefit to find a translation that is closest to the original text. Reading all of God's word is also most important, for a total and clear picture of your journey to your chosen destination, the kingdom of God. Both the New and the Old Testaments are necessary to have a complete and correct understanding of what God wants us to know and Jesus will supply us with this correct understanding and wisdom, if we ask and wait for His spirit to enlighten us, as we consume this Book about His Father, which Christ gave us for an eternal understanding of God and His kingdom, and Jesus will be there sharing this experience with us, along with the other Heavenly host, plus the others that made God's kingdom their destination.