HEAVEN

A Study of the Book by Randy Alcorn

SESSION FIVEGOD’S HEAVENLY BOOKENDS

WARM-UP QUESTIONS• What’s the difference between a movie

you can’t get out of your head for weeks vs. the one you forgot about once the credits rolled?

• What constitutes a truly exceptional mystery?

but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…

…and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to

happen…

…The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able

to reveal this mystery."

Selections from Daniel 2

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be

changed.

I Corinthians 15:51-52

THE AWAITING EPIPHANY• Unlike Hinduism and Buddhism,

Christianity does not consign Heaven to a vague or intangible prospect, nor are earth and humanity abandoned.

• Like the closing scenes of a great mystery movie, we are likely to be astonished how God left much of the picture in front of us all along…

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food

until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;

for dust you are and to dust you will return.

Genesis 3:19

ASHES TO ASHES…• Alcorn frequently refers to our “longing

for Eden,” as part of God’s creation.

• We now live on an earth under a curse, bursting with clues of how it once was, how it was meant to be, and how it will one day be.– Honeymoon in Hawaii–…vs. Christoplatonism

THE BOOKENDS• The following chart describes the earth

that was, the earth that is, and the new earth that will be…– Genesis 1-2– Genesis 3 – Revelation 20– Revelation 21-22

Original Mankind Fallen mankind; some believe and are

transformed

Resurrected mankind

Original Earth Fallen Earth, with glimmers of original

New (resurrected) Earth

God delegates reign to innocent mankind

Disputed reign with God, Satan, and mankind

God delegates reign to righteous mankind

Man given dominion, with intended stewardship of

Earth

Mankind’s dominion thwarted, frustrated, and

twisted

Mankind’s dominion fulfilled; redeemed

stewardship of EarthGod in Heaven, visiting

EarthGod in Heaven, separate

yet active (indwells believers by His Spirit)

God living forever with mankind on the New Earth

No curse (universal perfection and blessing)

Sin and the curse No more curse (greater blessing, deeper perfection,

grace unending)No shame Shame No shame or potential for

shame

Tree of Life in Eden (mankind can eat)

Tree of Life in Paradise (mankind cut off)

Tree of Life in New Jerusalem (mankind can eat

again forever)River of Life Rivers and nature, with

glimmers of past and futureRiver of Life flows from the

throne

Before redemption Unfolding drama of redemption

After redemption

Sin unknown Sin corrupts, its power and penalty assaulted, defeated

by Christ

Sin forever removed

No death Death permeates all Death forever removed

First Adam reigns First Adam falls; mankind reigns corruptly, with

glimpses of good; second Adam comes

Last Adam reigns as God-man, with mankind as co-heirs and delegated kings

Serpent, Satan, on Earth Serpent, Satan, judged but still present on Earth

Serpent, Satan, removed from Earth, thrown into

Eternal fire

God walking with humans in the Garden

Humans cut off from God God dwells face-to-face with humans

God’s glory evident to all, in all

God’s glory obscured, seen in glimpses

God’s glory forever manifested in all

Unhindered individual worship

Worship hampered by sin Unhindered corporate worship

God’s goodness known God’s goodness known by some, doubted by others

God’s goodness forever celebrated

Creation and mankind perfect

Creation and mankind tainted by sin

Creation and mankind restored to perfection

Mankind names, tends, rules the animals

Animals and mankind hurt each other

Animals and mankind live in complete harmony

Ground fertile, vegetation lush

Ground cursed, vegetation diseased

Ground fertile, vegetation thrives

Abundant food and water Hunger and thirst, toil for food and water

Abundant food and water

Restfulness, satisfaction in labor

Restlessness, toil in labor Enhanced restfulness, joy in labor

Innocence, closeness to God

Sin (alienation from God); some declared righteous in

Christ

Righteousness (intimacy with God); complete

righteousness in ChristParadise Paradise lost, sought;

glimmers seen, foretastesParadise regained and

magnified

Mankind in ideal peace Mankind banished, struggles and wanders in

fallen place(s)

Man restored to ideal peace

Mankind able either to sin or not to sin

Mankind enslaved to sin, empowered not to sin

Mankind unable to sin, permanently empowered

Naked in innocence Clothed due to unrighteousness

Clothed with righteousness

One marriage (Adam and Eve)

Many marriages One marriage (Christ and church)

* Taken from pp 82-85 from Randy Alcorn’s Heaven book. Author notes paradox of“already and not yet” aspects of a believer’s righteousness in Christ.

Marriage perfect Marriage flawed by sin, blame, manipulation

Marriage perfect, unhindered

Beginning of human culture Contamination and advancement of culture

Purification and eternal expansion of culture

Mankind learns, creates in purity

Mankind learns, created in impurity (Cain, Babel)

Mankind learns, creates in wisdom and purity

Mankind rules and expands Paradise

Mankind banished from Paradise, longs for return to

Paradise

Mankind has unlimited free access to Paradise

God’s plan for mankind and Earth revealed

God’s play delayed and enriched

God’s plan for mankind andEarth realized

GOD’S REDEMPTION PLAN• Did Adam and Eve have a choice in their

failure?

• Did Satan’s successful trap catch God by surprise?

• What, then, of the rest of the plan?

Behold, I will create new heavens and a new

earth. The former things will not be

remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Isaiah 65:17

"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will

endure before me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and

descendants endure.

Isaiah 66:22

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new

heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

2 Peter 3:13

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer

any sea.

Revelation 21:1

GOD’S REDEMPTION PLAN• Redemption, Return, and Re-creation

(and Restoration) were part of God’s plan all along.

• This is not a “development cycle” of prototype, flight test, and project abandonment in favor of a whole new prototype.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have

followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the

twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 19:28

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this

down, for these words are trustworthy and true.“

Revelation 21:5

GOD’S REDEMPTION PLAN• Jesus spoke of the renewal of all things,

not the abandonment.

• The Revelation passage speaks of making “all things new,” not “an entirely set of new things.”

GOD’S REDEMPTION PLAN• Isaiah 2 speaks of objects of human pride

and wealth as idolatry against God.

• Isaiah 60 paints a picture of these things redeemed as objects of praise.– The narrative preserves the individual gifts

and cultural diversity of the procession.– New Earth will not be a scene from I, Robot.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was

condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of

righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For

just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man

the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:18-19

THE BOOKENDS• The first and Last Adam faced the same

adversary, under the same tactics.

• Adam was tempted (and failed) in the absence of strife and adversity.

• Jesus was tempted (and succeeded!) at the pinnacle of strife and adversity.

THE BOOKENDS• Jesus has already been granted all

authority. (Ephesians 1:20-22)

• Jesus has already “disarmed the powers and authorities.” (Colossians 2:15)

• The reason Jesus appeared was to “destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8)

THE CURSE LIFTED• What is the curse?

• The cure has already been administered, first to us, and soon to all of God’s (redeemed) creation.– 4 Liters of Oxygen, IV Antibiotics

• What does the lifted curse look like?

THE CURSE LIFTED• Reverse-engineer Genesis 3:17-19– No more painful toil– No more thorns and thistles– No more sweat for survival– No more death

• Imagine the potential of life with these things lifted.– Imagine present earth with no prior wars or

famine.

GOD’S POETRY• In light of today’s study and God’s rich

poetic revelations, re-read and re-evaluate:– The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)– Hosea and Gomer (Hosea)

– How do these passages echo the thread of ignorant beginning, destructive middle, and redeemed (superior ending)?