7 Minute Read
Be Still
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Job 16:1–19:29
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 22:1
Listen to the Lord
Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Job 19:25-27 (NLT): “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”
Reflections from Scripture:
As you read the Bible from front to back, you can’t help but notice that there is something called Progressive Revelation (even though you may not have known that term).
Progressive Revelation is simply the acknowledgment that many points of theology are introduced in the Old Testament and developed as the Bible writers added to the canon of Scripture. As more books were added, those theological principles were developed as God revealed Himself and His truth more clearly to His people. After Jesus’ time on earth and especially as the Apostle Paul wrote his letters, we come to a much clearer understanding of things that were murky at best to Old Testament saints.
One truth that is developed in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15) is the eternal purpose for our bodies. Through the Apostle Paul’s quill, God made it clear that our earthly bodies will eventually die (be separated from our spirit). Our earthly bodies will then immediately begin to decay. But, there is coming a day when God will supernaturally raise our decayed bodies and turn them into eternal, immortal bodies to be reunited with our spirits.
We need our bodies, after all. Our bodies are a clear sign that we are not made for some spiritual, ‘unreal’ existence. Instead, we are made for planet earth. Our bodies, made of clay, remind us of our connection to the planet upon which we walk (Genesis 2:7). So, it is no surprise that God’s plan for our future home includes another earth (Revelation 21:1ff). And we will have physical bodies with which to experience the sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and feelings (touch) of that paradise.
In Job 19:25-27, however, we realize that very early in the Old Testament, there was an understanding that Heaven would be a physical place where we will have physical bodies to experience it.
If you just let your mind wander and think about Heaven being a real, physical place (after all, Jesus took His earthly body to Heaven – Acts 1:6-11), Heaven becomes even more attractive to us.
If you want to investigate this topic in more depth, I highly recommend Randy Alcorn’s book, “Heaven.”
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that Heaven is going to be a place that is just as “real” as my experience on earth. I look forward to having a supernatural body that I can enjoy and experience the sensations of Heaven forever. Thank you that regardless of the difficulties I have here on earth, I have a wonderful experience awaiting me in my eternal home. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Matt’s Musings 