Ten Reflections on the Eternal Kingdom

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All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

The Earth is like a speck of dust in the vast material universe.
Source: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/536/voyager-1s-pale-blue-dot/

Through the Bible, we clearly know that God created all beings in both the physical world and the spiritual world.

The physical world is the material universe in which we live, perceive, touch, and interact with through our physical bodies. However, we can only touch a very small portion of the material world, mostly objects belonging to the Earth. The vast majority of the material universe is beyond our reach, and we can only observe it in a limited way from the Earth. In fact, we do not even know how vast the material universe truly is. Currently, the farthest distance observable from Earth using extremely powerful telescopes is about 46 billion light-years [1], [2].

The spiritual world is the supernatural universe that material human beings cannot perceive. However, spiritual human beings, in their spirit, can perceive it through dreams, visions, and divine knowledge. Divine knowledge is the understanding given by God to a person’s spirit, not through learning or experience [3]. The spiritual world is referred to in the Bible as the third heaven, which includes paradise, the dwelling place of God, and Hades, which contains the lake of fire. Hades is a place where God imprisons the angels and people who disobey Him. Brothers and sisters in Christ can view the illustration and explanation of the third heaven in the article “Ten Reflections on the Final Judgment” [4].

We can understand that God created all beings as manifestations of His attributes. Through God’s creation, we recognize that God is: all-loving, all-holy, all-just, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, all-good, all-truthful, and all-beautiful.

We also know that angels and humans are two types of created beings with personhood like God. We use the term “angels” because there are different types of angels. The Bible mentions seraphim and cherubim with forms different from humans, but it also refers to Gabriel and Michael along with some other angels who have human-like forms. A being with personhood is one that has consciousness, thoughts, emotions, and will similar to God. Will is the power of self-determination and choice. Although both angels and humans have personhood, only humans are described in the Bible as being created in the image and likeness of God.

Being created in the image and likeness of God means being created with attributes similar to those of God and having a form resembling God’s form, though in a limited way.

Human beings were created in the “image” of God, meaning they were made with good attributes similar to those of God. These attributes include love, righteousness, and holiness. The term “image” in the original Hebrew means “likeness” or “representative of.” For example, when we say, “The lion represents courage!” or “The lion is a symbol of courage!” it means that by looking at the lion, one can understand what courage is, rather than suggesting that courage itself has a form similar to that of the lion.

Human beings were created in the “likeness” of God, referring to the resemblance to God’s form in both the spiritual body, which is the spirit, and the physical body, which is the flesh. Today, with our physical eyes, we cannot see the spiritual form of ourselves or of God and the angels. However, when God became incarnate as a human, we were able to see God’s physical form with our physical eyes, and humanity could touch His physical form.

It can be said that from eternity, God chose a physical form for Himself to appear in the material world He would create. And He created humans with a physical body resembling the physical form He had chosen. This form is called the physical body of humanity.

Although we cannot see our spiritual form, that is, our spirit, with our physical eyes, we can see our spiritual form and the resurrected form of the Lord Jesus Christ in dreams and visions. As for perceiving the spiritual form of the Trinity, we must wait until we enter heaven (Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12).

We believe that the spiritual form of humanity, which is the spirit, also has a shape similar to the physical form. We understand that form is the means of expressing the soul. The soul exists within the spiritual body, which is the spirit, to interact with the spiritual world, and also within the physical body to interact with the material world.

Through the Bible, we understand that before God created humanity, His ultimate purpose was to grant them eternal happiness with Him in His kingdom. However, humanity must choose to accept this gift. Only when humans are free to make their own choices and decisions does the gift of God have meaning for them. It is through the freedom to choose to obey God and live in His kingdom that humanity shows gratitude, love and reverence for God, and desires to live according to His standards. Only then is their love for God voluntary and genuine.

Although all of humanity has chosen to live according to their own will and rebel against God, He has granted them the opportunity to abandon their own ways and return to living according to His standards. This opportunity is called the Gospel of Salvation. God, in the person of God the Father, representing God’s will, has given humanity the gift of salvation, an opportunity to be rescued from the punishment of opposing God. God, in the person of the Word, representing God’s word, voluntarily became human, bearing the name Jesus, and took on the penalty of humanity’s sin through His crucifixion. The name Jesus means: God, the Eternal Self-Existent One, is the Savior. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, representing God’s wisdom and power, helps humanity understand the Gospel and receive salvation.

Anyone who genuinely repents of their sins and fully believes in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus will immediately be forgiven by *God, cleansed by Jesus, and have the Holy Spirit dwell within their physical body, granting them the Holy Spirit’s power to live according to *God’s standards and be prepared for eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As we know, the Kingdom of Heaven is manifested in three periods: the period within the hearts of God’s people in the Church, the period of the Thousand-Year Kingdom, and the period of the Eternal Kingdom. In this article, we wish to share with you some reflections on the Eternal Kingdom.

We want to clarify that these are our reflections and understandings based on certain details in God’s Word and not official doctrine in the Bible. Whether you accept or reject what we share in this article will not affect the salvation of each individual.

Our first reflection is on the creation of the new heaven and new earth. First of all, we believe that God is the Eternal One, and therefore everything He does remains forever. Genesis 1:31 tells us, “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Therefore, even though angels and humans may misuse the freedom of choice that God has given them, sinning against God and negatively impacting the creation that God entrusted to them, God still has a plan to restore His creation. The Word of God affirms:

“I know that, whatsoever *God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and *God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

We believe that at the beginning of the Thousand-Year Kingdom, God will renew the heavens and the earth as in the original creation. This renewal is similar to a person being made new in Christ while still living in their old physical body. At the end of the Thousand-Year Kingdom, the old heavens and the old earth will be destroyed and burned up. Following this will be the final judgment. After the final judgment, God will create a new heaven and a new earth and establish the Eternal Kingdom. This establishment of the new heavens and new earth is analogous to the resurrection or transformation of the bodies of God’s people into new physical bodies. We refer to this as a super-material body because it can operate simultaneously in both the material and spiritual worlds. For example, a super-material body would still be affected by Earth’s gravity when on Earth, but it could also instantaneously leave Earth to enter heaven or travel to any other planet.

We think that when the old heavens and the old earth of the material world are destroyed and burned up, they will return to their original state as chemical elements. We refer to these as material dust. God will use this very material dust to create the new heavens and the new earth for the Eternal Kingdom. The new heavens and the new earth will still contain galaxies, countless stars, and planets. However, their size and form may differ from the current dimensions. For instance, the New Jerusalem descending from heaven to Earth, with each dimension, including height, being 2,220 kilometers, suggests that Earth would need to be hundreds or thousands of times larger than its current size to accommodate the city.

Some people think that in the new heavens and new earth there will be no stars or planets. However, the Word of God affirms, “Whatever the Lord does, it will last forever.” The Word also affirms that the Self-Existing and Eternal God has assigned the stars in heaven to the nations on Earth (Deuteronomy 4:19). Daniel 12:3 also likens those who lead many to righteousness to stars forever, implying that the stars will be recreated and remain forever. Psalm 147:4 states that God counts the number of stars and names all of them, indicating that He has a purpose for creating countless stars. This purpose will be fulfilled in the new heavens and new earth.

Our second reflection is on the fact that all of God’s people will witness God creating the new heavens and the new earth. At that time, all of God’s people will still be in heaven. Prior to this, they will have witnessed the passing away of the old heavens and the old earth from heaven and participated in the final judgment. We think that God may very well repeat the creation of the heavens and the earth of the material world in six days. The difference this time is that there will be no sea on Earth, but there will be rivers, streams, and lakes for aquatic life. It is likely that the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven to Earth at the end of Friday. On Saturday, the first assembly will take place on the new Earth. All the angels and God’s people will gather to worship God on the new Earth, marking the beginning of the Eternal Kingdom. Following this will be the division of the land on the new Earth and the distribution of stars and planets in the new heavens to the nations. All humanity will live eternally with the Holy Trinity, enjoying and exploring the wonders of both the material and spiritual worlds of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our third reflection is on time. In reality, science and philosophy have yet to agree on a definition of time. It is clear that no one knows for certain what time truly is. Perhaps our perception of time comes from the succession of day and night, measured by hours, minutes, and seconds. But if there were no succession of day and night, if there were only day or only night, what would we rely on to perceive time? This will be the case in New Jerusalem, where it will always be daytime because the glory of God and Christ will illuminate the entire city. There will be only daytime and no night (Revelation 21:23, 25; 22:5).

The prophecies in the Old Testament about the new heavens and the new earth recorded in Ezekiel and Isaiah speak of a restored heavens and earth for the Thousand-Year Kingdom. The prophecies in the New Testament about the new heavens and the new earth recorded in Revelation refer to the re-creation of the heavens and the earth for the Eternal Kingdom. During the Thousand-Year Kingdom, nations will come to Jerusalem to worship God on the new moons, that is, the beginning of each month, and on the Sabbaths, that is, Saturdays.

“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 66:23).

Therefore, we can understand that in the Eternal Kingdom, there will also be gatherings such as these. Consequently, in the new heavens and the new earth, the sun and the moon will still have an effect on the earth, and the phenomena of day and night will continue outside the New Jerusalem. It is possible that in both the Thousand-Year Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom, a day will be exactly 24 hours long, a month will have exactly 30 days, and a year will have exactly 360 days.

It is also possible that in the Eternal Kingdom, we may not be able to move into the future, as only God knows the future. However, we could travel back into the past, with the farthest point being the beginning of the creation of the new heavens and the new earth. This means that no matter how many years we live in the Eternal Kingdom, if we wish, we could revisit or relive any period from the time the new heavens and the new earth were created. We would not be able to go beyond that point, as the old things have passed away and the painful memories are no more.

It is beyond our current imagination and understanding to think about living endlessly in happiness, in the joy of knowing God and His works each day, and participating in the administration of the Kingdom of *God.

Our fourth reflection is on how God will remove the painful memories of humanity. In the Thousand-Year Kingdom, people will still commit sins, so sorrow will persist, at least in the form of grief for the loved ones of those who have sinned. But in the Eternal Kingdom, “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We understand that God will remove the painful memories of humanity. No one will remember their past sins or the loved ones who have been lost forever. It is possible that the removal of painful memories will be granted to those with resurrected or transformed physical bodies, even during the Thousand-Year Kingdom.

Our fifth reflection is on human intellect. We think that even in the Thousand-Year Kingdom, the intellect of those whose physical bodies have been resurrected or transformed will be extraordinary. Understanding, memory, and reasoning abilities will surpass any supercomputer that humans can create in this life. The human brain will remember facts with precision like a computer’s hard drive. Additionally, there may be an endless database that everyone can access at any time. Each person’s brain will connect to this database similarly to how computers connect to cloud storage today. We envision that whenever we need to access information, a three-dimensional screen will appear right before our eyes, displaying the information we need. All operations will be performed by thought. The results of our reasoning could also be added to the database for sharing with others. We could also directly transmit our ideas to the brains of others, similar to how we use messaging and email today.

Humanity will understand every aspect of God’s work in His creation, the operation of all created beings, meaning understanding all physical, chemical, mathematical, and spiritual laws. Additionally, we will understand why God designed each creation with its form and functions and the purpose of their existence.

Our sixth reflection is on the Bible. The Word of God remains forever. Therefore, we believe that the Bible we have today will be accurately restored in its original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. At that time, everyone will be proficient in all human languages and thus able to read and memorize the Bible in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It is possible that translations of the Bible into other languages will also remain and be complete translations, so that the Word of God is exalted in each human language. We need to remember that each human language is a gift from God. Everyone will be able to remember the entire Bible in its original languages or in other languages.

In the original Scriptures, there will be mysteries enough for us to study for eternity. We believe that the Bible is encoded by God to record all His works and every physical and spiritual law. The words in the Bible can not only be read in two dimensions but also in multiple dimensions, with each dimension revealing different mysteries.

Our seventh reflection is on language and the exchange of ideas with one another. We believe that all human languages will still exist in the Eternal Kingdom and will continue to develop according to our increasing understanding. We will be proficient in all human languages as well as the language of angels. The language used for communication between people, with God, and with the angels can be chosen by each individual. We may choose to communicate verbally or simply transmit thoughts, similar to how messages are exchanged between phones. We think that during worship services, each nation will pray and praise in their own language.

Our eighth reflection is on the work of each person. We believe that, first and foremost, those who had family relationships on earth, and then those who belonged to the same local Church, will work together in the same unit. It is difficult for us to imagine the kinds of work in the Eternal Kingdom. Humanity will live together on earth while ruling over all of God’s creation, including both the physical and spiritual realms. From the earth, people will be able to travel to distant galaxies in the universe and visit heaven for recreation or work, all at the speed of thought. This means that if one wants to go somewhere, simply thinking of wanting to be there will make them present in that place instantly.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the King, and the Church rules with Him like a cabinet with various departments in a government. The roles and authority of each individual will vary according to the rewards given by Christ. Those who are God’s people but outside the Church, who do not have the authority to rule, will serve as citizens working in various departments. We cannot fully imagine the work of each person in the Eternal Kingdom, as it is a spiritual world combined with the physical world. Everything will be good and perfect, operating according to *God’s laws, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and under the rule of Christ.

Our ninth reflection is on pleasure. Some say that in the afterlife, without marriage, humanity will no longer experience pleasure from sexual relations. We think that in a supernatural body, we do not need marriage because we no longer have the duty to reproduce and fill the earth. Therefore, we will not have a need for sexual satisfaction. However, we believe that we will experience pleasures far greater than those derived from sexual relations. Since God, who grants us pleasure through sexual relations, will also provide us with pleasures through other activities.

We can compare the pleasures of the current physical body to the pleasure of a baby nursing from its mother. On the other hand, the pleasures of a supernatural body are like the joy of an adult dining at a grand feast with delicious food.

In the Eternal Kingdom, everything will be good and complete; our happiness, satisfaction, and pleasure will also be perfect.

Our tenth reflection is on creatures. We think that, in addition to angels and humans, all creatures will be restored in the Eternal Kingdom. It is very possible that God’s people will reunite with all the pets they cared for while living in the old heaven and earth. It is also possible that humans and other creatures, including plants, will be able to understand and communicate with each other.

We hope that this sharing provides many insights for God’s people as they reflect on the Eternal Kingdom. With the great blessings that God has bestowed upon us, let us earnestly live to please Him so that we may share in His eternal inheritance.

May the Word of God sanctify and strengthen us. May we all hold fast to the faith and remain faithful to the Lord until the day Christ comes. May the love, grace, and fellowship of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, envelop you all. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
08/19/2023

Notes:

[1] https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/see-back-space-time/

[2] 46 billion lightyears is equivalent to 435,193,601,738,716,800,000,000 km https://www.calculateme.com/astronomy/light-years/to-kilometers/46000000000

[3] https://thewordtoyou.net/dictionary/396-tri-thuc

Divine knowledge is the understanding that arises through the spiritual body, which is the spirit, and is guided by reasoning based on consciousness.

Consciousness is the understanding within the spirit, which can come either from God or from the Devil. Humans share an awareness of the existence of God and His commandments, which they recognize as moral standards in their conscience. Those who belong to God receive an increasing understanding of God and His Word through the Holy Spirit, known as good consciousness. Conversely, those who worship the Devil are instructed by him in matters related to him, referred to as bad, unclean, or seared consciousness (as seen in 1 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 10:22).

Studied knowledge is understanding gained through study and learning.

Experienced knowledge is understanding acquired through observation and experience.

Synthesized knowledge is the comprehensive understanding formed by integrating divine knowledge, studied knowledge, and experienced knowledge.

[4] https://preachingfromthebible.net/ten-reflections-on-the-final-judgment/

About Using “*God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible uses a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.